Incest/Taboo The Antisocial One

Tires squealed as a pale white sedan flew into the parking lot of the church the Miller family worshiped at. Amanda threw open her car door, snatching her son by the arm yanking him out from the back. She needed him gone. She had been longing for this week to fuck every single man on the cruise she had paid for, and she wasn't about to allow her eighteen-year-old son to stay in her home all by himself.

"Mom?! I don't want to go!" Tate moaned as his mother shoved his duffle bag into his arms, roughly placing his sleeping bag on top of it.

"I don't care if you do or don't! You live in my house you will do as I say!" Amanda growled turning him around pushing him towards to the church bus as the youth group gathered to board it.

"But I'm not Christian," Tate pleaded. He had no wish to be trapped in that metal tube, nor around so many people.

"I don't give a damn! It would be good for you, and you can keep an eye on your sisters while you are away. A boy your age shouldn't be alone so much, it's not natural," Amanda said seeing her daughters mingling around their group of friends. "Either participate or don't but you are not staying in my house alone."

"Whatever. You just want to screw everyone...," Tate's head rocked to the side, his dark hued sunglasses hung off of one ear from the slap across his face. His mother spouted off constantly about God and the bible and yet he knew of all the men she slept with. It wasn't that hard to notice the odd cologne in his home every time he came home from school.

"Mom? Tate? What are the two of you doing here?" Becky asked with her younger sister in tow. She had asked her brother to join them given this would be her first year as a counselor at the camp, yet Tate was adamant that he wanted nothing to do with it. Ever since they were younger she noticed how he always shied away from people, always alone never really growing close to anyone except for them and two very rare people in her brother's life.

"Tate will be joining you, I'm going out of town I won't be back until next Sunday. So you will have to drive your siblings home once you all get back. I don't care if he does anything I just want him out of the house," Amanda said as she opened the driver side door.

"Tate!" Cindy cried joyfully as she threw her arms around her brother as Tate fixed his glasses hiding those deep cobalt eyes of his.

"Tate you might as well come on, the bus is about to leave," Becky said tugging on his shirt sleeve. Wondering why there was a small padlock on his bookbag that held the zippers closed. "Did you bring your medication?" she asked not wishing to be that far removed from the nearest town if he was off his medication. The one time and only time she had saw him off of his meds was when he had two boys moaning in pain on the ground and another who was about to have his arm broken when they tried something with Cindy whatever that was. Cindy would never tell her even to this day.

"Yes sis," Tate groaned.

"Good. We wouldn't want a repeat like the last time, and you don't want Mom to put you in that ward again," Becky said motherly rubbing his back. She knew how hypocritical her mother was, and how poor of a mother she was to them, so she took it upon herself to fill that void for her brother and sister.

"Let her try," Tate huffed. None of them knew of the plans he had, if his mother hadn't rushed him off this morning he be looking for a new place to live. None of them knew what he has been doing when he was alone in his room which he had to admit was every day. Then again, that is how he had put out a series of books in such a short time. He loved it. It gave him away to escape from his life and go live in the worlds he had created if even for a short time.

"Tate you are going to love it!" Cindy said tossing her arms into the air.

"Not likely to many people," Tate said eyeing the heads that filled the windows.

"Tate not everyone is bad, why don't you give them a chance?" Becky asked as they stepped onto the bus. She could feel that eye roll of his. That always happened when she brought up the subject. "Just think about it okay," she said before her brother moved off to the rear of the bus. Noticing how the other youth group members scurried out of the seats near the one Tate had taken. Then to her younger sister as she plopped down next to her friends chatting away. Becky wanted to bring her brother into her world, yet it appeared her youth group wasn't giving Tate a chance. Not that she could blame them he had earned quite the reputation. It was one of the reasons he never came to church any more.

The sound of keys tapped away as Tate listened to the sound files of the audiobooks he currently had in production while he worked on the final book in his fantasy series. Nodding along enjoying how the male narrator was telling his tale. However, that came to a stop as his phone rang, pulling out his earbud as he saw the number for his agent. Wondering why Jacob would be calling him?

"Hello?" Tate answered ignoring how all their heads turned towards him. "Yeah, I can talk, what's going on? What! No way!" he yelled joyously he had been waiting for this call once his agent told him about it.

