The Dumb/Amazing School Trip

Chapter 7 - The Zoo

The rest of the drive is slow and quiet and after an hour we pull into the bus lane at the zoo. Once we are parked all of the students from this bus start to pile out into a large crowd and head towards the main exit. The other bus was a bit behind us meaning I am here alone but Mrs. Willow is standing right next to me so I am not that worried.

Then because my luck sucks, Mrs. Willow smiles while she nudges me forward smiling and waves heading in the opposite direction. great! I head forward following the path, passing the enclosures, heading towards a building covered in leaves.

I push the hard and rusty doors and am met with the smell of shit. In Front of me is a glass enclosure with the cute monkeys in it and I smile and sit on the bench, instantly regretting it when I touch the hand rest and it's sticky.

I peel myself off the bench and head out. I go right onto the sandy path leading up a hill as I walk I pass the giraffes and as I walk further up the hill sweat trickles down my back. Why is it so warm today? I feel like I am dying out here.

At the top of the hill is the panda enclosure with only one in the building; the other one must be in the outside bit. As I look inside I see the panda snuggled in the corner. I think it's sleeping but I am unsure. I close my eyes and take a breath. I remember when I was little and Holly's mum always took us on adventures like to the zoo or just to the small park down the road.

I wouldn't complain, just spending time with Holly was amazing because she brought me joy. I miss that feeling, the feeling of being wanted because as of right now I haven't felt so unwanted or neglected. This feeling at the pit of my stomach is gnawing at me and I feel as though it's soon to swallow me whole.

Then I open my eyes and see myself in the window's reflection and smile a little. That feeling can't get me as I won't let it, at least not now. I have been having too much fun. This trip is an opportunity and I am going to grasp it, make new friends and live a little.

I have been stuck in this tight bubble wrap and I am suffocating, I need to break free. I close my eyes and picture my dad singing to me as a kid to Ed Sheeran songs, specifically photograph as that was the song that was playing when he met my mum and whenever it came on he picked me up and sang and always looked at me with the words playing with a bright smile.

"Loving can heal, loving can mend your soul." I need to mend my soul to be honest. I keep my eyes closed and smile to myself. "I thought you would be hiding somewhere reading" the voice startled me, making my eyes fly open and turn around to see Logan smiling.

He puts his hands up in front of him and laughs at my scared expression, I hit his arm then laugh along too. "I do other things you know, not just read" I say as I turn to look at the panda again, "Yeah I know but when I got here I looked around and couldn't see you so I assumed you were off reading" he says as he also watches the panda.

He looked for me? I can see the rose colour on my cheeks in the reflection of the glass and I am pretty sure Logan saw it too because his grin widens. We stand next to each other 'looking at the panda' Really, I keep peeking over at him through the reflection and then look away and I think he is doing it to me too.

Well, a part of me thinks that and the other part of me is saying shut up that's dumb because why would he look at me? and Mrs. Willow's stupid words keep swirling around in my mind. "You know I think your dungarees are um nice" he says out randomly turning and looking at me. I turn around as a smile slides on my face.

"Well, I do love them I just thought they were a bit I don't know weird to wear" he shakes his head and looks at me from head to toe and back up into my eyes like he's looking straight into my sole and smiles "Nah, its perfect." We stand for a minute just looking at one another.

I might have to take my words back because I have never felt this attracted to someone since my Maze Runner phase and seeing Dylan O'Brien for the first time. I turn away first looking down the hill and start walking. I just know I couldn't stand them under his eyes any longer.

I can hear him running after me and of course he catches up to me really easily and nudges my arm with his. "Where are we off to Luna loo" he says from my side, I turn and look at him as my eyes narrow "You caused this, now all I get called by them is Luna Loo, and god me calling you all 'losers' was just cringey and the nickname just sucked" I finish my rant and head left at the bottom of the hill with Logan on my heels he is laughing, as usual.

"Well in all fairness i could call you worst things, a boy in my maths class is called t-Rex because someone said his arms look small whereas your name is cute and short just like you" I rub my face hiding my smile and rosy cheeks."Yeah yeah, but still you couldn't think of anything better" I say looking up at him.

He rubs the side of his head thinking for a moment "How about Tinny?" The moment he says it he buckles over laughing, is he for real. I have dealt with this my entire life, everyone making small jokes and now I even say them in my head about myself because it's quite funny. I shake my head saying no but he just laughs and nods his head and stops walking.

I honestly forgot we were walking. We passed a few enclosures and are now next to a sign pointing to three different directions: the cafe, car park or the play park. Logan points in the direction of the play park "That's where I left the others but who knows if they stayed there".

I nodded my head in agreement but I realised something: "Did you all come to a zoo and the first place you went to was the kiddie park?" I laugh when he nods his head with a duh expression. He smiles down at me and yet again his eyes sparkle.

Am I imagining this shit or is it real? "Want to go look at more animals or play at the amazing park that even has a zip line?" I laugh and he is already walking in the direction of the park and I run to catch up and pull the back of his shirt to slow him down, making him spin around and trip me up. The rude bitch lets me flop onto the floor and nearly face plant.

He burst out laughing and offered me a hand. I accepted it and winced in pain when I stood up on my knee, obviously faking it to make him feel bad. A worried expression clouds his face and he instantly stops laughing but saying sorry repeatedly and he wipes the dirt off my clothes and I can't help it. I snorted out a laugh at his action.

His back snaps up and he looks down at me "Did you just fake an injury to make me feel bad tinny?" I scowl at him and he laughs, "You are NOT calling me that, plus I definitely didn't fake anything you tripped me" I walk forward with my head high and a smile on my face, then my feet are no longer on the ground and I am being twisted around.

"Oh well if your knee hurts so bad I shall be a gentleman and carry you to the park" he says as he chucks me over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes. I kick but it makes no use so I just accept it as I get weird looks from people around us.

I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this. I am so close to this super hot boy right now that I can smell his cologne, and his arms are wrapped around my legs very close to my butt if you know what I mean.

So be it If this is all over next week, I am just going to have to savour up all this and have fun and make sure I live to the fullest, for myself and a tiny bit for my dad.

A/n: Please Vote and Comment 

- Alexa Raye