ContamiNation

Nilla

Brit

It was almost dark. I could just about see the sun setting from by boyfriend's lap. Though the teachers were more careful around the exits, they weren't paying much attention to the stairs that lead up into the top part of the Rogers Centre. So, Carlos and I climbed up here to get a much deserved view. I think he enjoyed the view a bit too much because every time I turn to make out with him he moves out of the way. When I tried the get him to touch me he just kept shifting. It was making me feel weird, I didn't like it.

"Touch me." I whined. "Come on, I'm fucking horny."

Carlos kissed my forehead. That's not what I want. "My hands are cold. You wouldn't like that," He said.

I am holding your hand, it's not cold, "Liar."

He smiled into my hair. "You smell nice; strawberry shortcake."

"Aww, don't change the subject." My hair is red at the moment, I dyed it not too long ago but it's still pretty faded.

"Fine, fine, fine," He muttered into my hair. "My hands aren't clean. You don't want to have problems, do you?"

"We've done a lot worse before."

"Yeah, but you showered after, we got cleaned up. Here..." He trailed off.

I rolled my eyes and turned on his lap so I was straddling him. "Well then," I leaned into his ear, "Fuck me."

Carlos gently pushed me off of him and stood up. "We should be getting back." He walked off without even checking on me.

Jerk, I thought. Just wait, you'll want head or some shit and I won't give it. Or, better yet, I'll hide your weed stash or steal your cigarette money. I waited until there was barely any light left to see by before heading down through the seats back to the school.

They were pulling out a few tents and sleeping bags but there was not nearly enough for everyone. It was Mid-April—whoever didn't have both a sleeping bag and a tent would probably freeze during the night. Even if they'd spilt the tents and sleeping bags, one or the other for everyone, it still wasn't enough. There were over a thousand people and only four-hundred sleeping bags and three-hundred tents.

Darkness had almost filled the entire arena when the workers finally brought out, what looked like, a few circus tents. I am sooo not sleeping in one of those. I need my privacy; or a private tent for me and Carlos.

It seemed like they were giving the smaller tents to teachers and staff and D-D kids. I wondered if I need to fake an illness to get a place to myself.

Out of the darkness I heard Josh yell for Adam. I was about to follow it when I walked past the sound of crying. Thinking it was a no-good sad do-gooder I started to pass them but they called out my name. The crying girl was Lilly. Now I had to talk to her.

"Hey, Lil," I said and turned to face her. She has her own tent to herself? Bitch.

"Hey, do you have a minute?" Lilly asked "I need someone to talk to."

I crouched down, "Sure, but can we talk inside." Maybe she'd fall asleep and I could get her tent, at least for the night.

Lilly nodded and unzipped the rest of tent flap, moved to the side, and let me in. I closed it behind me as she started speaking. "I can't find my sister."

"But you said­—" I started.

She yelled, "I know what I said!" She took a breath. I didn't think she'd speak again but she did. "My sister was supposed to come here, too, with her bus. But she didn't—she isn't here. Nobody's telling me anything, she's my sister."

"What school does—did she go to?" I asked.

"The one down the street from ours," she sobbed. "She was supposed to come back with us. She was supposed to come back with us! She was-is fourteen. SHE'S FOURTEEN. And she was going to be with me for my last year of high school."

After all this time of knowing Lilly, I realized, I never knew her sisters' name. So, I asked, "What's her name?"

Lilly looked at me, hurt. Then sad as she answered, "Nilla. Her name was Vanilla Torrington. She has my father's last name while I took our mothers'. It's funny though...I always followed my dad more and she always followed mom."

I looked at the girl that I never really liked and, for the first time, I was genuinely sorry for her. I wanted to help, however I could. "Lilly, what do you want?"

She folded in on herself and cried, "I want my sister."

I wrapped her in a blanket and leaned her against me. I've been told I make a good pillow. "What do you want from me?" I added.

Her answer was muffled by my clothes and her sobs. "Just stay here. Just do this."

So I stayed, and I held her, and I lied when she asked, and I was careful with the truth. And finally, when the staff had set up the last of the oil heater lamps and the tents, I let go and let her sleep, hugging me. Before I even knew it, I was sleeping beside her in the dark cold tent, wondering if I should help her tomorrow by yelling at everyone and anyone for a goddamn answer. To find out where Lilly's sister, Nilla, is and get them back together. They shouldn't be separated; a family that loves each other should never be separated.

My last thought was the simple wondering idea that maybe, at one point, my family loved me.