"Dude?! No phones!" Jack - the hot shot jock and all-around good boy - said as he rose from his seat.

"Give me one second Jacob," Tate said muting the microphone before turning his attention to Jack. "Then you have to take away everyone else's since obviously you ignore all the pings and dings from the text messages they are sending; or is it just me that's actually using what a phone is made for, or it's me - personally - you have a problem with? Now if you excuse me I'm on an important business call," he said shooing Jack off.

"No wonder you don't have any friends," Jack sneered.

"All my friends are dead," Tate said darkly. Which was true, having lost their lives when their father drove drunk one night flipping the dune buggy he was driving, killing his two only friends while the man himself walked away without a scratch. That night once he had learned of the crash that was when he had lost his faith. "You still there Jacob?" he asked unmuting the mic. Noticing how his older sister pinched her nose and shook her head at the same time. "Yeah, sorry about that, you were saying? Next Wednesday? Yeah sure, that shouldn't be a problem, oh you got that covered? Sweet thanks! Wouldn't know where to find a good hotel in Los Angeles. So want me to fly out Tuesday or early Wednesday?" Tate asked quickly opening up Edge on his Surface searching for flights to LA next week. "Yeah, I don't have a problem with flying in Tuesday," he nodded as he compared prices on a first-class round-trip ticket. "I'll see you then Jacob," Tate said hanging up his phone once he had bought his ticket.

"Tate?" Becky said as she walked down the aisle feeling her sister at her back as she neared his seat. Watching how he looked up with his earbud in hand about to reinsert it into his ear. Arching an eyebrow when she saw his Surface Pro 4. She had been wanting one when the first Surface came out. She knew it would be perfect for her to take to her college classes, yet the price tag for them were too steep for her to afford. Yet the question remanded, how could her brother afford one when she could not? Watching how he quickly powered off the device hiding whatever was on the screen.

"What is it sis?" Tate asked wishing for this week to fly by.

"What's this about you going to LA?" Becky asked standing in the aisle blocking his escape.

"Cool laptop," Cindy said peering over the back of the seat that she knelt on. "Where did you get it? You didn't steal it did you?"

"No," Tate said glancing at her, "I bought it at that small electronic store in town a few months ago."

"Answer the question Tate," Becky said sternly.

"Why? I thought it was self-explanatory," Tate said looking up at his older sister.

"Tate just tell me why LA?" Becky asked sitting down on the seat across from him.

"I thought I take a summer long vacation from Mom, and a couple thousand miles away from one another sounds nice, don't ya think? Plus, never been to the west coast I thought I'd check it out."

"Tate don't lie to me," Becky said crossing her arms, "you don't speak that kindly to anyone."

"What?! I do too, when I feel like it."

"No you don't, well except for us, the rest of the time you are an ass to everyone," Cindy said, she too was curious as to why the trip to LA.

"Whatever," Tate said rolling his eyes.

"Fine, if you won't tell me," Becky said snatching the earbuds from his ear. A gasp resounded as she listened to that deep male voice. She knew that passage, she knew it by heart. She had no idea it had been transcribed to audio. She wasn't ashamed to say she stalked the author's Facebook author page, nor was she ashamed to say she ran the largest fan-based page for that series. She even dressed up as Gwendolyn whenever she went larping.

"I want to listen too!" Cindy said beating her hands against the seat. "What's this?" she asked confused her mind racing trying to remember where she heard those words before. Given how they didn't have much she had borrowed some of her sister's books from time to time to keep the boredom at bay.

"It's chapter three from Xin: The Rise of Darkness," Becky said matter-of-fact. "There has to be more!" she hissed with the audio file stopped. Snatching her brother's phone off from atop of his bag, she figured out long ago the password he used to unlock his phone. She only broke into it to check on him since he never talked about how he was feeling. Once she found nothing she would quickly powered off his phone. That was the only time she would ever invade his privacy like that, until now.

"Guess I'm going to have to change that," Tate said taking back his phone.

"Please Tate, can I listen to the whole thing?!" Becky pleaded with her brother.

"Yes, you got to let us," Cindy said nodding in support.

"But can we put it on its own playlist, so we can listen uninterrupted?" Becky asked laying her hands on his forearm. She knew she and Cindy were the only ones that could actually touch Tate without getting that ugly scowl that marred his face when someone he didn't know touched him in such a manner.

