Wasted potential ★ holes [zigzag x oc]

Thirty-one

after all the excitement and adrenaline rush of Stanley running away and crashing Mr sirs truck wore off, all the campers were told to return to there holes and keep digging till there holes were done. even after the holes were dug and everyone was headed back to camp, the boys were still talking about stanelys attempted escape.

"Maybe he found zero. Maybe they're both still alive." Magnet said, hopefully.

"Maybe the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy are still alive too." X ray said sarcastically. This comment caused shark to crack a smile.

"Yeah, maybe my mom will stop drinking and my dad will come home." Squid added on.

Sharks smile quickly faded. She knew that squid was trying to make light of his situation, but shark knew how much it affected him. That was sometimes all he talked about when they would have there little talks late at night.

She wanted to give squid a hug, but she knew if she did all the boys would start making jokes, so she figured maybe they could talk later that night.

"How long do you think till they replace caveman?" Shark asked out loud, to no one in particular.

"By the time we're digging tomorrow, I bet we'll see a bus drive by bring in someone new." Zigzag said.

"Who knows, maybe they'll bring in a new girl." Shark said, knowing that probably would never happen.

"Nah, there only one girl at camp green lake, and that's you." Zigzag said, pinching her cheeks with his gloved hand.

"Hey you're gonna get more dirt on my face." She complained.

He took his hand away and slung his arm around her. Leading her back to the tent.

-

That night well taking her shower, shark thought a lot about today. How Stanley was now gone looking for zero, and she didn't know what the hell would happen to the both of them out there.

"You really think zero and Stanley are buzzard food?" She asked him as she washed her hair.

"Listen, I just don't know how they're Gonna survive out there. No food, no water, the heat beating down on them." He told her.

"If they do.. you know..not make it." She couldn't even bring herself to say the word die. "What's gonna happen here? Aren't people Gonna come looking for em?" She asked.

"I mean probably.." he said. "If I went missing, my mom wouldn't even think twice about it. She's probably forgotten where I'm even at." He said.

Shark frowned. She truly didn't know how to respond to that. She couldn't go and tell him that it wasn't true about his mom forgetting him, because from what squid had told shark about his mom, she believed that his mom would forget that her son got sent to camp green lake because she was too busy drinking.

"You don't got any other family that would come looking for you?" She asked him, hopping that maybe he had someone in his life who cared about him.

Squid shook his head. "I got family somewhere in Tennessee, but I don't really know em." He told her. "If a social worker ever came to our place, they'd throw me in a foster home so quick.." he told her.

"I'm sorry squid.." was all she could think to say. She didn't wanna tell him that things would work out and everything would be alright, because she didn't know that for sure.

"You should be lucky you got a mom like yours." He said. "All those letters she sends you, she really loves you shark" He told her, almost envious that she had such a nice mom.

Shark almost felt guilty about having such a good mom. A mom that she knew was gonna be happy to see her the minute she was released. Squid didn't have that.

"You know squid, when we both get out of here, if you ever need a place to stay for a little, my door is open." She told him.

"I don't think your mom would exactly like having a juvenile in her house.." he said.

"Hey she's letting me live there.." shark pointed out, trying to make light of the situation.

Squid chuckled "Good point."

"I'm being serious squid. I don't want you getting hurt." She told him truthfully.

"I appreciate it shark." He said.

"Anytime squidy." She told him, turning off the water. "Now please hand me my towel I'm freezing."

"Oh yeah." He said, quickly giving her the towel well not looking at her, making sure to give her privacy.

She dried off best she could and got dressed for bed. "Thanks for hanging with me squid." She told him.

"No big deal, got nothing better to do at night." He shrugged, chewing on his toothpick.

Even though squid made it seem like it was no big deal, to shark, him staying with her and keeping her safe from all the other boys meant the world to her.

Before the two headed inside, shark unexpectedly wrapped her arms around squid tightly. He was confused at first, but he hugged her back just as tight as she was hugging him.

"What's this for?" He asked her.

"Just because." She told him. But it wasn't 'just because'. She wanted squid to know that no matter what happened, she was there.

I hate to say it, but we're getting to the final chapters of this book, but don't worry, I have some tricks up my sleeve;)