The trip
Maya's pov
The school parking lot was buzzing with excitement,three massive charter buses, each with glossy paint and tinted windows, were parked in a neat line. Each one assigned to a class tier, with teachers and chaperones organizing the flow of students,luggage was being loaded into the compartments underneath while students chattered, posed for selfies, and claimed seats like their lives depends on it.
I stepped out of the car as my mom parked along the curb,l adjusted the strap of my bag and exhaled, feeling the mix of excitement and nerves twist in my stomach.
"Call me if you need anything," my mom said, stepping out of the driver's side, she rounded the car and gave me a gentle hug, "and please, take care of yourself,eat,sleep don't just live on snacks and soda".
I smiled "I'll be fine, mom It's just a school trip, not a jungle expedition".
"Whatever, hunnie".
Before i could respond, a familiar voice rang out "Mayaaa!"
Cherry was jogging towards me, pulling her pink suitcase behind her and waving like her life depends on it,she skidded to a stop in front of us, slightly out of breath
"Good morning, Miss Monroe!" Cherry beamed
"Hi, Cherry, you two take care okay?"
"yes ma'am," Cherry said dramatically, linking her arm with mine as we both laughed
We grabbed our suitcases, ready to board, when a deep voice broke in smoothly, "need help with that?"
I turned to see Cole Sinclair, effortlessly cool as always, already reaching for my suitcase,his golden brown eyes were calm with that soft smile
"Oh....uhh sure thanks," I mumbled
Cole wheeled my suitcase along with his as we walked towards the second bus,reserved for juniors, Cherry raised a knowing eyebrow at me but said nothing,her smirk said everything
As we climbed in, my eyes scanned the crowd instinctively,i checked the sidewalk, the other buses too.
Adrian wasn't there.
My heart dipped slightly, a flicker of disappointment settling in my chest, I didn't know why i expected him to be the first face I'd see….
The engine rumbled to life, the door hissed closed, and just like that, the bus pulled out of the school gate
The trip had officially begun
The bus hummed steadily as it cruised down the highway, sunlight streaming through the windows and casting warm lines on the seats
Most students were already settled, headphones in, snacks out, half the bus already filming TikToks or gossiping about who packed what.
I sat by the window with my bag on my lap,Cherry had taken the seat in front(strategically) because she tried to get a peek at the cabin placement book that Mrs Martha had
Cole dropped into the seat next to me
"You good with window seat, or want to switch?" he asked, voice low and warm
"I'm good," i smiled
For a few moments, we sat in a comfortable silence,the noise around us felt distant
Cole leaned slightly towards me, resting his arm casually on the edge of his seat. "you excited about the trip? Or just here for the drama?"
I chuckled softly "definitely not the drama,i just… kinda needed the escape".
He glanced at me, eyes lingering "yeah… I get that".
Our eyes met, and for few seconds,the eye contact was locked in
It wasn't awkward
It was....just... soft
Cole shifted, pulling something out of his hoodie pocket "here," he said, handing me a square packet
I raised an eyebrow "chocolate?"
"i see you eating chocolate when you try to reduce stress," he said, smirking a little "thought you might need it".
I laughed "Wow,observant much?"
"I notice things," he said quietly "especially when it's you".
My heart did that annoying skip again
I looked away, smiling to myself,opens the chocolate and eat to hide the blush i felt rising
Arrival at Hillcrest Eco resort
After nearly three hours of winding roads, music sharing, snack trading, and scenic views, the buses finally slowed to a stop at the entrance of Hillcrest Eco Resort.
The resort looked like something out of a Pinterest dream,nestled between tall evergreens, the cabins were spaced out across a soft sloping hill, each one made of polished wood and trimmed in dark stone, A long gravel path led up to the main lodge, where a hand carved wooden sign read:
Welcome to Hillcrest Eco Resort – Nature. Peace. Discovery.
Excited chatter buzzed through the bus as students stood, stretched, and reached for their bags,the doors folded open with a hiss, letting in the fresh scent of pine and earth.
I stepped out into the crisp mountain air, immediately hit by the silence of the forest,it was the kind of quiet that made everything else feel... distant.
"Everyone, over here!" called Mrs. Martha, pasting a clipboard on the resort's notice board,she was one of the younger teachers but took her authority very seriously.
Students began to gather, rolling their suitcases
over the gravel.