"You know I only have the first three chapters, right?"

"So! I love this book! Plus how did you get it anyway?" Becky asked watching as Tate made a playlist for her.

"Umm...," Tate stuttered quickly pushing the play button hoping it would distract his sister only to watch as she paused it.

"Tate answer the question," Becky said in the same motherly voice she used whenever he got out of line. Smiling when she saw his shoulders sagging knowing she had won.

"Keep this a secret from everyone, I don't want anyone to know - namely Mom. You know what she would do if she knew especially when I have money," Tate said wishing to keep his mother's money-grubbing fingers off of his coin. "I won't tell you until you do."

"Tate you know we won't," Becky said slipping her hand into his. Watching as he pulled the keyboard off, tilting the device to the side as he typed in his password. Laying the Surface on her lap "Xin" staring up at her in bold face letters. Her finger moving the page up her left hand flying to her mouth.

"Becky isn't that...?"

"Yes, it is, Tate how can you have this? How can you have an unedited word document for the fifth book?"

"Think about it sis," Tate sighed.

"Then you are...?"

"The author," Tate whispered.

"That's so cool!" Cindy squealed.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Becky asked throwing her arms around his neck.

"I thought I already said as to why," Tate said blowing his sister's brunette hair out of his face.

"But you could have told us," Cindy whispered.

"Umm, I'm antisocial I'm not in the habit of divulging such things unless I'm asked sis," Tate said wondering why Becky's hug was lasting longer than usual.

"Yet I asked why are you going to LA? So spilt it brother," Becky said pushing away from him. Praying that he never saw that rather skimpy Gwendolyn photo she had submitted to his page.

"I'm going to finalize the deal to make the first one into a movie," Tate said in a hushed whisper.

"No way!" Cindy whispered in awe.

"Yeah," Tate said blushing hard.

"You do realize, we are going to have to go with you now," Becky said taking hold of his hands. "You perfectly well can't go to LA alone. Your beloved sisters need to be there with you," she said nodding.

"Yes, yes, we so need to go with you," Cindy said nodding in support.

"But I already bought my ticket," Tate groaned in annoyance.

"Then you will buy two more for your loving, caring sisters," Becky said narrowing her eyes. She wanted to be there at the ground floor of this grand adventure of his.

"Mmmhmm," Cindy said nodding her head.

"Fine," Tate sighed he might dislike people and mankind in general, yet he did love his sisters. "There happy, first class all the way," he said rolling his eyes at his sisters vehement nods and broad smiles.

"So how long will you be in LA?" Becky asked hiding the pride she felt for her brother.

"Don't really know," Tate said scratching his chin, "however, long to it takes to negotiate the contract, I know a tour of the studio is in the mix."

"You so got to take us with you!" Cindy said trying to keep her voice to a whisper.

"Oh yes, you must," Becky nodded causing her hair to become a skewed. Quickly looking down at her watch knowing she had to get back to the other counselors. "When we get to camp, and after I get the girls settled you will indulge your sisters in allowing us unrestricted access to all the audiobooks you had made and," she said leaning into her brother, "you will let us read the newest book," her lips brushing against Tate's ear as she whispered.

"You can listen all you want, but you aren't reading it," Tate said, he allowed no one to read one of his stories when it hasn't been finished yet.

"Tate?" Cindy said bending over the back of the seat allowing her breasts to dangle over it. Knowing how her shirt was hanging open which she didn't mind this was her brother. He was the only one worthy she felt to see them. "Will you please let us read it? You know we would never spill the beans on what's in it," Cindy said ever since they were kids the three of them had a unique connection. She and Becky knew how sweet Tate could be, even if he didn't like crowds, parties, or anything that dealt with large groups. Tate would whine, huff and yet he would go all because they had asked him. It might not be what normal siblings might do, yet their childhoods weren't normal. They had to lean on each other when their mother was bed hopping; and what happened when those boys tried to assault her, while she saw a side of her brother she never wanted to see again, yet it made her love him all the more for it.

"Fine. All right," Tate groaned hating how they could so easily erode his resolve. "Sis, you know I'm moving out right?" he said peering over the rim of his glasses as Becky started to move back to her seat.

