Chapter Eighteen
Ginger hadn’t gotten better with time. Even though Kash had managed to get into another cabin and brought back a couple of cans of Spam, canned chicken, and even a can of SpaghettiOs, she was still as sullen and full of drama as she’d been their first night and all Saturday.
It was taking every ounce of Kash’s patience not to yell at her to shut the hell up.
Last night, they’d both slept on the couch again, and once more she’d huddled against him under the blankets. She’d cried herself to sleep, and while Kash was annoyed with her, he couldn’t deny her the comfort she’d so desperately sought.
She’d been awful to him, like usual, said some terrible things, but she was still human.
And at the moment, so out of her element it wasn’t even funny.
It was kind of hysterical that Kash, the boy who didn’t like the outdoors all that much, except to look at the sky, was the more experienced one in this situation.
Late last night, he’d left Ginger in the house—crying like usual—while he went out to stare up at the sky.
The stars were brighter than he’d ever seen them, and he could even see the Milky Way without his telescope.
It was awe inspiring, and if he was in any other situation than the one he was in, he probably would’ve enjoyed it a lot more.
But he was stressed. Even though he was prepared to spend several days, a week, even a month waiting to be found, he was still scared. He wanted his mom. It wasn’t a very cool thing to admit, but he wasn’t ashamed of how he felt.
And he also wanted Linc. He felt safe around the larger-than-life man who’d come into his world, and he knew without a doubt if Linc was there, he’d know exactly what to do.
What to say to Ginger to make her feel better.
How to find more water than the dozen or so bottles someone had left in their cabin for the winter.
Linc would also be worried, and Kash couldn’t help but wonder if they knew he was missing yet. That he hadn’t texted Brad to tell him he was sick. That he didn’t go to Portland.
There were cameras at the school, and eventually someone would think to look at them.
They’d see him being led off the premises by Owen and Scott.
Would maybe see Donny luring Ginger away.
But would they make the connection? He wasn’t sure about that part.
Plenty of kids knew Owen and Scott were good friends with Donny.
They’d figure it out eventually. But how fast?
Sighing, Kash disentangled his arms and legs from Ginger’s and slipped out from under the blankets. He didn’t bother waking her up and asking if she needed to pee. Yesterday, she’d finally given in and done what she’d needed to do, then complained about it for at least an hour afterward.
Every time.
He went outside, peed against a tree, then quickly returned to the cabin.
He had no way of heating up the SpaghettiOs, and was afraid to start a fire—not that he had anything to start it with, because it wasn’t as if he knew how to use sticks or whatever—so they’d have to eat the treat cold.
But even thinking about the noodles in tomato sauce made Kash’s stomach clench with hunger.
If he was a different kind of person, he would’ve eaten the entire can at the other house right when he’d found it.
Not brought it back to show Ginger. Even though she hadn’t been impressed, had wrinkled her nose at the mere thought of eating processed noodles, Kash wasn’t sorry he’d brought them back to share.
For the first time, he had an inkling of what his mom had probably gone through.
Being hungry herself, but doing everything in her power to let him eat first. It was a huge sacrifice he hadn’t fully understood until now.
Because everything in him was urging him to go out and find more food and keep it all to himself.
Because Ginger sure wouldn’t appreciate his efforts. But he wouldn’t do that.
“I’m cold,” Ginger whined from the couch.
Kash sighed. It was going to be a long day. Week. Month. Whatever. But his mood was actually a little better regardless—because today was Sunday. Today was the day his mom and Linc and everyone else would realize he and Ginger were missing.
Maybe Donny would come pick them up, laughing at the scare he’d given them, sure he’d taught them a lesson. What lesson, Kash didn’t know, but at the moment he didn’t care. He just wanted to go home.
“I have breakfast,” he told Ginger, as he popped the top on the SpaghettiOs.
“I don’t want anything.”
For a split second, Kash’s hopes rose. He could eat the entire can by himself. But then common sense kicked in. She needed to eat something. He’d have to convince her.
He took two spoons from the silverware drawer and headed back to the couch. He sat next to her and handed her a spoon. “You have to eat. It’s not so bad, promise. Sit up and share with me?”
He was relieved when Ginger huffed out a breath but moved to sit upright.
Her face was blotchy and dirty. Her hair a mess.
She no longer looked like the put-together popular girl he’d gotten used to seeing at school.
Kash kind of liked her better like this.
Not miserable, of course . . . but more approachable?
They were on a more even playing field out here.
Both out of their element. Surviving together.
He handed her the spoon and held out the can, letting her have the first spoonful. She dipped the spoon into the tomato sauce and looked at it skeptically before opening her mouth.
Kash quickly took his own bite, and the flavor burst on his tongue. It tasted delicious, even cold.
“That wasn’t bad,” Ginger said with a tiny smile.
They shared the can of SpaghettiOs, taking turns scooping out the saucy noodles until it was empty, which was way too fast.
