It was time for Brian's school trip. The students were buzzing with excitement as they boarded the yellow school bus. One of the teachers, Mrs. Ginny, stood at the entrance, checking off names and watching the students pile in.
"Has everyone taken everything they wanted?" Mrs. Ginny asked, her voice loud and clear.
The students shouted in unison, "YES!" The bus door closed behind her with a hiss, and the driver put the vehicle in gear.
As the bus pulled away from the school parking lot, Mrs. Ginny spoke into the microphone, "We'll be spending our trip at the beautiful Yellowstone National Park!"
The students erupted in cheers and chatter, thrilled for their adventure at the iconic national park, known for its geysers, hot springs, and wide-open landscapes.
However, not everyone shared the same enthusiasm. Vicky, sitting near Brian, had been glued to her phone since the ride began. Earbuds in, she was clearly trying to tune everything—and especially Brian—out.
Brian, completely unaware of Vicky's cold shoulder, was also absorbed in his phone, his eyes locked on the screen.
When the bus finally reached its destination, Mrs. Ginny's voice rang out, "Welcome, everyone!" The students eagerly filed out, phones ready to capture the stunning scenery.
The group found themselves standing in front of a majestic waterfall, surrounded by pine trees and wildflowers. The sound of rushing water filled the air as the students "oohed" and "aahed" at the natural beauty.
As night fell, everyone settled into their tents, tired but happy. Just then, Mrs. Ginny called out, "Time for dinner, everyone!" The students cheered and gathered around the campfire as warm, juicy burgers were passed around.
"Thanks!" they all chimed.
But one student was noticeably missing—Brian.
"Brian? Brian!" Mrs. Ginny called, scanning the crowd. No response. She turned to Vicky and said, "Vicky, can you go get him, please?"
Vicky blinked, annoyed. Why me? Why do I have to deal with that weirdo? she thought. Still, with everyone watching, she reluctantly headed toward Brian's tent.
"Hey!" she called out from outside the tent. No answer. She opened the flap and stepped inside, finding Brian fast asleep.
She nudged his back with her foot. "Hey, you!" she said. No reaction. She squatted beside him and gave his back another push. "Wake up, perv!"
Suddenly, Brian's arms wrapped around her, pulling her close in his sleep. Vicky let out a small gasp as her body was pressed against his.
"Let go of me!"
"Stop calling me that. I'm not a perv," Brian murmured, chuckling as he released her.
Vicky scrambled to her feet, flustered. "You're being called," she said quickly.
Brian stretched, a happy grin spreading across his face as he sat up. "Cool."
Vicky stormed out of the tent, cheeks burning. Behind her, Brian followed at a slower pace, still smiling to himself. Vicky stepped into the night air, her emotions all over the place—annoyed, embarrassed… and maybe something else.
♠♠♠
"I can't believe I slept for four days straight with nothing to do," Alva thought as she stretched. "But having Cody by my side made it less boring."
Now that she was finally up and moving again, she felt determined to shake off the sluggishness. "How did he stay by me all this time? Wasn't he sick of just sitting there, looking at me?" Her cheeks warmed. "Could it be he's fallen for me?"
She shook the thought away and stood. "Now that I'm back on my feet, Cody's going to pay for leaving me bored!" she said with a sly smile.
She walked out to the living room where Cody was lounging on the couch.
"You okay?" he asked, glancing up from his phone.
"Yeah, I'm good," Alva said. "And I'm not sleeping anymore. I'm so done with sleeping. All I wanna do now is have some fun."
Cody raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah?"
"I'm leaving tomorrow," Alva added casually. "Got a job lined up."
Cody's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he looked away. "Hmm."
Just then, Cody's phone started ringing. He silenced it. Then it rang again. And again.
"Aren't you gonna answer that?" Alva asked, watching him curiously.
Cody's jaw tightened, but he didn't reply.
Alva's mind wandered. Is it someone he doesn't want me to know about? That girl from before?
She glanced at the clock—it was already 9 PM. She eased into the armchair and rested her head in Cody's lap, pulling up a movie on her phone.
Cody's fingers started running through her hair gently. The light touch sent a calming wave through her, and she sighed softly, closing her eyes for a second.
His fingers kept playing with her hair. It was so comforting, so intimate. Alva's heart thudded a little faster.
She blinked, fighting off sleep. "So… are we officially dating now?" she whispered.
Cody didn't answer. His fingers kept moving.
His phone rang again, piercing the quiet moment. He ignored it, his eyes never leaving her.
"Why aren't you answering?" she asked.
Still, no reply.
"Is it because of me?"
Silence.
Alva frowned. "Is it your ex?" she asked softly, eyes narrowing.