Becky kept her shock from showing. Could she learn to live without his daily presence in her life? To know that when she had a terrible day Tate wouldn't be there to listen to her complain. To hear those odd, cold, logical words of his when she let her emotions cloud her judgement. He was the one that kept her from quitting a well-paying job. Without that job she knew she wouldn't be able to attend these summer camps any longer, and she loved her company for it. What if her brother stopped taking his medication? She knew only she and Cindy could get through to him when he was in such a state. She didn't know what she would do if Tate was locked away for good. Retaking her seat lost in thought unaware that Jack was talking to her.

"Hey!" Jack said tugging on Becky's sleeve. He's been trying to get her into his bed for the past five summers and yet she always blew him off. However, that wouldn't stop him that only made him want Becky even more. "Didn't you hear me?"

"What? No, sorry," Becky said not looking at him.

"I asked that brother of yours isn't going to make any friends if he doesn't lose that attitude of his," Jack said leaning over the aisle.

"He had friends they died, kind of hard for him to make new ones," Becky said glancing over at him, "and what is it to you if he does or doesn't make friends?"

"Hey, I'm just saying," Jack said raising his hands in defense.

"Well, maybe he likes quality over quantity, and has yet to find those he wants to associate with?" Becky asked with a pointed look. She was tired of Jack constantly nipping at her heels. She knew his reputation at these camps. She wasn't about to be another notch on his belt. She left that to those kinds of women that wanted to be used and not be loved like she yearned for.

"Hey, you stay out of what my brother does. You just worry about trying to score when most of us knows about what you are really like," Cindy said cutting in. Jack bit down on his tongue as a round giggles filled the front of the bus.

"Maybe if you spread those legs you wouldn't be such a bitch," Jack said underneath his breath.

"You say something?" Becky asked with a pointed look arching an eyebrow.

"Not a word," Jack muttered.

"Good. See that your tongue doesn't get you into trouble," Becky said before returning her mind back to her brother's words. Pulling out her cell phone she needed to know where he was thinking of living. "Tate? Where were you thinking of moving to?" she asked sending her brother a text.

"The mountains. Less people around." Biting her lip knowing it was four long hours away from their hometown and their mother.

"Does it have to be so far away?" Becky sent another text.

"Yeah, to keep Mom from trying to run my live and suck up every penny I have."

"But Tate, if you are so far away then you won't be able to see us," Becky sent feeling her heart racing not wishing to let her brother go.

"You can come if you want, I'm not stopping you."

"But our schools are here, me and Cindy simply can't move four hours away. Can't you please rethink this?" Becky pleaded hoping she could change his mind.

"*Sigh* Sis, that is why the phone was invented for."

"But it's not the same," Becky sent with the sad face emoji. "It's only for two more years can you wait until then? We can get an apartment if you really want to move out then we can move to the mountains."

"Why?"

"Because I'm your sister, silly. *giggles* Shouldn't older sisters always take care of their younger brother?" Becky couldn't keep her smile from showing when Tate's groan reached her.

"Fine," Tate sent back with a grumpy emoji. "Once the two of you are done I'm gone, just so you are aware."

"And that's fine Tate I'd be more than happy to come with you." Becky sent before pocketing her phone.

Tate shoved his Surface into his bag as the bus rambled down the gravel road that led to the camp proper. Scowling when all he could see was trees, grass, and the bellowing cloud of dust, yet no road that he could hitchhike from if he grew too tired of the nonsense they spouted. The lock clicking in place as a bouncing, cheerful, perky woman came bonding up the steps of the bus as the doors opened.

"Howdy campers! Who's ready for wonderful week of summer camp?!" Tate rolled his eyes as the bus erupted into joyous cheers. He could already feel the headache forming. "For those that are new please follow your counselors to your cabins. Once you're all squared away we have such lovely actives that each of you can enjoy. Now the big brass bell will ring once announcing the five-minute mark before breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then it will ring twice when the meal is on. We do have a pool, but we also have a gentle lake if you want to swim. Be warn there will be no lifeguard in the more remote areas around the lake. So please, use the main beach if you want to swim there. That way we can ensure no one has an unpleasant experience here at Camp Wormwood." Tate chuckled at the odd choice of name for a Christian summer camp.

