Now You Know ✅

Chapter 5: Hispanic Boy

"Pelham!"

Pelham turned from his locker one morning to see his best friend, Roshon, hurrying in his direction. He noticed that Roshon was carrying a stack of papers in one hand while the other one was trying to adjust the strap of his backpack over his shoulder.

"Roshon," he greeted back.

"Met my Biology teacher on my way out of the cafeteria," Roshon told him.

"What, did Mrs Blaise give you a lecture about nutrients again?"

Roshon clicked his tongue impatiently. "Anyway, good news, Pel. Remember after that incident with the students attacking a pair of wild boars three years ago during a school camp and resulted in five of them getting injured?"

"I don't remember any of it. But since you're gonna tell me anyway ... what about it?"

"It was cancelled ever since, right?"

"Right, and?"

"Well, Mr Blaise told me that school camp is back," Roshon simply said.

Pelham's eyes widened and he was quite certain that his eyebrows had gone all the way over his head. He had always wanted to participate in their school's camping trip. Unfortunately, because of those mad (and rather daft) students chasing wild boars and dealing their own, well-deserved consequences, the school camp had been removed from one of their school's outdoor activities ever since then. Still, those who had joined always said that the camping trip was thrilling.

"You're serious, aren't you?" Pelham said, feeling sceptical.

"What are these for, then?" Roshon waved the stack of papers again in front of Pelham.

Pelham quickly grabbed a piece. Before he skimmed it through, he asked, "You're joining, right?"

"That was a daft question,"

Pelham grinned. "I'll take that as a yes," he nodded. He skimmed through the memo and his grin widened all over his face. "Awesome. They're gonna have night games and those who participate will be given certificates - which I need in case I'm applying for scholarships - and sweet lord, this will be a half-day's drive!"

"Half a day?"

"You didn't read this, did you?"

"I don't read. I listen."

"Anyway, it sounds a lot cooler than the last time I heard it," Pelham said mostly to himself. "Are you gonna hand those out to students or are they just for our class?"

"I honestly don't know why Mr Blaise chose me to hand these out, but I feel quite honoured. Anyway, this is for anyone above fifteen only," Roshon explained. "You see, my friend, if I pin this to the noticeboard, nobody'll really pay attention. People basically hate reading. So it's best to shove 'em up their noses."

"Right,"

"Watch," Roshon said. He looked around and started walking, while Pelham tailed behind him. "You!" Roshon said to a boy Pelham had bumped into a few days back. He had been stuffing books inside his bag and was quite startled to have been called by Roshon. "Leondre."

"Lucio." The boy corrected, frowning slightly.

"Right - Lucio. Are you above fifteen?"

"I'm sixteen,"

"That question requires a 'yes' or 'no' answer ... Irrelevant. Anyway. I know you're still kinda new here. But our school used to have this epic one-week camping trip. So here's a memo for it and it begins a week from today."