Hi! I haven't updated literally anything in a while, but I thought I'd post this little gem I found which I was working on about two years ago (?). Anyway, I read it and thought it was a little cute! Just so you know, I've had a really tough past year and have a really tough one up ahead, so I do apologise if anyone is following my stories and are wishing for an update! So sorry, however enjoy the story's!
Camping. Not everyone's favourite hobby, okay maybe like five people and that's including the three faculty who had to join us on this trip. The whole of Mesa High's senior year was to go on a week long camping trip to 'develop personal values and concepts' and to 'encourage group cooperation', all whilst learning about nature and writing a 2,000 word essay on our experience with nature (how fun!). That's why at 5.30am, the whole senior year stood outside of Mesa looking tired and annoyed, waiting to board one of the three school busses to have a much needed sleep and take them to their destination.
"Okay, I know it's early and I know everybody's tired but this is gonna' count for 25% of your grade - so I suggest you don't complain because I can and I will mark you down for negative attitudes. No electronics are allowed on this trip, as you will already know, however they will be allowed for the ride over there and back. When we arrive, please place it into the safe box at the front of the bus and you can retrieve it at the end of the trip. Everybody buddy up and find a seat on a bus." Mr Hadeyn told the students before going on to direct an adult to each bus.
"Hey guys, I'm gonna sit with Scott for the trip, okay?" Mo said excitedly, linking her hand with Scott's. Wen, Charlie and I all looked at her what I can only assume must of been tiredly whilst Olivia nodded and smiled brightly, even if she was extremely tired herself.
"Let's just hurry up and get on the bus or I'm gonna' fall asleep standing out here." Charlie yawned strolling towards the bus. We all followed suit, Charlie and I sat one seat from the back, as the back seat was occupied by Jules and an empty seat - presumably saving it for Ray Beech - Mo and Scott sat in the same seats but on the left hand side of the bus and lastly, Olivia and Wen sat in front of them.
As Ray Beech climbed onto the bus and made his way to the back, Jules squealed and waved him over, "Ray! Ray I saved you a seat!"
"Oh, uh.. Sorry Jules, I uh, I said I'd help Zach with his physics on the ride over. You can sit with.. Jake instead!" Ray pushed Jake over to the seat Jules had initially saved for him and, before she could protest, slid into the opposite corner seat behind Mo and Scott with Zach. Jake was a short, brown haired football player with fuzzy eyebrows - Jules must of liked him because she instantly smiled when he sad down beside her.
"Y'know, I think she just likes any guy with a varsity jacket on their shoulders." Charlie whispered to me. "I agree, it's kinda weird."
"Students, may I please have silence while I do a headcount and register please." Our assigned teacher asked, she taught art and was really quiet and shy - Miss Delaware. Most people on the bus quietened down except for a few cheerleaders and football players whining on about God knows what, how rude!
"Hey, idiots! She asked for quiet, shut up!" I shouted agitated, making everyone stop their conversations.
"Damn Yamada, who shit in your cornflakes this morning, huh?" Ray teased causing me to turn around and glare at him. Miss Delaware gasped.
"Language, Raymond!" "Sorry, Miss Delaware." I smirked, she'd definitely report that to Mr Hadeyn who would hand him a pink slip.
She took registration and a headcount of 36 students on the bus, excluding herself and the driver. "If anyone needs to puke can someone alert me, or just grab one of the puke bags from the front, okay? Please try not to spill it anywhere so we don't have to evacuate the bus and take longer to arrive." "Gross!" Patty said from her seat in front of me with her new boyfriend, Dylan. The bus then started to drive away.
"Hey Stell, I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me up when we get there." Charlie said while putting his headphones in. "Okay, I'll wake you up if you snore, too."
I leant forward and looked over Charlie to see Mo and Scott sharing headphones and already drifting off, so I averted my attention to Olivia and Wen who I guessed were working on some songs, I couldn't really tell due to my restricted view of only Olivia as Wen was in the window seat. I wasn't really tired now since I'd been up for a while. Sighing, I reached into my bag and took out my sketch pad and pencil beginning to doodle. What other way to pass time, right?
About 90 minutes later I had finished my 'doodle' which was in fact a faceless woman made up of detailed flowers, not really a doodle, huh. I decided to check my phone and it read 7.14am and two texts from mom asking how the ride is and how much they would all miss me. It was only then I had realised the bus had just stopped and Miss Delaware was speaking.
