The Down Under

Chapter one

        I know what you're thinking, the down under, is this a story about an Aussie person? No, no it's not. This is a story about me, Kathrine Eals.  About me and how I found out that my mother has been lying to me my entire life.
       I was so excited, I was practically skipping home from the last day of school. Today was the day I got to leave home by myself for the first time, but I was going to the same summer camp that I'd gone to since I was in junior high, Camp Lakebottom. This camp was like any other camp in the middle of nowhere, you learned how to fish, camped outside, and learned the difference between a lemon frog and a tree frog. Some things that I found pretty useless. I also had to deal with a huge jerk named Conner. Every year he thinks he can beat me in the fishing tournament, a huge thing at Camp Lakebottom, but when he doesn't, he pushes me into the lake and I go home smelling like a fish. Conner and I were friends in elementary school. Matter of fact, he might have had a small crush on me in fourth grade, I think. I was about two blocks away from my house when he and his little wanna-be friends jumped in front of me.
    "Ha ha" one of the kids mocked, " we got you now"
"You're literally a kindergartener." I said, "Now if you guys don't want to find out how fast I am then I suggest you turn around and go back."
   "Get her" Conner was the one to say that. Once he did, I sprinted towards my house. It was only a couple blocks away, it wouldn't take me that long to get there. I ran track ever since I could join, and I didn't make it to state until my last three years. I got first, point-wise, every time, and not to brag, I was not only a short sprinter, but a long-distance runner as well. That's a very rare thing to find in this twisted crazy world. I made it to my front door in five to ten seconds. What they didn't know was that I wasn't going to go inside, I was going to sit here and watch them debate on what they were going to do. It's really fun to watch.
     "What do you mean she got away? GO FIND HER!" That was most definitely Conner, "she has something I want, remember?"
"Conner, I think we might be able to help you more if you tell us what that is."  The tallest wanna-be states. By this time they finally made it to the front of my house, Conners yelled at them, and they responded with "ok, we're sorry sir, we'll do better sir." And try to find me. I'm still sitting here, on the rocking chair on my porch, which isn't quiet either, just waiting to see if they'll notice me.
   "Kathrine Eals, I need to talk to you." I was utterly shocked that he knew I was here.
"Well, go on and ask me now since you know I'm sitting here." He turns to see me on the porch.
"I need something from you." He starts.
"And that is?" I questioned.
"I need a car."
"Wow, what else do you need, a pencil?" I responded, sarcastically.
"Or at least a ride to camp." I stared at him.
"You want my help?" I was smirking at him now, all of this was somewhat humorous to me.
"Yes" he choked " I need your help."
"Why," I started to walk towards him "did mommy run into problems with her money?" I whined, I posed to look like I was desperate.
   "You are annoying, you know that?" He looked like he was trying not to blush, " and no my mother didn't run into any trouble, I just got my car taken away, ok?"
"Oh my gosh, you're finally getting punished!" I ran up to him, "Guys the world is ending, the world is ending!" I was shaking him now.
"You are very immature!" He swatted my hands away and turned his face from mine. "Are you going to help me or not, cause if not I'm leaving."
"Yeah, sure I'll help you,"  I answered, " on one condition, you call me mom the entire time we're there."
"WHAT!" He shot back and whipped his head around at me. "ABSOLUTELY NOT! WE'RE NOT EVEN FRIENDS!" He looked like the tomato I picked off the vine yesterday.
"Well then" I smirked, " no ride then." I looked over at him. He was trying to hide his red face from me.
"Fine," he whipped his face from me again and put his hood up. "When does it start?"
"When we get in the car, or I can make you say it from now till we get back from camp. That's about three months, correct?"
"I'll do it as long as you tell me to, as long as I get there in one piece.
"Well Conner," I faced him, smiling ear to ear, "you have yourself a deal. I'll take you to camp, and from camp if needed, and you'll have to call me mom until I say you're done." I stuck my hand out, waiting for him to shake my hand. He's not going to do it, why do I try?
The next thing I feel is his hand in mine.
"Deal." He took his hood off and was now facing me. He looked like he got done crying, that's how red his face was anyway.
"Well what time do you want to-"
"CONNER WE CAN'T FIND HER" he was still holding my hand, and then he pulled me closer to him.
"5:00 sharp" he whispered in my ear, " don't be late."
"O-ok?"  He walked away, not far, just enough to look like we didn't do anything.
"CONNER! Are you ok? Oh goody, you found her!"
"Of course I did you boneheads! That's why I sent you looking after her, so I could talk to her." He yelled, "Now go home, I don't need your help anymore." About five kids walk off to their houses.
"Thank you." His voice caught me off guard.
"What?"
"I said, thank you. You've been a great " he hesitated, " a great friend." He finished.
"Wow, how did that taste?"
"Shut your mouth." And with that, he walked off.
"That was the most bipolar conversation I've ever been in." I walked in the front door only to be bombarded with questions.
"Oh! Welcome home, honey! Who was that? What were you guys talking about? Did he kiss you, I saw you guys get close for a second."
