Friendship
“It's nothing”, Vi huffed. “My girlfriend is just angry at me.” She then began to awkwardly change into her pajamas.
Instantly feeling her neck shiver at the use of that word, Caitlyn then turned around to give Vi some privacy and after some thought on whether or not to press this further she quietly said,
“Well.. if you need to talk about it… you can talk to me.”
“It's okay, really.. She's just angry that I'm spending the week with another girl and sharing a cabin with her… She thinks I’m cheating on her even thought I would never, never do–”
As Vi was talking, Caitlyn whipped her head around to talk to Vi, forgetting that she was changing, she turned around to Vi shirtless, toned muscles and all. Both girls froze in the moment staring at eachother for a second.
“Oh my goodness!” Caitlyn said as she closed her eyes and turned around again, “I’m so sorry, I completely forgot!” she spat out nervously.
“Wow.. I’m really that ugly, huh?” Vi said as she let out a laugh.
Still turned around and stunned momentarily, Caitlyn let out a nervous chuckle and managed to spit out,
“NO! No, you're fine. I was just surprised–”
“Relax, it's chill Caitlyn. I’m just pulling your leg,” Vi said in between laughs, stopping Caitlyn before she could ramble any further.
The girls just sat there in silence anxiously thinking of anything to say. Vi put on her tank top and her sweatpants while Caitlyn still was facing the opposite wall.
“You can turn around y’know”, Vi deadpanned.
After she slowly turned around to face Vi again, Caitlyn forced herself to say,
“I, um … apologize if I had anything to do with your fight.” Caitlyn said softly, not looking up at Vi but looking down at the suddenly very interesting mark on her finger.
“It wasn’t a fight.” Vi scoffed as she slipped into bed and turned off her lamp light, “Not everythings about you.”
Confused by how fast Vi had switched up on her, Caitlyn tucked her in and turned off her lamp as well. After that, Caitlyn stayed up, head on her pillow, a scowl on her face, thinking about the things that she heard in this circumstance and went to sleep.
She woke up suddenly at 5am, like she did every morning. She was confused at first, on her whereabouts. After seeing the old paintings on the wall and inhaling the smell of dusty old oak wood, she realized she was in her cabin, well her and Vi’s cabin, and was at this amazing science camp, but with Vi.
She looked around to see and hear a snoring Vi sleeping on her side. Quietly as she could to not disturb Vi, she got on some acceptable clothes and grabbed her MP3, (she’d brought it because she thought there would be no service), and she was right there was barely one bar, and tiptoed out of the cabin to smell the fresh morning air.
It was still Septmeber so the sun hadn’t risen yet, but the forest was bright as the moonlight shone through the ground, the trees, and the cabins.
She pressed play on her playlist with all her downloaded songs and put her wired headphones on. She decided to run along the camp because she didn’t want to get lost in the woods. She loved running in the early morning or late at night, either way the world was sleeping. Nothing could hurt her here.
Caitlynjogged past the mess hall and saw some lights switch on in the back, they must be starting to prepare for breakfast, she concluded. She ran past the owners cabin and the cute little nurses shack to the left of it. Just as she thought she would have to turn around because she was on the outskirts of camp, she found a trail sign with the words
“Lake Lumina Loop Trail, 1.5 miles”
Smiling with excitement, she started jogging up a slightly steep hill. The path was sheltered by trees, which was annoying because Caitlyn had hoped to see the sunrise with such a pretty view. The sun still had not risen yet, but it was getting close. She jogged a little faster, hoping she wouldn’t miss it.
Her dreams came true when she reached the top, breathless because of the steep incline, but her lungs didn’t care when her jaw dropped to see the divine scene before her. The sun was rising from the tops of the luscious green Noxus mountains surrounding a crystal clear lake; the water lapping because of a slight breeze. It was the most sublime thing Caitlyn Kiramman, daughter of the famous Coucilor of Pilover, Cassandra Kiramman, had ever seen with her own two eyes. And she had seen alot. She loved paintings and art sculptures, she had been all around the world to Italy and to France, she had hiked to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, and been on a canoe through the Nile River, and yet, nothing topped this. It was so simple, yet so complex. Like right out of a movie.
