smile on
her face.
The girls start chatting excitedly about rooms and hoping
they get to be roommates, while I wish we could stay on the bus a little while
longer. Just as that thought filters through my brain the bus turns left at a
big board with the words “OceanPeak - Home of the falls” written on it. The bus
crawls up the steep incline and through the boom gate. The noisy chatter in the
bus gets louder as the excitement of the kids inside grows. Friends are waking
up their friends who are still sleeping. Others are hanging out the window and
pointing at the wooden bungalows. Big palm trees line the driveway, and just on
the other side of the slope is a big grassy area with a sparkling Olympic size
pool. This place is awesome.
It’s a battle to get out of the bus. You have to fight to
stay upright or these kids will trample you to death. Mia throws a scalding
tongue lashing at the guys behind us, who are pushing us forward.
“Hey guys, hang on. The place isn’t going to grow legs and
run away,” I say to the group behind us.
“Well hurry the fuck up, all the good bungalows are gonna
be taken by the time your slow asses get off the bus,” Christopher Thorn throws
back at me.
I just laugh at him, because after the week I had,
Christopher Thorn isn’t worth a rise in blood pressure. Mia throws him a
withering look and raises her eyebrow at me as if to say “really, you are going
to take that shit from him?” I shrug my shoulders and help Jenna down the bus
stairs. I don’t want any of these assholes pushing her down. I grab Mia’s hand
and pull her behind us until we are safely on the sidewalk and out of the
stampede. The bus driver starts taking out the bags, and Mr. Rogers walks
toward him with a clipboard. Everybody huddles around him grabbing bags and
bouncing on the balls of their feet.
Mr. Rogers starts reading the names of the roommates. We
are sharing four per bungalow. The two bungalows numbered 1 and 10 are for the
teachers. He gives us a big smile when he announces that. Meaning we will be
surrounded by teachers. I suppose they have to make sure nobody sneaks out. But
I’m sure some will still find a way. Nothing can come in the way of teenage
hormones.
I’m pulled from my thoughts of how I could sneak out to
Jenna, not that I would, but if I wanted to, by my sister’s loud screech. She
gets to room with Jenna and two other girls from our home room. They dash off
in the direction of their bungalow. Bungalow number 5. They’re also the last
group of girls to be called, and Mr. Rogers announces the boys next. I’m in
bungalow 6 with Mark and two other guys I don’t really know except for the fact
that they play chess with Mark. I’m cool with that. So I sling my backpack over
my shoulder and head over to bungalow 6.
The bungalows are nothing special inside. Four bunk beds.
Two on each side of the room. Two cupboards with packing space and a rail to
hang shit on. The only thing that catches my attention is the big window on the
left. One set of stack beds is pushed next to it. So I throw my bag onto the
top bed and pull myself up. This one is mine. I pull on the blinds, and they
slide open, revealing the golden beach and crashing waves in the distance. I
roll onto my side and tuck my hands under the pillow. If I can watch the sunset
like this every day, I could die a happy man. That unbidden thought leaves a
sour taste in my mouth. Waiting for death sucks. Is this how it feels to be
sick? Knowing death is waiting to strike?
“Kyle! Kyle? Come on,” Mia calls from the door. I flop
over onto my back and press the heels of my palms into my eyes. I’m not in the
mood for anything right now. I’d much rather lie here and watch the sunset
alone.
“Come on, Kyle,” she whines. “We want to watch the sunset
from the beach.”
I lift my head and look at her because that actually
sounds like a good idea. Neither Mia nor I have ever been to
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