Chapter 6:
Mom, wait, don't wake me up yet, Chace Crawford haven't kissed me yet-
Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech!
I felt my whole body fall forward. Are we there yet? I opened my eyes to see little pecks of dust floating. Always be my Baby was playing in my other ear. I removed my right ear phone from my ear.
I guess I fell asleep with my earphones on. I look to my right and saw the highway and look at my left and saw Luke bobbing his-
Luke? What’s he doing here?
“Oh hey, you’re awake” he smiled at me as he removed both of his earphones. I can hear the faint sound of a rock song from his earphones.
I just stared at him.
“What are you doing here? Gary’s supposed to be-” I stopped. Gary isn’t here. He’s back in his dorm suffering from the stomach bug.
“I’ve been told to take any vacant seats left.” He smiled again. I never noticed how straight his teeth looked.
“I thought it’s against the rules to-” I was cut off by Luke.
“Yeah but this is the only seat left. You’re really nice to save me a seat. Thanks.” He smiled then fiddled with his iPod.
I opened my mouth to say that I didn’t save him a seat but I stopped abruptly. Why should I care and explain my side? After he stood me up at the stands, there’s no way I’m gonna talk to him.
I looked straight ahead then fixed my earphones. They were tangled again.
“You’re so excited for this camping trip, aren’t you? You got up early because you’re so excited. You were sleeping so soundly when I got here, I couldn’t wake you up. You ended up drooling on my shoulder the rest of the trip.” He chuckled.
I drooled? I wiped the corners of my mouth.
“Don’t worry, you did not miss the stopover. Just 10 more minutes and we’ll get there.” He informed me before he plugged back his earphones in his ear.
I looked over the heads in front of me and most of the students are now awake. I can see Michael and Roxette talking to each other.
Why did I get stuck here next to Luke?
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“Okay! Your seatmates will be your buddy for the rest of the trip, except for sleeping time! I want you to follow my rule before we get down. Always follow the buddy system. Don’t ever leave your buddy. Your buddy is your responsibility. And be back here at exactly 6:45 am.” Mrs. Jenkins announced with her megaphone.
After the students in front of me got out of the bus, I finally managed to squeeze out the bus.
It was only 6:30 so there’s a little fog and it was cold. I tightened the jacket around me and put my hands deeper in their pockets.
“Are you going to buy something?” Luke asked me. He was behind me because I didn’t wait for him to get down the bus. So he waited for the other people behind us to get down.
I shrugged. I didn’t need anything. Well, maybe just a drink but I don’t need to tell Luke that.
“Okay, do you mind going with me at the store? I need some food.” He smiled then he led the way to the convenience store.
I hesitated to follow but I don’t like to disobey orders. I’m not supposed to leave my buddy alone. He could get in danger and it would be my fault and my conscience would torture me.
I followed him inside the convenience store and most of the people inside were my classmates. They were also buying breakfast food because they probably skipped it too to join the trip.
I just realized that I was hungry too. I only managed to nibble from a cracker and that’s it.
I lost sight of Luke then I went to the food section. I got three tim tams, 2 Caramello Koala bars and a few protein bars.
I went at the back where they kept refrigerated drinks. Luke was there reading the bottle his holding.
“Hey” he looked up then smiled at me. He looked like a giant with his stature.
I opened the door and got out a red Gatorade. My favorite.
“Good choice, I was about to get that too.” He extended his arm and reached for the red Gatorade next to the one I’m holding.
I removed my hand inside the fridge and lined up the cashier. There were only a few people so it was my turn already.
The cashier with beach-y waves and a Colgate smile smiled and scanned my items.
“That’ll be 25 dollars, miss”
I groped my shorts’ pockets and felt nothing. I looked at the pockets of my jackets and found nothing.
“Uhm, can you hold my items for a while, I’ll just get my wallet in our bus, I forgot to bring it. I’m really sorry.” I apologized to the smiling cashier.
The cashier nodded and put my items away at the corner of her counter when a hand stopped her.
“I’ll pay for it.”
It was Luke’s hand.
“You don’t have to. I can pay for it.” I said, totally forgetting that I would give him the cold shoulder.
“And let my buddy ran all the way from here to the bus alone? No way. I’ll pay for it.” He said as he dropped his items at the counter for the cashier to scan.
I felt blood rushed to my cheeks.
The cashier sighed like what Luke did was the most romantic thing in the entire world.
“You really don’t have to, I can run really fast.” I whispered to Luke while the cashier was now scanning our items
“You worry too much” he said as he ruffled my hair.
The cashier smiled then Luke got out his money and paid for our items.
He brought the two brown paper bags in his hands.
“When we get to the bus, I’ll pay you.” I told him as we made our way to the bus.
“Nah.” He smiled then looked straight ahead.
I finally saw our teacher, Ms. Jones making signals that we should hurry up. Luke and I jogged all the way to the bus then walked up the steps. We passed people from my school and we both waved to Michael and Roxette.
Roxette smiled at me. Her smile meant, “You have to tell me what’s going on with you and Luke” I rolled my eyes at her then walked some more.
Luke moved to the right so I can enter my seat.
“Do you want to eat now?” Luke asked as he opened the other brown bag.
“You go first. You paid for this after all.” I told him, smiling for the first time.
He looked at me then smiled then went to open a big Doritos bag.
The teachers in charge started counting heads then off we went.
Luke was now eating his Doritos when he looked at me and offered his chips.
“I don’t eat junk food for breakfast.” I told him.
“But you eat chocolates for breakfast” he tsk-tsked.
How does he know that I love to eat chocolate for breakfast?
“I wonder where we are going this year” he said as he munched
“You weren’t here last year?”
“Nope. I always managed to make an excuse so I can’t go.” He stopped munching then got out his red Gatorade to drink.
“Then why are you here? You didn’t get to make up an excuse?” I giggled.
“I have an excuse, I could say I have strep throat or something but Calum made me go.” He said after drinking.
“Oh yeah, speaking of Calum why isn’t he here?”
“Headache. Ashton can’t come too because his family is visiting” he chomped on the last chips inside the bag.
“Well, at least you got Michael to keep you company” I smiled at him
“Yeah” he smiled at me.
After talking some time, my anger just melted away. Maybe there was an emergency that’s why he couldn’t make it and he possibly can’t text me that he can’t come because I have no phone. I should really give Luke another chance. And it’s not good to hold grudges. Besides, it's not like what he did was a huge thing. It was just a misunderstanding and I could let it pass.
“You probably hate me for intruding in your life. I mean, I took your friend’s seat.” He said out of nowhere after we talked about Mr. Odefield’s khaki outfit.
“He can’t go because he’s sick. Without you, I would’ve ended sitting alone” I supposed
“Oh then that means I saved you. I’m your hero.” He said smugly then making a Superman pose.
I giggled then looked at his dazzling eyes.
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Yay finally some action! I’m working on chapter 7 so you don’t have to wait! Now vote for this because I love you that much and share your thoughts people! Love always.