Mr. Sir's Daughter: The Only Girl At Camp Green Lake (Holes fanfic)

Chapter 9

 That night, Miss Ashley sat alone inside her father's office. She was in his chair, with her back hunched over the desk and her legs wide open underneath it. Mr. Sir had taught her from a very young age that she should sit with her legs crossed, 'like a lady', but no one was around at the moment, so she opted for the more comfortable position. She had taken her shirt off - she was only wearing a thin white vest on her top half, something that she had also been told never to do in the presence of other people - and thrown it over the back of the chair, despite the air being colder at night.

She had said goodnight to her father a couple hours ago and told him she wouldn't be long getting to bed, but she still hadn't even put on her pyjamas. She was tired, but her mind wouldn't stop racing. While everyone else slept peacefully, she sat at the desk, flipping back and forth between the only two pages of Squid's file, reading it over and over again, trying to figure out whether the relationship was worth all the trouble and heartbreak that her father said would inevitably be waiting for her at the end of it. She had planned on trying to keep her distance since they had spoken about it, but the day's events had quickly thrown her off balance. When Squid touched her face, it made her feel something. The feeling was almost as strong as the one she felt when he kissed her and she was more confused now than she had ever been.

She looked up, hearing a tired voice say her name. Squid was standing by the door in only his boxer shorts and a t-shirt. He was staring at her with half open eyes.

"Oh, sorry, sweetheart," she said, slightly anxious by the sight of him. "Did I wake you?"

She stood up and switched the radio off that had been playing quietly, not even loud enough for anyone outside the office to hear it, then pulled her shirt over her shoulders, leaving it unbuttoned. He shook his head.

"Why are you up so late?" he asked, sounding concerned. He gestured with his hand to the clock on the wall. It was already half past eleven.

Miss Ashley picked up her now empty mug and poured herself some more coffee. It was her third cup since her father had left for bed. "I can't sleep."

"I'm not surprised," Squid laughed.

"Why are you up?" she asked him.

"I had to go to the bathroom," he claimed, pointing in the direction of the portable toilets outside. "I saw the light on and noticed it was you in here."

Miss Ashley furrowed her eyebrows, wondering how he could have known it was her and not Mr. Sir without getting so close to the door. He was lucky, because if it had been her father, he would have gotten a long lecture just for coming as close as he did. He was very strict about who came into the office. The only time the campers were allowed inside was when they first arrived at camp.

"What's wrong anyway?" Squid carried on. "You'll be tired in the morning, you know."

Miss Ashley sat back down. She ignored her father's rules and waved at Squid to come inside. She watched him hesitate, then sit in the chair that was usually hers. He peered over at the clipboard.

"Is that my file?" he asked, a concerned and curious look on his face.

She nodded. "I've read it so many times, I can recite it word for word. Wanna hear?"

Squid smiled at her, hearing the caffeine's effect in her voice. "No thanks. I know what it says. What you reading it for?"

"I'm trying to find something wrong with you," she told him, forgetting to keep her guard up, partly because she was so tired that her mind was failing her and partly because all the coffee she had drank was making her hyper. "But I can't find nothing. Everything you said was true."