time's wasting, girl { c l o s e d }

“...And then, I just punched him,” Tomie said, glancing over her shoulder at the others as she walked, a bit of a cheeky grin on her face. She looked down at the back of her hand, where there was just the absolute tiniest bruise she’d ever seen. A part of her wished that he’d actually hit her back, so she could look a bit more battle-worn. There was something wicked about the novelty of it, she thought.

She stepped over a mossy log, then turned her eyes up to the sky, her thumbs looped under her backpack straps. It was a bit pointless telling this story again, since Benny had been there, and she’d told Shelby last night, and Benny had definitely told JR in their dorm last night too. But she’d just come from her little meeting with the camp supervisors and it had only just happened yesterday, so naturally it had come up. She went to run a hand through her hair out of habit, but she was wearing a cap (backwards, naturally) so she ran a hand over the top of it instead.

“But yeah, uh... Sooo…” She elongated the word, turning around to face the others and walking backward. “I’m not really in trouble, not getting sent home or anything, but uh…” She shot a guilty-awkward look at JR, then looked away, “I’m not allowed to go to the dance anymore.” Tomie wrinkled her nose, finding it a bit offensive that Matthew was literally getting off without even a slap on the wrist. Well, not from Teddy or Carla, anyway, she thought, feeling a bit satisfied again. She turned around again as she walked.

Benny followed along, his backpack weighing him down but he was trying not to whine about it. Of course had he just done what the older girl told him and packed only things he needed it probably wouldn't of been such an issue. Then again to a twelve year old chocolate frogs, coloring pens, and extra socks were all equally required for a hike. He leaned forward, trying to balance the weight as Tomie told the story and when she finished he jumped a little to interject. "Yeah it was awesome!" He said in between her statements, mock punching the air because he was ridiculously proud of Tomie for what she'd done. Maverick had been being really mean and Tomie stuck up for Hazel and Benny supported every second of it. "There was soo much blood." He gushed, finding the violence hilarious in the most basic of ways.

The preteen wizard rejoined the other two following behind Tomie as she finished up the story. He definitely thought she was going to lay on some more details, maybe a reenactment, he hoped she wouldn't pick him to play Maverick, but he certainly wasn't expecting to hear she was punished like this.

"Wait, what?!" He asked suddenly and stopped in his tracks. Benny had no idea where they were or where they were going or even how long it was supposed to take them to get. He had never done this 'hiking' thing before unless going to the corner store for his mother in their neighborhood counted. "They can't do that!" He pouted, crossing his arms over his chest and looking from Shelby to JR and then to Tomie. Could they?

“There wasn’t any blood,” Tomie corrected, shooting Benny a scrunched-up expression real quick in between smiles. It would be a lie to say that she didn’t enjoy the attention she’d gotten from this whole thing. Well, mostly. It wasn’t like she’d told everyone or anything, but Shelby had seemed impressed and Benny…

well she was half-sure he was the reason she’d overheard the Ravenclaw girls at breakfast this morning recounting a story that was vastly different from the thing that had actually happened. Maverick hadn’t thrown the first punch, for a start, and she hadn’t fought off multiple people at once.

“Yyyyeaaahh,” Tomie said, lingering on the first letter, shooting JR another awkward look and then turning around to face the front again. She shrugged, adjusting her backpack on her shoulders as she did so. “At least they’re not sending me home,” she said, kicking some leaves out of her way as she marched forward. “Or telling my parents,” she added sarcastically. She resisted glancing Benny’s way as she said this; he knew she'd be absolutely obliterated if her parents sent her off on this camp and then found out she'd been getting into fights.

This was the third version of the story Shelby had heard in the last twenty-four hours. The first had seemed the most honest but also the least narratively cohesive. It had involved a lot of Tomie's imitation faces of Matthew Maverick, along with demonstrations of the famous punch into the pillow. The second version, told at breakfast by Wendy who had heard from Benny or maybe Trudy who had heard from Archie, or something like that- anyway, that version had more rising action and a more satisfying climax, though Shelby was certain Hazel hadn't been assailed by Matthew and a gang of American boys, it seemed bold to assume Matthew could make that many new friends.

