Chapter 5: Episode 5: Camping and healing
-Camping day-
I walk with Ivy to our tent. The incident that happened a few days before remains still in my mind. Liam's family suffer the most that he needed to work help them and left the school for a while. Aidan's family suffers but luckily they manage to handle the matter so soon. Daniel asked you to go with him to pick up some food from the car.
"Claire, are you alright? I heard from Ivy that after the fight you went to the hospital. Did Aidan hurt you?" His gentlemanly voice kind of attracts me.
"I'm ok. Don't worry about me much. I heard that Aidan's family stock fall. Is he ok?" I asked Daniel is concerned.
"Well, his family does not suffer that much. I don't know why but they said that Mark Lee's sister hurt and he also hurt that's why he does such. I don't understand him as well." Daniel passes me a bag with food.
"I didn't want to talk to Aidan. I feel not comfortable." I was being honest with him.
"Claire, I want to tell you something about Aidan and Liam."
"What?"
"That day after both of you fight."
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(Flashback)
Aidan and Daniel were walking towards their room when suddenly they overheard a very loud conversation.
"So, it was actually your fault?"
"Yes of course. Well, I just need to lie to Aidan and everything is done. That stupid girl should get enough of herself by now because I am sure that Aidan will be on my side."
"Don't you know what will happen if Aidan knows about this?"
"He wouldn't know. He is too stupid to realize this. Well, the fact that I am dating his crush was bad enough that he does not even want to hear about it at all."
Aidan slumps the door and enters the room. He punches Liam without mercy and then they start to punch each other.
"What the hell are you thinking you're doing?" Liam was in pain.
"What the hell am I doing? Ask yourself dumbass. I trust you so much about what happened yesterday and yet what have you done?" Aidan was also quivering in pain.
"She was the one who chased me away." Liam still defending himself.
"Because you had done wrong things. You know what? I scolded her and call her cheap in front of many people because I was defending you and yet, you're actually guilty. I should beat you until death." Aidan wanted to continue but the head boy, Jason come in.
"Stop this shit. Both of you, to the principal office now." Jason shouted at them.
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-Campsite-
"So, Aidan was defending me that day?" I'm asking him.
"Yes. He felt so guilty about this. When he heard about you getting warded, he couldn't sleep at all thinking he was the reason behind this." Hearing Daniel's words make you feel guilty.
"I think we should go back to them." I start walking back to the cabin.
When we were discussing, I notice something different about Aidan. He takes me water when I was thirsty. He never let me do heavy work and he does not let the sun shower me at all. I was touched but not that fast. I might fall into his trap again.
"Umm Claire, I need to go somewhere with Daniel. Can I really leave you alone with Aidan this time?" Ivy asked me with a very worried voice.
"Don't bother me. I will not come close to him." I put on my best smile.
"Aidan, this is a warning. If anything happened to Claire, I don't know what will happen to our project afterward." Daniel was warning him.
"I will never repeat the same mistake no worries." Aidan pat on Daniel's shoulder.
Daniel and Ivy left the campsite feeling guilty towards both of us. We take our place in front of the campfire. We were in silence for a while when Aidan finally said something.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For scolding you in front of many people that day."
"Ok."
"And I'm also sorry for calling you cheap that day."
"I'm sorry too because I shouted at you that day."
"Can we….be friends?" His words make me smirk.
"Aidan, if you know who I am, you wouldn't even bother to be my friend at all. I'm not a good girl Aidan."
"Even if you do not like me, don't say like that to yourself. You're a great girl Claire. You had made a lot of contributions to society. You don't deserve a hot-tempered friend like me."
It went silent for a while. I was perplexed by his words. I smirk and put some woods into the fire to make it bigger.
"Have you ever heard a fairytale about Snow White?" I'm asking him.
"Of course."
"Do you know who actually the witch is?"
"Who?"
"She was Snow White's mom. Even her mom hates her and wanted to throw her away. But at last, Snow White come back home safely and took over the kingdom. My life was like Snow White. I am the mom and my inner self is Snow White. I wanted to throw away the other me but I can't." I sighed and he was stunned for a while looking at me.
"Claire, do you know what?"
"What?"
"I never meet a girl like you in my life. You're treating people the best way you can from the first time we meet with each other. Unlike me, I misjudged you. I even call you cheap." That words hurt you a bit.
"I take that as sorry."
"Claire, I really want to make friends with you. I can protect you, Claire. Please, let me pay back my sin to you."
"Aidan, I was firm with my answer. You shouldn't be my friend." I get up from my sit and try to walk away before he stops me.
"Ok, I'm sorry. Well, let's do this. If you think I'm not that good to be your friend, how about a trial friend?"
"Hah?"
"Yeah. Give me until after the ball. If you're developing a good relationship with me, we can befriend and if you find yourself that we're not suited at all, we can just assume that we're strangers." His words make me sighed.
"Suit yourself." I walk away to my tent.
"Yes. God, she's playing hard but I like it so much."