"-so if you'd like you can grab some breakfast to take away and eat on the bus and go to the bathroom if needed. We will meet back here at 7.30 exactly, please don't make me come in there looking for you." I looked out of the far window and saw we were stopped at a small service station, it had a sign outside saying it included bathrooms and 3 cafés. I could do with a bathroom break.
"Stella!" "Oh hey Mo, I didn't know you were awake." I said sitting forward and looking over Charlie again. Scott, Wen and Charlie were all asleep and Olivia was dozing off. Most of the bus had already gotten off, besides those who were asleep or who didn't need anything.
"Bathroom?" She asked pointing to the service station.
"Yeah. Should we see if the others want anything?" I said, gesturing to the rest of the band. "Scott told me not to wake him 'cause he has a headache so I'll just buy him some aspirin and water while we're in there. Liv? Liv, hey. Do you want anything from the service station while me and Stell are going in?" She shook Liv a little, she stretched and sat up, grabbing her purse.
"Yes please. Could you get me some apple juice and a hash brown? Oh and Wen asked for some coffee and a water if we stopped off at one. Thanks guys." She said handing Mo some money.
"Charlie. Charlie. Yo, Charlie wake up! Charrllliieeee!" I shook his shoulder a few times but still nothing. Whatever, guess he's not getting anything then. I climbed over Charlie and exited the bus with Mo.
"Okay, so; bathroom first, then get everyone else's things then get our own and head back to the bus. Cool?" "Cool." I said. As we made our way over to the bathroom, Patty and Jules were walking out and they gave us a dirty look as we passed.
"Y'know, I still don't get why they hate us so much. Like, okay if they don't like us but why do we effect them so much?" I asked Mo when we were washing our hands.
"I know right! I know Jules doesn't like me because I got back with Scott so that meant she couldn't try with him but Patty? I don't know, must be because when she was with Ray he spent most of his time arguing with you and not with her." Mo laughed, grabbing a paper towel. I laughed too.
"Yeah that's definitely it Mo. Come on, let's go buy everything so I can finally get some sleep." We got everyone's drinks and were just waiting on Liv's hash brown, my waffle with fruit and Mo's chocolate croissants when Mo grabbed my arm.
"Ow! What?" "It's 7:28! We need to be back on the bus in two minutes! We won't make it!" I rolled my eyes and removed her grip from my arm.
"It's fine Mo. They won't leave without us. Miss Delaware has to do a headcount before they go to make sure they don't leave without anyone."
"I know that, Stella. What I mean is she'll probably inform Mr Hadeyn that we weren't on time and they almost left without us, so Mr Hadeyn will probably see that as 'truancy' or something and then give us a detention. Which I can not afford with Papa right now."
"Order 27?" The barista called. I walked forward and grabbed the three bags saying thank you and turned back to Mo.
"See? Fine. We can probably make it back to the bus in like a minute so -" As I was talking, I was interrupted by the bus engine starting and slowly start to back out of the parking spaces it was taking up. We were still by the doors of the café.
"Oh, shit..."
"Stella! Run!" Mo started running towards the bus and with a huff, I began running too although I fell behind due to my short legs and me carrying most of the things we'd just bought. The bus stopped before it left the service station parking lot and Mo and I ran up to the doors.
Miss Delaware stood at the front with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.
"Ladies, we almost left you behind-" "You should've. Would've been a quieter trip!"
"Quiet, Mr Beech! As I was saying, we almost left you behind due to your tardiness. I shall have to report that to Mr Hadeyn when we reach the campsite. Take your seats."
"Sorry Miss Delaware." Mo and I mumbled when walking back to our seats.
"Ha! Should've seen your face trying to keep up with Mohini, Yamada. Priceless!" Ray said laughing with Zach.
"Oh, can it Beech!" I said, throwing a grape from my breakfast at him.
"Cut it out, Ray." I heard Mo mumble as she gave Olivia her hash brown and apple juice and Wen's drinks - he quietened down after that. I eat my breakfast in like 20 minutes then felt a little tired so I decided to put my headphones in, throw my legs over Charlie's lap (he was somehow still asleep) and take a nap myself.
Something hit my nose. Then my neck. I opened my eyes to see what was happening and I saw Mo and Scott standing up and laughing. I removed my headphones and raised an eyebrow, "What are you throwing at me?"