Tomie had reassured her that Matthew was attacking all of them, all of the... different ones in their group, but Shelby felt like she hadn't fawned enough over Shelby's theatrics. Something about it being Hazel, again. She knew that was silly, they had already talked about the Hazel thing, so Shelby just kept that to herself as she followed Tomie and Benny through the woods.

Now the punishment for the crime was new information. Shelby nodded - she had thumbed through the camp handbook that morning, and this seemed pretty light punishment as far as the offense - assault of another camper - was concerned. "They can, actually," she said, pulling a cool leaf off a nearby branch to add to her book of plant pressings. "It's really lucky they aren't sending her home- the rules say they can for punching someone on purpose." Benny would not care if she cited the section of the handbook, so Shelby didn't.

"Wait," hadn't she seen Matthew go into the cabin around the same time as Tomie? "What about Matthew? Is he banned from the dance too?" She didn't have much hope, but it would be cool if he got a slap on the wrist for being so.... nasty.

JR just shook his head, smiling as he looked ahead as Tomie retold her story. He still couldn't quite believe it. Even though he totally did. He had shared a dorm with Maverick for the past year. He knew the kid had his moments where he could be a bit insufferable, but for Tomie to take action? It was so like her. And for her not to be kicked out of camp for it? Also very her.

He watched as she walked backwards, she was always doing that, without a care of what was behind her. He watched out for her though, ready to give warning should she veer off into a boulder or tree near the edge of the path. Her news about the dance had him shooting his gaze back to her. Was she joking? He studied her expression, but she turned away and he wasn't sure what to see there. It clicked in for him with Benny's surprised reaction and he couldn't help but feel disappointed. "That's too bad," he muttered, but only because he felt like an acknowledgement was necessary.

He stuck his hands in his pockets and gazed out into the woods as they trekked deeper. Of course, it had to happen before the dance. It was just his luck. His lips pressed into a flat line and kind of hoped he was playing against Maverick tomorrow in quodpot so he could compete and win and show up his housemate.

On purpose. Tomie didn’t say anything, but the phrasing wasn’t quite right. It wasn’t like she’d planned it or anything. She'd been hanging out with Matthew, for Merlin's sake. And actually, despite the dramatic re-tellings, her memory of the exact moment she’d decided to punch Matmav was kind of... blurry. She'd been really mad at what he'd said, and especially since he'd said it in front of an audience. What was she supposed to do? Besides, she thought, how else did one punch someone?? Accidentally?

“Nope,” Tomie said, punching a low-hanging leaf on her way past it, needing a bit of physical release. “He got a salve and a lollipop.” She wasn’t sure about the second part, but it was probably true, since he was a big giant baby and all. Tomie glanced back at JR when he talked, feeling her bravado fade just a touch. She felt a bit guilty but wasn’t sure what to say; should she apologise or something? It felt weird to do in front of the group. “Yeah, uh, it sucks,” she agreed. He wasn’t looking at her now, though. “Was looking forward to it,” she added helpfully.

After a beat, she turned back around, facing the front this time. “We still going the right way?” she asked, balancing on some tree roots as she marched forward. “Benny, you got the compass right?”

The twelve-year-old couldn't help but grin when he heard Tomie's response. So maybe he had exaggerated a little when he told the first table... and a bit more at the second... and possibly too much by the time he'd reached the third table, but he was just spreading the news. Tomie had stuck up for Hazel and for all of them when she'd punched Maverick and honestly he'd deserved it. He gave her a bright grin, so maybe there wasn't any blood and she hadn't been attacked by a gang of karate-chopping street thugs but she had still kicked butt.

In what world was this justice? Benny frowned when Shelby informed him that the camp could ban Tomie from the dance and that they could go even further and send her home. His voice caught in his throat at that idea, a worrisome look coming across his features as he swallowed. If they sent Tomie home, the young wizard expected his mum to collect him shortly after that. He blinked a few times, realizing that even though it was awful, she couldn't go to the dance, it could have been far worse.