She looked around her to see a nice old simple bench and decided to take a break and enjoy the view for a minute. But as she sat down, her eyes flickered to her watch that read 6:35 AM.
“Oh shit, I need to head back!” She said to herself. As she carefully jogged back down the new part of the loop trail, and ran past the nurse’s shack with the owner’s cabin to the right of it, she heard the DING DONG of the old bell, making it 6:45AM. She ran past the kitchen which now had all of its lights on and the pleasant smell of bacons and eggs, and finally reached her cabin door.
“Where did you go?” Vi asked groggliy as she was climbing out of bed.
Caitlyn didn’t hear the question because she still had her wired headphones in, but was startled when she saw Vi looking at her blankly. She quickly pulled her headphones off and took of her shoes, when Vi repeated herself but with a bit of annoyance.
“Sorry? Oh, um.. I went on a run. Woke up early. Habit, I guess”. Caitlyn responded quietly.
Vi just shrugged, and started to get ready for breakfast and the day ahead of them. The girls walked to the mess hall in silence, but couldn’t help but lick their lips at the smell of food.
After finding out at breakfast that Viktor IS NOT a morning person, and Jayce has WAY too much energy in the morning, they started their first full day of camp. They walked to the lake and collected seashells, fossils, sand crabs, lake water, and fished to collect stuff for their experiments. Dr. H decided to call it a bit ealry because Jayce was getting seasick, so the girls had some free time on their hands when Dr.H and Viktor helped Jayve to the nurses shack.
“I bet I can skip this rock more times than you.” Vi said with a smirk. She instantly got into position and chucked the rock, making it skip 5 times.
If there was one thing Caitlyn liked, it was a challenge.
“Oh, you're on.” Caitlyn said with a playful glare. She then took a couple minutes to find the perfect rock while Vi was still aimlessly throwing rocks into the lake, stood up and swiftly threw her rock with perfect form. It skipped across the water with grace, 1, 2, 3, 4… It seemed like it was effortlessly skipping in slomo, and both girls held their breath when it reached 7 skips and plopped into the water.
“Haha! I won!” Caitlyn shouted at the top of her lungs as she threw her hands up in the air. Her blue eyes shone in the sunlight
Vi locked gaze with her big, blue eyes as she let out the biggest, smug grin Vi had ever seen. So big that Vi saw the gap inbetween her two front teeth. God, that was a good smile. A smile that like could be dangerous , Vi thought. Vi then returned the smile when Caitlyn started doing a quirky little victory dance.
As to not make Caitlyn too much of a poor winner, Vi quickly threw a playful splash in Caitlyn’s direction, wettining parts of her shirt.
“How dare you!” Caitlyn scoffed in return. Vi let out a hollow laugh that almost made her fall into the water. She then instantly retaliated and completely drenched Vi’s shirt with water, making both of the girls laugh more, making Caitlyn’s tooth gap showing more and Vi caught herself starting to like it, and both of them completely drenching eachother but not caring one bit.
And here, for a split second, when Vi and Caityn were splashing eachother like little kids, Caitlyn had dropped her walls. Walls that took so much force to put up and to break. The perfect Caitlyn Kiramman who never had fun at all, let her walls crumble around Vi of all people. And Vi couldn’t help but like this side of her.
But her walls were soon put up again when the lunch bell rang, and both of the girls started to jog back, still laughing a bit, and completely soaked, as they walked into the mess hall.
“What in the dear lord happened to you ladies?” Dr. H shrieked.
The rest of the day went by fast as they spent most of their time fast doing research on the specimens they had collected in the lake and Viktor, Caitlyn and Vi taking shifts to check on Jayce, who was still in the nurses shack. Dinner was yummy itwas a spread of rice, teriyaki chicken, beef, and vegetables, which Vi had again consumed rapidly and took Jayce’s portion because he was feeling better but not hungry, while Viktor shook his head in disapproval.
The four of them sat around the campfire for the mandatory “bonding” time when Dr. H told them the activity was star spinning. After many confused looks and noises Dr. H started to explain,
“Children, it is very easy, you get your partner, and you spin around while focusing on a unique star, lets say 10 times to start, and then you have to high five your partner. It’s quite simple.”
