The Wink Murder

Chapter 17

The trip to the tent didn't seem to take that long. Jayden had been really chatty at first, but then his chattiness had faded away. Now we were walking as an awkward trio.

Now I was alone with my thoughts. I realized that now since I had two companions, I could be recognized as the chosen one once more. Not a good thing. But now I had two hackers on my side. That is a good thing.

When we got to the tent, Mina and I took down the tent efficiently. After putting it up and taking it down so many times, we had it down to an exact science.

Well, that is, if putting up and taking down a tent requires science.

Jayden sat down on a rock, being absolutely useless. Isn't that all guys good for these days?

We packed up my camping bag and then I stood, once again staggering underneath it's weight. I hate this stupid backpack.

"Need help?" Jayden asked.

Finally! He got of his lazy ass! And finally I don't have to be the person carrying this damn backpack everywhere.

Yep. Language again. But it is all true!

He grabbed the bag from off my shoulders and then tried to put it on his back. He fell over.

I laughed so hard. He tried to be Mr. Big and Buffy but in reality, he was like a little pony trying to stand for the first time. Wobbly knees. Plop. He fell down. He he he!

"Hey! I wasn't ready!" Jayden cried.

"I never have to be. I ALWAYS am ready," I retorted.

He laughed and rolled his eyes. Then, with a grunt might I add, he lifted the bag onto his shoulders.

"Let's go," he said with a strained voice.

I laughed as I took of with Mina, Jayden struggling and staggering behind us.

"Slow down!" Jayden called.

"Why should I slow down if you should be Mr. Big and Buffy! Mr. Showoff! I thought that you didn't need help with all of those 'muscles'," I retorted, but slowing down anyways.

"That's right! I don't need help!" Jayden proclaimed, straightening his back and attempting to walk like a hero.

"Sure you don't!" I laughed.

We all laughed and continued this tiny argument until we got to the street where we first met Jayden.

"Where to?" Mina asked.

Jayden, happy to be in the lead, uprighted his shoulders.

"Follow me, ladies!" He exclaimed.

We laughed and started walking down the street. Mina seem stuck in a trance, her lips quietly moving with no sound. I would ask, but usually when I asked for something, I always ended up interrupting whatever they were doing and they had to start over to find their place.

"TAADAAAAA!" Jayden said when we arrived.

Mina's lips moved a little bit more, then she stopped, apparently reviewing what she had just mouthed.

Then, Jayden had us marched up the stairs and into the apartment, It wasn't much, but then again, we didn't need much. But it was a mess. House cleaning was coming.

"Home sweet home!" Jayden exclaimed. "I would have cleaned it if I had know if I had visitors, but I didn't, so..."

I rolled my eyes.

"You said that you had found us on the feed. You came down to the street when we came."

"Do you think that that enough time to clean this?"

"It should be clean anyways!"

Jayden fell silent, defeated.

"I got it!" Mina cried suddenly, making Jayden jump 3 feet into the air.

I let out a teeny laugh, then looked at Mina curiously.

"I memorized the way to Jayden's apartment."

"How?" Jayden and I asked at the same time.

"Well, I looked at the street signs and directions like north and south."

"But, how does that work?" I asked.

"Well, I put them together in my head like a computer code. For me, I can memorize computer codes after only using them once."

Jayden had his mouth hanging open as large as the abyss. He caught me looking at me and attempted to fix his posture, making it look like he didn't care.

"Psht," Jayden said.

"Wish that you could do that? Because I know that you can't," I told Jayden.

He fell silent. He was feeling my burn full heat. He was going to need more than ice for that burn.

"Whatever," Jayden, attempting to make a come back.

But that was super WEAK! He needed to work on that. Otherwise, I was going to be sending that little boy crying to his mama. Well, if she was still alive.

Man, why do I have to be so insensitive?

It's my need to diss people. Maybe I needed to back off instead of Jayden coming up to meet my thunder.

"So," Jayden said, breaking the silence, "would you like a tour?"

"Sure," Mina and I said in unison.

"Ok! So, here is the kitchen. And this is the living room. The couch pulls out to become a bed. This is bathroom number one. And here is the guest bedroom. Bathroom number two. Here is the master. That is my room. Bathroom number three. My room is off limits unless I say so. I know that you were going to do something when I ask you to come in Ales!"

I roll my eyes.

"And that's my apartment!"

I shrugged. It wasn't much, but it was defiantly much nicer then most apartments.

I grabbed the camping bag from a not-so-buffy Jayden and went to the guest bedroom. Mina followed. Together, we unpacked the bag. No more carrying that stupid bag! HALLELUJAH!

There was even a big closet to organize all of our stuff! Hurray!

"I think I want to take a shower," I said, after we were done.

Jayden walked in.

"You need one. You smell really bad."

Ooooh! Shots fired!

"But not as much as you," I retorted.

OOOOH! MAN DOWN!

"Alright. You know where to go. There is towels and soap already in there."

"Cool. Thanks."

I made sure to take an extra long shower. Warm water cascading down on to me. Scrubbing away the worries and dirt.

I dried off and changed. I felt a lot better after doing that. Tying my hair back, I took a look in the mirror.

My face was no longer smeared with dirt. My hair was gleaming. I was extra clean. I almost looked normal except for those huge bags and dark circles under my eyes.

For once, I was no longer the girl who would kill the island. I was normal. And that was more than I could ever want.