"Cabin Three: Maya Monroe, Cherry Hart, and Sadie Blake" was written on the clip board
I and Cherry exchanged excited looks
"Yesss we're together "Cherry squealed "I was so scared I'd get stuck with one of the volleyball girls who only drink protein shakes".
We walked towards the storage compartments beneath the bus,Cherry stopped short, eyes scanning the luggage compartment
"wait, where's mine?"
She crouched, peeking under the bus again
"Maya, I think they put my suitcase in the third bus,you know how mine looks exactly like Amy's".
"Oh no"
"Can you go ahead and find our cabin while I go check the other bus?" Cherry said "It's easier if one of us claims the bed by the window before Sadie gets there".
I grinned "yeah okay"
I tugged my suitcase along the narrow path that curved through the trees, a folded map of the cabin layout clutched in my hand,the numbers were barely visible on the wooden signs, and every cabin looked like the last one
"cabin three… where are you?" i muttered, spinning slowly in place, eyes scanning the rows of wooden buildings up ahead
The gravel beneath my shoes shifted.
Before i realized it, my foot slipped off the path where the ground dipped slightly, my balance tipped backward with a gasp,arms flailing, suitcase dropping with a thud.
I braced for impact.....
But it never came.
Instead, I got caught by a strong arm from behind, steadying my mid fall like a movie scene playing in slow motion
"You always this clumsy in nature, Monroe?"
My breath caught before my brain did
I knew that voice
I twisted slightly, my eyes meeting his.
Adrian.
My heart tripped over itself, He stood behind still holding me close, his grey eyes scanning my face with that same unreadable expression he always wore
"I...what.....I didn't see you earlier,I thought you weren't coming" I blurted, stepping away quickly to fix my hair and my pride
He gave me a smirk, casual and cool
"Missed the bus,I woke up late ended up driving here myself." he nodded, behind him was his black SUV which was parked between two trees.
"Didn't think I'd bump into you this fast though."
I looked at him, my heart still racing, the heat creeping into my cheeks way too fast
He took a step closer.
"You look… tired," he said quietly
My voice softened "i... didn't get much sleep last night".
He stared
There was something lower in his voice now, something that made me forget how to breathe
"Last night, what we..."
"Adrian!"
A voice cut him short
My stomach dropped
Of course
Lisa!!!
She appeared a few steps down the path, all styled up in matching sweats and oversized sunglasses, waving like she owned the forest
"There you are!" she called, ignoring me entirely "Coach Tim said to call you,he asked to see you"
Adrian blinked, jaw tightening slightly
"Coach said right now!!!" Lisa added
My fingers gripped my suitcase handle
The moment vanished,poof, gone like smoke in the air.
As he walked away, following Lisa's voice down the path, I stood frozen for a moment.
Then I exhaled and turned, the number 3 finally coming into view
I found the cabin
The cabin was simple, but cozy
I stepped inside and let the door fall shut behind me with a soft click,warm wood lined every surface floors, walls, even the ceiling
The faint scent of pine lingered in the air, mixed with something sweet, like old vanilla candles, three small beds were arranged neatly in the open room, each with soft flannel bedding, a nightstand, and thick blankets folded at the foot
I dragged my suitcase towards the bed by the window,the one Cherry had told me to claim and sat down slowly
The room was quiet
My fingers traced the pattern on the comforter as my thoughts drifted straight back to him
Adrian
The way he looked at me....
I leaned back against the headboard, eyes on the ceiling beams,my heart still hadn't settled Something about seeing Adrian again stirred things up
I closed my eyes for a second
Then.....
"Helloooooo Cabin Three!"
The door flew open with a dramatic swing
I sat up just in time to see Cherry burst in, suitcase in tow, followed by a tall, slim blonde girl with perfectly sculpted brows and a confident walk—Sadie Blake.
"We are officially moved in," Cherry declared, wheeling her bag toward the middle bed "and guess who found her suitcase after fighting three different teachers? Me!!!"
I smiled "welcome back to civilization".
Sadie set her designer bag on the last bed
"this place is cute,rusty, but like… Instagram rusty".
Cherry flopped down onto her mattress and sighed "Ugh I'm just glad we're not rooming with any seniors,they take 'camp aesthetic' way too serious".
I laughed quietly
Cherry's gaze slid to me "you okay?"
"Yeah," I said quickly
Cherry looked at me with suspicion.
"Or emotionally winded from your little seeing Adrian moment?"
Sadie blinked "wait.....what?"
