Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Raven is alone in the tent, still asleep when suddenly her sleep gets interrupted.

*faint sound of drums beating*

“What in the world is that?” Raven was easily frustrated by the noise.

*Sound intensifies*

Raven wakes up with her head between her hands, the sound wasn't very pleasant to listen to begin with. She looks around only to find that Roxie never made it to the tent after the dinner since the sleeping bag was kept in the corner all tied up like they did after setting up the tent.. It didn't bother her much, at this moment only the annoying sound was what her nerves could catch up on.

“Argh!! What the heck is it? WILL SOMEONE LET ME SLEEP IN PEACE!!” Raven was deeply annoyed, who dared to disturb her sleep!

Somehow Raven gathers herself and gets up to the uninterrupted annoying sound, as soon as she walks out the tent, the beating of the drums comes to a halt. She almost starts to think as if she had imagined it inside her head. Up and out in the fresh air, she decides to walk back to the cabin to get ready for the day ahead.

Seemingly, the weather stayed gloomy as if the clouds had decided to conquer over the sky and capture the sun. It felt like the heavens decided to pour heavily and add to Raven’s misery or maybe it was too early, Raven thought to herself.

Raven heads to her room without getting distracted and then plans to proceed to the washroom to freshen up. As soon as she stepped inside her room, she realized Valerie was already up and ready to go; drenching her lips in her lip gloss as for the final few touches. She never liked the idea of too much makeup and then there was Valerie always covered in it. It was another day, Valerie didn't bother to wake Raven up and it was another thing that made her unhappy.

“You are already ready to go, can you wait for me? Just two minutes..” Raven asks Valerie as she sees her strapping on the heels quickly.

“Did you hear that weird sound of the drums beating this morning?” Raven tried to initiate a conversation with Valerie, trying to clear up the air, as they were headed off towards the dining hall.

“I swear I wanted to throw the drums on whoever was beating it!” Raven added, with a frustrated tone.

“Wat aee yau taukin' abaut?” Valerie questioned, confused and not really interested.

“Ahh never mind! Tsk!” Raven whispered in disappointment while rolling her eyes.

"How's Sharon?" Raven asks Valerie about her new activity partner.

There's a change in Valerie's step, she asks back " Sharon.. Who?".

"Your partner in crime, I mean, activities partner?" Raven continues in a mocky tone almost letting out a chuckle.

"Oh, her.. fine" Valerie says coldly and her steps fasten as they enter the dining hall.

As they enter the dining hall, Raven notices something strange:

There was one less plate arranged on the table.

“This is getting weirder.” She states in disbelief.

Everyone else was enjoying their meal when Raven could not help but notice again, there was another person missing other than Roxie.

She looks around and then goes up to Tim, who was gladly enjoying his morning breakfast with a tinge of hesitation.

“Uh Tim, where is that chubby guy? The one you were setting up your tent with yesterday.” Raven marked it in suspicion and confusion.

“Chuck you mean?” Tim replied.

“Uh yeah, I guess, I don’t know his name.” Raven declares in confusion.

“It’s weird but I haven’t seen him since last night after dinner.” Tim marked.

“Also, this morning he was not even in the tent so I thought he must have already gone ahead for breakfast as he is always hungry but no, he is not here either!” Tim continues which raises concern for Raven.

“Have you seen him, Lyla? Do you know where he is?” Tim asks Lyla, who was sitting next to him all this time.

“What?! How would I even know where that fatso has been? I ain’t his keeper!” Lyla replies rudely in the typical bitchy tone.

“Even my partner is missing. I haven't seen her since last night. I haven’t seen her one bit” Raven anxiously tells Tim.

“And have you noticed something weird, there is one plate less today as if they knew that Chuck wouldn't be here!" Raven adds in speculation.

"Calm down girl! You are making him anxious for no reason. Maybe they are fucking already somewhere in the bushes! Let him eat in peace god!" Lyla tells off Raven in a defensive manner.

Raven gives Tim a look with raised eyebrows.

"Let it be Rave, we are here to enjoy and not worry about people we know nothing about," Tim says calmly.

“But.. but..eh nevermind” Raven walks away disappointed, leaves the dining hall. She wasn't a bit hungry anymore.

