Sequel: A Million to Two ›
Status: Alive once again! Never leaving a gap like that again if I can help it xD Hugs xx
A Thousand to One
Agent Ali
I didn't go back to the fields in the end, the Cookie Lady (apparently her name is Jenny, but everyone calls her Cookie Lady as of now) offered for me to help out in the kitchens for a few hours, since another birthday was coming up in camp: birthday cake to be made, birthday boy/girl to be pranked big time- the usual.
Thank heck my birthday was in the wintertime.
I'd just finished preparing the last of the cake mix, when a very heavily face-painted Sera bounded into the kitchen, only to be hounded about her untied hair ruining the hygiene standards. She waved her index finger at all of them, indicating she'd be one minute and continued jogging towards me,
“ALI! You have to come back to the hall! People are asking about Jareds face painting, you need to get out there 'cause they're practically jumping on him, he won't tell them you did it! PLEASE!” she gripped my shoulders and looked me squarely in the eyes, I couldn't help but laugh at how serious she was, she may as well have said “Ali the world is going to end in thirty seconds and you're our only hope!” Honestly, that girl is destined to be an actress.
“But seriously, you HAVE to get out there, even just to save your boyfriends ass!” she shook me with every word she said,
“He's not my boyfriend-” I managed to mumble before she shook me to death.
“Whatever, Yo Cookie Lady! Umm sorry Jenny was it?” Sera turned her head awkwardly to Cookie Lady, who was smiling fondly.
“No worries sweetheart, i'm getting used to the nickname now. Ali you can go if you want, you've done more than enough today, I'll let Julie know you helped out tonight, you're a saint.” Cookie Lady replied, In less than two nano seconds Popcorn was dragging me out of the door, I sent Cookie Lady a smile and a hurried thanks, before narrowly missing a collision with the doorframe.
Popcorn wasn't kidding, both the kids who'd just got back and some that had been here all day had Jared backed into a corner, his face was another picture I wished I could take. My guilty conscience kicked in right about then, so I rolled my eyes and went over to save him.
“Hey guys! I was the one who did Jareds face paint, no need to hassle him!” I laughed over all the commotion, there was a moment of silence from the kids, processing what i'd just said. Suddenly all hell broke loose and I was engulfed by kids, teenagers and even a few staff in my face asking for their team colours to be painted on their faces, arms, I swear I even heard someone say their stomach...
It got to about three o'clock when everyone was happy with their paintings i'd done, they'd all wanted ribbons just like Jareds, but I shook my head and told them his were one of a kind, so they settled for some smaller ribbon patterns in their own team colours. Most of them I arranged into little eye masks, they were quick to do and people seemed to like it, so it stuck as the general design. I let out a deep breath and placed my elbows on the table, cradling my head with my eyes shut, just listening to everyone around me. I could faintly hear the screams of some staff and a lot of water being splashed around outside, making me chuckle under my breath; it reminded me of Shannon on the first night saying most of the staff were too 'mature' to have fun with, if any of them were still like that by the end of today they didn't deserve to be here, I started to thank my lucky stars i'd escaped to here.
“You got it in you to paint one more person?” A deep voice asked, I opened my eyes and saw Shannon standing in front of my table, a crooked smile laced across his face. I smiled back, happy to see he was back,
“Sure,” I paused to think for a second, “what team are you?” he sat down across from me and chuckled
“Honestly, no idea. Most of us are on Kazakh-staff, but I don't know their colours.” he answered.
“Hmm, would you mind if I did you as Great Britain? I've got a idea for it.” He agreed and I began loading up the brushes with red, white and blue once again. I had the image in my head, I just needed to put it into practice.
I asked Shannon to roll up the sleeve of his blue staff polo shirt, showing me the whole of his right arm, shoulder to fingertips. He caught me eyeing his large biceps, muttering something like “I'm a drummer remember” under his breath and chuckling. The design was taking me longer than most of them had, but I wanted it to be perfect, only a few days had passed and he'd already become a really good friend, I owed it to him.
