Day Dreaming (DreamNotFound)

5. Day One

I could feel the road become rough and bumpy underneath the bus. I picked my head up from the table where I had laid it in my arms. Nick was still passed out on his pillow, but Clay was listening to music on his phone. Looking out the windows, I saw that there was forest on either side of the road. I checked the time on my phone - it was 11:54, meaning it had been almost 5 hours since we left. I stretched my arms and yawned. Clay took an earbud out.

"Rise and shine. Mrs. Blaire said we're almost there a few minutes ago."

"Should I wake Nick up?" I asked.

Clay nodded and sarcastically warned, "Careful, he might bite."

I poked his shoulder, but that didn't work. He was fully snoring. I grabbed his arm and shook him. He let out a groan and shook my hand off.

"Lemme sleep," he muttered.

"We're almost there," I scoffed.

He sighed. Bringing his head up off the table, he stretched and rubbed his eyes. His disheveled hair fell onto his face, which he quickly brushed away.

Clay began putting his phone and earbuds away. "How'd you sleep?" he asked genuinely.

"My neck hurts," Nick whined.

"Sucks for you," I teased.

Soon, the bus began to slow, and a building came into view. It was in a large clearing and had a rustic exterior, like a huge cabin. The bus pulled into a grassy area with traces of gravel on the ground, which must have been the parking lot. Quickly, Mrs. Blaire stood up and addressed the upper group. "We're here. Once you get out, please stand in a group with your homeroom and wait for your homeroom teacher to come to you. Also, make sure to thank the bus driver."

Everyone started getting up, grabbing their bags. The top and front rows dismissed first, meaning Clay, Nick, and I got down early. After a while of waiting, the last few kids came out and were followed by the chaperones. The sun beamed down us all, making me squint.

"Hello everyone!" Mrs. O'Perra boomed, getting everyone's attention. "As you can see, we have arrived. Please take your room number from your assigned teacher and drop off your bags before returning to the central hall."

Mrs. Blaire tapped me on the shoulder and handed me the keycard to room 14, which I pocketed. "You're rooming with Bad's group, I think."

"Cool," I said, genuinely. Bad was one of Clay's friends, and while I didn't know him well, he seemed nice. Bad wasn't his real name, obviously, but it came from a nickname everyone gave him. I don't really remember what his real name was - I got the idea that it was Darryl, but I had never confirmed it. He's so polite and always censors his cuss with things like "muffin," which led to people to call him "Bad Boy" and thus "Bad." Even our teachers call him that.

Mrs. Blaire walked away to give other people their keys and I looked at Clay and Nick. I pulled out the keycard. "We're room 14. Let's get going, yeah?"

"Okay. Lead the way," he said, nodding toward the door. I hoisted my bag up higher over my shoulder and started walking.

The interior of the building contrasted its exterior - it was contemporary and stylish. Cool A/C flowed through the vents, cooling us off from the scorching heat outside. The small, carpeted foyer led to a hallway, at the center of which was double doors, propped open to reveal a grandiose dining and activity center, complete with a chandelier. There were signs with numbers on them on either side of this door, presumably leading to the rooms.

"Looks like we're all the way on the left," I sighed, taking a turn. The carpet was patterned with blue and yellow spots with a green background. The whole aesthetic reminded me of a hotel.