Madison v.s The Travelling Exchange Students

Chapter Fourteen: Who's Up For A Challenge?

The chatter at the table is loud but I can't enjoy it. Instead, I am twiddling my thumbs under the table. With every day that passes, I'm filled with more worry that, that will be the day Elias will tell me what he is planning.

And by what he has told me, Elias is planning to wreak havoc in more than one way.

 Something suddenly touches my bare leg under the table. I jump.

"Gosh, I really am scaring you," Alex murmurs with a smile.

I shake my head. "You scared me at the beach once, four days ago."

"Still."

I look at Alex with pursed lips, pretending to be mad. He lightly kisses my head.

"Are you okay, you haven't been yourself?" Alex asks.

I gently rest my head on his shoulder, causing him to put his arm around me.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I sigh.

"You don't seem it."

I pause. "Just... exhausted. I think I really miss home and Sarah. Competing every other week is also getting stressful."

I can't tell him about Elias, but I wish I could. 

Alex kisses my cheek. "That's understandable, but we have only been on the road for a month."

"I know! We have seven to go," I groan. 

"And I thought you wouldn't be missing home, with your Mum and all."

I groan. My mother and I are still on rocky terms. She sometimes acts like I'm the greatest thing ever and I make her so proud. Other times she will ring me up and just insult me or take out her grief over Margo on me.

I mean, what's new?

She hasn't called me once since being on this trip. Deep down, I wish she would.

"To be honest, I'm not sure," I finally reply.

"You will be fine," Alex whispers to me. 

I go to smile but stop myself. What am I doing? He's the one who has real issues, not me. I shouldn't be complaining to him!

My face suddenly starts to feel hot. I look across the table and see Sienna, staring me down.

Gosh, what is her deal?

I try and give her a smile, but that just causes her to look away and be sucked into a conversation with Jack and Sacha.

One minute she hates me, one minute she loves me. I can't win with this woman!

I continue to glance around the table. We are out to dinner at this cool restaurant Justin found. It is our second last night here in Townsville. The only thing I hate about this trip-except for the obvious things-is that we leave all these cool places so soon.

"What do you think the chances of Elias and Sophie getting together will be?" 

Bishop, who is sat on my other side, is smiling in my ear.

"What?"

"Look," Bishop smiles, nodding towards the other side of the table.

Trying my best to look discrete, I glance over at the end of the table, where Sophie and Elias are sat together. Elias is in Sophie's ear, whispering things that seem to cause her to giggle. Their hands keep bumping against each other.

"And look under the table," Bishop murmurs, excitement in his voice.

I pull up the table cloth and take a quick peek under the table. Sophie has taken off the red heel she was wearing earlier and is running her foot up and down Elias's leg. Elias has his other hand placed on her thigh, very high up.