1.5-The finals

Emerick's pov

What a relief the finals are finally over, I thought I would lose my mind.

I studied so much those past few days, that I feel tired but I think it paid off.

Unfortunately, I don't know if I pass all my school subjects but I have a feeling that maybe I will.

There's now something else on my mind that doesn't make me quite happy.

The school year has now come to an end and the school is organizing a trip. Damn, I hate trips. I have to socialize on those too. I'd rather read my books to be there but I guess I have to go. My mom really wants me to go, she thinks I'll have a good time and make some new friends, curse her.

As the last exam was this morning, this afternoon we have a class meeting about the class trip.

Today they'll be announcing to us who will be staying together in cabins. Ugh, I'm definitely not looking forward to this. It's gonna be pure chaos. I just hope that whoever I'll end up paired with won't be dumbasses and will all be decent enough to not ruin my trip.

Anyway, considering we're leaving tomorrow morning and coming back on Saturday afternoon, it was about damn time they announce it.

I head to my class's classroom dreading this meeting.

I arrive first in class and sit at my usual desk up front. I stay steering there and wait for the teachers and the others to arrive.

I may be early but not by much, others start arriving quite quickly but I notice something that isn't quite right.

As people started to arrive I noticed people that are not from my class. What are they doing here? Is this some sort of joke?

Then more and more students get into the class and it quickly gets filled. Then I noticed two familiar faces enter the classroom, Carson accompanied by his best friend Ella. Carson notices me too and he looks at me in sympathy.

Ugh, why's he looking at me like that?

Most importantly why are they here? This isn't their class. Why are they all coming in? Did I miss something or...?

Not even a minute later the teacher finally arrives and she places her coffee mug on her desk.

"Is everyone here?" The teacher questions and

"Yeah!" They all say loudly.

"As you already know this meeting is about our school trio tomorrow." Yeah, I know that already, thanks for stating the obvious.

Everyone cheers excitedly.

"And because this is a school trip for the entire grade, we have decided to have all students of all classes present at this meeting!" She exclaims loudly and everyone is all happy.

What? How come I wasn't told about that?

"So today, I all gathered you here to announce the pairings for the cabins and the guidelines for the trip." The teacher says.

"Yeah!" They all cheer excitedly.

Oh no...this means I run the risk of being paired up with any guy my age, including Cayden or even his brother Carson...? Oh heck no!

I don't like the idea but I should be realistic here, the chances are quite low.

"Ok, so to start this off, since we got lucky this time around you'll be two in every cabin." The teacher announces.

"Just two?" Someone questions.

"Ohhhh," The whole class howled. Of course, they'll do that gang of immatures.

Then after that, some people ask questions and eventually someone asks that one question.

"Do you think girls and guys could be paired up together this time around?" I hear someone ask.

"No, Justin, you know the rules." Everyone grunts disappointed.

"Boring!" Someone yells out.

Of course, it had to be Justin to ask, he's one of Cayden's idiotic friends.

"I know but that's the rule. Now do you want to know who you're paired up with?" Our teacher asks.

"Yes!" They all say excitedly loudly.

"Ok, so for girls we have...."

She says the names of the girls pairing. Some of them are happy, others not so much. Then eventually the teacher starts naming the pairings for the boys.

She says a few names here and there but none are my name.

The teacher continues naming pairings and eventually, there are barely any names left but my name has yet to be mentioned.

It's not only my name that hasn't been mentioned, Carson's name hasn't been mentioned.

Please don't tell me...

"As another cabin pairing, we have Carson Hames and Emerick Cortez paired up together." I instantly froze upon hearing my name but especially the other name.

Are you kidding me? And it just had to be him? Ugh, I should have known.

I can't believe I'm paired up with him, he's the last person I'd want to be paired up with. It's gonna be so awkward!

I look at Carson and I notice that he's smiling at me and I glare in return. His smile disappears immediately.

And as I thought, he seems to be as childish as he was years before and I wouldn't be surprised if he were still as clingy. All I hope is that he won't be his childish self and somehow hope we can get along like before because that's not happening.

The teacher continues to name names and then she starts to name the guidelines but I only listen halfway way too busy thinking about my cabin partner.

Eventually, the meeting comes to an end but I don't even notice, I only realize that it's over because the class is no longer crowded.

I'm ready to get up and leave but then I get greeted by a face I don't want to see.

"Good luck dealing with my brother," Cayden says smirking.

"Oh f**k off Cayden. I can very much deal with this on my own." I say annoyed and he's unbothered by that.

"You sure? He's a crybaby. Even you should know." He says still smirking.

"Yeah, yeah I know that much more than you," I say annoyed.

"Oh yeah? Then if you know him so well, why aren't you his friend anymore?" He mocks me and that only makes me more irritated.

"That's none of your business," I say irritated and he grins.

"Fine, you do you but you can come to my cabin if you don't want to deal with my brother." He grins at the idea.

Gosh, that guy gives me the shivers and I mean not the right ones.

"I think I'll be just fine," I say creeped out by him a bit.

"You sure you can handle it?" He asks faking concern.

"Yes, now why do you care?" I ask wanting to find out why he's bothering me like that.

"I was just willing to land a hand but it seems like you actually want to be with my brother." He says faking care and smirking right after.

"You think I want to share a cabin with your brother," I ask annoyed by how annoying he is.

"Maybe just maybe." He still smirks.

"As if I'd want to be with him, you'd say so yourself but that doesn't mean you're any better." He stops smirking briefly but his smirk comes right back.

"Aww come on don't be so mean." He whines grinning.

"Go back to your girlfriend," I say even more annoyed.

"Oh, why so mean? I'm just trying to cheer up." He fakes feeling hurt and just smirks right after.

"Yeah? It doesn't seem to be working." I say sarcastically but he keeps his stupid smile.

"Oh, that's too bad."

"Cayden! What are you still doing in the class?! And why are you talking to this guy?!" His girlfriend yells out suddenly appearing at the door of the class.

Cayden's girlfriend has long straight black hair with olive skin, a bit of bushy eyebrows and dark brown eyes. Overall, she's fit so maybe she does a sport or something. Though I think she immigrated from Egypt, I once overheard someone saying that.

Wait, why am I analyzing her physique? I'm just glad my point was right.

"It's nothing much, I was just warning him about my brother, you know how he is," Cayden says joining his girlfriend who's at the door of the classroom.

"Whatever, he'll be fine. Now come." She says and Cayden follows her but not before patting me on the shoulder.

He's so annoying! How can he be so different than his brother? At this point, I'll take Carson any day!

Although I don't have a relationship with Cayden per se. He's just been annoying me from time to time those past few years. I don't know why and I don't care about him anyway.

Oh geez, this trip will be pure torture. I can already feel it. I'm already dreading this trip. I just hope it won't be too bad sharing a cabin with Carson of all people.

———————

Carson's pov

I'm so happy I got paired up with Emerick!
This will be my chance to finally talk to him. It'll be just him and I in the cabins, no one in the way. Maybe he'll even talk to me.

I still wish that Emerick would be my friend but it's just him the problem but maybe it'll change on this trip.

I already can't wait for this! This is going to make the trip so much more fun!