I looked around my room one last time and clutched my bag tightly. I was ready to leave for the trip. It was six in the morning and the bus would be leaving at seven thirty. I took a cab to the school. It was cold and I was concerned about the students who would have to camp two nights in the hills. My heart was beating in excitement but not for the trip, for something else. Or someone else.
When I walked to the parking lot and met his eyes, we exchanged a small smile. My mind was still drunk with the memory of his kiss. I couldn't go to him as he was busy loading things in the doctor's van and Mr. Leo had other works for me to do. The students had started to arrive and till seven fifteen, everyone was present. I was impressed by their punctuality. My heart dropped when I realized that Kao would be driving in the van with a nurse. I had to travel with Mr. Leo and the students. I had imagined so many things already but guess things doesn't really work out the way we want.
The journey was for long three hours. It was quite fun, just like any usual school trip. They sang songs, played silly games and just enjoyed the journey. Packed breakfast was served and some students suffered from motion sickness because of that. Other than that, the journey was smooth.
We reached our destination by eleven and I breathed out a sigh of relief. I looked around the forest camp site. There were dozens of white tents set up. Mr. Leo did a head count of the students and proceeded to explain the next plan. I found a way to sneak and visit the doctor's van.
"Hi." I breathed. He was unloading their bags.
"Hey." His cheeks flushed as he smiled.
I helped him unload their things and the sweet nurse approached us with a smile.
"Thank you for your help dear." The nurse smiled, eyes crinkling with age.
I smiled at her.
"The young guy over there will show me my tent. I will be on my way." She smiled and walked away, carrying her luggage.
I turned to face him with a nervous smile. "Excited?" I asked.
He nodded with a happy smile. "Are you going to tell us tales during the bonfire?"
I laughed. "Tales."
"What! Your reading must be vast. You should know a lot of tales."
"Yeah I do." I pressed my lips together into a tight smile. But first, I wanted to know his tale.
He shook his head with a smile. "Help me carry those two bags." He pointed at the two bags on the ground which I picked up immediately. Bossy.
I was to share a tent with Mr. Leo. The medical team had their own big tent for medical service. To be honest, I was expecting to share the tent with Kao but well, never mind. I quickly changed my clothes and went to check on the students. They were all doing good so far. I stuck together with Mr. Leo who was checking the lunch being cooked for all.
The surrounding made me nostalgic. My hometown was hilly and my father would often take us for hiking in the woods. Hiking, fishing and camping was something my whole family enjoyed.
Time flew quickly. Lunch was served and Mr. Leo instructed everyone to get some rest and adjust to the high altitude. After making sure that all students were inside their own tents, I made my way to the medical tent happily. We had seen each other during lunch and only exchanged a smile.
I entered the tent and looked around. At the west, it was emergency medical chamber with racks full of medicines, at the north was the attached washroom and at the east were two separate bedroom chambers.
I cleared my throat. "Doctor?" I called. It felt weird to call his name out loud.
After a moment, one chamber unzipped and he pooped his head out of the small space. "What are you doing here?" He whispered, eyeing on the next chamber, indicating the nurse's presence.
I walked closer to him with a smile. "I came to take a nap. Move." I said and unzipped his chamber and slid in.
I zipped the chamber back and put the zip on the hook, locking it. I turned around to face him with a smile. "What are you doing?" I whispered.
He smiled back, looking up at me with doe eyes. "Just resting." He whispered back.
"Let's take a nap." I said, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him to the bed along with me. He laughed quietly.
"Mr. Leo will look for you." He said, pulling the quilt over us.
I grinned. "Nevermind. The students have settled and everyone is instructed to rest for now so no problem." I said, lying down comfortably.
He lied down beside me and we both turned to look at each other. I sighed, staring into his eyes. Beneath the quilt, I reached to hold his hand.
He smiled glumly, as if he wanted to cry. I ran my thumb into circles on his wrist.
"Are you sleepy?" I asked quietly.
He nodded. "I barely slept last night."
I frowned. "Why?"
"Because I was too excited."
I chuckled, absentmindedly tracing his fingers. "Sleep then. It's going to be hectic tomorrow."
He shook his head. "No, I want to look at you."
My heart skipped a beat. Was he flirting with me? "You are looking at me right now."
"Not enough."
I wanted to run, hit the air then fall on the ground with a stupid grin. My cheeks burned as I smiled.
Then like a lightning hitting my body, my heart dropped and I stared at him blankly.
"What?" He asked.
"Is this a ring? On the ring finger?" I asked, completely shocked. I hadn't realized that I was actually tracing on a ring over his hand absentmindedly. And it was his left hand.
"Oh, this." He pulled his hand out of the quilt and stretched his hand in front of my face. "Seems familiar?" He asked.
My eyes widened. "Oh my god! You still have this." It was my ring. The one I had given him.
"Shh..." He hushed.
I stared at the ring, gaping.
"It actually does fulfill our wishes. Brought you back to me." He flushed as he said that.
I was dumbfounded. I had no words to express how I was really feeling. Why did he still have my ring?
With shaky hands, I reached to touch the ring on his finger. I traced its edges, my throat feeling tight.
"Oh my God. You are such a cry baby." He exclaimed, throwing his arms around me. In a daze, I couldn't even tell but a sniffle escaped my mouth. I buried my face in his neck, keeping my sniffles low. He patted my back lightly.
"Don't cry." He said in hushed tones.
I shifted to place my head against his chest, becoming the little spoon. "Why do you still have it?" I asked in a low voice, biting my bottom lip hard to control my sniffles.
His chest rose and fell as he heaved out a sigh. "It may sound weird but it always gave me a sense of relief whenever I was distressed or low. It gave me courage. It felt like you. The thing that was so precious to you, you gave it to me. It is special."
I clenched my jaw tightly as I tried to swallow the fat lump in my throat. All those years of trying to heal and almost succeeding had turned into river of tears.
"Hush now. You can take a nap. Let's talk later. Don't cry." He muttered, patting my back as if putting a baby to sleep.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to clear those thoughts running through my mind. I nuzzled closer to him, burying myself into his small body. I took a deep breath, inhaling his scent, and breathed out. He continued to pat my back and as I tried to clear my thoughts, my mind automatically shut down and I drifted off to sleep.