As far as getting scared went, it didn't happen to Cole Hudson all that much. He'd been through the ringer in his real life, and most things didn't faze him. Having a gun shot at them, however, was a bit of a different story. Cole didn't want to admit it, but he was a little scared himself. It surprised him immensely when the cheerleader grabbed him and buried her head against his chest. At first, Cole thought she was attacking him, but...
Girls were not a species that Cole had lots of experience with. He had never had a girlfriend, and generally hadn't really had the time to be interested in them, so his physical experience with girls was also incredibly minimal. He remembered giving one a hug once. As such, he had almost no idea as to what to do.
Awkwardly, he put his arms around her and patted her on the back.
"Uh, hey...it's okay...she missed, or whatever. Don't worry..."
He glanced at the sledgehammer and his pack on the other side of the gazebo.
Let's hope nobody attacks us now...'else we're fucked...
run xian, run!!
Xian looks up into Cole's eyes, her own shimmering with tears, a frightened look on her face.
I thought we were dead, I was so scared. I just kept thinking..I can't die, not now. There's so much I haven't done, so much I want to do....I..I must sound so silly.
Xian sits up, and wipes her tears, but makes sure she stays close to Cole. She looks up at him again, and offers him a smile.
You..must think Im weak, a coward. I'd understand if you wanted me to leave, if you thought I was a burdon to you.
I thought we were dead, I was so scared. I just kept thinking..I can't die, not now. There's so much I haven't done, so much I want to do....I..I must sound so silly.
Xian sits up, and wipes her tears, but makes sure she stays close to Cole. She looks up at him again, and offers him a smile.
You..must think Im weak, a coward. I'd understand if you wanted me to leave, if you thought I was a burdon to you.
Cole took a second to himself. Sure, he could let her run off, scared and crying, into the woods...but she probably wouldn't last ten minutes by herself. Inwardly, he sighed. He was scared too. He wasn't a sociopath, he couldn't just let her go off by herself.
"Hey now...look...there's no reason not to be scared. Hell, I'm scared myself. But splitting up probably won't do us a lick of good. Neither of us have a gun, and unless you can throw rocks at the speed of light, against a gun, we're fucked."
He sighed. The sledgehammer caught his glance again. He could almost feel the smooth wooden handle in his hands, but he dismissed that feeling almost immediately. He wasn't heartless. This girl needed comforting, and although Cole Hudson may have been one of the last people that any girl would turn to in any normal situation - this was sure no normal situation.
"Look. If we stay together, we aren't going to die. Gunmen...they, uh...they get intimidated by groups. So...you know...we're okay!"
As he bumbled through the explaination, he couldn't help but smile.
"Hey now...look...there's no reason not to be scared. Hell, I'm scared myself. But splitting up probably won't do us a lick of good. Neither of us have a gun, and unless you can throw rocks at the speed of light, against a gun, we're fucked."
He sighed. The sledgehammer caught his glance again. He could almost feel the smooth wooden handle in his hands, but he dismissed that feeling almost immediately. He wasn't heartless. This girl needed comforting, and although Cole Hudson may have been one of the last people that any girl would turn to in any normal situation - this was sure no normal situation.
"Look. If we stay together, we aren't going to die. Gunmen...they, uh...they get intimidated by groups. So...you know...we're okay!"
As he bumbled through the explaination, he couldn't help but smile.
Xian looked up into Cole's eyes, and the look of fear faded.
Really? Do you think so? Maybe..if we stick together..we can get off of this island...maybe we can go back home!!
Xian wrapped her arms around him, hugging him in tightly, and before she knew it, planted a kiss on his cheek. Quickly..she backed off, looking a bit ashamed.
Oh..Im sorry...excuse me. I...I'm never that forward...you must think Im horrible.
Really? Do you think so? Maybe..if we stick together..we can get off of this island...maybe we can go back home!!
Xian wrapped her arms around him, hugging him in tightly, and before she knew it, planted a kiss on his cheek. Quickly..she backed off, looking a bit ashamed.
Oh..Im sorry...excuse me. I...I'm never that forward...you must think Im horrible.
Flabberghasted was not a word that finds use in everyday conversation all that much, but that's the word that best describes how Cole felt at that point. Flabberghasted. Never before had a girl displayed that kind of affection towards him. He was intimidated...but actually he kind of liked it. Noting her embarrassment, he tried to put together some semblance of an answer.
"No, uh...don't worry about it. It's okay, really...it's not like you, uh, bit my ear off or anything..."
He tried a little grin, wincing inside at his awful joke.
"No, uh...don't worry about it. It's okay, really...it's not like you, uh, bit my ear off or anything..."
He tried a little grin, wincing inside at his awful joke.
Xian giggles a bit, feeling a bit better. She sits on her knees now, and begins to rumage through her bag. She is facing Cole as she does so, leaning over, and unaware that her cleavage is now visible as she digs in her bag. Seconds later, she produces her GameBoy.
Here...it still works, and I have a few games...if you wanna that is. But, if you don't...I know its kinda childish...but...
Xian is blushiung, feeling like a fool in front of Cole.
Sorry..Im not so good around boys...I get kinda tongue tied. You're actually the first boy I've ever been alone with...so..umm...
Here...it still works, and I have a few games...if you wanna that is. But, if you don't...I know its kinda childish...but...
Xian is blushiung, feeling like a fool in front of Cole.
Sorry..Im not so good around boys...I get kinda tongue tied. You're actually the first boy I've ever been alone with...so..umm...
Cole smiled, chuckling a little.
"And yet you're a cheerleader? I figured you were a little different than the other ones when I interviewed you all...s'why there wasn't much about you in it, because it was mainly cutting up the squad."
