III : The Four

FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER

Exams were finished. Students were back from their mid-sem break. Now it's time to announce the names of the four students. Mrs.Rogers enters the class.

"Hello class!" She says in a very cheerful mood,"Today is the day. Yesterday in the morning, all the senior teachers sat down to select the students who will go on this trip. We have made this decision according to your exam result marks, discipline..."

'Oh my god, am I going to be a part of the four? Why do I always get nervous in situations like this?' June's concentration drifts from Mrs.Rogers' speech.

"Nervous Gold?" Sky asks from behind. In the past few months June and Sky have become really good friends. Finally June is starting to feel that maybe she, too, will get a real friend.

"Are you not nervous?" she asks.

"A question answered by a question. Nice. Well yeah of course I'm nervous."

"So then why are you asking me?"

"Because clearly you are way more nervous than me Gold," he says while pointing his eyes at June's right hand. She was shaking her pen continuously.

"Calm down, Gold," he says.

June smiles at him and keeps the pen on the desk and concentrates on Mrs.Rogers.

"And the names are," Mrs.Rogers now takes a deep breath, "Coral Mason, Derek Wingston..."

'Maybe I'm not in the list,' thinks June and takes the pen in hand in motion to start shaking it again as if that helped her.

Mrs.Rogers continues to say the next name, "Sky Rudolph and the last name is..."

'Oh god, don't pause just say the name, say the NAME,' June thinks.

"The last name is June Gold!"

'WHAT?! Did she really say my name or am I hallucinating?'

"Congratulations to these four children!" Coral, Derek and Sky burst into excitement.

'I'm not dreaming, I'm not. Ohmygod.'

"I'm so proud of you. I hope that you will not let me down kids. Now pack up your bags cause we are flying. Submit your passport and all other necessary information like allergies and blood groups or any diseases like asthma. Go to the office to complete the formalities," Mrs.Rogers says.

"Congrats Gold!" Sky says patting on June's back.

"Congrats to you too Sky. I'm sooo happy!"

"Oh yeah I can see that in your face."

The four come out of the class to go to the office.

"This is such a great opportunity!" Derek says.

"Yes, I'm so excited to go on this trip," Coral says. Her lips covered in coral pink lipstick. "You two are June and Sky right?" She continues.

"Yep, I'm so looking forward to this trip. We could be like really good friends, right Sky?" June says.

"Oh absolutely, we could be called 'the four' or something, right bro?" Sky says.

"Oh yeah sure, 'The Four' sounds good!" says Derek.

"Yess, so cool!" says Coral.

"Wait, can we go on double dates?" Derek says.

"Oh oh no we are not dating Derek," June slightly smiles.

"Oh we are not dating either, what Derek said is that we could act like couples and do dinners together," Coral says.

"Now let's go to the office and complete the formalities," Sky says.

They go to the office and fill up all the forms.

"So see you guys later, sounds good?" Sky says that quickly grabbing June's arm.

"Don't you have classes now?" Derek asks.

"Oh we have some work to finish," Sky says.

'Work? What work? What's he up to now ?' June thinks.

"Okay, see you guys later then, let's go Coral."

Sky and June wave them goodbye. Sky starts walking holding June's arm in the hallway.

"So what do you want to do now?" Derek asks Coral.

"Do I have any option other than attending the class?"

"You look really pretty when you are irritated," Derek smiles. A ray of sunshine falling on Coral's pale peach face. Her curly blonde hair was looking kinda yellow because of the sunlight. She actually looked pretty.

"I've noticed one thing," says Coral.

"What?"

"Before the mid-sem break I told you that I like football players and since then you have started flirting with me," says Coral. Derek was a football team captain back in high school.

"So you are saying you don't like my presence?" Derek says coming one step closer to her leaving only ten inches distance between them.

This made her heart beat a little faster than her normal pace. She tries to be normal and says,"Oh yeah, who can resist the presence of the great Derek," she gives a friendly push to him and rolls her eyes at him. Derek has been a really good friend to her since day one of uni. Derek was tall, tall enough to keep his head on top of her head if they hugged.

"Let's go to the class, I don't wanna get scolded because of you," Coral holds his hand and tries to drag him to the class.

"Someday you will like the presence," he whispers and she pretends as if she didn't hear it.