Tied Together

Chapter 21: Cold Showers

I'm soaked in a mixture of mud and dirt, a terrified cat clutched to my chest, and a very unimpressed expression on my face.

This solidifies it, I hate cats.

With every step I take water sloshes in my shoes, the wet mud on my face dries and I get more pissed off by the second. I'm drenched in mud, I stink, and it's all this damn cat's fault.

I ignore the startled looks I receive from students at the campground and the painful sound of me treading through water-filled shoes. I'm too angry and impatient to be embarrassed.

I shove the wet dirty shaking cat into Mrs Shute's arms, too casually, without a glance in her direction and continue my path to the showers.

I save people's lives, not cats! So why am I hearing that brain throbbing sound for cats stuck in a stupid tree. A tree that is in the middle swamp!

How does the cat even get up there?

And my god that cat was stubborn! I climbed a fucking tree to get it and he just wouldn't extract his long-arse claws from it, and when he finally did he attached himself to me—painfully. I no doubt have scratches on me as evidence.

So yeah, that cat is all your problem now Mrs Shute—shouldn't have said to everyone to bring their problems to her at the start of camp. I took her words literally.

Mrs Shute doesn't yell after me, visibly speechless and confused. I beeline to the shower faster.

Nothing can stop me from a warm nice shower. Not even Mrs Shute who will most likely yell at me for this later when she has recovered from her shock. Oh a shower sounds like heaven right now. I can let the hot pelts of water wash away this week. Wash away my pain, my anger at Lily and Ray, my sadness.

These last few days have been out of my comfort zone. Being around people 24/7 is a lot. I'm used to my own company. I like my own company. I am content being in my own company.

What I am not familiar with is sharing a room with 7 girls—it's a lot. It's chaotic. I have barely any space, there's clothing thrown all over our room and I can't stand the mess. Since Jeremy and I talked yesterday, I have been in a bad mood. Being here doesn't help, camping reminds me of cold nights in tents with my Mother—times I'd rather not remember.

I continue to trudge down the path to my destination, mostly unbothered by all the unusual looks. That's when I see it, Ray is with his friend group looking at me with wide eyes, a puzzled expression. Shocked.

He takes me in slowly, from the top to my mud-soaked shoes. My cheeks burn in embarrassment, but thankfully, the mud covers that.

He is surrounded by his football buddies and Lily and her friends. I feel an ugly feeling creeping back in me again. But the uncomfortable feeling of mud drying on my skin does a good job of distracting me.

He gets up and says a few words to his friends that I can't hear, but his eyes never leave me,

Please don't come over. Please don't come over.

He walks over.

I let out an annoyed puff of air.

Ray has gotten over the shock and now he looks borderline confused and amused by the time he reaches me.

"Don't." I grit out at him as I continue my path toward the cabin showers.

"I wasn't going to say anything," he feigns innocent while walking beside me.

We walk in silence for a moment before he speaks again, "So... you save cats in your past time, huh?"

I shoot him a glare to which his amused smile widens. "Not another word or I will hug you and you will look like an idiot too."