Eden and Bea (LGBT+)

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While he could do that, I really hoped that I could get through the trip. 

My options were limited here, after all, especially considering Mr. King had told me that I couldn't change partners. 

He seemed adamant about that fact, too, so I knew that I really didn't have much of a choice but to spend the last remaining free time that I had before exams started, with the girl that I could only imagine disliked me as much as I disliked her.

"Uh, news flash, Bea. You're holding your camping gear for a reason. We leave for the trip, this afternoon," Axel said, with a slightly humoured expression. 

No. This had to be some sort of elaborate prank. 

He placed a hand on my shoulder, then, and I felt grounded again. 

"Earth to Beatrice. It's going to be alright. You just need to, you know, take a chill pill," he said. 

I knew he was right in saying that, but I honestly couldn't see how that was possible! 

Sooner than I could say anything more, though, it was time for me to make my way to my first class. 

I only had to get through three lessons and then it would be time to leave, but my art and psychology classes felt like they had been the quickest classes to get through in the world. It was as if time had sped up just to say, "Ha, sucker! Good luck today." I felt myself frown, disgruntled. 

While I made my way towards the cafeteria, I tried to focus on the positives that the trip would bring me- an escape from the dark and foreboding classroom of Mr. King. Alright, it wasn't that bad. However, the fact that I was failing most certainly was and that matter was essentially an unavoidable one. At least, it would be unavoidable if I didn't start working harder and soon. 

As I noticed Axel approaching the coach, that I had now come to stand outside of with my holdall, I smiled and waved. I had to give off the appearance of someone that wasn't currently battling a thunderstorm of anxieties. That was just the thing- I didn't want to feel this way, but my stomach was bubbling away like a cauldron and I was convinced I was one conversation with Eden short of imploding. 

"Alright, guys! Listen up," Mr. King instructed us, as he came to stand at the front of the queue, beside the coach driver, who didn't look so thrilled by the fact that he was going to have to drive a coach for three hours, now, that had a load of loud and arguably obnoxious teenagers onboard. In all honesty, I couldn't blame him but hey, he had picked this job. "You need to find your partner and sit with them! You're going to need to stick together now until we reach the campsite." 

When he finished his statement, everyone seemed to get into their pairs no problem. Some may have had a little reluctance, sure, but nobody's reluctance could match that of Eden's or mine. He continued to give instructions, but I had mostly tuned out now. His speech became a blur, as I felt a new presence beside me and turned, a little slowly, to find that Eden was now standing beside me, with an expression of impatience etched onto her face. Great. It was good to see that she seemed to be in a good mood already! I was sure that this trip would go by without a hitch. She met my gaze for a split-second, eyes slightly narrowed as though anticipating our fate, and then wandered onto the bus without a single word. 

What? No "Hey, Beatrice,"? This was positively outrageous. 

Pushing that thought out of my mind, I wandered onto the bus after her and walked down the aisle until I came to find where she was sat. She was staring, with a hardened expression, right out the window. I chose to ignore her for a moment, as I placed my bag away in the luggage area of the coach, and then returned my attention to the person that I was going to have to sit beside for the next few hours. 

I rested my head against my seat and wished that I could fall asleep, but sleep would never come. 

Eden began to sift through her backpack and then seemed to grow frustrated when she couldn't find the one thing that she was looking for. 

"Don't tell me I left them at home," she muttered under her breath. 

"You left them at home," I replied automatically. I couldn't resist. 

She turned to me and sighed, her nostrils flaring slightly. 

I resisted the urge to chuckle, on this occasion. 

"What did you leave behind?" I inquired. My interest had been piqued, I couldn't deny that. 

"My headphones," she said glumly. "It's fine," she said, grabbing a baby pink pillow and putting it against the headrest behind her. "I'll sleep. That'll be sure to tune you out." 

I scoffed instead of getting mad. I felt that was the better option for me. Besides, we couldn't start fighting yet, we hadn't even reached the campsite! 

Honestly, though, for God's sake. She even had a matching pink sleeping mask and, though I wasn't sure if she had actually fallen asleep yet, I felt so tempted to reach out and pull it from her face. 

The bus continued onwards and now it was my time to stare hard out the window. 

At least, I could now watch the blur of trees, fields and flowers go by in peace. 

I wondered if I should start on praying now, just to ensure that I had at least put it out there into the universe that I really needed for this trip to not completely suck. 

My eyes drifted back to Eden for a moment and I noticed that her mouth had come slightly agape. 

Had she fallen asleep? 

It didn't take me long to receive an answer to that question because her head soon lulled to the side and onto my shoulder. Crap.