Born with secrets (Unedited)

chapter 2

                                                        CHAPTER 2

So finally the day arrived when we were supposed to go for camping. I was so excited but I kept having this feeling that something big was coming. It scared me. Maybe it was because of that creepy dream I’ve been having. It has been two weeks and I kept having the same dream every single night. It became more and more prominent. Like it was happening for real but I still couldn’t remember the face of the boy or what he was about to say. The dream would always end at the same time due to some reason. It was hell frustrating.

“Miranda, are you ready?” my mom shouted from downstairs.

“Almost!” I shouted back. I was still in bed thinking about the dream.

“Oh, screw it!” I mumbled to myself and got up to take a shower. I packed my brush in the bag of toiletries after my brushing my teeth. I got ready quickly and ran downstairs to have breakfast.

“Bye Mum! I’ll miss you!” I told my mum while hugging her and gulping down my glass of luke warm milk.

“Oh honey I’ll miss you so much! Call me if you need anything ok? And we’ll keep tabs on you so keep your phone with you 24/7 …” She ordered between her sobs. Why are moms so emotional? I mean I was only half an hour drive out of Karachi? She could come meet me on the weekends if she liked! But no… the water works had to start.

“Mom, I’ll be fine! Don’t worry! I’m a big girl now. I can take care of myself.” I tried to reassure my mom.

“Fourteen isn’t big! You’re still a little girl.”

I groaned.

“Okay sorry my young lady I will stop crying now. Are you all prepared?” she asked.

“Yes mum!” I gave her a salute and started grabbing my bags.

“Don’t worry baby. I got ’em,” dad said while taking the bags from me.

I gave my mom another hug, took my phone and iPod and headed for the car.

*Twenty minutes later. *

“Are we there yet?” I asked. What was taking so long? It felt like I’ve been sitting here in the car for hours. Jane and Savannah had to come with their dads. It was customary for one of the parents to accompany their child. Since our parents worked in three different parts of the city, they decided to take separate cars.

“No we are still in the city so it’ll take an hour to get there,” my dad replied calmly. He was wearing a white button-down shirt and dress pants. His eyes had lines under them and some of his black hair had turned white showing signs of aging.

“But you said it’s only half an hour’s drive,” I said pouting.

“I said ‘it’s half an hour’s drive from the city’. It’ll take us another thirty minutes to get out of the city and an hour to actually get there.”

I sighed.

“Someone’s really anxious to get away from home,” my dad teased.

I laughed and replied, “Someone’s really bored!”

He suggested I read something but I told him I hadn’t packed any books as my friends said there won’t be any time for me to read due to the activities and even if I did, they won’t let me. He turned up the music after that and I looked outside the window. I could still see the tall buildings which proved that we were still in the city. I lay myself back and rested my head on the headrest and closed my eyes while humming the music.

I didn’t realize that I had dozed off and when I opened my eyes, the tall buildings were replaced by wooden cabins and tall trees. I stretched and started getting out of the car when I was embraced in a bone-crushing hug from someone. It was Savannah. She was babbling about something so quickly that I couldn’t make out a single word. I pushed her back and kept my hands on her shoulders.

“I can’t understand a single word. Slow down woman!” 

 “I was saying,” She started really slowly like she was talking to a toddler and making sure she understood everything she is saying, “That WE ARE GONNA HAVE SO MUCH FUN!” she screamed the last words in my ears and I had to cover them with my hands so that my eardrums won’t  explode.

“Yeah I know but did u really have to shout that in my ear?”

Jane started laughing. “Hi Jane,” I greeted her.

“Hi sleepyhead,” she said while hugging me. I whined. I am so NOT a sleepyhead.

“So, has anybody seen my dad?” I asked them both.

“Yeah he’s talking to the Head of the camp, Sir Robert Delano. All the parents are there. They are being instructed about the rules, being assured of our safety and blah blah blah,” Jane announced in a bored tone.

“Ahan! And we’ll be sharing a cabin!” Savannah squealed.

As you can see Savannah was the girly one among us. She was dressed in a light green t-shirt and white cotton Capri’s. She had tied her black, long, straight hair up in a high pony-tail, leaving her bangs on her face. Jane was wearing those big glasses that in these days and had also tied her shoulder length hair up. She was wearing faded jeans and a dark blue t-shirt.

“We’ll be getting our cabin keys after the assembly which is in,” Jane started explaining, “about half an hour. We have to meet up in the cafeteria which is over there,” she said while pointing to her left.

We started chatting about what we’ll be doing for two months here together when my dad arrived and told me that he was leaving. He hugged me one last time and told me to call him if I need anything. “We’ll be coming over on Sunday. Keep me posted on the activities, okay?” I agreed and waved him goodbye until he was out of sight. I sighed. Two months without my parents. This should be interesting.

We started gathering near the cafeteria when my mom called.

“Hi Mom! What’s up?”

“Miranda, why haven’t you called as yet? You haven’t reached the camp yet?” she asked. Her voice was full of concern and worry.

“We reached over forty-five minutes ago.”

“Why didn’t you call me then? I was worried sick. Well… how is it? Having fun? Where’s your dad?” she bombarded me with her question.

“Mom I fell asleep so I just got up like fifteen minutes ago and it’s good so far. I’ve been awake for only a while to notice much and I’ll let u know when I finally decide if I’m having fun and yeah dad just left.”

“Oh well you know it’s your first time on your own so I was worried. Sorry…” she apologized. I assured her that I was fine and I already miss her but we’ll meet on Sunday so she shouldn’t worry. She told me once again that I should keep her updated and hung up.

We then assembled in the cafeteria and were waiting for Mr. Delano.