Kash sat back and put a hand on his belly. “I remember this feeling. Of knowing what you ate wasn’t all that much, but feeling so full you thought you were going to pop.”
“Yeah, it’s weird that I’m so stuffed,” Ginger agreed.
They sat in companionable silence, and Kash felt relaxed for the first time since they’d been stranded here.
“I’m sorry for how awful I’ve been to you. I don’t really have an excuse. I just went along with Donny because . . . well . . . I don’t know why.”
“It’s okay,” Kash said. He wasn’t the kind of kid to hold grudges. It didn’t really help anything, and just made him feel more angry.
“It’s not. I judged you badly. I won’t lie, I was pretty upset when I realized what Donny had planned, that he’d picked you to be stranded out here with me.
But I know now that I was stupid. I would probably be a popsicle down at the dock if you weren’t here, telling me what to do, getting us into this house, keeping me warm at night. I appreciate it.”
Kash was surprised. He honestly hadn’t thought Ginger would actually apologize for the way she’d treated him. Or for thinking bad things about him.
“Thanks,” he told her quietly.
“When we get back, things are going to change,” she said firmly.
And Kash was thrilled she’d said when, not if. He was glad she wasn’t so lost in her head anymore that she still thought they were going to die here.
“I’ve hated everything about this experience,” she said with honesty. “But I haven’t hated having you here with me. I’m going to be a better person at school. Stand up for the nerds.”
Kash rolled his eyes. “Maybe start by not calling us ‘the nerds,’” he suggested.
She chuckled. “Right. Sorry. I mean, I am dating a band geek now.”
“How about calling him a musician instead? Words have power, you know.”
She thought about that for a moment, then nodded. “Again, you’re right. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I just appreciate you making an effort. And I don’t care if you ignore me at school. Kids suck. I know that better than most.”
“I’m not going to pretend we didn’t go through what we did together.”
Together might be a stretch, as it wasn’t as if she’d done much to help their situation, but Kash was too relieved that she wasn’t crying or bitching at the moment to call her out on specifics.
“My daddy has some bigwig friends. I’m going to make sure Donny, Owen, and Scott pay for what they did. They kidnapped us. Maybe attempted murder? There’s got to be some serious charge that will stick.”
Kash hoped so, but he wasn’t holding his breath.
Donny and his friends were minors. That didn’t mean they couldn’t be charged with a whole bunch of stuff, though he wasn’t sure how it all worked.
But he hoped that maybe, just maybe, they’d get kicked out of school for what they did.
That would make Kash’s life so much better if he didn’t have to deal with Donny and his jerk friends every day.
The alternative, that nothing happened to the three boys, was terrifying. There was no telling what they’d do next time if they got away with this.
“Do you think they know we’re missing yet?” Ginger asked softly.
“Yes,” Kash said firmly.
“I hope so.”
“They’ll find us. If your dad knows people, he’ll stop at nothing to figure out where you are.
And I know Linc and his brothers will do the same.
We just have to hang on until they get here.
Just think of the stories we’ll have to tell our kids.
Not our kids—you know, yours and mine together. But, you know, our kids in general.”
She giggled. “I know what you meant.”
“You aren’t my type,” Kash blurted.
“You aren’t mine either. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, right?”
Friends. Huh. Never in a million years would Kash have thought he’d hear one of the popular girls in school call him a friend. And mean it.
“Right,” he agreed. “It doesn’t feel quite as cold out this morning. Maybe we can sit by the dock for a while later, after the sun’s fully up. Maybe we’ll get lucky and see a boat or something.”
“Sure,” Ginger agreed. “But . . . first I gotta pee.”
Kash grinned. “I’ll take care of the dishes,” he said, lifting the empty can with the two spoons inside.
“We’re so domestic,” Ginger joked.
Kash walked into the small kitchen and put the empty can into a trash bag he’d found under the sink. Then he used a paper towel to clean off the spoons as best he could. It wasn’t completely sanitary, but he had no water to waste on dishes.
Ginger returned after a few minutes, and Kash asked, “Want to play a board game? I noticed there are quite a few to choose from.”
She shrugged. “Might as well. I’m kind of sick of just sitting around crying.”
Kash gave her a small smile.
“How about Trivial Pursuit? I haven’t played that in ages,” she suggested.
Kash didn’t have the heart to remind her that he was a nerd through and through, and he’d likely wipe the floor with her.
Trivia was his thing. He had more useless knowledge in his brain than the average human.
Except in the entertainment category. He sucked at that one.
But he didn’t think there was a question in the science and nature category that he didn’t know.
In fact, his mom had found a set of the cards in a thrift store when they were in New York, and they used to go over the questions late at night for fun.
“Sounds good,” he said, planning on purposely throwing the game so it would last longer, and so Ginger wouldn’t have a fit when he won in six rounds.
Even though they were preparing to play a game he enjoyed, and even though he and Ginger were finally getting along better, he still missed his mom. Still wanted off this darn island.
Please let today be the day, he thought to himself, as he rolled the dice to see who would go first.