Benny noticed the tone in what JR had said and Tomie's response to him, but all he could do was half-shrug. He knew that their Slytherin friend had asked her to the dance, everyone knew about the note that had been passed through so many hands before it finally found Tomie, but he wondered how big of a deal this was. The young Gryffindor didn't want either of them to be sad about not going. And he wasn't going to go if they didn't go. He hadn't had the nerve to ask anyone yet, but that was starting to look like a blessing.

As they moved further into the words, Benny huffed at the weight of his backpack and continued to readjust it. Under the heaviness of his bag, they probably didn't see the shrug he gave at Tomie's question, but when she asked him directly, his eyes grew wide. "Um... I don't have the compass.." He turned his eyes from Tomie to Shelby and continued, "I thought you had the compass?" She was the one who was good with charts and stuff right, he kind of assumed she was going to be the navigator.

Ugh. Of course Matthew Maverick got no punishment, no nothing. Shelby wanted to ask more, like What did you tell them he said or something, but Tomie seemed to not be in the mood for it. She was upset about missing the dance, right? Shelby glanced between Tomie and JR. She must have said yes, then. Oh, poor JR. He must not be feeling great about it either. Actions and consequences, her dad would say, and it seemed reasonable enough punishment to her, but this must sting.

Not that it really mattered to Shelby. Despite multiple rumours, Archie had not actually asked her to go to the dance as of yet. She would make something up if Freya asked why her new dress was still in its wrapping when she got home. No point in pulling it out for a gathering without a friend, right? "Dances are stupid, anyway," she said halfheartedly, plucking a flower from a bush and adding it to her collection.

Benny spun to her and Shelby sighed. "Of course I have it, its right -"

Well, it should be in the bib pocket of her dungarees, but there was a noticeable absence of a compass there. "Um." She patted down her other pockets. Nothing there. Maybe her bag? "Hold on." She sat on a tree root and dug through her pack. Water bottle, plant guide, snacks, sunscreen, more water, a single marble. No compass. And no wand. She looked up at her friends, panic plastered on her face. "It's not here."

“I don’t –” She cut herself off, seeing that Benny was talking to Shelby, and not her. She glanced ahead again, feeling a little sullen now that her bravado had faded a touch. She didn’t want the others to be affected by her mood, though, so she was doing her best to cover it up as she walked ahead of them, her focus on the uneven tree roots under her feet.

She wobbled a little, and let go of her backpack straps so she could use her arms to help her balance. When Shelby asked for them to hold on, she paused on the tree root she was on and turned around on it slowly without stepping off. “I don’t have it,” she said, her eyes on the ground as she balanced. After a moment, she hopped down onto the ground. Her eyes flicked from the pile of things Shelby had set down on the ground, thinking that her snack collection looked rather sad. Most of Tomie's bag was full of food.

“JR?” she asked, glancing up at him with a hopeful half-smile.

'Was looking forward to it,' Tomie had told him. He knew he should force a smile and shrug it off like it was no big deal, but JR just shrugged, walking a bit faster. He didn't feel like much of a hike now. Or maybe that's just what he needed. Work off all this weird energy he was feeling now. As he slid his gaze toward Tomie though, he didn't want her to take it the wrong way so he gave her a little smile, tilting his head as if saying 'maybe next time.'

He knew he definitely wouldn't be trying to 'pass a note to ask' method like he had this time. "Yeah, so stupid," he agreed with Shelby.

JR half-watched as Shelby dug through her bag for the compass, more interested in grabbing a large stick from the underbrush and picking off some of the bark, holding it upright with one end on the ground and debating on whether it would be a good walking stick or not. As Tomie turned to him, he shook his head. "No, I just brought some water and snacks," he told the group and then glanced around, triangulating. He pointed in one direction, "We came from that way and I thought this trail was like a big semi-circle so it we keep walking, we'll eventually get back to camp. We'll be fine," he said confidently, even though he had only glanced at the trail map for less than five seconds before getting distracted with his snack packing.

Water and snacks. Good. If they ended up stranded out here, then she’d probably have to share her snacks, since her bag was almost entirely made up of them, but at least the others had all thought ahead, too. Of course, JR could just mean he brought a muesli bar and an apple or something, but she hoped not.

