Forest Sisters

The Hermes cabin

Helena's POV

After the blessing, everyone started to go to their cabins, so I followed the Hermes group to their cabin. I had been expecting it to have two separate rooms, one for girls and one for guys, but there wasn't. As I walked in, my eyes widened. It was just a large room with one bathroom and small living spaces. Beds were pushed into every corner and every space available, on the wall, in the middle of the room, on the sealing (don't ask me why). Both the guys and girls were in random beds, not even a little divided.

As everyone walked in and found their bunks, some simply flopped on their beds and were fast asleep, but most of the girls walked into the bathroom to change. There was only one bathroom, so all the girls got changed in there while the guys . . .

My cheeks turn bright red. A couple of the guys would simply take off their shoes and get in bed, but most were taking off their shirts.

This was indecent! How could this be okay!? I averted my eyes and looked at the floor. I glanced over at Ivy to see her reaction, but she only walked over to a spare bed and took off her shoes. How could she not see the blasphemy of this situation?! I walk over to her and sit down. Some of the guys are talking, and one guy even has another in a head lock, but few of them had a shirt on. How could this be alright!

I look over at Ivy and whisper, "how can you be okay with this?" She looks up at me in confusion. "What are you taking about?" She asks. I jester with my hands at the guys (shirtless guys, must I remind you!) and she only glances around causally. "You get used to it." she says. "When you've been in as many homes as I have, you get used to being crammed into small spaces." She laughs a little and continues, "You should have seen the Vills. I was stuck in the Attic with ten other guys. I was the only girl up there. But they didn't seem to notice. I stayed out of their business, they stayed out of mine."

I open my mouth to ask another question, but a voice behind me interrupts. "So, you guys find a place yet?" I turn around and there stands a red head who looks suspiciously like Conner, but for some slight differences. I open my mouth to respond, but then I see he's also shirtless. My cheeks go even redder and I avert my eyes one again. He sits down on the bed across from the one Ivy and me are currently on. "What's wrong with your friend?" He asks. Ivy only lays down and puts her arms behind her head. "She's just tired." She says.

The red head nods. "Most people are tired when they first get here." He says. He gets up and stretches. "Well," he says, "I hope you find a home here."

Ivy doesn't say anything, just stares at the sealing. The red head waves and walks away. I turn back to Ivy, but now she is facing away from me and her eyes are closed. I smile and get up, moving to the empty bed the guy had been sitting on. I take off my boots, setting my bag on the ground. I lay back on the bed and take a deep breath. Well, I think, I lived through day one. What else could go wrong?