Bobo

Chapter One - Au Revoir school, Bonjour holidays!

The classroom was alive with the low hum of chatter as students impatiently waited for the lesson to end. Aydith stared at the clock, counting down the minutes, her thoughts far from the French question in front of her. Beside her, Jasmine was scribbling something in her notebook, a grin spreading across her face as she glanced at Aydith. "Can you believe it's finally here? Tomorrow, we're off to Northam!" Jasmine whispered; her excitement barely contained.

Aydith forced a small smile, but her enthusiasm did not match Jasmine's. "Yeah, it's great... I guess."

Jasmine noticed the hesitation in her friend's voice and frowned. "What's up? You've been weird about this trip ever since we started planning it."

Aydith sighed, glancing around to make sure their conversation wasn't being overheard. "It's just... I don't know, Jas. With everything that's happened... with Jacinta and Caleb, I'm not really looking forward to all the drama. It's going to be awkward, and I'm not sure I want to deal with it."

Jasmine softened; her voice lowered in empathy. "I get it, Aydith. What happened sucked, but you can't let them ruin the trip for you. Besides, we're going to see Leigh! You haven't seen her in forever. She'd be so disappointed if you didn't come."

Aydith bit her lip, the knot in her stomach tightening. "I know... I just don't want to be around all that drama, Jas. It's going to be weird."

Jasmine gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll stick together, okay? Just you, me, and Leigh. We'll have a blast, and if any drama comes up, we'll just ignore it, or if worse comes to worst, we'll leave. It'll be fine, I promise."

Aydith sighed, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little. "Alright... I'll go. But you better keep that promise." Jasmine grinned, giving Aydith a playful nudge. "Deal. Now, let's get through this class and then lunch, and we can really start planning."

The bell rang, signalling the end of the period. "Au revoir étudiants." The teacher called as the students began to pack up their belongings.

"Au revoir Madame Buiner." Many students sang nonchalantly as they sprawled out of the stuffy classroom. Aydith followed Jasmine out of the classroom, still feeling a bit uneasy about the upcoming trip. Lunchtime came quickly, and the group gathered at their usual spot by a couple tables under a large patio, in the courtyard. Aydith felt her stomach twist as she saw Jacinta and Caleb sitting close together, sharing laughs and whispering to each other.

Jacinta, ever the centre of attention, was practically draped over Caleb, her hand resting casually on his arm. Caleb looked up as Aydith and Jasmine approached, a smirk played on his lips. "Hey, Aydith," he greeted, his tone light but with that subtle edge that always made her uneasy. "Glad to hear you've finally decided to join us on this little adventure. It wouldn't be the same without you."

"Yeah, you've got to keep us all in check, right?" Jacinta added with a grin, her tone just a shade too sweet. Aydith forced a smile as she sat down beside Jasmine.

"Sure... wouldn't want to miss it." She mumbled. The group settled into their usual banter, but Aydith couldn't shake the discomfort that clung to her. Across the table, Sam sat quietly, his water bottle in hand. Aydith knew what was really in it, but she chose not to say anything of it. Jacinta, however, was never one to let things slide. "Ew, Sam, are you seriously drinking alcohol at school?" Jacinta's voice was filled with exaggerated disdain as she snatched the bottle from his hand. Without waiting for a response, she tipped it over, letting the liquid spill onto the grass. "That's so naughty."

Sam's face flushed with anger. "What the hell, Jacinta? That was mine!"

Jacinta shrugged, unbothered by his reaction. "You shouldn't be bringing it here anyway." Before the tension could escalate further, the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch and the start of their final class. The group began to gather their things, the moment passing as they headed back to the classroom.