“Bu...Wait up Rave!!” Tim tries to stop her but Raven has already left the hall.

“There is definitely something cooking up here” Raven grumbles as she is on her way out of the cabin.

Her steps come to a halt in front of the clock tower. As her eyes wander around, she notices there's an unbuilt road starting right behind the tower. It made her wonder where it led to.

“Maybe I should just walk back?" Raven questioned herself.

While in a dilemma, she remembers she needed to go back to her room to get some stuff.

As she was on her way back to the cabin and on her way to the room she heard some noises. She decided to peek through the slightly ajar door of her and Valerie's room, only to find Valerie making out with another girl. The face wasn’t visible but her black hair was. Suddenly she recalls, it was Sharon!

Disturbed, Raven decided to walk out again. This was too much to take in for her at the moment. This is when she feels someone's hand tapping on her shoulder. She turns around to find that it is Roxie.

“There you are! I was dead worried!” Raven sighs.

“Yeah, I had something to do.” Roxie replies not knowing what was going on with Raven.

A smile returns to Raven's face. It was getting colder but for now, she felt warm in the company of someone she could trust.

"I guess you still haven't enrolled! Cause I never see you at the table or in the corridors of the cabin" Raven initiated the conversation.

“Yeah about that, I couldn't as they only take in 7 every summer.” Roxie stated.

“Well yeah, but I heard a guy left or something.” Raven marked as she tried to sound as confident as she could.

“Roxie… uhh..nothing” says Raven finishing her sentence before she even starts it.

“Let's go to the office and get you a room first, did you find your luggage? It was in my room.” Raven continues.

“Yeah I did, okay let's go,” Roxie agrees joyfully.

Roxie was happy now that her sister was being all friendly as compared to how she got ignored by her earlier.

“Where is it though?” Raven asks.

“Where is what?” Roxie questioned back.

“Uh.. how do we get you enrolled?” Raven, not having the slightest bit of clue, asks Roxie.

“Umm, I guess there is some office beside the cabin where we are allotted rooms,” Roxie states like she had a clue..

“I guess you have been wandering too much! I bet you know the Campus in and out now!” Raven lets out a chuckle.

They walk towards the office beside the Cabin together. Roxie was glad that her sister was finally with her, maybe her anger has notched down; better evaporated completely.

After walking what felt like a few blocks they finally reached the office. They could see a huge lady sitting inside the office. The office wasn't so big as compared to her. Her seat was neatly placed in the centre of the room with a huge desk in front of her. She occupied more space than anything else in the room. Beside her sat 4 other ladies, they must have some duties to fulfill as well. Right now, this one looks like she has the authority.

She had a peculiar type of look, she was pale and fat at the same time, she had small round reading glasses on and the way she was holding the pen was rather disturbing, it appeared as if her fingers were broken.

"We need to enroll her right now," Raven ordered as soon as they stepped inside.

“We can't have more in!” The Lady in-charge marked.

“But there must be something you could do right?” Raven said desperately.

“She could stay with me, also there is a guy who left anyway, she could take his place” She continued.

“I have been here before, you could easily accommodate me!” Roxie exclaimed

“Sorry? what!” The in-charge exclaimed.

“Yes, last time I was here, in room 4 and there were some activities that I faintly remember; I think I had to leave…” Roxie tries to recall as she speaks.

Incharge interrupts,“what's your name Miss?”

“Roxanne” Roxie states.

Raven remembered the name but couldn't imagine this girl's face with the name, she got lost into her thoughts again.

“I remember the people next to you, I can name them Mercy, Heather, Precilla, Antonina.." Roxie continued.

“Alright that’s enough, stop, but you need a roommate we don't allot anyone alone..” The in-charge marked shahaha

“I'll move in with her,” Raven announced in happiness.

“Don't you have a roommate already?”

“Not anymore, another girl moved in today. It’s better that I stay in another room.” Raven’s voice

“Well that's very unlikely but okay, here are the keys to room 9” The in-charge hands out the keys.

“Thank you!” Roxie thanks the in-charge.

“Be careful out there you two.” The in-charge points out with a smile.

Roxie and Raven walk out. Roxie smiled for the first time in a while and so did Raven.

