[i]I guess that's what happens when you don't get enough sleep... or any at all, for that matter...[/i]

I can't help but laugh a little at the new chick, Ashe, as she goes on, working away diligently in the soil. I think she's trying to make a garden. A hand goes up and presses against my lips to stifle a giggle as soon as she wrings out her shirt onto the seeds she's just planted. Now, if she wrings her hair over the dirt, I swear, it's not my fault if I burst out laughing like a donkey... But okay, I think she means well...

So I lower my big whacking stick and tap Dwy on the shoulder then jerk my head in the direction of the new chick. I shake my head with a smile on my face then shrug. Softly I say with a light laugh, "I'mma check on [i]Lil' Miss Gardening[/i] over there, kay?" 

Looking down at my blue and white runners as I go, I make sure to do a wide circle from the newest guy and glance at him twice. There's something about him... well, I wouldn't say it's cuz he's a hipster or something, nah, but something about how he stared at the guys, like he was sizing them up or something. And the way he just didn't say "Hi, my name is _______" right away. I guess it's probably due to lack of sleep or nerves... but still... 

I glance over at Lacie. She's three years younger than me, but she's three times more fierce without a doubt. Maybe she saw the way new guy stared at the fellas too? I think I'll leave it to her to give a weird greeting to the new weirdo. And oh, if this dude is checking out which guy he can take out first, best believe he's in a whole new world of hurt if he tries to find out the answer from Z or Jace. Yeah, and if he somehow, like snowball's chance in hell somehow, gets past those bad-asses, well, I'll bop him a good one too if he tries to hit Dwy. 

When I'm nearly beside Ashe, I pull my hand out of my jeans pocket and brush off my white tee... well 'used-to-be-white' tee, fix up my grey jacket and take a quick breath before clearing my throat to get Ashe's attention. "H-hey... I'm uh... I uh... well, name's... my name at least... huh.. well--" 

[i]Such a freakin' useless dumbass! I can't even introduce myself properly! What is wrong with me?! [/i] From under my brown lace kerchief on my head, bead of sweat trickles down my temple and I wipe away at it... then stare at my hand. I smirk. My face is all red, but I don't care right now cuz: Oh Ideeea!! 

"Hey, ya missed a spot, chick," I say as I shake the sweat off my hand and onto her garden plot. [i]Aimee feels so much better, dun she?! Yush,[/i] "I'm Aimee. Ashe, right? Hey, like, I'd totally shake your hand, but I don't think you'd want me to wipe my sweat on you right?"

Probably the only one, but still, I laugh at my so-not-hilarious comment but smile at the glasses wearing chick all the same. I shrug but still smile as the red fades from my face and ears. What-evs. That's how I am. "Hey, maybe you should come stand over here with me n' Dwy just in case, 'kay?"

My ponytail swishes as I jerk my head in Dwy's direction and smile again as I try to lead her away. "So hey... whacha trying to grow? I don't know how long we'll stick it out here, but at least it's something to fall back on, right? Oh! Okay, so like my moms had these beans and like they grew pretty fast. Maybe we should--"

I cut myself short as I raise my chin and stare over Dwy's head then swallow hard. I can feel the blood drain from my face. 

"Dammit. Hey everybody, you all see that?" I ask, my voice a bit tight and higher in pitch as I point at the smoke with my whacking stick, "someone please tell me that is not a forest fire in the making, right...? Please..."