Balls

38

The next morning the girls and boys were up early. Within minutes the smell of baked beans, eggs and sausages for breakfast filled the air. The boys took turn to use the bathroom in the RV. Aga's model-like hair was gone, his usual bed head was back.

They ate without hurry and Mr Evans made sure their campsite was cleaned after they were done with breakfast.

"This is such a cool trip, Mr Evans," declared Patel who had bumped into an old record store and bought a stack of CDs at a great price. He even made Gregory carry some of them as the latter had hurried him through his browsing because he wanted to visit the observatory.

"Yeah, it made me feel like all my hardwork paid off," said Riza who dragged a bunch of them to the nearby beach where they had a picnic dinner amidst a bunch of buskers.

"Thanks a lot, sir," Aga chimed in as he recalled the fun he had at the Zoo. Somehow his mind kept drifting to Molly and her dark blue dress.

More thanks were hollared across the RV as the lecturer started the engine. The 40-something lecturer laughed.

"Some of you might have to see me again next semester, so you know what to expect if you do or don't do well for my subject," he said in acknowledgement.

Molly, Aga, Ballqis and Iqball looked at each other. They were among the ones who will have to suffer another semester with the so-called evil lecturer. Yet after last night, they no longer feel he nor his classes were all that bad.

"Sure, see you in next semester's torture chamber," whispered Riza from behind Molly and Ballqis. The three girls sniggered.

The ride back became longer as Mr Evans made a stop at the local history museum. There was no entrance free but a beautiful guide was ready to take them around. Mr Evans' friend, a stunning beauty, became their tour guide for over an hour. She was tall, graceful and spoke eloquently. Most of the guys began drooling after her within minutes.

She made the tour really fun too. They rode dinosaurs like children, threw snow on man made Antarctic weather and sampled a lesson in boomerang making with an expert.

"Wow, Iqball is immuned to her," Molly remarked as they neared the end of the trip. 

Ballqis glanced at the group of guys. The five of them were asked to lift a giant plastic squid for an all-male group photo. Iqball got the head so he was pretending to be a slayer making faces with the giant to amuse the girls while the other students were waiting to be given a tentacle by their lovely tour guide.

Iqball caught her eye and pretended to eat the squid. Ballqis giggled like a school girl.

Molly's eyes went wide.

"Oh dear. You two have a thing going don't you?" she breathed in excitement.

Then her face crumpled.

"Oh dear. Did I ruin your date? The one at the new pasta place?"

Ballqis giggled harder. Molly's head shook like a dancer in a Hindustani blockbuster.

"Oh dear, I did. I did, didn't I?"

"No, that was not a date. But maybe we do have a thing going," Ballqis admitted finally.

"Are you his girlfriend? Oh my, oh my... that is so cool!" Molly gripped Ballqis"s arm.

"No! He hasn't said anything like that. I don't think we both want to be carrying labels that soon," Ballqis clarified in a whisper.

"You two look good together. Even Aga mentioned that once," Molly revealed.

"He did?"

"Yeah, when he saw you two climbing up a tree outside the lab together. He said you guys must have put a prank on Mrs Jogh and tried to see if it work. But I doubt it. What was that all about anyway?"

Ballqis paled.

Aga saw them. Molly knew. She wondered who else had noticed Iqball or her movement around the lab.

Molly saw her face changed.

"Aga can be so innocent at times. Is there anything funny going on at that lab? Are you guys planning a fish heist? I heard each specimen costs thousands of dollars," Molly probed as the group were asked to enter the next exhibit room.

Ballqis stalled and pulled her to a corner.

"It's nothing like that. There was a fish that was acting strangely. We were just keeping an eye on it," Ballqis gave Molly a half truth.

"Strange fish? You know Aga said the same thing. He said once his mom videocalled and one of the fish seemed interested to watch their conversation, as if it wanted to jive in. Funny huh?"

Forcing a grin, Ballqis' knew she would have to discuss this with Iqball.

"You and Aga looked like you were a pair already last night," she diverted the conversation.

"I bet he's regretting wearing that jacket. He could have made a move on Riza if he hadn't been so distracted by how matching our clothes were," Molly answered.

"Why, do you think he likes Riza?" Ballqis asked, surprised that Molly was oblivious to Aga's constant staring last night.

"I think all the boys here do. She's a total babe, isn't she? I wish I have fair skin like her," Molly sighed as they went around the biggest piece of opal in the museum.

"Our skin color is beautiful. Your skin is so smooth, I still get zits sometimes. I can't get away with eating oily stuff," Ballqis complained.

"Would you two like your skin to look as blue as opal, then?" Mr Evans suddenly whispered from behind them.

The two girls were trailing a little too far behind that he had to hurry them up.

Caught off-guard, the duo hurried through the collection of precious stones and rejoined the group.

And they arrived at a buffet lunch area just outside the museum.

Mr Evans told them to go for the buffet as it was only half price for students and even less if they have gotten their museum passport stamped at each booth.

The maitre d' asked them all to show their boomerang.

"Yours is prettiest. You, girl, get a free meal!" the staff announced as she picked Ballqis' made-in-a-hurry boomerang. 

Ballqis would not have minded paying for the $12 seat but winning something always make her feel blessed.

"Oh my, would an artist still welcome me at her table?" Iqball whispered after paying for his meal. 

"Oh yes, even if you only eat fish," she quipped.

Molly tapped Aga as the two lovebirds laugh.

"Maybe you're right about them putting a prank on Mrs Jogh. Even their jokes are 'fishy'. Ugh, so romantic," Molly jested.

She and Aga howled all the way to the salad table.