"Oh yeah," Cherry smirked, eyes gleaming "they have a thing"
I rolled my eyes "Stoppp it's not a thing, how did you even know I saw him"
Cherry grinned "I saw him and Lisa coming out of the path you took,I knew you definitely saw him"
Cherry grinned "what did he say?"
"Not much..... really"
Sadie raised a brow "Mmmm....sounds like unfinished business"
We all laughed
Next day–Dinner at Hillcrest
Strings of warm lights hung from the wooden beams overhead, giving the room a cozy glow Long wooden tables stretched across the space, already filled with students laughing, steaming plates of food, and clinking cutlery
I walked in with Cherry and Sadie, my hair curled softly and my skin glowing with a hint of lip gloss and the tiniest shimmer on my cheeks.
Cole was already seated near the far end of one of the tables, tossing a grape into his mouth and making some of the guys laugh,he spotted me and sat up patting the seat beside him.m
Cherry gave me a look "I'll sit with Sadie."
I rolled my eyes, but smiled, making my way towards Cole
He grinned as I approached "You clean up nice, Maya".
I nudged his shoulder as i sat down "you say that like I don't always look nice".
Cole smirked "I didn't want to sound obsessed"
I laughed, caught off guard, and shook my head "You're ridiculous".
Cole leaned in, elbows on the table, eyes fixed on me like he didn't notice anyone else in the room
We talked, traded jokes, and between bites of pasta and sips of apple juice.
My eyes slightly scanned the room
And there he was.
From across the hall, seated with Ray and a few of the senior guys, Adrian's fork paused mid way. His eyes met mine(we haven't talked since that moment on the trail)
Ray was mid story about something dumb that happened in the boys' cabin, but Adrian wasn't listening anymore.
His eyes were focused on me
For the first time his grey eyes were readable (was this jealously I sense)
I looked away pretending to not notice his stares
Restless Night
The cabin was silent, Cherry and Sadie were fast asleep, their breathing steady in the stillness.
I shifted under my blanket, then suddenly sat up,heart racing, chest tight.
That dream again
It was faint now, already slipping away…
But I remembered the man
And the name
My father's name
I swallowed hard, glancing at my roommates
They were still deep in sleep
But I couldn't go back to sleep
So i quietly pulled on my hoodie, stepped over the creaky floorboard, and slipped outside into the cool night air,searching for space to breathe.
I walked without thinking,my feet crunching softly against the gravel path... I just needed air,space,anything to stop the whirlwind spinning in my chest
I turned a corner behind the main lodge… and froze at a large stone tub, sunk into the ground, steam curling off its surface into the night,warm lights twinkled along the edge,the water glowed gently under them, like a secret hiding place in the forest
And in the tub–Adrian
Shirtless.
Arms stretched along the edge behind him, head tilted slightly as he looked up at the stars. His damp hair was pushed back, droplets of water gliding down his shoulders.
He looked over slowly
"Couldn't sleep either?" he said, voice low, echoing slightly in the open space
I blinked, caught off guard "Yeah kinda... restless".
Adrian gave a small nod, then gestured towards the water "It helps, get in"
The air was cold, the steam was rising, and the look in his eyes made my legs move before my thoughts caught up.
I climbed in slowly, the warm water wrapping around me like silk,I sat opposite him, my knees just above the surface, heart beating faster than i wanted to admit.
The tension was magnetic,like something unspoken finally breaking through
He got closer to me,we stared at each other,the space between us shrinking with every breath
"you get in my head, Monroe" his gaze didn't move from mine "even when I don't want you to"
He paused and continued while maintaining eye contact "when I'm around you, everything feels... quiet and peaceful".
I swallowed hard, pulse quickening "you should've said that last night".
"I would've," he murmured, "but I didn't want to say something I meant while pretending it didn't mean anything".
My breath hitched
We were closer now, almost too close
Then our lips met slow, deep, and hungry,the kiss burned like every second we held back now pouring out all at once, I slid onto his lap, legs straddling him beneath the water, my arms wrapping around his neck
Adrian gripped my waist, fingers pressing into my skin like he couldn't hold me close enough
The steam curled around us, soft music drifting faintly from a speaker near the lodge,slow, sensual, background to the moment that stole the air between us
My fingers ran across his neck, wet skin under my touch, my mouth never leaving his
It was slow
Careful
But reckless
Every kiss said what words hadn't
And in that moment,there was no past, no questions, no noise
Just us