"We have someone here that isn't really a camper," Jack said pointing over his shoulder at Tate. "We kind of got stuck with him at the last moment," he said ignoring Becky's burning glare.

"Oh! No worries! All are welcomed here," the woman said flashing Jack a smile. She had been waiting for him to arrive. She wanted another ride on that pole like he fucked her last summer. "I'm sure we can..."

"Tate can bunk with us," Becky said, "I'm sure my girls wouldn't mind having a guy staying so close to us," she said as she stood getting support from Cindy.

"Oh yes! Who else is going to kill all those spiders," Cindy said using her influence on her friends and in turn the other girls.

"I fear that wouldn't be appropriate. We simply can't have boys bunking in the same cabin as the girls."

"Trust me I don't want to be here as much as you want me here," Tate said from behind Jack before pushing him back into his seat. "If anyone is going to demean my character I rather do it myself and trust me I have more important things to do then chase after girls," he said looking at the woman daring her to say anything.

"I'll take responsibility for him," Becky said placing her hand his shoulder, "plus we don't have that many girls with us this year as we do boys."

"Very well, I'll inform the director of this. But you will be responsible for everything he does," the woman said sternly. "Well, those of us here as campers we have lovely actives for you all, which you will find sign-up sheets in the mess hall. Please, feel free to choose one or all that you all want to join. Now if you follow me," she said flicking her hair over her shoulder giving Tate a look of disgust. This, Tate didn't care what the woman thought of him, he never did when it came to people. To him people weren't that important to worry about. He wasn't in charge of what they felt or thought about him. He was hoping he could just get through this week without interacting with these people as much as he could.

"Wait for us outside Tate," Becky ordered as she and all the others gathered their bags.

"You know you might get laid once in a while if you weren't such an ass," the woman said checking her nails as she leaned against the bus.

"And isn't there like a rule that you shouldn't have pre-marital sex?" Tate shot back as he waited for his sisters. "But what do I know, I'm not even Christian," he said smirking when her face redden, and her tongue grew still.

"Whatever. You aren't even that cute," she said her frustration running high when Tate burst out laughing.

"Like that snob attitude of yours is any turn on," Tate said, he had read the woman as such the moment she came onto the bus. "Then again, I guess you're into guys that don't have an ounce of wit in their heads. Must be the only way they don't see through that façade of yours," he said his eyes glittering in glee as he moved off when his sister waved at him as the woman fumed in frustration.

"We have a long walk ahead of us Tate, will you be able to carry all that?" Becky asked once she got the number of the cabin they would be using for the week.

"Of course, I do have muscles sis," Tate said rolling his eyes behind his glasses.

"Don't you ever take those off?" asked one of the girls in the group as he moved towards the back of their group,

"Not really, only when I'm alone."

"Why?" asked another.

"I fear you may try to steal my soul," Tate said. That wasn't the real reason he just got tired of people constantly coming up to him gushing about how they love how stunning his eyes were.

"Tate why not just show them. You have beautiful eyes," Cindy said mouthing the word "please." Flashing him a smile when his shoulders slumped.

"Fine," Tate sighed reaching up slowly pulling his glasses off. Blinking once, twice so his pupils could adjust to the sunlight. Tate took a step back then another before he was surrounded.

"Are they real?!"

"They can't be it must be contacts!"

"No they are real," Tate said nervously as he tried to find a way out of the surrounding throng of women. Becky and Cindy smirked when they caught Dianna staring at Tate.

"They're so gorgeous!" one girl said dreamily.

"Come girls, we best get going, we wouldn't want to miss lunch," Becky said settling into her role as counselor.

"Told you," Cindy whispered to Tate as he quickly put his glasses back on. "Why don't you just put those away?" she asked coming up to his side.

"Yes please do," one girl said peering back, "plus it makes you cuter."

"Yeah that's...," Tate huffed as Cindy elbowed him.

"I think I'll hold onto these," Cindy said yanking his glasses off giggling as she ran into the throng of bodies knowing Tate wouldn't follow.

"Tate, you will be on that side," Becky said pointing to the door to the right once they got to cabin twenty-two, "you will be in charge of keeping that side clean, and helping to keep the bathroom clean too," she said pointing to the middle door. Moving closer to him, "If you ever need something I'm the bed to the left once you enter the room," she said hinting at his episodes that sometimes plagued him at night.

