crossing_lostrp | [NPCs] Skipped Time: Day 8: Trouble Brewing (open tag) (Reply)

Amanda stomped away, casting angry glances over her shoulder at George & Carlos periodically.

She wasn't happy with Zoe, either. She couldn't believe Zoe had thought it was funny when George kissed Carlos and then told her, "Yeah, you wish, bitch!" She stalked across camp and toward the stream mostly just to be moving.

"Amanda--hey!"

She stopped. Harry and Charlie were sitting near the treeline, out of sight of most of the camp. Harry waved at her. "Come join us," he said. Amanda hesitated, then thought, (Why the hell not?) and walked over. She smoothed out the skirt she was wearing and settled down on the ground with the two guys. "What's up?"

Charlie and Harry exchanged glances. Charlie looked awfully ragged. Amanda was pretty sure he was suffering withdrawal from something; she'd seen enough of that sort of thing in her brief career to recognize it. She shrugged. Not her problem, as long as he didn't bother her with it. Harry's dapper rich-boy look had suffered some in the last week, but he still looked good. He wasn't leaving eyetracks all over her legs and tits either, Amanda noticed.

"We're just talking," Charlie said. "Talking, talking."

"Venting a little," Harry chimed in. "There are some definite cliques in our little community. I'm sure you've noticed," he added.

"Damn right," Amanda said.

She sat quietly as Harry and Charlie described some of the injustices they've endured of late. Frankly, she tuned out Charlie's petulant ranting about House and Pierson bogarting the drugs. Typical junkie self-pity. She'd seen enough to know that House was dealing with the same problem, only--to judge by the way he frequently massaged his bad leg and once even seemed near to tears when he thought nobody was around--with a hell of a lot more excuse than Charlie.

Harry caught her attention when he mentioned that he'd been talking to Ethan. Amanda glanced at him, saying, "But Ethan's--"

"Ethan's what?" Harry shot back. "A creep? A stalker? Is that what you heard?"

Amanda flushed a little, but nodded stubbornly. "Yeah."

Harry shook his head a little sadly, as if disappointed in her. "Yes, I'm sure that's what you heard. But has he done anything to you? Harassed you? Stalked you? Stalked your friends?"

"Well...no," Amanda admitted.

"Right," Harry said. "So who has Ethan allegedly stalked? Let's see--Daisy. George. Claire. Ami, I think..." Harry met Amanda's eyes, as if waiting for her to connect the dots. "All the women who are close to the inner circle."

"Ethan told me about it. He tried to join their little clique, tried to 'sit at the grown ups' table,' as he put it. They weren't interested. He pushed a little. So they started spreading the rumor that he was a creepy stalker. Now nobody will talk to him. They've effectively isolated him, and made sure he can't possibly mount any effective opposition to whatever they decide they want to do."

Amanda gaped at Harry, shocked by his revelation. It didn't sound like the story she'd heard, but...it was all too plausible. That tightly-knit little group clearly had their secrets, secrets they weren't sharing. They took control early on, and while Amanda was realist enough to know that someone had to, they certainly hadn't been subtle about it, or much interested in sharing it.

Her gaze drifted involuntarily back toward the camp. She could just see George flirting with Carlos under the pretense of being taught how to fight with a stick. That reminded her of her own complaints about how things had shaken out. "I can't believe he's sleeping with her!"

"Wha--?" Charlie leaned over to follow her look. "George? Sleeping with Carlos?"

Harry didn't bother to turn and look. A shuttered look filled his eyes. "Doesn't surprise me," he said. "She's part of the inner circle, isn't she? She and her friend Daisy hang around with our self-appointed leaders, don't they? Jackson, that Marine, Locke, Agent Starling, the Brits, even that fucking teenager who acts like he's in charge when he's barely even old enough to vote."

Harry shrugged. "Carlos shows up after they've made themselves the chiefs. The rest of us are just the indians. He's smart enough to see how things are. So he seduces little Georgie, scores some quick and easy ass, and finds his way into the inner circle. Smart."

Amanda glared at George, listening to Harry. She nodded slowly. It made sense. It explained why Carlos would choose a girl like George over her. Politics. George was his ticket to the inner circle. Well, two could play at that game.

She looked at Charlie, then at Harry. "So," she said, "are we just gonna complain to each other about it? Or what?"

OOC: Don't mind me. I'm just stirring the pot...