The sound of my alarm suddenly blares through the air waves... but it doesn't startle me. I was awake long before the alarm decided to shout at me.
I've been laying here all night, unable to find any morsel of sleep.
I roll over and smack my phone screen with my palm hoping to silence the blaring noise it emits, and somehow it works. I pick up my phone and have a look at my lock screen to see what notifications I've missed overnight. The only thing on there is one, single text:
Mason Harris:
Good luck on the trip today. Try to enjoy yourself a little.
See you on Saturday !! :)
(Also if you don't bring me back a present from the big city I'll choke you.)
It's a bit too early in the morning for Mason's positivity but I still manage to smile and type out a reply.
To: Mason Harris:
You'll be lucky if I bring you back a free pen from the Hotel. Wish me luck with Satan...
I hop into the shower and prepare myself for the day ahead. I've spent most of the night thinking about this trip and how I'm gonna deal with it, so by now my thoughts are all aligned and in order. My tactic is to take it day by day, hour by hour. If I focus on the how long I'm out there for, I'll go mad. So, I've opted for the 'a chunk at a time' approach.
The morning numbly rolls by and the next thing I know, my Mum's parking the car outside the school gates. It's an hour earlier than our usual arrival time, but we have to be here early for the trip - Parks wants to beat the rush hour traffic as much as possible.
"Okay, you got everything?" My mother asks for the 5th time in the space of half an hour.
"I hope so."
She looks at me with worry for a second. I know she knows I don't want to go; she can read me like a book.
"Hey," She says patting my hand which is resting on my knee. "Try to enjoy yourself."
Well, that's the second time I've had that piece of advice today.
"I'll try." I say. I pull the door handle towards me and climb out - to which my Mum imitates. She helps me get my suitcase out of the boot and closes it before giving me one final hug.
"Don't get into any trouble." She jokes with her arms wrapped around me.
"I won't."
//
When I arrive at the meeting point down the road from the school, I see everyone in my class is there already.
I arrive silently and slip in behind the group, putting my suitcase up to my side and shoving my hands in my pockets. The cold November air mixes with my warm breath to make a vapor that spreads out from my lips. I try to watch my visible breath to take my mind off the knot in my stomach. I count my intakes and exhales and time them to try and steady my breathing.
Everyone else is gathered and are chatting away next to a street light which is still glowing - even though the sun has long come back into the sky from it's nightly rest. Above me, the sky is a light blue colour with a few vapor trails left by planes. It looks like an early morning summer sky - but it's anything but. It's warm look is deceiving.
"Oh Dan! When did you get here?" The voice is Anne's. I suppose someone's finally realised my existence. Charlie and Sophie both turn around and greet me with a smile.
YOU ARE READING
The Hawthorne Effect (BoyXBoy)
Teen FictionThere's only one thing that annoys Dan Adams more than a cliché, and it's the fact that in the past few months his life has actually become one. After falling for the notorious Charlie Hawthorne, he starts living out the age-old cliché of the high s...