"Okay," Tate said looking around the screened in porch liking how it was nestled in the woods and yards away from everyone else.

"Okay everyone!" Becky said clapping her hands to get their attention. "I don't know if this cabin was in use before we got here, so let's do a spider check," she said taking charge. "If there are any Tate will take care of it for us, won't you?" Becky asked smiling at his back as he entered the right side of the cabin.

"Snake!" Tate snapped his head towards the door as he was nearly done with his spider check. He so wasn't about to be bitten by a black widow.

"Tate please come out here!" Becky called out for him.

"What?" Tate asked sticking his head out the door seeing how his sister and the others were clustered in the corner.

"Could you please take care of it?" Becky asked pointing towards the bathroom door.

"Alright," Tate sighed, "but you might want to leave while I get it out," he said closing his door making sure there was no way it could escape into his room should he drop it. Sliding the stop down the spring piston to keep the door open. Searching the woods for two long sticks to handle whatever kind of snake it was. He wasn't about to get bit, he wasn't that heroic. Slowly opening up the bathroom door noting how the girls had left the light on. Doing a quick scan of the room should the snake be in a place he least expected. "Well, aren't you a big fella?" Tate said looking down at the coiled black snake on the floor of the middle shower stall. "Sorry about this but the ladies say you gots to go," he said picking up the snake with the two ends of the sticks. "Now see that wasn't so bad was it?" Tate asked a few yards into the woods. "Plus, I doubt you be wanting to hear all that screeching," he said watching the snake move off only to have it look back at him as to say, "You got that right. Carry on my wayward son."

"Okay it's gone!" Tate said calling down the trail they had used to get to the cabin.

"Thank you, Tate," Becky said trying not let her skin crawl. She hated snakes.

"Our hero," a few of the girls teased playfully.

"Mmmhmm. Such a brave man, and we have him all to ourselves," Cindy said batting her eyelashes at him.

"Whatever," Tate sighed as a round of giggles ensued only to have the bell rang out through the trees.

"Okay everyone, that's the bell for lunch, who's hungry?" Becky asked looking around at the raised hands all except for Tate. "Tate you aren't hungry?"

"Umm."

"Tate, either you eat now, or you have to wait for dinner the snack bar doesn't open until three and they only have chips and sodas, and candy bars. Even you can't live on that for a week. Now go fix the door and come join us," Becky said hoping to get him out of that bubble even if it's an inch or so.

"Come walk beside us," one of the younger girls said looping her arm around Tate's left once he had moved the stopper back to its original position.

"Yes, you must," nodded another as she did the same. Unaware that he didn't like that kind of close contact with people he didn't know. Becky sent him a pleading look to bear with it for now. "So, what did you do with the snake?"

"Released it back into the woods," Tate said keeping the strain from his voice.

"Beautiful eyes, and an animal lover, I think I'm in heaven," gushed one teenager about his age.

Becky and Cindy didn't enjoy how Darlene was looking at their brother. Yet they couldn't say anything about it. That would cause to many questions they weren't ready to answer.

"Cabin 22 you are at the fair end," the counselor said as Becky announced them. Arching an eyebrow at the sight of Tate in the mitts of an all-girls cabin. He wasn't the only one taking note of this strange sight.

"Look at him, guess we know who wears the sissy pants here," said a male voice from within the large group.

"Heavens no," Darlene said waving off the statement, "don't you know we're his harem?" she asked stilling the wagging tongues in the room.

"Prove it! Kiss him!"

"Kiss him! Kiss him! Kiss him!" the crowd chanted.

"Gladly," Catherine said beating Darlene to the punch. Tate's eyes flew wide as the girl that held onto his left arm plunged her tongue into his mouth. "There see, satisfied?"

"Alright, alright settle down everyone," ordered the head counselor as she walked into the mess hall. "Becky seat your cabin."

"Of course, Susan," Becky said shooing her group to their table.

"Can I have my glasses back now?" Tate pleaded.

"No," Cindy said shaking her head.

"Why would you want to wear them inside?" asked Janus who sat a few chairs down from him.

"Tate is antisocial he doesn't like people all that much," Cindy said placing his glasses in-between her breasts.

"Why are you telling them my business?" Tate asked heatedly.

