ROSE

Chapter Two: Holiday Plans

As they made a complete rotation, their eyes fell upon a figure seated in a chair, surrounded by stacks of books on both sides. An open book lay before her.

Lucy sighed. "If it ain't Kimberly Williams, what are you doing here?"

Kimberly, without looking up from her book, replied, "I was engrossed in a work of fiction before the laughter interrupted me. Now that I see you all here, it's clear that you are the root cause of the commotion. However, what I don't know is the reason behind it. I would greatly appreciate it if one of you could fill me in on the details..."

George interjected, his tone filled with warning, "I'd rather not discuss it. And that means none of you will be telling Kimberly anything."

Thomas spoke up, "You know as well as we do that even if we don't tell her, she'll eventually find out. Half the school was present at the scene."

"Do you truly wish to know what happened?!" George exclaimed in anger.

Kimberly smiled and replied, "Yes, please. I do enjoy a good story."

"Very well," George began to explain. "I was merely walking down the hallway, minding my own business. I happened to come across this girl and asked her out. That's when she began to act like a lunatic. Is it a crime to ask someone out?"

Kimberly inquired, "Which girl are you referring to?"

"Alisson something, I don't care. I don't want to talk about it," George retorted.

Lucy interjected, "From what I know about Alisson, she comes from a privileged background. She has everything she could ever want. What made you think she would be interested in you? Besides, she already has a boyfriend. And you did mention that you were on the school soccer team."

Thomas, Kimberly, and Emily stifled their laughter.

George grew furious, "What part of not telling her anything did you not understand?!"

"Apologies for speaking out... Sometimes I can't help myself," replied Lucy.

Lucy then turned to Kimberly and said, "Well, madam bookworm, what book had you so captivated that you couldn't inform us of your whereabouts? We searched everywhere for you."

Kimberly replied, "As I mentioned earlier, it's a work of fiction. I apologize for not notifying you of my location. Now that you're all here, please do share what's going on."

Lucy took a seat on a wooden chair and began to explain, "It's not a new issue. It's about our upcoming holiday. We discussed last week that as soon as the term ends, we would plan a trip together. It would be a chance to bond and strengthen our friendship. After we graduate, we might not have many opportunities to spend time together since we'll be heading in different directions."

Emily interrupted, "Lucy, you make it sound like we won't have phones or any means of communication. It's not the end of the world. We'll be in touch every day."

Lucy replied, "Try to understand, Emily. I didn't say we won't communicate. I meant that we'll have limited chances to engage in shared activities."

"We can still make plans, can't we?" Emily asked.

Kimberly chimed in, "I fully understand what Lucy means, and she's telling the truth. So, tell me, what do you have in mind?"

Lucy responded, "I stayed up all night pondering on it, but unfortunately, I couldn't come up with a destination."

Thomas added, "I'm blank as well," with a sigh.

George approached the table and made space by pushing the pile of books to one side. From his pocket he pulled out a flyer and rolled it open across the table.

They all leaned forward, perusing the flyer.

"What is this?" inquired Emily.

George explained, "This, my friends, is Green Forest Resorts. A wonderful resort in the east side of the country. It is not too far from here. This resort has a relaxing environment, a family pool, a playground etc."

"Hahhh..." began Emily, "It looks wonderful. The flowers, the pool, the green trees, and the hotel is quite big."

Lucy inquired, "This all looks amazing, but can we afford it?"

"Can you afford it?" George asked cheekily and spoke slowly, "You don't have to worry about anything. I'll take care of everything."

Lucy quickly replied, "Alright, if you say so."

"I'm in," Emily replied.

Kimberly looked at her friends and complained, "I don't know if my parents will approve of this. I know my parents will have something to say about this. Especially the fact that it's in the east side on the country."

"Haaa... Here we again. I told you guys that Kimberly will always have some negative feedback?" said George.

"It's a fact George," argued Kimberly. "Please give me some time to finish this book. If you don't mind."

George announced, "I don't have time for this. You will let me know your decision. We only have today and tomorrow to leave this place. Then two days after that to go to Green Forest Resorts. I am off to my room."

He stood up, wrapped his flyer and walked out of the room.

"I'll be with George," said Thomas and walked away.

Lucy sent a signal to Emily; the signal indicated that they walk out of the library. In doing so they could grant Kimberly some privacy, which they did.



*****


In the quiet of the evening, while most of the students lay in their darkened dorm rooms, a sense of busyness filled the air. The majority of the students, particularly the females, were diligently preparing for the following day. Amidst the flurry of activity, Kimberly found herself wide awake, her thoughts consumed by the holiday her friends had planned. Doubts began to seep into her mind, wondering if her parents would grant her permission to go on such a trip, especially with someone else covering the expenses.

No matter how hard she tried to feign sleep, it eluded her. Restlessly, she tossed and turned in bed, narrowly avoiding kicking her roommate, Lucy. Overwhelmed by the mounting pressure, Kimberly eventually surrendered to the wakefulness. She rolled out of bed, sat upright, and switched on her lamp, illuminating the room.

Shortly thereafter, a soft knock resounded on Kimberly's door. Anxious not to cause a disturbance, she rose and tiptoed to the door. Opening it, she was surprised to find Emily in her pink pajamas, impatiently tapping her foot, waiting for someone to answer.

"Why are you still awake at this hour?" Kimberly whispered in astonishment.

Emily replied in a hushed tone, "There was no water in my room, so I went out to get a glass. On my way back, I noticed the light in your room turning on, so I decided to check on you. You can't fool me with some studying excuse. Are you okay?"

"Come in," Kimberly beckoned, gently pulling Emily into her room.

She closed the door behind them and sat on the bed, gesturing for Emily to join her. They both settled on the mattress, side by side.

"I can't fall asleep," Kimberly admitted, her voice barely audible.

Emily responded in a slightly louder voice, "You don't have to whisper. No one will hear us in here."

"Let me know," Emily persisted, "What's keeping you awake tonight? Look at Lucy; she's sound asleep. Soon enough, we'll be on our way home, reuniting with our parents after such a long time. The least you could do is allow the night to pass by getting some sleep." She glanced over at Lucy and added, "Just like Lucy..."

With her eyes still shut, Lucy interjected, "I can hear you, you know."

Kimberly spoke, "I'll be going home soon, and as much as I want to be with my parents, I also desire to join you all on that holiday trip. But the truth is, my parents won't allow me to come along."

Surprised, Emily exclaimed, "Are you kidding? You're still entertaining those thoughts? I thought we had moved past this."

"Listen," Emily began, "From what I can see, you've been an outstanding student. You've made it to your final year, and you know how challenging this place can be with its endless tests and assignments. If I were your parent, I would gladly grant you permission to go on a holiday with your friends."

Lucy chimed in with a playful tone, "In fact, I'd take you on a world tour just to show my appreciation for being such a wonderful child."

Kimberly smiled and laughed, saying, "Okay, I get it. You can stop with your parenting fantasies. It's starting to sound really strange."

"But I'm telling you the truth, my dear," Emily continued, pulling Kimberly into a tight embrace.

Lucy sat up and added, "And I'd shower you with forehead kisses..." She puckered her lips, making smooching sounds.

"No... No... No... That's enough..." Kimberly resisted, escaping from the embrace.

-----------------------

Authors Note: Cheers for making it to Chapter 2. I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Please don't hesitate to drop a comment and let me know your view, or you can give it a vote; otherwise I appreciate your support.