Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
...
CLARKSON DIDN'T GO THROUGH with his punishment. Ella suspected it was because he didn't care enough. Will said it was because Clarkson cared for them deep down. That had made Alex laugh so hard he had stopped mid-way during his interrogation about what had happened with them in the cave. Either way, she and Levi were excused for the activities the second day. They had spent it together, seeing as Alex and Will had still been dragged along for the collective rain dance they were going to practice.
"This is utter bullshit," Alex had muttered," why would we even want rain? We're sleeping in thin tents in a forest. Did they even think this through?"
But despite his protests, Will still managed to pull him along. He had fretted over them at first, but Ella had finally been able to persuade him they were both fine. And no, they were not going to go and try a new makeshift raft out again.
The day passed surprisingly fast in Levi's company though. He had become gentler around her, his usually harsh words and angry glares softened a bit now. She didn't care either way. Angry and violent was the way she liked her guys after all. Not that she was starting to like him, she convinced herself. That wasn't it at all. Admitting that would be difficult, even if it truly happened, because somewhere deep down, she was afraid of getting hurt again.
She had taken a shower in the common bathroom to clear her head. There were only fifteen cubicles for the girls and fifteen for the guys, which had resulted in the shifts Clarkson had set up for them. Seeing as no one listened to it, she was glad to find the cubicles empty, no one there but her and her troubled mind.
Morning neared soon, their late night talks keeping her up until first light broke. It was that which made violent thoughts pop up in her head as Clarkson pushed their entrance open again.
"It's fucking early," Alex groaned," please go away."
"Please don't let me dance anymore," Will murmured in his pillow," I'm drowning in rain."
"Wake up, Will," Alex said as he swatted his friend on the head.
They were dressed ten minutes later, after they had finally managed to drag themselves out of bed.
"Where's Levi?" Ella asked when she joined them on the outside.
Will was still rubbing the fatigue out of his eyes and Alex blinked in surprise, halfway through dozing off.
"Wasn't he just here?" he yawned.
"Maybe he finally succumbed and went to kill Clarkson," Will suggested. As soon as he said it, his joking smile faded. "He couldn't have, right?"
Alex shrugged.
"Be more concerned, Alex," Will said.
"If he knocks Clarkson out, it'll be a win-win situation," Alex said.