“So Jared showed me the ribbons you did for him,” I half nodded, my tongue poking out of my mouth as I drew another bright red curve across the width of his shoulder, he took this as a sign to continue “they were pretty sweet designs. Man, he wouldn't shut up about them...” I knew he was trying to get me to compliment Jared, but for now I just let him talk. “Listen Ali, I'm sorry about the other night in the music room, I just... I don't know, I thought it'd be good for you and Jared to talk. I totally understand if you're mad at me or-”
“What? Shannon i'm not mad!” I laughed at his face, like a kid who'd been caught with a stash of sweets. “Besides, Jared and I are....” What were we? Friends? Acquaintances? Or was he just someone I knew? Shannon seemed to pick up on my deliberating,
“Jared and you are friends, yeah I know. Jeez he won't shut up about it.” He shook his head smiling, spiking my curiosity.
“What did he say?” I couldn't help but ask, curiosity being my worst trait- remember? I certainly do.
Shannon turned his head towards me, watching as I filled in the lines i'd marked out,
“Oh, not much, y'know just filling me in on how you were. Why what did you talk about?” he asked, I thought back to the other night, how great it'd been to talk to him at last. Then my mind drifted to afterwards, lying in bed talking myself out of believing his expression had been 'hopeful'. My cheeks coloured as a few butterflies returned with the thought of him, I ducked my head down to hide my face from Shannon, but he'd already noticed.
“Nothing much.” I mumbled, concentrating on the coloured circles further down his arm, in a bid to stop acting like a stupid lovesick ten year old.
“Oh really? Y'know Ali, I may have only known you for a couple of days, but I can read you like a book, you can't fool the Shannimal.” I sighed, he'd found me out, no point in denying it.
“Yeah okay, I know you're probably a little freaked since he's your little brother and all but, I don't know he's just...” I tried to search for the word, “Amazing, I guess. But way out of my league, so don't even think of telling me he feels the same way, I won't buy it.” I lifted my head again to face him, seeing his jaw wide open.
That can't be good.
Shannon just stared at me for a good five seconds, his jaw moving up and down like it was on a spring, finally he regained the talent to form words.
“Whoa...wait, hold it a sec.” He stretched out his left palm in a 'stop' motion, “You mean. To say. That you like Jared? I mean like, like like?” He urgently whispered, a small smirk breaking through his gobsmacked expression.
I could have died right there.
I didn't know what to say, wasn't that what he'd meant? I could feel my cheeks burning hotter than they'd ever been, there was no use denying it, even Zeta wouldn't believe me- and she doesn't understand what i'm saying most of the time!
“Shannon, you just used 'like' three times together in one sentence, I'm sure that's not correct English or something.” I mumbled, it was all I could manage to say to diffuse the atmosphere, I wished so badly that the floor could've opened up and swallowed me whole right there. I hurried to finish the painting on his arm, preparing for a record-breaking fast exit, just a few more lines to go...
“Awwh Ali I can't believe it!” Shannon squealed, I gave him a 'Shut up or I'll kill you with my bear hands' look, which thankfully he seemed to understand. Two more lines to draw, “Ali, I won't say a thing, but you know...” I gave him another look, he quietened his voice so only I could hear “You know, I could kind of tell, you should see him when he talks about you Al, I've never seen him like this before.” While he was thinking of what to say next, I finished the final line on his arm. This was it, record-breaking getaway in Three. Two. One.
“Done-hope-you-like-it-I-gotta-go-back-to-the-room-bye!” I almost shouted the words at him in the rush, but there was no time to dwell on that. Within four or five seconds I'd put the brushes in water, grabbed my bag and ran out of the hall, jumping the four steps that led to the rooms and was out of Shannons eyesight. I kept running until I reached the room, flopping on my bed and exhaling loudly.
