A Very Sprouse Summer

Cup of Dirt (Chapter 6)

"Thanks for coming with me Riley."

"That's ok. The activity sounds fun!" Riley grins while changing into her green tank top and rainbow tie-dye jean shorts. She slides on her pink crocs and exclaims that she is ready.

After slipping my phone into the back pocket of my black jean shorts and straightening out my plain grey short sleeve shirt, I tell Riley that I just need to put my shoes on and then we will be ready to go.

"Which shoes are you going to wear?" Riley asks while sitting at the edge of her bed for tonight and having her legs dangle back and forth.

"I think I'll put on my black converse with the neon blue laces" I reply while doing the last touches to my hair. And by last touches I mean finishing up my braid. Riley's hair is in two braids. Barbara did her hair after dinner, she looks really cute with this hairstyle.

"Good choice!" Riley grins while starting to get up noticing I'm just about ready.

"Alrighty here goes nothing" I say without realizing I'm actually saying it aloud.

We walk over to the Activity Room where the actual planned event is being held and are greeted by some workers who hand us a bowl to use for the 'cup of dirt'.

"Why are we using bowls when its called a cup of dirt?" Riley whispers to me.

"Haha! Bowls... cups... as long as we can eat." I laugh with Riley.

"That's what I'm saying" a sweet looking boy with light brown hair up to the beginning of his shoulders with bright blue eyes says walking over to us.

"Haha, exactly! As long as it is a container large enough the fit the dirt, then we are good" I smile.

"Right on... I'm Elliot" the boy extends his hand to shake both mine and Riley's.

"I'm Riley! This is my sister [y/n]!"

Elliot looks over at me and smiles sweetly. "Nice to meet both of you. Do you come to this camp site a lot?"

"We usually come here every summer. It's always so nice spending time here, especially at the lake. Do you come here a lot?" I ask.

"Oh yes, definitely... I actually..."Elliot is interrupted by Joyce from the front desk asking him to help her out with something. "Sorry, I gotta go. But it was nice meeting you two."

"Nice meeting you too!"

I can't help but smile. Elliot was super nice and super cute. His smile was really genuine and to be honest, I'm actually kind of bummed that he had to go help Joyce. Why would she need his help anyway?

"I hope we see him again sometime. I like him" Riley says while walking over to pour chocolate pudding into her bowl.

"Yeah, me too." 

                                                                      _____________________

I check my phone, Riley and I have been at this program for about  forty minutes. It's nice, good food and people have been friendly. But I really wish Elliot would have reappeared by now.

"[y/n], is it ok if I go back now? You can stay if you want." Riley says looking tired.

"Do you want me to walk you back Riley?"

"No, it's ok. I'll see you in the morning" Riley quietly says hugging me goodnight.

Ok, I have to now make a choice. Do I stay at this program and get to know Elliot more, that is if he ever returns. Or do I join cabin 45? I realize I've been pacing back and forth while contemplating this decision, so I decide to step outside.

"Where are they Elliot?"

"I've looked everywhere Aunt Joyce, I really don't know." Elliot answers out of breath and takes a seat on the ground.

"Ok dear, don't work yourself up. Thanks for checking. If I don't see them by the end of this program, where they were supposed to be working , I'm calling the police."Joyce  responds in a serious tone.

When Joyce heads back inside to the Activity Room, I walk over to Elliot.

"Hey Elliot" I quietly greet him, unsure of what is going with him and I'm assuming his aunt.

"Oh, hi!" Elliot stands back up from where he was sitting on the grass and walk over to me. "Are you leaving?"

Am I? I really don't know what i'm doing. "I might be. Just wanted to get some air. Are you leaving?"

"Haha, I can't leave. My family owns the camp grounds, so I'm stuck here" he shyly grins while pushing his hair back.

"Oh really? So you're related to Joyce?"

"Yeah, she's my aunt. She pretty much is here all year long. But my parents and siblings only help out in July."

"Oh wow, that's cool. Joyce is really nice."

"Yeah."

There is a bit of awkward silence so I decide to break it.

"How many siblings do you have?"

"I have a twin sister named Rachel and an older brother named Simon. What about you?"

"That's cool. I always wanted a twin haha! I have a younger sister named Riley and an older brother named Cole."

"Was that your sister with you before?"

"Yeah. But she's back in the cabin now. We had a fun time." I smile.

"Good, I'm glad you did... Is your brother inside too?"

"No, he's...umm...  I was actually going to start looking where he might be."

"Where do you think that is?" Elliot asks looking like he is about to take notes on this situation.

I feel as though I can trust Elliot, but I also know that Jess and Ariel wouldn't  want anyone knowing where they actually are tonight, let alone a stranger I just met.

I just stare at him debating what to say.

"[y/n], I only ask because I can't find my brother and cousin. Simon and my cousin Ashly are friends with some older kids at camp who were supposed to work at tonight's cup of dirt program, but totally ditched and now Aunt Joyce is worried." Simon finally confesses.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Do you think Rachel, your twin sister, knows where they might be?" I ask concerned.

"No, she's more like...us. She wouldn't just ditch her responsibilities" he smiles.

I smile back. I'm beginning to really like Elliot, and I feel like I will get along with Rachel too.

"Okay, I think I know where they might be, but please don't tell anyone that I told you this."

"Yeah, sure." Elliot responds moving closer to me so no one will hear.

"Okay, I think they could be in cabin 45." I whisper.

"Really? That cabin is abandoned. We basically use it as a storage place."

"Trust me. My family friends snuck into a party with my brother and said that the party is in that cabin. Again, don't say anything." my eyes widen.

Elliot looks confused and finally responds, "Is that... is that where you were going?"

"I really don't feel like going to a party, but I was thinking of just checking it out and then quickly leaving" I answer fast.

"Haha! It's ok, I'm not much of a big party person either. But we can go together, and that definitely sounds like a place where my Simon and Ashly would venture off to." Elliot smiles.

"Okay." I smile back.

And just like that, two strangers who happen to have a good deal in common walk off in the moonlight, using their phones as flashlights, to cabin 45.