Dear Lover, I Loathe You.

24

"First order of business, come grab a tent and work with your partners to set it up. That's going to be your home for the rest of this week so make sure you actually put effort." Mr. Harris said. Ms. Clark set out two tents. "One for you and one for me." She said. "We aren't sharing?" Mr. Harris asked. "The kids need to team build. We don't." Ms. Clark replied. "It was a joke." Mr. Harris replied. Ms. Clark rolled her eyes.

Everyone grabbed their tents and went off to set them up in their pairings. "Do we really have to be paired together?" Genevieve asked as she and Taylor approached. "I don't mind switching partners." Taylor offered. "No. That's the point of this retreat. We're putting differences aside and communicating." Ms. Clark explained. "So you pair me up with her? Who was the genius who thought of that?" Genevieve replied. "Us. Now go." Mr. Harris replied. Taylor grabbed a tent and carried it off.

Taylor took out all the supplies and looked at the paper of instructions. Genevieve stood by and watched as Taylor looked through the pieces. "Are you going to help?" Taylor asked. Genevieve stood in silence. "You do know this is a team effort right?" Taylor asked. Genevieve remained silent. "Are you really just not going to talk to me at all?" Taylor asked.

"I don't have anything to say to you." Genevieve replied. "Well you had that to say to me." Taylor smartly replied. Genevieve glared. "Grey. Help now." Mr. Harris called out. Genevieve rolled her eyes and kneeled to look through all the pieces. "Give me that." She snatched the instructions out of Taylor's hands and looked through it. "Do you even know how to build a tent princess?" Taylor asked.

Genevieve glared up at her, "I'm not your princess." She said through gritted teeth. " No but you're a pillow princess aren't you." Taylor smirked. Genevieve practically pounced on her and attempted to hit her. Taylor was pinned back against the ground holding Genevieve's arms back. "Get off of me!" Taylor shouted.

Everyone watched the two fighting. Mr. Harris and Ms. Clark rushed over to pull Genevieve off. "Can you two not even build a damn tent in peace?!" Mr. Harris glared. Taylor stood up and dusted herself off. "I'm not sharing a fucking tent with her!" Genevieve shouted. "Genevieve." Ms. Clark sighed. "No!" Genevieve exclaimed.

Ms. Clark gave Mr. Harris a look and quickly pulled Genevieve away. "Ms. Clark, I can't do it. I hate her and I'm not sharing a tent with her." Genevieve said. "Genevieve. You know I care about you right?" She asked. "I guess." Genevieve shrugged. "You're one of my star students and I would never put you in a horrible situation. But the agreement with the school was that we would get you kids in line with this retreat. If you can't get along and this fighting continues, Mr. Harris and I can't help you kids from here on out. We've done everything we can to keep you girls from getting expelled but you don't make it easy." She explained.

"She leaked an explicit video of me to the entire school." Genevieve glared. "How do you expect me to just get along with her after all of that?" She asked. "Genevieve, I understand. But you don't know for certain that it was her." Ms. Clark replied. "Who else recorded it and would leak it?" Genevieve asked. "Genevieve I'm not getting in the middle of this. Can you just promise to be civil for the rest of the week?" She asked. "Fine." Genevieve sighed.

Ms. Clark and Genevieve approached Taylor and Mr. Harris. "Now can you two be civil and work together? No fighting." He warned. "Fine." They both replied. "Shake hands." Ms. Clark said. Taylor held her hand out. Genevieve stared at it and looked over at Ms. Clark with a stare that told her she didn't want to. Ms. Clark slightly glared and nodded her head for Genevieve to shake hands. "Whatever." Genevieve said quickly shaking her hand and pulling it away.

"Now fix your tent." Mr. Harris said walking off and checking on everyone else's progress. Taylor picked up the rods and began to assemble the tent with Genevieve's help. "I really don't want to fight with you Genevieve." Taylor said breaking the silence. "Can we just finish pitching the tent." Genevieve replied. They worked in silence and continued to assemble the tent.

--

Genevieve set up her half of the tent. She set out her sleeping bag and blanket and set her bag off to the side. Taylor finished setting up her side and crashed against her sleeping bag. "I'm tired." She mumbled into her pillow. Genevieve rolled her eyes and looked around the tent. "Everyone gather up for the first activity!" Ms. Clark shouted.

Taylor groaned into her pillow. Genevieve got out of the tent and Taylor quickly followed her out. "Everyone grab your partners and gather around." Mr. Harris said. Taylor grabbed Genevieve's hand. Genevieve pulled her hand away and glared at her. She crossed her arms and waited for instruction.

"You and your partners will be doing the egg toss. So line up across from your partners." Ms. Clark instructed. Everyone did as they were told. Mr. Harris went by and gave everyone an egg. "I'm sure you've all played this before. You're working as a team to make sure your egg remains safe and intact. Whatever you do, keep it safe. Don't let it drop." Ms. Clark explained. "Now toss!"

Mr. Harris stood next to her and looked at the carton of eggs. "This is so stupid." He mumbled. "Do you have a better idea?" Ms. Clark asked. "These kids need to do a good old fashioned scavenger hunt. They need some competition." He suggested. "The point is making sure they get along Michael." Ms. Clark replied. "Well Janet, I think that would be a better option." He snarkily replied.

Ms. Clark rolled her eyes, "Maybe it's not a bad idea." She replied. "Thank you." He proudly smiled. "But we aren't making it competitive. We can have them find things in nature and take the opportunity to go exploring the trails and talk." She explained. "Talking is your idea of fun?" He asked. "A good walk and conversation with good company is always fun." She shrugged. "Doubt it." He replied. "Then you clearly haven't been on a walk with me." She laughed. "Are we participating in their activities now?" He asked. "I don't see why not." She shrugged. He shook his head trying not to smile and watched their students toss their eggs back and forth.

"Now take a step back!" Ms. Clark called out. They continued to toss their eggs to one another and take steps further away. They were at a good distance and Genevieve purposely tossed the egg higher cracking it on Taylor's head. The other students silently watched and tried not laugh while they remained concentrated on their partners. "Oops guess I tossed that one a little too high." Genevieve shrugged. Taylor wiped the slimy egg off her head.

"Here's another one. Try not to break it." Mr. Harris said and walked away. Taylor waited for Genevieve to toss it to her. Genevieve purposely aimed it to hit Taylor once again. "Seriously?" Taylor glared and wiped the egg off. "Sorry." Genevieve shrugged. "Last one." Mr. Harris said handing Taylor the final egg. Genevieve waited for the egg to be tossed to her. Taylor stared at the egg in her hand and purposely threw it with force to hit Genevieve. "What the fuck!" Genevieve glared. "Oops." Taylor shrugged.

Ms. Clark sighed and walked over, "Girls go get your things and go to the showers." She said. Taylor and Genevieve walked off to gather their things from their tent and made their way to the communal showers.

--

They were split into stalls. Taylor was scrubbing off every last bit of raw egg in her hair. Genevieve scrubbed herself clean. "Are you going to make the rest of this week a living hell?" Taylor asked from her stall. "You already made my life one." Genevieve replied. Taylor turned off her shower and opened the curtain to Genevieve's.

"What the fuck!" Genevieve shouted and tried to cover herself with her arms. "It's not like I haven't already seen it before." Taylor rolled her eyes. "Get out." Genevieve glared. "How many times do I have to tell you I wasn't the one who leaked the fucking video Genevieve, why the fuck would I leak something like that? Especially when I'm in it." Taylor argued.

Genevieve grabbed the shower curtain and covered her body. "Get out." She glared and shut the curtain in Taylor's face.