Welcome To Jurassic Hell

Ch. 5: Frenemies

On the way back, I had to rub Ben's back. He and I were both on the verge of tears about Bumpy, especially since she'd be leaving the lab so small, but I knew he was the most devastated about it.

Brooklyn, after finishing her video, spent most of the drive to get Darius and Kon on her phone posting her documentary. I was feeling suspicious over why Doctor Wu had dragged her into the lab angry (why was she out of the lab, anyway?), and why he'd kicked us out so quickly. He seemed to be really bothered by the fact that we were in there in the first place, but it was like he reached a breaking point because of something.

Because of Brooklyn.

She did something to get him angry, and I wanted to know what.

But I couldn't just ask, and there are many reasons that I feel don't even need explained.

For now, I'll just sit away and try not to feel rising anger every time I look at her — not just for the lab, but the earlier argument too — and take care of Ben.

"Why are you two so out of breath?" Roxy asked with suspicion as we pulled up to the two boys. Kon looked like he could fall over, while Darius' legs seemed to shake with every step he took toward the truck.

"Just doing the job we're told. How was the field trip?"

"Oh, well, um, you know, Ben and Blake fell in love with a dinosaur, and superstar over here got us booted from the lab!" Yasmina snarked.

"That is not what happened!"

I repressed the urge to argue.

"How'd poop patrol go?" Sammy cut in, trying to break the tension.

This is when Kon finally stood up fully and came over. "Awesome!" He laughed. "You all should've seen how I owned-"

"This valuable experience!" Darius quickly cut in, smile wide, though I could sense something was up.

After the awkward silence following, Roxie told them to take showers and come back to camp, before driving away.

————

Following that day, was a free day, and the thick tension was the only thing anyone could acknowledge. But they didn't want to.

While Roxy and Dave were out preparing the next event for tomorrow — kayaking — we all lazied around the cabin.

As of the moment, Ben and I sat on the sofa reading our respective books (mine on music and his on dinosaurs, studying Bumpy's species), Darius watching out the window silently, Kon being the annoying dolt he was with a yo-yo he found who-knows-where, and the girls on on their beds. Brooklyn was on her phone, per the usual, while Sammy was napping and Yasmina was sketching in her sketchbook. I was glad nobody was trying to talk about anything from yesterday, though I didn't like how the unaddressed issues kept bothering me too much to completely focus on my book.

Eventually, I figured that the best way to rid myself of the stress was to get my guitar out, so I put my book away, got my guitar case and journal, and left to find a private space without anyone questioning it.

I ended up on the high balcony above our cabin, which had a nice view of the nature beyond. I sat down, tuned my instrument, flipped to a random song in my book, then played. And played, and played.

I played for awhile, until I felt all the stress from yesterday's events fade away as let the sound take it's place. And from the song I played, I ended up coming up with a new song that I spent two and a half hours on writing and practicing. By the time three o'clock rolled in, I had finished a mini-song that I decided to play for myself before heading back inside.

And as I neared the end of it, I noticed something reflecting on the mirror-piece of my guitar case. I immediately stop and turn around to face...

Crap.

"What are you doing here?"

Brooklyn waved, though it wasn't at all in a friendly way.

"She speaks." She joked, though I didn't find any humor in it. Actually, it really hurt, and I didn't want to hear any other jokes she might have about my silence.

I quickly put my guitar away and grab my journal, but when I tried to get passed her, she blocked my way.

"Wait, just...I'm sorry, that was uncalled for."

Was that another joke? I couldn't tell.

I try to pass her again, this time getting past her, and head for the stairs going to the cabin. She once again stops me, but not with her body this time.

"I want to apologize about yesterday."

I stop at the top of the stairs, my hand clenching tighter around the handle of my guitar. Was this a prank? Was it going to lead to another argument? God, I hate arguments! I wasn't sure I could handle another one after yesterday.

Seeing that I wasn't moving, the internet star took the opportunity to continue talking.

"Look...I know I was kinda mean yesterday, and-"

"Kinda?" I bite.

"Yes, kinda." She sighs. I groan internally, but decide to give her a chance despite how badly she phrased her words.

"Anyways, I just want us to be on the same platform here. Ya know, maybe we can even be friends!"

Friends.

Friends with an S.

I'd have more than one friend.

"I just hope that you can understand that I was in a bad mood yesterday with me losing followers, and I just..."

Seriously!

Seriously!

She's trying to excuse herself for what she said? For her hurting me?

Never mind, I'm good with just one friend — who, unfortunately, is all the way back in California with no way to communicate with me.

"No thanks." I mutter.

"Huh?"

"No thanks."

Even though I can't see her, I can tell she's taken aback and confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want us to be friends, I want us to be nothing. Okay?"

"I-I...I don't-"

I leave before she can finish, feeling lighter than I did when I left the cabin.