"Wow, ease of the gas there driver, you're being a little too nosey." My mom is a strange woman, she didn't like hair, at all, if it was her choice, she would be bald. She had shoulder-length hair that looked almost orange. Today she is wearing a form-fitting skirt that goes down to her ankles and a fitting t-shirt. This is something she would wear if she was going somewhere.
"If you don't mind me asking, who's that lucky guy?"
"KATHERINE!" She looked at me in utter disbelief. "I would never think about going out on a date, at least not with these men, they're all a bunch of wimps."
"Ok! Wow, didn't know that's what you thought of this town, glad to know that we're on the same side." I looked over at the nearest clock. Oh, shoot! It's two o'clock already!
"Sorry, I can't talk anymore mom, I gotta go pack for camp!"
"Oh, ok honey! Will you be able to eat dinner with me before you leave?" 5:00... don't be late...
"Ummm... what time do you want to eat?"
"Around 6:30, why do you ask?"
"I'm picking up a kid at five, so no I can't, I'm so sorry Mom! I love you!" I was halfway up the stairs. I ran to my room and started to shove clothing in my bag. You freaking knucklehead, why didn't you do this DAYS before today! I counted how many pieces of clothing I had. Ninety-one shirts and ninety-one pairs of pants should be good clothing-wise. I was sprinting to get everything ready and when I was done, I was sweating. A couple hours later I got everything I needed. Hygiene stuff, clothing, including undergarments and socks, shampoo and conditioner, three pairs of shoes, phone charger, portable charger, and headphones. I think that covers it.
I walk downstairs to find my mom in the kitchen.
"Oh hi dear! Do you want to eat now? I thought you might want to eat before you left." She was holding out a plate of oven-baked salmon, my favorite.
I looked at my phone for the time. Four thirty. I've got time.
"Yeah sure, thanks, Mom!" I walked over and grabbed my plate, kissing my mom on the cheek before I sat down. It's been a while since my mom made me salmon, but when I put it in my mouth, the flavors of rosemary, thyme, and a little brown sugar melted in my mouth. I sat there for a second before I realized I had someone to pick up in fifteen minutes.
"OH SHOOT! I GOTTA GO!" I screamed, I shoveled the food in my mouth, put the plate in the sink, and darted out the door, only to find out Conner was already at the door.
"HUNNRR!" I yelled trying not to choke on the rest of the salmon. I swallowed the rest of my food and tried again. "CONNER, jeez, you scared me. We have a doorbell you know."
"You ok?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. You just frightened me, that's all."
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to, and I was going to ring the doorbell, but then you flung open the door!"
"Ok, ok, ok, yell at me about it on the way there, let me just get my stuff. Oh, and come In, it's getting cold out there."
"Oh..a- thank you" he walked in awkwardly.
"Oh, are you hungry? Mom made some salmon, it's my favorite." I stopped, turned, looked to see if she could hear me, and whispered to Conner, "You have to be very careful when you're around my mother, she's a very curious fish. So if there's a question you do not want to answer, just tell her and she will stop." I didn't realize how close I was to Conner, I practically whispered in his ear. I noticed this and immediately shot back.
"Sorry, just trying to warn you, didn't mean for things to get weird."
"N-no you ok. I guess it's revenge for what I did to you earlier, so." He was playing off his red face.
"Well, the table is right over here. Mom can get you a plate if you're hungry" I walked up the stairs, and all I heard below me was my mom, doing what she always does, asking questions.
"Hi hon, what's your name? Where are you from? I thought Kathy was going to pick you up. Are you hungry?" Even though I can't see him, I can imagine the dumb look on his face. Utterly dumbfounded. I got my stuff, my suitcase, and a carry-on bag full of necessities, and shuffled down the stairs. Going downstairs with a suitcase big enough to hold everything looks like a house. So trying to bring a house down the stairs was not the best plan I had, but the only one at that. I walk down the stairs to hear that Conner and my mother are having a conversation.
"Thank you Ms. Eals, the food was delicious, but I have a question." I figured he liked the salmon.
"And what's that, Conner?"
"Is your daughter always, you know, distant with everyone she meets?" If I wasn't already at the bottom of the steps, I would have fallen to the bottom. Me? Distant, with everyone I meet? What the heck is he talking about?
"Uh, hum." I cleared my throat. Mom looked at me slowly, while Conner whipped his head around.
"How long have you been standing there?" Conner broke the silence.
"Since I've been standing here or how much have I heard? Because, I've just got here, but I heard you thanking my mom until that last question. Does that answer your question?" Utterly dumbfounded, just like I pictured it going up the stairs.
"Well, as Conner has done to all of my questions, I will answer it," she stated. "Kathy has had a lot of trouble with people in her life lately, including you, Conner, and she can't fi-"
"OK MOM! That's enough, thank you for answering a question that I could have answered myself!" I hid my face and walked off to the car. I know I've had a hard time trying to find friends and I don't have any family that lives near us, but she doesn't need to go around blasting it to people, especially Conner. That is none of his concern, nor do I want it to be. I'll never hear the end of it.
"Kathrine, wait!" Conner was hot on my heels. "Do you need any help, I noticed that you were bringing your entire room with you."