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-That evening-
All of us play at the river near the campsite. We play volleyball and it was so fun. I team up with Daniel and Ivy team up with Aidan. We play till dawn and we wash up for dinner. I wear my usual white hoodie with a tracksuit and Ivy wears her dinosaur shirt. We walk outside and help them. Daniel and Ivy were busy grillings while I try to make some drink with the remaining ingredient before then Aidan approach me.
"Hey, let me help you." He takes away the jug from my hand and I quickly reach four glasses for each of us.
"Claire, do you have any siblings?" His words make me chuckle.
"I have a lot of siblings and a lot of mom and dad." My words make him startled.
"What do you mean?"
"I was raised in the countryside. My family��.is just rich like how other people do. I have one birth mother and one birth father. When my mom and dad married, they were busy with their studies and they send me to live with my aunt and uncle. I was raised with love by them. In my own family, I was the oldest, but in their family, I was the youngest. I also call them brother and sister like how my siblings call me. Until now, my sister and brother were all married."
"Then, how about your own family?"
"My mom said that she wanted me to spend more time with my family so these days during the holiday, I will spend some time in my own house and some other times at my uncle's house. I call them Ma and Pa." I smile remembering those days while putting down the glasses on a tray.
"I see. Your life was kind of a bit complicated."
"How about you?"
"Me? I was raised in just a simple family. My father was busy so does my mother. I am the only child and the only hope for them to continue our family legacy. I was born with the pressure that's why at first when I meet with you I couldn't accept the fact that I'm going to work with you because I don't like working with people. After all, they might be a different opinion that in the end, I will need to choose. I hate it….so much." He smirks while pouring the water from the jug into the glass.
"I could feel you actually. I hate working with people too moreover when working with men because….I don't like men. Well, I don't basically like you know relationship."
"Ohh, why? I thought pretty girls like you have a boyfriend or someone that you have a crush on."
"Because I once witness a scene where nearly make my life over. I hate myself because of that. Umm, have you done? Let's go." I wipe out my eyes and take the tray with me.
We chat and talk about the upcoming event. We decide on the theme, sponsors, and suppliers already. We only need to wait for the hall to be done and we're going to start decorating and calling for sponsors. Just then, I receive a phone call from Iris.
"Yes, babe?"
"Claire, some of our students run away."
"Hah? Then, did Lyra knew about this? The teacher in charge?"
"None of them were here. It was until now when the whole student council member was checking the dorm and patrolling around the academic blocks. They said it was Reira and her gang. She went roaming around the teacher's hall."
"They must go after the test paper. Keep an eye there tonight. Remember, take care. I will be there tomorrow. And….how's Adeline?"
"She's fine. I checked her just now. She with Skylee eating fruits with their mask on at their room."
"I'm glad to hear that. Report to me later. Bye-bye."I hang up and sit down back with them.
"Why Claire? Anything wrong?" Asked Ivy.
"Reira and her gang made up the scene again. No worries, Iris and the other were they. I am sure Aubrey and Andrea also could handle them with care."
"Do your school also have gangsters? I thought girl likes lying down on their bed during the weekend while having their mask on." Aidan's words make me flinch a bit.
"Aidan, not all girls like that. I thought guys were worse." My words somehow sound like I'm trying to seek trouble.
"Well, maybe we're but we're boys so what's the problem right?" He smiles at me making me feel annoyed.
I roll my eyes and walk away from there towards my tent. He looks at Ivy and Daniel.
"Did I said something wrong?" He asked.
"Hmm, Aidan I'm sorry on behalf of her. She was on her time this month. I hope you understand." Ivy's smile shyly.
"What do you mean? Did he acted like that once in every month?" Aidan's word makes Ivy and Daniel look at each other and hardly blink.
"Hey Aidan, do you know about this or not? What Ivy mean was she was on her period. She had imbalance hormone that we as a man should know about that and try to understand that." Daniel knocks on Aidan's head for being a bit stupid.
"What does a girl need when she was on period?" Aidan's word somehow makes Ivy shock.
"Aidan, what kind of question is that?" Daniel was trying to cover Ivy who was shocked.
"I'm just asking what's the problem?"
"It's okay Daniel. Well, when a girl was on her period, she needs a lot of care. She needs a hot pack to make her body feel comfortable. She also needs to have a personal space. Make sure she doesn't eat cold things or whatever that will make her stomach upset. Whatever she wants, we must give it to her. Whatever she said, we shouldn't say no to it."
"Did every woman like this?"
"Of course…but not everyone. This only applies to Claire. She usually likes this during her sixth day until the seventh day."
Aidan smile and walks away. Daniel and Ivy look at each other.
"What happened to him?" Asked Ivy.
"I don't know. Maybe she falls in love with Claire or maybe just an act of concern or guilty because he was feeling guilty."
"He was wrong if he thought Claire will like him back because Claire really didn't like a boy."
"Is she a bisexual?"
"No. She just doesn't like men because….hmm because only she knows why."
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"I need you to find everything about the food that a period woman likes to eat."
"Ehh but young master, why?"
"Just do it. I'll tell you later."
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