The Bucket List

t w e n t y - t w o

The apocalypse must be coming because somehow I woke up before Daniel. And somehow, as if the world were turning the other way around, I was in his room, poking him on the arm trying to wake him up.

"Get up!" I whispered close to his ear, hoping not to wake up the others.

"What?" he grumbled.

"Get up loser, we're going hiking," I whispered.

One of his eyes opened, squinting at me with a quizzical look. I smiled, poking him on the arm a few more times which he groaned and pushed my hand away in protest. My, my, has the tables have turned.

"C'mon, let's go."

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Fine, give me five minutes," he replied groggily.

"Wake up Kyle and the others," I added.

Daniel abruptly opened his eyes again and stared at me. His sleep completely dissipated as he frowned annoyedly. I didn't even wait for a response. I smiled victoriously and went back into my room. Mia was already sitting at the sofa, her tired eyes glaring at me with such hatred, I gulped and looked away.

"Since when were you a morning person?" Mia grumbled.

"Don't complain. You'll love it when we get there," I replied in a matter-of-fact tone and continued eating my bowl of cereal.

"Is this revenge after last night?"

I rolled my eyes. At seven, Mia dragged us all to the bar in Surfers Paradise where it was karaoke night. There were so many people in the bar that I almost fainted. But instead of running out of there, Mia made me sign up for karaoke and I ended up singing in front of everyone! I sounded so scared and nervous that Beth and her cult was giggling non-stop. We didn't get back to the hotel until three-thirty in the morning. So, no doubt everyone was exhausted behind their mind.

"Maybe," I lied, taking another bite of my bowl of cereal, looking at her innocently. She only glared at me. I didn't regret it. I ended up loving it and sang another song. I was so high on adrenaline that point that I didn't care if I sounded like a drowning hyena.

In fifteen minutes, Daniel walked into our room rubbing his eyes and yawning simultaneously. He slopped down on the sofa beside Mia causing her to frown, get up and move to the other chair where she ate her cereal in peace. I supressed a laugh.

"Why are you even here?" Mia snapped with annoyance.

"Mia, where's the love? C'mon, we're both friends," Daniel said with a pout.

Mia rolled her eyes and twisted her attention away from him and moved to me. "Can I please be in a separate car from him?"

"Alright fine. Girls in one car, the boys in another," I advised.

Daniel head shot up and looked at me with shock. "Wait, what? Why?" he asked as though I had just told him that his favourite television show just got cancelled.

I rolled my eyes and headed back into my room to change without another word. When it reached nine o'clock, we all headed out and unfortunately, even Beth and her cult woke up and joined. When we got the cars, and Daniel moved immediately towards me.

"You should go in our car—Beth will be in our car," he whispered so Mia wouldn't hear. Why was he being suddenly so cautious around her? It was like he was afraid of her.

"Uh," I didn't even know what to say.

Daniel still has no clue what Beth said to me at the beginning of the second term, and I rather be as far away from Beth as possible. But then again, I didn't want Daniel to be in a car with Beth without me or Mia present. Beth had something planned for this trip—something to severe my relationship with Daniel and I couldn't trust her alone with him.