“Sounds good to me,” Tomie said with a shrug. JR sounded pretty confident, and she trusted him. She wasn’t the kind of person to get into map wars with someone, even if they actually had a map. If they had their wands, there was a pretty simple spell to find out what direction they were facing, but they didn’t, so what could they do about it?

She gave him a bit of a smile, still feeling pretty awkward, and hoping throwing her support there would lessen the vibe a little. “We good with that?” she asked, glancing at Benny, then Shelby. She couldn't help it; it was her first instinct to check in with her friends. Tomie took her cap off and fanned herself a little before pushing her hair back and putting her cap back on.

Benny frowned a little, trying to hide it, and then frowned some more as they went around in a circle and realized no one had the coveted compass. He wondered if they were already lost, looking backward at the path they had come from, and trying to remember how many turns they had taken and how they got here. At first he thought he had it but soon enough (and especially because JR was talking directions now) he lost all hope of remembering.

Instead of doing anything helpful, he followed JR like he often did, and picked up a stick roughly the same length and thickness and began peeling pieces of bark off of it. He had entirely different reasons for doing so, but he didn't know it at the time. Shrugging at Tomie's question he agreed quietly, "Sounds good," he told them absently as he finished making his little sword.

He swung it quickly at the other boy, starting an impromptu fencing match, as a playful smile came across his lips.

Cool. So. Nobody had the compass. Shelby thought that maybe this was a bigger deal than the other kids were making it out to be. JR just brought water and snacks - she was the one with the emergency flare, the splint, the muggle first aid kit she didn't know how to use, the extra layers, all of the stuff Carla had said to take. The bear whistle, too! She felt like a fool, forgetting or losing the compass. Maybe JR was right and it would be fine. But maybe it wouldn't be! Her star chart had mentioned something dramatic happening, what if this was it? What if they were going to get lost and die out here?

She looked up at Tomie, who was very calmly agreeing with JR. Benny didn't seem to care. Well, Shelby didn't want to seem like the crazy one, the one who wanted to fire off the flare and wait for the counselors to rescue her. She didn't wanna seem like a baby in front of Tomie and the boys. "Um, ok," she said after a moment, watching Benny lung at JR. Well, if the brave ones of the group were fine with it, why shouldn't she be? She stood up, putting the drybag back on her shoulders. "Let's keep going, then?"

JR stood up a little straighter as Tomie agreed with him immediately. It felt nice to get his vote of confidence. It was something he was still getting used to around his new group of friends since at home, he was always just the kid brother who didn't know anything. He had avoided Nola around school at times for just that reason. He swung his gaze to Benny and Shelby to see if they agreed to, smiling a bit more as he saw Benny getting a walking stick as well. JR held up his stick at little as if complimenting Benny on his own choice before his eyes widened as his friend lunged at him.

He hopped back agilely, his grin widening as he took on the challenge and bringing up his own sword. "In guard!" JR shouted as he jabbed at Benny with his stick, thinking that he had heard someone say that when he had seen some wizarding fencing matches. He tried to bring his stick around and down to the side to see if he could get past Benny's defenses before hopping up on to a rock for a better vantage point.

Shelby's agreement was not acknowledged since he now was in a battle for stick sword glory and he grinned before hopping off the rock with a swiping motion of his stick toward Benny. "Take that!"

JR looked happier, so Tomie felt happy too. She still felt kinda awkward, and wondered what would happen now that JR had told her he had a crush on her but there was no dance to go to together. If anything was going to happen at all, she supposed. Maybe no dance meant that they just went back to being normal friends and never acknowledged the whole thing again? She glanced at Benny, ducking quickly out of the way of their little stick fight as she let them move past her. Her housemate seemed fine to do whatever everyone else was doing, no surprises there.

She let the boys move ahead, falling back in step with Shelby. Shelby wasn’t as exuberant as the others. “You have heaps of stuff, Shelbs,” she said with a bit of a smile. “wanna swap bags?” she asked. She shook her head quickly, in case Shelby was going to argue. “It’s totally fine, I’m all muscles remember.” She held up her fists, flexing her arms a little. “Mine is mostly just snacks," she added. "Light ones.”