Saturday morning arrived far too quickly. The sky was still soft with pale sunlight, the kind that made rooftops glow gold, when the rented van rolled up outside the school gate. Its engine hummed steadily, and one by one, their group began to gather, backpacks slung over their shoulders and sleepy excitement in their eyes.
"Here we go!" one of their friends shouted, grinning widely as he dragged an oversized bag that looked heavy enough to crush him. The strap slipped off his shoulder twice, earning laughs from the others. Another groaned about forgetting his pillow, clutching his neck as if he could already feel the pain of sleeping without it. Someone else waved a plastic bag bursting with snacks like it was a prized trophy.
Eli adjusted the strap of his own backpack and walked toward them quietly. His friends were buzzing with so much energy it felt surreal—like a switch had been flipped, turning all the stress of exams into laughter and noise. Watching them banter, Eli felt something loosen in his chest. His lips curved into the smallest smile, one he didn't have to think about. Still, he kept himself on the edge of the group, listening more than speaking.
When the van doors opened, chaos broke loose. Everyone scrambled for seats as though they were boarding a rollercoaster instead of a rental. The moment the driver pulled away, music blasted from someone's phone, and the cramped space filled with chatter. A bag of chips was opened within seconds, crumbs already spilling onto laps, and one of their friends started singing loudly and terribly out of tune. The chorus of groans and playful shoves only made him sing louder, which sent the whole van into fits of laughter.
Eli found a spot by the window, the cool glass brushing his arm. He rested his cheek against his palm and let his gaze drift to the scenery outside. The city slipped away in a blur of gray buildings, slowly giving way to wide roads lined with trees. Green stretched out as far as he could see, and the steady rhythm of the moving van wrapped around him like a blanket. The laughter of his friends became background noise—warm, familiar, but distant, as though he were floating just outside the circle of their joy.
He reached into his pocket, fingers brushing against his earphones. He thought about slipping them on, drowning out the noise completely, but then movement pulled his attention back inside.
Across from him, Kai had settled into his seat. He leaned back, arms relaxed, eyes half-lidded as if the noisy van didn't bother him at all. For a moment, Eli thought he was going to close his eyes and nap, but then Kai's gaze lifted—and landed on him.
Their eyes met.
It lasted only a second, maybe less, but it was enough to make Eli's chest tighten. Kai's lips curved into a soft smile, unhurried and unforced, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Heat rushed to Eli's ears before he could stop it. He blinked, turning back toward the window so quickly it almost looked deliberate. Outside, the trees passed in streaks of green, but in the glass, his reflection betrayed him—a small, involuntary smile tugging at his lips.
The road stretched on, carrying them farther from the city and deeper toward the forest. The trip had barely begun, yet Eli could already feel something shifting inside him—a mix of anticipation and unease, excitement tangled with something he couldn't name.
And though he told himself it was just a camping trip, nothing more, his heart refused to settle.