He shrugged.
"I guess...I guess same here. I'm not really all that good around girls, I've just never really had the chance...most of the time I don't shield myself from what I say, and that doesn't help me make friends, least of all girls, so...yeah, don't worry about it. And you're doing okay, you know? What can be expected of us in this situation?"
"And yet you're a cheerleader? I figured you were a little different than the other ones when I interviewed you all...s'why there wasn't much about you in it, because it was mainly cutting up the squad."
He shrugged.
"I guess...I guess same here. I'm not really all that good around girls, I've just never really had the chance...most of the time I don't shield myself from what I say, and that doesn't help me make friends, least of all girls, so...yeah, don't worry about it. And you're doing okay, you know? What can be expected of us in this situation?"
Xian sighs and smiles, putting the GameBoy away for now.
Well, honesty is a good thing. Most of the other girls on the squad, they were too superficial, so your remarks really hurt them. But, what can you do? You had a job to do, and you did it. You didn't lie or make anytrhing up...so...no problem.
Xian shifts over, sitting next to Cole.
I just hope we can survive, or be rescued somehow. I swear, if we are rescued, when I get back home, Im doing all the things I want to do. Life is to short, and till now, my life has been cheering and social clubs. Im going to be more daring, do more things, get more involved.
Well, honesty is a good thing. Most of the other girls on the squad, they were too superficial, so your remarks really hurt them. But, what can you do? You had a job to do, and you did it. You didn't lie or make anytrhing up...so...no problem.
Xian shifts over, sitting next to Cole.
I just hope we can survive, or be rescued somehow. I swear, if we are rescued, when I get back home, Im doing all the things I want to do. Life is to short, and till now, my life has been cheering and social clubs. Im going to be more daring, do more things, get more involved.
Puzzled, Cole looks at her.
"Well what's been stopping you from being more daring? Taking more risks, doing what you want to do? It doesn't matter if it's the unpopular opinion or view. As long as you're content with it, you should be able to do it, you know? Like what kind of stuff did you want to do but didn't?"
"Well what's been stopping you from being more daring? Taking more risks, doing what you want to do? It doesn't matter if it's the unpopular opinion or view. As long as you're content with it, you should be able to do it, you know? Like what kind of stuff did you want to do but didn't?"
Sure...you make it sound so easy...just go out and do whatever I like. I wish I could be that bold.
Xian sighs for a few seconds, before continuing,
I dunno...really..I guess I was just shooting my mouth off. I guess, faced with the possibility of death here, it just gets me thinking. I mean...I never drank, or smoked, or anything, and now would be a good time to start. Xian weakly laughs.
Xian sighs for a few seconds, before continuing,
I dunno...really..I guess I was just shooting my mouth off. I guess, faced with the possibility of death here, it just gets me thinking. I mean...I never drank, or smoked, or anything, and now would be a good time to start. Xian weakly laughs.
He laughed, a sigh almost escaping his lips. "It's easier than you think, although you have to not mind reprocussions for your actions."
At her last sentence, his eyebrow raised. Apparently, she really didn't know much about him at all.
"Smoking, eh? You've never tried marijuana or cigarettes?"
At her last sentence, his eyebrow raised. Apparently, she really didn't know much about him at all.
"Smoking, eh? You've never tried marijuana or cigarettes?"
No....neither one Im afraid. But, to be honest...Id prefer to try...well....pot. Its supposed to be more fun the regualr smoking...right??
Xian looks up at Cole.
Not that you would know..would you? I mean...I don't know anyone that smokes pot...or does drugs...I guess I hang out with a tame crowd. But..yup..if I could...I would try it....
Xian looks up at Cole.
Not that you would know..would you? I mean...I don't know anyone that smokes pot...or does drugs...I guess I hang out with a tame crowd. But..yup..if I could...I would try it....
Cole smirked. "Well, I don't know, I don't smoke...cigarettes or marijuana myself, actually. Never have. But hey, I wouldn't say that people who do drugs are all bad. Some people I guess just look for release. You'd be surprised the people who come to drug dealers looking to buy stuff. The problem is, sometimes people who are just casual users get hooked because some idiots put like windex and shit like that inside of it. From what I hear, our school's marijuana source is like pretty straight up as far as just giving out stuff that isn't laced with anything. In fact, I know him pretty well, so I can definitely say that when you buy from him, you're getting okay stuff."
He chuckled again. "That's why I was able to do that expose on marijuana selling at school so easily, because I'm, uh...close with the guy who's the biggest seller in the school."
He chuckled again. "That's why I was able to do that expose on marijuana selling at school so easily, because I'm, uh...close with the guy who's the biggest seller in the school."
Really?wow...you are a great reporter. Well, too bad he isn't here right now, Id ask him for a sample. I mean, with whats going on, it may help take my mind off the fear, and help me relax. Yeah, too bad he isn't here, cause I'd give just about anything for a sample.
Xian stares off a bit, a slight sly smile on her face.
Xian stares off a bit, a slight sly smile on her face.
Taken aback, Cole couldn't help but laugh, the first time he'd actually done so in quite some time, even spanning back to before the SOTF act.
"Wow, hold your horses...jeez. He IS here, you know that? I know that well...because, uh...and well, I guess it doesn't matter that anyone knows, because we're all probably fucked anyways...but he's me. Why do you think I came on this trip in the first place? My parents don't give a shit about me, and I've got to make money somehow..."
"Wow, hold your horses...jeez. He IS here, you know that? I know that well...because, uh...and well, I guess it doesn't matter that anyone knows, because we're all probably fucked anyways...but he's me. Why do you think I came on this trip in the first place? My parents don't give a shit about me, and I've got to make money somehow..."