I think it's ridiculous but it's seems to go over everyone's head, they were all very excited about the hiking trip our homeroom teacher, Miss Na I mean, Jhee had set up - it's definitely a Werewolf thing.
"Hayden? You'll be late for school you know." Dale scolds me again, coming out of the bathroom where he insisted on brushing, no doubt to toss Virgil's toothbrush in the cabinet again to see me still sprawled on the bed.
I roll on my face and let out an unhappy groan. "I don't want to go to school today." I whine, kicking my legs.
He pauses and turns around to stare at me. "Why?" He asks curiously.
"Miss Nate is organising a hiking trip for just our class." I pout.
Dale frowns. "Who's Miss Nate?"
I give a him look like he started break dancing. "My homeroom teacher?" I raise a brow, sitting up.
"Jhen?" He asks, giving me an equally bewildered look.
"Well, yes." I shrug self-consciously.
"The entire year is going hiking, Hay." He explains, throwing his shirt on. "We're just taking different routes and probably meeting up at the creek."
I gape at this. "Why? What does tromping through roots and fallen leaves have to do with anything educational?"
"I don't know, Hay." Dale shrugs, coming over. "It's fun I guess, all work and no play remember?" He replies, leaning over me to steal a kiss before I can escape.
"Ew!" I wipe my mouth, glaring at him. "My mouth stinks." I complain.
He gives me a mischievous look. "It's all in your head, Doll." He steals another kiss, licking into my mouth.
I huff breathlessly, tasting nothing but cool water and mint, that's not right, my mom had gone back to her horrible tasting herbal toothpaste so he shouldn't taste like mint anymore.
"Dale?" I pant out, averting my face. "We have to get to school."
"Oh, that's true." He murmurs, voice heavy with disappointment. "See you at school then."
"Byoof!" My greeting gets cut off by another kiss and I roll off the bed when he breaks off, making for the bathroom.
"Bye, Dale!" I call from the safety of the cool bathroom where he can't steal another kiss.
His laughter trails after me and then I hear the telltale click of the door, now just how am I supposed to survive today?
I languidly go through the motions of preparing for school, Shana had hurried over the day before with the tubs of ice cream.
I had just huddled beside Virgil while she alternated between loud laughter and a stern scolding, I couldn't decide which felt worse.
Virgil was still as reticent as always but I still felt like something was off.
"Hi, baby." My mom greets happily already dressed for work. "I was just about to come get you, ready for breakfast?"
"No." I mumble unhappily. "I'll just get some fruits."
"What? Why?" She frowns.
"I told you, we're going hiking today, if I eat I'm definitely going to pass out on the walk."
My mom snickers at this and I glare at her.
"I'm sorry, love, here" She offers, going to the kitchenette and coming out with a glass bowl of apples. "Snatched this from the kitchens this morning, you should take some with you for energy."
"Sure mom." I accept dryly, taking the bowl from her.
"Morning, Renee." Virgil voice comes from the direction of the door and I glance to see him coming in.
"Hi, V, thank goodness you're here, I'm almost late for work." She says with a poker face, grabbing her handbag from a side table and adjusting her formal blouse.
I give her a blank look. "I'm not five, mom."
"Listen to what Virgil tells you, okay? Be safe on your trip, baby." She reaches out to ruffle my hair and I snap my teeth at her.
Virgil chuckles at this and comes over to kiss my forehead before getting a good look at what I was doing. "Um, why are you stuffing your backpack with apples?"
I just zip up and sling my bag across my back. "To throw at nature." I grouch.
He laughs even louder. "Let me help you with that and isn't it a bit weird to throw fruits back at nature."
I just give him a dark look, in no mood for jokes.
He takes the bag from my shoulders and we make our way down the stairs, Mae would join us in the parking lot.
"I'm sorry, Hay but you seemed to like hiking a lot before, what happened?"
"Well, let's see, you're not there to give me a piggy back ride when my legs give out on me and that's all."
His entire face lightens up at my words and my mood improves instantly. "I'll give you a piggyback ride when we meet up at the creek." He promises.
"Sure." I mutter under my breath. "If I make it to the creek."
Ever since Shana moved back to her huge family house, Dale had been the one picking her up so we usually met up in school.
"Hi, Hayden, hi, Virgil!" Mae greets cheerfully, getting in the back seat.
Virgil replies her enthusiastically while I mumble out a reply, munching on an apple.
"What's his deal?" She curiously asks Virgil who snickers before giving her an answer.
"Today's hike." He says shortly.
Mae's face instantly stretches out in a wide smile, she slaps a hand over her face as she struggles to hold back her laughter.
"Good to know my misery is so humorous." I complain.
"You're just over thinking, Hayden." Mae tells me seriously, managing a contrite expression even though there's laughter twinkling in her eyes. "You'll be having so much fun with the rest of the class that you'll forget to be exhausted."
I give her a look full of disbelief. "Uh huh, sure."
"Plus you've had weeks of walking up and down those stairs back at the Pack House, don't you think you're giving yourself too little credit?"
"I hope so, I fucking hope so."