“We’ll go first!” Vi shouted as she shot up from her seat on the log and extended a hand out to Caitlyn. After some hesitation, she reluctantly took Vi’s hand and they went over to a flat place to perform the activity.
Pointing out to the sky, Vi said softly, “That one, right? It's the north star, like you said?”
Taken back for a second, because Vi had remembered their conversation from last night, Caitlyn nodded and said,
“Ok. Ready? 3, 2, 1!”
Both girls spun around fast and after a couple had already forgot what number they were on. Luckily, Jayce and Viktor were counting for them in the background, rather loudly.
Intensely locked in on the north star, the girls managed to get to spin 10, but when the broke gaze with the gaze and turned to high-five eachother, they were both so completely dizzy that their vision was impaired. Caitlyn attempted the first swing to slap Vi’s hand, but completely missed, causing her to lose balance and fall to the ground. Quickly, without hesitation, and still very dizzy, Vi wrapped her arm around Caitlyn’s waist to catch her. After a couple moments when both were stable Vi leaned in and asked softly,
“You okay, Cait ?”
Taking a couple seconds for the question to register, and suddenly nervous because Vi’s arm was around her waist, she managed to do a small nod.
When Vi then lifted a thumbs up to Dr. H, Jayce and Viktor started clapping and cheering.
After another fun night of games, it was soon close to bedtime and the girls had to walk back to their cabins.
They did their nighttime routine with silence, and no call from Clara this time and no awkward changing, they both slipped into bed, turned off their lamps, called it a night. Vi sat there for a moment, thinking about the day’s events. A slight grin came to her mouth when she thought about splashing Caitlyn and Caitlyn flashing back her smile. Damn it was a good smile.
Anxiously, Vi then said softly hoping Caitlyn was not asleep,
“Caitlyn?.. I’m sorry for being rude to you last night. I shouldn’t have.. You were just being nice.”
A minute passed by and Vi thought Caitlyn might be asleep but as soon as Vi closed her eyes Caitlyn responded softly,
“It’s okay. I’m sorry your girlfriend was angry at you.”
“You don’t have to apologize for everything, y’know”, Vi chuckled, “But thanks.”
The two just stood in silence, waiting for the other to say something, anything.
“Hey..” Vi finally managed to cough up, “Why did you hate me? Like before we were lab partners? Like at that party? I know I’m just a lowly Zauntie and your a Piltie but–”
“Vi, I don’t care about any of that. But do you seriously not remember?”
Caitlyn let Vi take a couple seconds to think. Both of them stood upright in their beds and faced eachother in the darkness.
“It was freshman year, during lunch. Ring any bells?”
Vi stared blankly and shook her head.
“I was eating my lunch alone, and you threw a bagel at my soda, causing it to spill all over my new clothing. And then turned around and started laughing and pointing at me, making everyone in the whole cafeteria laugh at me… and people started chanting that ugly phrase they have for me, and…” Caitlyn trailed and shuddered off as the memories came back.
“Kirawoman slut! Kirawoman slut!” They all shouted.
It all started when Caitlyn was publicly outed in middle school when her best friend Mari kissed her in the locker room and then was so ashamed she told everyone that Caitlyn forced her down and kissed her. And since she was the Coucilors daughter, it was a big deal.
She could still remember the headlines, “Kiramman Girl Turned Gay” or “Kiramman Daughter Brings Shame to The Family”. Suddenly her eyes started to water.
Without thinking Vi instantly walked over to her bed and pulled Caitlyn in close for a hug. She smelled like cucumber and mint shampoo, as she was just fresh out of the shower. For a second, Caitlyn froze and then returned the hug back, stunned by the physical touch.
“I’m sorry. I’m an asshole most of the time”, Vi mumbled to her shoulder while wrapped in the hug.
Pulling back with a laugh, Caitlyn just smiled with relief and looked up at a now standing Vi.
“You called me Cait.”, Caitlyn said as she stared into Vi’s grey eyes.
With those dark blue eyes staring back at her, Vi barely managed to say, also overwhelmed a bit by the physical contact even though she was the one who went in for it,
“Were friends, right? Friends have nicknames.”
After slipping into her own bed and both girls letting out some nervous chuckles, they drifted off to sleep with sheepish grins on their cheeks.