"You would find that funny, would you?" I placed, more thrown, my suitcase in the trunk. "This is why I don't make any friends, once you start to trust someone, they turn around and stab you in the back. Does that answer your question, Conner? Does it?"
"What the heck is going on? I wasn't trying to hurt you or betray you, just wondering."
"Yeah well," I hesitated, what's up with him lately, being nice to me, wanting me to help him, he wants something from me that he doesn't want to ask for. "that's not what it sounded like."
"It's not what I meant, you haven't talked to anyone recently, at school anyway, and I was getting worried," he finished, face red, "But seriously, do you need help putting your suitcase in your car? You looked like you were struggling, badly." I looked at him, there wasn't even a glint in his eye that said he was making fun of me. He just looked kind.
I sighed, "Yeah..." I never thought that Conner, a kid that I was friends with in Elementary school and then became the school reck-loose when he got older, would even think about helping me. He was always shooting for what made him look good, the next trend, the next dopamine rush, but here he was helping me put my "room" in my car. I stared at him. He coughs me looking at him.
"You know, I said help you, not do it for you." He started. "What?"
"Why?"
"Why, what? Why am I helping you?"
"Yes, why are you helping me, what made you even think about me recently?" I had to stop myself there, or I would become like Mom, a never-ending question train.
"I-" he hesitated, "honestly Kathrine, I don't know."
"So, why?"
"If you let me finish I would've told you." He smiled kindly. "But I do remember you sitting by yourself on the day before spring break. That was the day that I decided that I wasn't going to "
"Bully me?" I stared. So this change happened without me knowing.
"Yea, bully you." He lowered his head. "I never meant to do that, you know?" I was now blank staring at him.
"If you never meant to make fun of me, every day. That statement was ridiculous, why wouldn't you want to bully me, but then bully me?"
"I-" he turned to me, "can we talk about this later? I don't want to be late to camp." He got my house in the car, nice and neat too. I can just imagine my mom looking out a crack in the curtains right now to see what we're doing. She's crazy, but I still love her.
"Yeah, sure, but you still need to tell me that answer." We started to go to the same place, the driver's seat. "Wow, what do you think you're doing?" I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back, he nearly fell backward. "My car I'm driving." I held out the keys. I got into my car for the first time. Not everything I wanted was in there, yet. I was wide-eyed when I touched the steering wheel, practically buzzing with excitement. Conner stepped into the car. I looked over.
"Isn't this exciting!"
"For you maybe, but I'm not driving this thing so."
"Are you calling my car nice?" I said with disbelief. He likes my car!
"Why wouldn't I be excited for you? It's your first car." He started. "I just stopped being excited for these things myself when I got my third one."
"How many cars do you have?"
"Enough to call my house a dealership." He blankly states, then he glances at me through the corner of his eye.
"Why am I not surprised." I gave him a half-lit smirk. "Ready to go to camp?" I pulled out of the driveway, nearly hitting the trash can.
"Are you sure you want to drive?" He gave me a worried look.
"I just pulled out of the driveway! Cut me some slack." I was driving down my road now.
"No, Kathrine, do you want to drive, or do you want the freedom." I looked over at him, looked over at the road, and slammed on my brakes, nearly sending him through my windshield.
"Alright smarty pants," I get out of the car," you drive then."
"What?" I walked over to the passenger side.
"If you know what I want, then you drive." I opened his door, waiting for him to get out.
"But, this is your first time driving, isn't it?"
"No, not really, I've driven to and from school before, but this is the first time I drive by myself, in my car." He got out of the car.
"You want me to drive there? In your new car?"
"Stop contradicting yourself and get in the driver's seat, ya nerd" so he got up, walked around, and sat in the driver's seat.
"How tall are you?"
"That's the first thing you think of when you sit in the driver's seat? How tall am I?" I started. "I'm...let's see... today Tuesday so..."
"Ok, ok, jeez. Can you just tell me?"
"Five ten." He stared at me in awe. "What?"
"You are only an inch shorter than me."
"And what does that have to do with my car?"
"The seat was perfectly comfortable for me to drive, that's why." I handed him the keys. Once he started the car, which took him a while, we were off on our way to Camp Lakebottem. About five minutes in I start to play the radio, singing along to songs made by Treasures Out There, my friend and my favorite rock band. It's a lot like 21 Pilots and Fall Out Boys mixed, so more of an alternative rock than hard rock.
"How do you like this stuff?" Conner says after my favorite song, Stary Beaches, ends.
"Conner have you never listened to the Treasurers?"
"No, and I'm kind of glad I never did."
I gasped dramatically, "Conner how are we friends! The Treasurers are gold, they get the Grammy award three years in a row!" I yelled.
"Ok, ok, they got a good backbeat, but that's about it."
"Agree to disagree, Conner, agree to disagree." And I turned up my favorite song and we continued our silence until I fell asleep. I fell asleep as soon as the song Counter Attack was done. Counter Attack sounds more like hard rock rather than alternative rock. Once I was asleep, or more half asleep, I could hear Conner shut everything off. My music, the AC, I think he even drove slower so I would stay asleep. After that, I didn't remember everything until we got to camp.