Dortmund Group Chat

Fifteen

"I can't believe you just did that." Christian rubbed his face with his hands in exasperation. "Why does this always happen?"

"Oh calm down," Auba said. "Just go down there and get it, it's not the end of the world."

"Fine." Christian hesitantly began to jump down the rim of the crater. It wasn't too deep and he reached the bottom in about seven steps. He slipped on a rock but continued to move towards his phone. Some of the other boys were snickering as they held out their phones to keep record of this moment.

"Are you really taking a video?" Christian yelled up at them.

Emre only laughed harder.

The lava popped as Christian flinched and picked up his phone. He quickly walked towards the lava hole, took a few pictures and went back to join the group above the crater.

"See, nothing bad happened." Lukasz said.

"Don't jinx it." Christian mumbled as he started to walk forward on the path.

Everyone began to follow him as they continued their journey further about the volcano. They took a break for water and to take a look at another viewpoint on the path. The decline was much easier than the climb, and the guys made it back to their bikes in almost half the time. Sweat dropped down their backs, and their chests heaved, but nonetheless, they got on their bikes and returned to the hotel at around mid-afternoon. Each one of them retired to their rooms and it wasn't long before they wanted to go out again.
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"I'm telling you we have to go to Mauna Kea!" Felix was persuading Emre in the hotel lobby. The two of them were sat at a fountain that spurt water into a polished bowl.

"I do like stars." Emre said thoughtfully to himself.

"We have to convince the rest of the guys-or at least Auba-then it's a sure thing." Felix replied.

"Ok, it sounds fun, but we're going to the beach again tomorrow, I mean I did come here for the sun." Emre pointed to his light tan.

They went upstairs to talk to the rest of the boys. They all seemed to like the idea, or at least not hate it enough to say no, in Matthias's case. They had the rest of the day to do whatever they wanted but when night came, the observatory of Mauna Kea would call.

Erik pulled aside Auba after everyone talked.

"Hey, whatever happened with Christian and Matthias getting together?" He asked.

"Huh? What?" Auba sputtered. "What are you talking about?"

"Remember? You made a different group chat and said we should get them together?" Erik explained.

"Oh yeah right. It just turns out I have been a little busy babysitting them." He sighed in frustration. "They can barely sit next to one another. This is so clichè and childish."

"You kinda summed up this whole trip." Erik chuckled.

"What, clichè and childish?" Auba asked.

"No, babysitting." Erik said. " This has been fun and all but I'm sick of this stuff between everyone, you know?"

"And? This is how it is, I'm sure it's gonna pass, I think it's just some sort of phase or something."

"Not with Matthias and Christian." Erik shook his head. "But I think I have an idea." He grinned.

"Ah, of course you do." Auba said. "Can you tell me?

"Not yet but I can clue you in a little. I think I can solve the problem with Christian and Matthias, for real this time."

"Good, I really don't want Christian getting so drunk that he calls water "exotic" again."
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