𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐒 - camp cretaceous

08| Hello Horatio

"Welcome friends to Casa de Kon! Who's up for the grand tour?"

Everyone shared the same awed expression as they stared around Dad's study: wide glimmering eyes, jaws dropped to the ground, and imaginary glitter twinkled around their faces. Without a word, they all rushed right past me and Kenji, squealing at the tops of their lungs.

Each corner of the study held a special camper who gawped it with bright beaming faces. But my eyes landed on Darius, who excitedly sped over to the pure golden replica of the famous Sinoceratop from Southern China. I wasn't surprised by this as I walked over to him. Kenji followed after me with a smirk.

"Woah!" Darius breathed as he placed his hands on his head.

"Pretty sweet, eh? It's a gift from Masrani; I named it Horatio," Kenji said with a smug look plastered across his face. Unfortunately for him, Darius didn't pay him any mind.

"Is this what you were talking about, Kiara?" Darius asked. His eyes were still locked on the golden statue, which glistened in the seeping rays of sunshine.

I nodded and smiled sweetly at him. "Yep! I knew you'd like it!" I said brightly.

Darius finally turned away from the statue to look at me. He blushed profusely, and a big smile crept up his lips. He quickly hugged me. I just giggled, hugging him back.

"Kiara, this is so flipping cool—a replica of the 68-million-year-old sinoceratops discovered in Southern China! Where did your dad even get this!?" Darius exclaimed.

Darius stepped closer to the replica, reaching his hand to touch the gold. I hurriedly grasped his hand, which stopped him from touching the sinoceratops statue and smiled awkwardly.

"Dad doesn't let us touch it, but you can look at it all you want!" I said, trying my best to sound cheerful.

Darius' excited smile, just for a millisecond, was replaced by a disappointed frown. Immediately, I let go of his hand and looked at the floor. I was beginning to feel like I had forced Darius under a drizzling raincloud, and it seemed one close to a storm was approaching me.

Ever the knight in shining armour, Brooklynn called Kenji to join her, rescuing him from the awkwardness. As he walked away, Kenji glanced nervously at Darius and the statue.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to get in trouble," I explained.

I really didn't. I still wasn't sure when Kenji and I would finally see Dad again, and the very last thing I want him to realise is that we let our friends mess around in the penthouse—specifically the main study—and make a mess of his things! He'd be so disappointed...I can't have that happen.

"But your dad isn't here," Darius said quietly. "You can't get in trouble.

I didn't say anything then. I mean, what could I have said? Darius was right: Dad wasn't watching me or Kenji on the island. But the thing is, he always finds out; no matter what we do or when, somehow, he always knows when we mess up when I mess up. And he's made a habit of calling us out so we can't make the same stupid mistake again. I didn't want today to have another one of those moments.

Turning to face Darius, I managed to smile pleasantly and nod. "I know, and um... Here! Come and see this," I said, averting the conversation's subject.

I led Darius to Dad's mahogany desk. A few documents and books lay about it, but those weren't why I brought him here. On the corner stood another statue, only this one was much smaller and of a dinosaur the Jurassic World geneticists have yet to whip up in their labs.

"Is that a troodon?" Darius asked. When I nodded, he broke out into another grin. "That's so awesome! They are such cool dinosaurs. Are they your dad's favourite?" Darius continued excitedly.