Roxie: “What was that?”

Raven: “What was what?”

Roxie: “Roommate thing?” keep these like dialogues

“You needn't worry and do you want a room or not? Or are you so fond of the woods now that you like sleeping in there?” Raven almost mocks Roxie for it.

“Fine..Fine” Roxie decides to give up.

She then gives Raven a shoulder bump and thanks her for the help.

Roxie: “Shall we check our new room?”

Raven: “Of course! Am bored of mine already”

They got inside the cabin and it was pretty easy to find their room. It was not very far from Raven's old room but at enough distance to keep a distance from Valerie. Their room was comparatively cleaner and smelt of lavender. It also had a pleasant view, unlike the one she stayed in before.

Announcement: Everyone please gather at the campsite the next activity will begin soon.

“Oh god, the next event is already starting” Raven complains

" It's a camp full of activities, what else do you expect?" Roxie laughed as she was sitting on the bed with her legs swinging in the air.

" You are not a kid, can you please stop doing that?", Raven asks Roxie as she draws the curtain away. She liked that the room had no dust at all.

" Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Roxie questions.

" Reminds, me I woke up with you missing from the tent" Raven remembered suddenly

" We should keep going, you are not very punctual are you?" Roxie says

"Stop bossing around me.." Raven says as she gets interrupted

"..you are the boss" Roxie continues.

They get up and pick their shoes up to leave.

They reach the campsite soon enough and see that everyone has already gathered there. Everyone except Chuck. Raven's mind was again hit by the fact that something must have happened to him.

" Ay whee weu u?" Valerie asked Raven

" Away, away from you" Raven replied in a sarcastic tone, she was in no mood to talk to Valerie.

" No need to act like that" Valerie says as she gets joined by Sharon

Sharon gives a peck on Valerie's cheek and greets Raven with a ‘Hi’

"Seriously?" Raven asks with her eyebrows raised and then she decides to walk away.

"I can expla.." Valerie tries but Raven waves a middle finger at her without turning her head and keeps walking.

“Wh..Why would she dou that” Valerie breaks in tears

Sharon consoles Valerie.

" You shouldn't be here out all by yourself" a voice says as raven enjoys the sight of an old abandoned bridge

It was Roxie again.

"Says who? Someone who is always wandering?" Raven replies in humor.

"Come let’s go" Roxie shows raven the way.

"Sure." Raven agrees, she was too tired to argue.

"Hey! You're back, we were about to have some bonding thing" Sharon cheerfully welcomes Raven.

"And who suggested it? You and your girlfriend?" Raven was still unhappy with Sharon and Valerie, so she replies with sarcasm.

"Well, Lyla did," Sharon cuts off.

"Guess who is joining us? The spoiled brat", Lyla laughs and welcomes Raven with a bitchy comment.

"Takes one to know one" Raven hits with her comeback.

Everyone settles their asses on the logs that a muscular guy and Tim arrange together. Raven hadn't had the chance to have a look at this guy.

That guy smiles at Raven and sits across her at the other end of the fire.

“I think we haven't had a chance to know each other” Lyla suggests as she sluttily winks and sits near the muscular guy.

“Let’s start with you first” Lyla says as she tries to hold the guy’s arm but fails miserably when the guy avoids her completely.

" I'm lyla" she says as she gathers herself up and ignores what just happened.

“You go next” Lyla says, pointing at Sharon and passing a small stone.

" Well I’m Sharon and that’s it!” Sharon gives a short, too short introduction.”

“Tim here” Tim says as he hands the stone over to Jasper unwillingly.

"I am Jasper” the muscular guy says with an awkward smile, as all of them had their eyes glued onto him.

"My name is Vale’ie, paudon my aksent, I houpe we all get along togeda.” Valerie had her eyes fixated on Raven.

The stone was about to get handed over to Raven now.

"R..” as she starts to introduce herself as she reaches out for the stone but gets interrupted by another voice.

"AND I'M TRYSTAN!!" He takes the stone before the raven could and throws it far enough to land it in the river.

Everyone realizes that it's the instructor and they all get up together.

" The fun is over kids," Trystan orders with a tone of authority.

To be continued...