Mission Accomplished Agent Ali, good work.
Thank heck my birthday was in the wintertime.
I'd just finished preparing the last of the cake mix, when a very heavily face-painted Sera bounded into the kitchen, only to be hounded about her untied hair ruining the hygiene standards. She waved her index finger at all of them, indicating she'd be one minute and continued jogging towards me,
“ALI! You have to come back to the hall! People are asking about Jareds face painting, you need to get out there 'cause they're practically jumping on him, he won't tell them you did it! PLEASE!” she gripped my shoulders and looked me squarely in the eyes, I couldn't help but laugh at how serious she was, she may as well have said “Ali the world is going to end in thirty seconds and you're our only hope!” Honestly, that girl is destined to be an actress.
“But seriously, you HAVE to get out there, even just to save your boyfriends ass!” she shook me with every word she said,
“He's not my boyfriend-” I managed to mumble before she shook me to death.
“Whatever, Yo Cookie Lady! Umm sorry Jenny was it?” Sera turned her head awkwardly to Cookie Lady, who was smiling fondly.
“No worries sweetheart, i'm getting used to the nickname now. Ali you can go if you want, you've done more than enough today, I'll let Julie know you helped out tonight, you're a saint.” Cookie Lady replied, In less than two nano seconds Popcorn was dragging me out of the door, I sent Cookie Lady a smile and a hurried thanks, before narrowly missing a collision with the doorframe.
Popcorn wasn't kidding, both the kids who'd just got back and some that had been here all day had Jared backed into a corner, his face was another picture I wished I could take. My guilty conscience kicked in right about then, so I rolled my eyes and went over to save him.
“Hey guys! I was the one who did Jareds face paint, no need to hassle him!” I laughed over all the commotion, there was a moment of silence from the kids, processing what i'd just said. Suddenly all hell broke loose and I was engulfed by kids, teenagers and even a few staff in my face asking for their team colours to be painted on their faces, arms, I swear I even heard someone say their stomach...
It got to about three o'clock when everyone was happy with their paintings i'd done, they'd all wanted ribbons just like Jareds, but I shook my head and told them his were one of a kind, so they settled for some smaller ribbon patterns in their own team colours. Most of them I arranged into little eye masks, they were quick to do and people seemed to like it, so it stuck as the general design. I let out a deep breath and placed my elbows on the table, cradling my head with my eyes shut, just listening to everyone around me. I could faintly hear the screams of some staff and a lot of water being splashed around outside, making me chuckle under my breath; it reminded me of Shannon on the first night saying most of the staff were too 'mature' to have fun with, if any of them were still like that by the end of today they didn't deserve to be here, I started to thank my lucky stars i'd escaped to here.
“You got it in you to paint one more person?” A deep voice asked, I opened my eyes and saw Shannon standing in front of my table, a crooked smile laced across his face. I smiled back, happy to see he was back,
“Sure,” I paused to think for a second, “what team are you?” he sat down across from me and chuckled
“Honestly, no idea. Most of us are on Kazakh-staff, but I don't know their colours.” he answered.
“Hmm, would you mind if I did you as Great Britain? I've got a idea for it.” He agreed and I began loading up the brushes with red, white and blue once again. I had the image in my head, I just needed to put it into practice.
I asked Shannon to roll up the sleeve of his blue staff polo shirt, showing me the whole of his right arm, shoulder to fingertips. He caught me eyeing his large biceps, muttering something like “I'm a drummer remember” under his breath and chuckling. The design was taking me longer than most of them had, but I wanted it to be perfect, only a few days had passed and he'd already become a really good friend, I owed it to him.
