ROSE

Chapter Three: Permission Denied

Kimberly, Lucy, and Emily struggled to fall asleep, their dreams interrupted by the echoing slams of doors from nearby rooms. The commotion stirred them awake, and Emily realized she had spent the night in Kimberly and Lucy's room. Disoriented, they gathered their thoughts as an announcement crackled through the speakers in the corridor's upper corners.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the last five college buses will depart within the next hour. Please be on the buses by 10:30 a.m. Ensure you arrive 15 minutes early. Thank you!"

"Oh no," Emily groaned. "I haven't showered or put on makeup, and the buses will be leaving soon. It's all because we stayed up late worrying, thanks to Kimberly."

"What did I do?" Kimberly asked, genuinely confused.

Emily playfully retorted, "Your restless thoughts kept us awake all night. That's why I refuse to room with you."

Lucy remained silent, observing Emily and Kimberly intently.

Curious, Emily turned to Lucy and asked, "And what about you? Why are you staring at us like an owl? Shouldn't you be packing?"

"I packed in advance," Lucy replied calmly.

"Well, lucky you..." Emily commented. "I need to shower and apply makeup. I could use your help."

Lucy assisted Emily as they returned to Emily's room.

At 10:25 a.m., students began to form queues outside the buses. One by one, they boarded the buses. Each bus had a capacity of 65 passengers, and all three buses were filled to their maximum capacity.

Kimberly and Lucy found seats next to Emily.

"Have you seen Thomas or George?" Kimberly asked.

"No," Lucy replied.

Emily added, "They mentioned yesterday that they would arrive early to make arrangements for the holiday trip. I guess they took the first bus back home."

"When is the trip?" Kimberly inquired.

"In two days," Emily replied.

"Two days?" Kimberly exclaimed in surprise. "Isn't that too soon?"

"The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll be back," Emily reasoned.

"How were they planning on getting there? Neither Thomas nor George live close to your place or mine," Kimberly questioned.

"True," Emily acknowledged. "The plan was for all of us to meet at Bratnom Hill Station. From there, we would branch off to our final destination."

Kimberly nodded, understanding the logistics of the plan.

*****

The scorching sun beat down upon Bratnom City, its rays casting a relentless heat upon the surroundings. Mr. and Mrs. Williams, Kimberly's parents, sat patiently at the bustling bus station, their eyes scanning the streams of cars moving diligently in their respective lanes.

Mr. Williams squinted his eyes, trying to make out the approaching college bus as it rounded a corner and approached their station. A flicker of excitement surged through him, prompting him to jump from his seat. He pointed animatedly in the direction of the bus, exclaiming, "There comes the bus!"