"Blueberries. Want one?" Mo asked, waving the blueberry box towards me, I shook my head no.
"We're at another service station-" Wow, how long was I sleeping for? "-if you need the bathroom or want us to get you anything?" Scott asked while shrugging his varsity jacket on. Why'd he bring that with him? I thought, I then realised Ray, Zach, Dylan, Jake, Joe and Mark (aka. All the football players who were on this bus) had them on too. Weird.
"Uhh, I'm good thanks. What time is it?" I asked, too lazy to get my phone out my backpack and check myself. Mo lifted Scott's hand up and read his watch.
"10.30. This is our last stop before the campsite! Aren't you excited?" Mo all but squealed. Wen knelt up from his chair in front of Mo with his hair looking disheveled, I couldn't help but snicker.
"Mo, all due respect, but I think the only people excited for this week are you, Olivia and possibly some of the kids at the front of the bus with all the nets and shit." Mo scowled at Wen for swearing and huffed.
"Well, excuse me if I'm excited to not have papa breathing down my neck for a week! Anyways, come on guys before we don't get a chance to eat or go to the bathroom in fear of missing the bus again." As the three of them exited the bus, I put my headphones back in and went back to sleep.
The next time I woke up, everyone but Charlie (surprise, surprise) was awake and chatting. Miss Delaware announced to the bus that we were just turning into the campsite and that we should gather our belongings from the bus and wait outside for our bags. When the bus stopped, most of the students stood up to leave, except the ones who hadn't gathered all their things yet (Lemonade Mouth). Scott had engaged in a conversation with Ray about football and they'd both exited the bus with the rest of the people on the back seats (who were mostly cheerleaders and jocks). I got out my bottle of water and had a sip.
"Hey guys, you think we should wake up Charlie now?" I asked them. Wen grinned and picked up his empty coffee cup from the first service station.
"This is how you wake a man up, ladies and gentlemen." "Wen, don't you dare thr-" He interrupted Olivia by throwing the coffee cup with extreme force at Charlie's face. I would've praised his aim if Charlie didn't jump up and make me spill my water all over my grey shirt and white white jeans, hitting his head off the roof of the bus in the process.
"Charlie!" I hissed, trying to pick the bottle up so no more water went on me then it already did.
"What? Oh, uh, sorry Stell. I didn't mean to, I just .. Uh..."
"Wen! What did Olivia say?!" Mo scolded, trying to look for some napkins in her purse.
"It's fine Charlie, it wasn't all your fault." I said glaring at Wen. He laughed nervously and apologised.
"Okay does anybody have any napkins? I thought I had some in my purse but I don't." Mo asked, Charlie shrugged and everyone else shook their head. I spotted Charlie's maroon bomber jacket what he'd been sitting on and threw it on over my grey crop top.
"I'm borrowing this." I told him. As I stood up to get off the bus, it fell to its normal positioning (how it is on Charlie) and it was huge on me! It went to at least three quarters of the way down my thigh and I had to roll up the sleeves so you could see my hands.
"Come on, let's go get our bags." Scott said. We all climbed off the bus and stood by the other students, waiting for our name to be called out to go and get our bags.
"Yo Stella, what's with the oversized jacket?" Scott asked when I got off the bus. I opened Charlie's jacket to show him the damage and Ray burst out laughing.
"What, did you piss yourself or something?" He asked. I rolled my eyes and zipped the jacket back up.
"No, you idiot. Anyway I doubt anyone could piss themselves on their chest." I walked back over to the bus to grab my things with Ray following.
"So, why'd you wear his jacket?" He asked. I raised an eyebrow.
"He did the damage - couldn't see anyone else's." I mumbled, trying to pick up my extremely heavy bag.
"Could've worn mine. You would've suited it." Ray said smugly, picking up my bag with ease and handing it to me - then just walking off with a wink. What was that about?
"Okay now students, you will all hand over your devices to the teacher who supervised your bus. That includes cell phones, iPods, headphones - anything like that, and you can retrieve them at the end of this trip. Get in groups of three, of the same gender, and that will be who you'll dorm with - one of you come and collect your dorm keys." I turned to Mo and Olivia who both waved me over to Mr Hadeyn to get the dorm key.
"Well ladies, looks like we are in room 241." I said turning around.
"Time for a gossip!" Mo squealed. Liv and I just rolled our eyes.