“So Jared showed me the ribbons you did for him,” I half nodded, my tongue poking out of my mouth as I drew another bright red curve across the width of his shoulder, he took this as a sign to continue “they were pretty sweet designs. Man, he wouldn't shut up about them...” I knew he was trying to get me to compliment Jared, but for now I just let him talk. “Listen Ali, I'm sorry about the other night in the music room, I just... I don't know, I thought it'd be good for you and Jared to talk. I totally understand if you're mad at me or-”
“What? Shannon i'm not mad!” I laughed at his face, like a kid who'd been caught with a stash of sweets. “Besides, Jared and I are....” What were we? Friends? Acquaintances? Or was he just someone I knew? Shannon seemed to pick up on my deliberating,
“Jared and you are friends, yeah I know. Jeez he won't shut up about it.” He shook his head smiling, spiking my curiosity.
“What did he say?” I couldn't help but ask, curiosity being my worst trait- remember? I certainly do.
Shannon turned his head towards me, watching as I filled in the lines i'd marked out,
“Oh, not much, y'know just filling me in on how you were. Why what did you talk about?” he asked, I thought back to the other night, how great it'd been to talk to him at last. Then my mind drifted to afterwards, lying in bed talking myself out of believing his expression had been 'hopeful'. My cheeks coloured as a few butterflies returned with the thought of him, I ducked my head down to hide my face from Shannon, but he'd already noticed.
“Nothing much.” I mumbled, concentrating on the coloured circles further down his arm, in a bid to stop acting like a stupid lovesick ten year old.
“Oh really? Y'know Ali, I may have only known you for a couple of days, but I can read you like a book, you can't fool the Shannimal.” I sighed, he'd found me out, no point in denying it.
“Yeah okay, I know you're probably a little freaked since he's your little brother and all but, I don't know he's just...” I tried to search for the word, “Amazing, I guess. But way out of my league, so don't even think of telling me he feels the same way, I won't buy it.” I lifted my head again to face him, seeing his jaw wide open.
That can't be good.
Shannon just stared at me for a good five seconds, his jaw moving up and down like it was on a spring, finally he regained the talent to form words.
“Whoa...wait, hold it a sec.” He stretched out his left palm in a 'stop' motion, “You mean. To say. That you like Jared? I mean like, like like?” He urgently whispered, a small smirk breaking through his gobsmacked expression.
I could have died right there.
I didn't know what to say, wasn't that what he'd meant? I could feel my cheeks burning hotter than they'd ever been, there was no use denying it, even Zeta wouldn't believe me- and she doesn't understand what i'm saying most of the time!
“Shannon, you just used 'like' three times together in one sentence, I'm sure that's not correct English or something.” I mumbled, it was all I could manage to say to diffuse the atmosphere, I wished so badly that the floor could've opened up and swallowed me whole right there. I hurried to finish the painting on his arm, preparing for a record-breaking fast exit, just a few more lines to go...
“Awwh Ali I can't believe it!” Shannon squealed, I gave him a 'Shut up or I'll kill you with my bear hands' look, which thankfully he seemed to understand. Two more lines to draw, “Ali, I won't say a thing, but you know...” I gave him another look, he quietened his voice so only I could hear “You know, I could kind of tell, you should see him when he talks about you Al, I've never seen him like this before.” While he was thinking of what to say next, I finished the final line on his arm. This was it, record-breaking getaway in Three. Two. One.
“Done-hope-you-like-it-I-gotta-go-back-to-the-room-bye!” I almost shouted the words at him in the rush, but there was no time to dwell on that. Within four or five seconds I'd put the brushes in water, grabbed my bag and ran out of the hall, jumping the four steps that led to the rooms and was out of Shannons eyesight. I kept running until I reached the room, flopping on my bed and exhaling loudly.
Mission Accomplished Agent Ali, good work.
♠ ♠ ♠
By far my fave chapter to date =D hope you like it!So the reason for me updating, you AWESOME people have made this story reach 30 subs and 98 readers, meaning A1000to1 now has FOUR stars and is two readers off from a fifth!
I actually love each and every one of you, thank you so much! So big Mars hugs to you all xx
Back to my dull school life now xD