Rich Re:grets

Chapter 5.5: Class On An Outing

(DECEMBER 2010)

---

RICH MUTATIO

Those damn girls put highlights on me.

I didn't even know whether to laugh it off or get furious with them. I was sure I'd forget about this by tomorrow and I needed help to survive today. Due to circumstances, I'll be letting today slide.

I splashed cold water on my face to wipe off the makeup and use its shock to jolt me awake.

"I look like a mutant raccoon."

Vivi introduced the game as geocaching. Bond said he'd memorize the rules and told me to rest whenever I could.

We headed out, and though the first hit from the cold woke me up, the warm sun washed me with serenity.

I dropped into the snow as if my legs were beginning to give up. "I'm really this tired?"

"You can't walk around like this," Bond said as he hiked ahead.

"No, I'm fine, let's keep going. I want to win. Oh, he left me."

Bond returned with two walking sticks. "You want to win? You don't even know how the game works."

"Fine. I'll settle for not last place."

I couldn't keep up with Bond and I was fine with lagging behind, but he stayed by my side to keep me company. We rested at the bald spot ahead by leaning against the largest tree.

"You know, Rich, I'm starting to think that placing not last place is as impossible as first."

"Sorry about that."

"You don't need to say that. I was expecting this to happen when I paired up with you. You're at your most vulnerable and I know no one is gonna do anything, but I don't want you to get taken advantage of while you're like this."

"Yeah, please kill those girls for putting highlights on me."

"That I can't do," Bond chuckled as he sat beside me in the snow. "You seem more complete."

"Complete is a bizarre word of choice."

"I became close with you because you were upbeat and positive. When that side of you slowly went away, I became worried that the person who saw through my facade was disappearing. But you're becoming nice guy Richie again. You've started to mature and be content these last few months too." His face slowly turned red and he looked away. "I'm glad that you picked me as your best friend."

"When I met you, you were a narcissist in the park. A bully who picked on the other kids and I was your favourite target. You've grown out of that and now you're somebody the class relies on. Stop beating yourself over the past, Bond. Between us, you're the one who's changed the most."

Bond kept quiet, admiring the snow-covered land.

"We're getting older," I said, "and I heard that's when things start to change. Can we make a vow that we'll be there for each other when we're at our lowest?"

"No, thanks. I don't think we need a vow to make that happen."

"You're right. I guess there was no point in asking." I glanced around. "Aren't you feeling unproductive just sitting here?"

"I do, but we're placing last no matter what. Just use this time to rest."

"If we can't use the time allotted for geocaching to win geocaching, let's use it to gain an advantage against the seventh graders."

Bond helped me up. "You're right. If we know the terrain of the battlefield, we can use it against Adrian and them."

We wandered around the forest, running into a couple of our classmates while we searched for this field. A caretaker pointed to its direction after Bond did some asking.

We had to climb a high hill to get to the field. It wasn't steep like our hideout, but I didn't get far up before I began struggling.

Bond wrapped my arm around his neck and held my wrist, carrying some of my weight as we ascended. "You don't have to do everything yourself, you know? It's alright to ask for help."

"I don't want to burden people."

"It's not a burden to help people out. But now that you mention it, for someone shorter than me, you are pretty heavy," Bond chuckled.

"We're the same height," I reminded him.

"No, we're not. I'm taller; even if it's by a bit."

"One millimetre doesn't count!"

Bond leaned me against a log at one end of the field.

"Are you gonna do some recon?" I asked.

"Yeah. Stay here and rest. I'll fill you in once you're back to normal."

I was conscious for most of the day but I couldn't recall a thing. That's how tired I was. All I knew was that we came in dead last for that geocaching game.

I already had a problem blurting out whatever I was thinking, but it just got worse. I wasn't even thinking at this point, just saying whatever came to mind. With no filter to sieve my words through, whatever came out was my true and honest opinion.

We ate lunch after geocaching. I think we ate pizza or hamburgers; or both. My muscles became less tired after Bond got me coffee, but that was the extent of what caffeine was able to do.

The afternoon activity was something called Predator and Prey. I didn't understand the rules. All I knew was that I was prey and I had to avoid the predators. I resorted to resting against a tree and burying myself in snow.

Someone was shaking me and I opened my eyes to find Mallory and Conan.

Good thing they're wearing green pennies.

If their pennies were red, they'd be predators and I'd be dead.

"If their pennies were red, they'd be predators and I'd be dead."

"Dude, are you okay?" Conan asked. "We were running away from Mr Darley and we heard you talking to yourself."

I looked around. "Why, is he a predator?"

"No, the teachers are hunters and poachers. Were you even paying attention to Vivi when she was explaining?"

"Do these buffoons think that low of me? I was paying attention—"

Mallory knocked my head a few times. "You're talking out loud!"

The temperature dropped a good amount after dinner to the point that it managed to wake me up a little. After resting, Vivi led us around the forest.

We stopped at an area with two paths; one we came in from and one which Mr Cranston continued down in.

"This night walk is your test of courage!" Vivi proclaimed. "You are to walk this path and meet up with your gym teacher on the bridge."

"It's tradition to go one by one," Mr Darley said as Vivi took a step back. "But your handsome teacher has decided to spice things up. You will complete this night walk in pairs of my choosing."