"Relax," Bethany - the slightly chubby teenager beside him - said, "I know what's like. Not a whole lot of guys wanting to talk with a girl like me."

"Why not?" Tate asked curious since he couldn't see anything wrong with her.

"You never been belittled by a group of guys before have you?" asked another girl across from him.

"All the time," Tate said looking around wondering where he could get something to drink, "I just stopped caring what people think of me. Life is too short to worry about such things."

"You know sometimes you do have a kernel of wisdom in that head of yours," Becky said smiling sweetly at him.

"I'm full of wisdom, thank you very much," Tate said turning his nose up at his sister, "it so happens there isn't a lot of people around to hear it."

"Becky," Susan said stilling their conversation, "I need to speak privately to that boy there," she said pointing at Tate.

"Okay," Becky said quickly looking over at her brother, "play nice, okay?" she whispered.

"Follow me, please," Susan said beckoning Tate to follow.

"Something wrong?" Tate asked once they were outside the Mess Hall.

"A little further," Susan said over her shoulder her hips swaying alluringly, "now I hear you are staying in an all-girls cabin. As you know that is highly inappropriate," she finally said once they were out of ear shot.

"Hey, it wasn't like I wanted to be here," Tate said backing up as Susan stepped closer. Feeling his ass hit the wood shingling façade of the wall.

"Is that so? Now why is that?" Susan asked arching an eyebrow, placing her left hand beside his head as she leaned in.

"Don't have to tell you," Tate said feeling his anxiety rising.

"I see you need a lesson in manors. Every morning you and I will have private gospel lessons. Maybe then you'll learn to still that tongue," Susan said she always had a thing for trouble makers. The moment she laid eyes on Tate she knew he was the "white whale" she had been waiting for. With this being her last year she was determined to get her 'Moby Dick' per say.

"I don't think that be very pleasant, so I'm going to pass on the offer. So how about you just continue to sleep in and I'll go about my merry way."

"You would pass up the chance to learn the word of God from...me?" Susan asked in stun disbelief.

"That's right, what did you think I'd just melt into a puddle of goo by - I'll admit attractiveness - then you are sadly mistake. Now if you excuse me I rather eat," Tate said contorting his body, so he wouldn't touch her.

"Who said you could leave?" Susan asked shoving him back. She had seen how he didn't like to be touched. She wondered how far she could push that button of his.

"Tate?!" Becky gasped seeing that look in his eye. She knew he was an inch from snapping. Even with his medication it still could happen, and it appeared to her that Susan was testing that very thin ice.

"Counselor Becky you will return to your table," Susan ordered.

"I will not!" Becky said standing her ground. Giving Tate the opening he needed. "Are you okay?" she asked wrapping her arm around him. She was the only one that could ever talk him down when he was in such a state. Whatever head way she and her girls had made on the way down had been completely ruined by Susan. She had hoped they could get him out of that bubble. Yet it only made him crawl back inside of it. Shooting Susan an anger filled glance before leading Tate back into the Mess Hall. "Get you something to eat, all right? It's actually pretty good," Becky said sweetly Tate only nodded.

"What is he a functioning mute," Jack chuckled. "Oh look the mute is angry," he and his friend laughed as Jack piled food onto his plate. Yet his mirth was short lived as he saw the cruelest smile spread across Tate's face.

"Tate, don't," Becky hissed a warning.

"But."

"Tate please don't, not here, not at camp," Becky pleaded placing her hand over his as his thumb rubbed along the prongs of his fork. She knew it was another reason why he was in the ward for impaling a student's hand to the table with a fork.

"A word of warning if I can put down three guys larger than I am. It makes me wonder how fast I can put you in the ground, and be glad she," Tate said nodding to Becky, "stopped me from stabbing this," he said rocking his fork in-between his fingers, "into what appears to be your masturbating hand. I do wonder how you would miss Rosy and her five sisters?"

"Your psycho," Jack said unnerved by Tate's insane laughter.

"That's what the doctors say, so one has to ask themselves how wise it is to piss a psycho off, hmm?" Tate asked placing a roll on his plate quite pleased with their stunned silence.

"Did you have to do that?" Becky whispered as they walked back to their table.

"Probably not," Tate admitted, "plus this way he won't be chasing after you. No one wants to deal with the crazy in the family," he said shrugging his shoulders.

