Stranded

Chapter 3

It takes Raina and I about 10 minutes to fully set up the tent. For me, that is pretty good timing, considering I've never set up a tent before because I've never been camping. But for Mrs. Ransen, that was horrible timing. 

"How hard can it be to set up that tent there?" She hollers at us, clearly frustrated with the way we are working. 

"We did the best we could, Mom. It kept falling down," Raina quietly responds. 

"Whatchu  mean? It don't just fall down. Not like that, nu uh." Mrs. Ransen makes her way over to wear we are standing. She walks over and starts "testing" the tent's durability. First she pokes at it and then she starts pushing it recklessly. 

"See. It don't just fall for no reason. Ya gorls be taken way too long. No more excuses." 

Raina gives me a look, which I assume is telling me how annoyed she is with her mom. After Mrs. Ransen leaves, returning to her book, Raina starts talking to me. "Sorry about my mom. She's weird around people she hasn't known her entire life." Raina lets out a snort, letting me know how ridiculous her mom can act sometimes. 

"It's okay. I'm just grateful that someone is here to help. Otherwise I would be stuck all alone," I respond. Right at that moment, my stomach grumbles obnoxiously loud. "Oh my gosh. Ha, sorry. I forgot to eat something." This is what I tell Raina. I don't want to keep asking for things from her and her mom, it just seems rude. So instead, I pull out my bag of trail mix and start munching. 

"Uh, when's the last time you ate something?" Raina asks me, clearly concerned. 

I think for a moment before responding. "Uh I ate something like a few hours ago," I lie. I don't want to put the Ransen's through any more trouble. 

Raina gives me look. "Are you sure? Because your stomach is saying something else. It couldn't have been just a few hours ago that you ate. How long has it really?" 

"I told you only a few hours. Really, I'm fine. I have my trail mix. I don't need anything else. I'll be okay."

Raina doesn't seem convinced. "It's really no trouble at all. Please, if your hungry I will feel worse if I didn't do anything to help." 

I think for a moment. It really isn't that big of a deal according to Raina, but I've always been like this. I don't usually ask for things, unless you make an exception for today when I ask the Ransens for help. But other than that, I have always just felt guilty in that sense. But since Raina has such a big heart, I feel the need to tell her the truth. "Alright. It's been 24 hours. Yesterday I didn't feel good so I didn't eat anything except for in the morning." 

"Kenna! That's not good," Raina cries like she's known me all her life. "Here, we packed lots of sandwiches in the cooler. I'll grab one for you." She runs over to the cooler that is sitting right next to Mrs. Ransen's chair. 

"It's fine, Raina, really!" I yell as she goes to grab a sandwich. "I don't want to take more from you." 

As if she hasn't heard a word a said, Raina is back with a sandwich. It's peanut butter and jelly. "Are you allergic to anything?" 

I look at her. "Um just furry animals. We're all good." I give her another warm smile and we both laugh. It feels good to have a genuine person to talk to again. I always saw it in Adria. But most of my friends, and even Cole, weren't as genuine as I would have liked to believe. All they cared about was their image. How they could become more liked and popular. It was all anyone seemed to care about in high school. Which reminds me, I'm missing school right now, which is so unlike me. I'm a straight A's student and have always wanted to keep it that way. But I'm in good hands now. I don't doubt for a minute that I am safe with the Ransens and that I will be home in a few days.