Adventure Is Out There

Chapter 4

.....CHAPTER 4.....

I make my way to the outdoor eating pavilions as I sling my book bag onto my right shoulder. I hum, as I walk clumsily down the small hill that leads to the picnic tables. I quickly inspect my shoes for grass marks, and start to rub the sole of my left shoe meticulously . Dang it. How do I always manage to mess up my brand new shoes, I grumble to myself.

Strands of stray hair collect on the back of my neck, sticking as sweat collects. I carelessly drop my backpack on the grass for a second as I slip off my jacket. Odd weather for March. Perfect for hiking tomorrow. I finish my trek to our usual location. Dropping my belongings on the table closest, I snatch my book out of the front pocket. Putting my elbows across the table I flip the book open. I get about a page in when Micha makes his way down the hill, not much more gracefully then I did. He quickly makes his way towards me. "Hey." I project, as I stare at my book trying to finish the last sentence. I snap it shut, just as he makes it and places himself across from me. He taps his fingers across the table absentmindedly, just looking at me. I look up from putting my stuff away. "What?" I grin, confused. "Nothing." He snaps back, an odd tone placed in his voice. His eyes drift towards the sky, almost like he's.... Embarrassed maybe.... But why?? He quickly adds something on. "So are your brother and friends still coming?" He asks quickly. He gulps the last words up. He's acting a bit odd, I think to myself.

The thought fades quickly as Benny grabs me from behind. I yelp. "Benny!" I shout as I turn around, staring him straight in the eyes. I give him a nudge, pushing him away.He stumbles backwards.We stare each other down, both on the verge of cracking up. Finally Benny breaks and snorts out some type of chuckle. This just makes me laugh. Clary and Joe show up just behind him, carrying smiles. "Hey guys!" Clary says dropping her stuff by mine. She sits next to me. Benny takes the last spot left. "How was Taylor today?" I ask dramatically. There was a few second of silence as we shuffled through our bags. "Who's Taylor?" Micha asks confused. "Oh no one really." Benny answers,distracted, "Just this girl at the high school who keeps trying to get together with me." He says no emotion ringing in his voice. His gaze is towards the top of the hill.

"What?" Joe asks, as we all snap our heads back, so we can see what exactly he is looking so intently at. "Your'e acting like Amy when she saw The Silence." Clary says, lightly.We all chuckle halfheartedly. "Really what?" Joe asks, concerned. "Nothing..." Benny says still in a daze.

All four of us stare at each other,confused looks in our eyes. "Benny?" I say rushing behind him. I tap him lightly on his back. "What's the matter?" I ask more ruffly. We all rush towards him. As if almost like a switch he snaps back. "Uh yeah, she's kinda crazy about me." He says in his normal conversational tone.

We stand in silence soon followed by more silence. "Huh?" Benny asks twisting back to look at our blank faces. His eyebrows scrunch. "What!?" He says in a joking manner. "Oh nothing." Clary says with a hint of desperation in her voice.

"Okay well anyways where where we? Taylor?" Benny says trying to get the conversation to start back up. "Uh yeah.." We all mumble as we sit ourselves back down. "So..." Benny is cutoff. "Uh we are just going to grab something from the vending machine. We'll bring something back..." Joe says as he quickly gets up, eyeing us to follow. "I'll come also." Benny says as he sits up. "Uh you watch our stuff. We'll be back in 5." Joe says, shuffling us up the small hill towards the school.

I look back quickly. Benny already has his homework out and earphones in.