"You did that for me?!" Becky asked feeling her cheeks heat.

"Yeah, sis I'm not blind, it wasn't hard to see what he was after," Tate whispered as they neared their table. "Plus I like being crazy you get to do so many interesting things," he said with a lopsided grin.

"Just promise me you won't do anything," Beck said with a pleading look.

"That's up to him sis," Tate said setting his tray down on the far end of the table away from everyone.

"Come join us, if you feel up to it. I do like your company when we eat together," Becky said brushing her hair behind her ear knowing how her rosy cheeks were far to visible.

"Becky what's wrong with Tate?" Cindy asked in a hushed whisper.

"Susan pushed Tate a tad too far, far enough to you know what," Becky whispered.

"Oh! I'll see that he gets back to the cabin safely. I know you have that counselor meeting after lunch," Cindy said patting Becky's hand.

"Thanks. Keep an eye on Darlene and the rest I don't want them testing Tate yet," Becky said glancing over at Tate.

"Come on Tate," Cindy said nodding towards the trail that led back to their cabin once their noon time meal was over.

"You know I can find my own way back, right?" Tate asked arching an eyebrow.

"I know, but this is your first time here, and I want to point out the neat things this place has," Cindy said smiling sweetly at her brother.

"Cindy?" Susan said the screen door slapped against the door frame as she stood on the porch. "Why don't you go sign up for some events while there is still room, and I'll see that your brother gets back to your cabin safely," she said sternly. She just couldn't believe Tate had so blatantly blew off her offer. "The Director wants me to speak to him in private about what he will be doing here, since he isn't actually a camper here. I understand he was pushed onto the bus at the last moment, but we can't allow someone to roam the grounds without purpose."

"But..."

"This isn't up for debate Cindy," Susan said narrowing her eyes nodding for her to get to the afternoon activities.

"Go, I'll be fine," Tate said when Cindy gave him a look he knew all too well. "Go have fun that is why you come to this thing?"

"Okay," Cindy said moving off eyeing Susan skeptically.

"Now shall...," Susan began to say only to watch as Tate abruptly waked off. "Hey!" Taking Tate by the arm spinning him around once she caught up to him. She was taken back by the forcefulness of his grip on her wrist as Tate pulled her hand away.

"Don't. Ever. Touch. Me," Tate said with deathly undertones.

"Alright," Susan said a little taken back, "listen we still have to talk about what you will be doing here," she said rubbing her wrist. Wondering how she was going to conquer her white whale.

"Fine, get to the point then," Tate said crossing his arms.

"Well, you see," Susan said gesturing for them to continue on, yet Tate stayed rooted to his spot. "Listen I can't show you around and tell you about the duties you will be doing for the camp if you keep standing here. This is your first time, right? I hardly think you would know where everything is here," she said in a loud huff. Pondering to herself if all this effort was worth it.

"Alright and just what shall I be doing then?" Tate asked only wishing to be alone in that cabin.

"The Director wants you to be the new dishwasher and assistant groundskeeper, since the meals we prepare are for a set number an unexpected guest puts a strain on our limited resources," Susan said thinking a calmer tone would work on him than the one she had used before. "At least this way we can actually say the cost of keeping you fed and boarded is covered. Now don't you think this is a better outcome then tossing you off of camp grounds. That is unless you have five hundred dollars to cover the cost," Susan said with a warm smile.

Yet Tate knew no warmth laid underneath it. He knew she was up to something. Whatever it was he wanted no part of it, however, it would appear he wouldn't have much of a choice in the matter. The money wasn't a problem he could cover it quite easily, although he needed every penny he could save for when he was in LA next week and for when he moved out upon his return. So he just couldn't go spending his coin willy-nilly. He had to be smart, he had to be penny pinching every cent he had. He so wasn't going to allow his mother to even get a whiff of what he has, and these people, however good their attentions were, would undoubtedly call his mother wherever she may be.

Then she would wonder how a teenage boy could survive alone when she had practically thrown him on that bus without any money to call his own. Tate knew that would get his mother's greedy mind spinning. He was doing his best to keep his activates from garnering her attention. That only left him one option to go along with whatever Susan had plan at least for now. It was only six more days. Six days he could survive. Then he would never have to deal with this woman ever again.​