𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐞

3.

Tension In The Woods

The sun rose over the campgrounds, casting a golden hue through the trees as another day at camp began.

Onika and Rihanna were engaged in a low-key argument, their voices carrying just enough edge to hint at underlying tension.

Beyoncé approached cautiously, sensing the brewing storm.

"Hey, Onika right?" Beyoncé asked softly, trying to break the tension. "It's time for the next challenge."

Onika turned to Beyoncé, her expression still sour. "Shut up," she muttered, as she acknowledged Beyoncé's presence.

Rihanna glanced at Beyoncé and smirked. "Hey, it's Squidward," she teased, a hint of mischief in her voice.

Beyoncé felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "Can we not?" she muttered, hoping to deflect the teasing.

Onika shot Rihanna a glare. "Don't call her that," she snapped, her tone sharp.

Rihanna rolled her eyes, crossing her arms defiantly. "Relax, it's just a joke. You don't even know the context, dude."

Onika huffed in frustration. "Whatever," she muttered, turning away from Rihanna.

She gestured for Beyoncé to follow her as they headed towards the edge of the woods where the next challenge awaited.

As they walked, Beyoncé tried to lighten the mood. "So, what's the challenge this time?"

Onika shrugged, her demeanor still closed off. "No idea. But we better figure it out fast."

Beyoncé nodded, feeling the tension between them like a weight. "Onika, can we talk about earlier?"

Onika stopped abruptly, turning to Beyoncé with a scowl. "Talk about what?"

Beyoncé hesitated, unsure how to approach the subject. "When you told me to shut up back there. It kind of hurt."

Onika scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh please, don't be so sensitive. We have more important things to worry about than your feelings."

Beyoncé bit her lip, hurt flickering in her eyes. "I get that we're not exactly friends, but we're supposed to be a team. We need to communicate and work together."

Onika sighed heavily, running a hand through her hair. "Look, Beyoncé. I don't do the whole 'feelings' thing, okay? I'm not here to be your friend or listen to you rant. Let's just focus on the challenge and get through this."

Beyoncé nodded silently, blinking back the sting of rejection. She turned away, swallowing her disappointment as they continued into the woods.

The challenge involved navigating a series of clues hidden throughout the forest, testing their teamwork and problem-solving skills.

As they searched, Onika took the lead, her determination evident in every stride. Beyoncé followed quietly, her thoughts swirling with frustration and hurt.

Hours passed as they trudged through the dense foliage, the tension between them palpable. Beyoncé tried to contribute, offering suggestions and ideas, but Onika brushed them off with curt responses.

It became clear that Onika preferred to work alone, dismissing Beyoncé's efforts at every turn.

Finally, they reached the last clue, a tattered map pinned to a tree.

Onika studied it intently, her brow furrowed in concentration. Beyoncé stood beside her, feeling increasingly sidelined and useless.

"Okay, I think I've got it," Onika said finally, pointing to a path leading deeper into the woods. "Let's go."