13. Morning Cycling (2)

The umpteenth time Alice wiped the sweat. The resting place is in sight. Some of the students had gotten off their bicycles and were busy catching their breath and filling their stomachs.

A bicycle blocked Alice, forcing the girl to brake suddenly.

"Gosh I didn't mean that, sorry."

Alice calmed herself for a moment then looked up. Kimberley looked at her guiltily.

Smiling, Alice answered. "It's okay, I will indeed stop here." Alice got off the bike and pushed the bike aside.

Kimberley following.

"What group are you in? I'm in group six and haven't seen you before."

"I'm in a group of four."

"Ah, quite far. I'm at the end of the group, that's very soothing."

"That's great! I want at the end of the group too!" said Alice.

"Come on! We'll take the rear position later!" said Kimberley enthusiastically.

"I'll think about it." answered a confused Alice to go with Jessy or Kimberley.

They are looking for a place to sit.

The resting place is in a mini garden which was filled with them all. The garden is the middle of their journey. After resting there they would return to the hostel via a different route.

Byby waved at Alice and Kimberley. Alice did not see her wave while Kimberley immediately pulled Alice towards Byby as soon as she saw her wave.

Byby with some classmates. They gathered in a circle while eating food and drinks. When Alice and Kimberley join forces, they swiped to make room.

"You sweat a lot." Byby handed Alice and Kimberley a box of tissues.

"Thank You." they said together.

"Here, let's drink!" Byby shared the fresh drinks she brought.

"You always need a drink." said Thomas who was sitting there. "Your bag contains a lot of drinks, right?"

"Yes," Byby laughed. "You know I can't hold my thirst."

"You should have bring more to share with us." Charles crawled, took chocolate milk from Byby's bag without permission.

"Hey!" Byby pinched Charles' arm before he managed to drink. "What's the password?" She managed to reclaim the chocolate milk.

Charles rolled his eyes briefly then said, "Byby cutie girl." His voice is very small.

"What? I didn't hear it!"

Thomas laughed. "Byby cutie girl, give me a bottle of tea."

Byby gave a happy thumbs up. "Hehe," She said aloud, "Say the password if you want me to give you a drink!"

"It's not fair. You gave them right away." Christian protests, pointing at Alice and Kimberley.

Kimberley replied. "We are different."

"That's up to me!" Byby said.

Charles glanced at the coveted drink. After that he glanced at Kimberley for a while.

"Byby cutie girl," he said with a smile.

"Oh my gosh you made me blush." Byby said jokingly because Charles often made girls blush when they see his smile.

Kimberley looked at him scornfully. There was annoyance and pain behind her gaze. Alice who noticed Kimberley's expression, nudged her.

"Hey what's wrong?"

"Eh?" Kimberley came to her senses. "Hahahaha gosh I'm fine, forget it."

Alice observing Kimberley. She followed the direction of her eyes and suspected something.

"Okay, if you want don't be shy to say the password! Enjoy."

"Hey did you bring lunch?" whispered Kimberley.

"Yes."

"Let's eat! Break time is erratic, as the teachers like."

Hearing this, Alice immediately devoured her lunch. She brought two servings of rice with soup as a side dish.

She looked around, looking for Jessy and Clarence. She had promised to share snacks with Jessy but she don't know where Jessy was at this time.

"How? You want to take a position in the back?"

Since the bicycle group is not defined by members, students can join freely as long as it does not interfere with the trip.

After considering the answer, Alice finally nodded.

"Okay! Wait for me if I fall behind, okay?"

"Okay."

The two of them were focused on devouring the food while the others were joking. Alice and Kimberley only listen and laugh when they laugh.

Byby looked at Kimberley then turned to Alice. "Hey, you guys are so quiet."

Alice returned Byby's gaze. The others turned to look at them. Then Alice smiled, not knowing how to respond.

Cheryl, their friend who had been playing with her cellphones, finally joined the conversation. "Why don't you ask me?"

"Because I know why you're silent." replied Byby quickly. "Broken heart, right?" After that she laughing.

Cheryl smiled sadly, confirming.

Byby laughed loudly. Realizing the others weren't laughing, she gave an annoyed look. "Why not laugh?"

"What is so funny?" asked Charles casually, folding his arms.

Byby sneered, after which she turned to Alice. "How? It's fun cycling, isn't it?"

"Yes. Soothing." Alice answered.

"You haven't experienced cycling in the rain. A lot of it falls because it's slippery." Byby laughed again, remembering the times she had said.

Thomas replied, "Someone swayed until she crash Mrs. Lily. Remember? Felice from the next class."

"Oh yeah right!" Byby snapped her fingers.

They laughed loudly. Even though Alice didn't know who Felice was, she laughed along.

"See her expression when she knew it was Felice who crash her?" Cheryl asked.

Kimberley added. "She didn't get mad and didn't know what to say."

"Imagine if it was Britney who bumped into her, Mrs would have been more depressed in front of us." cried Charles.

Kimberley look at him sarcastically. Alice who realized it was getting suspicious of something especially when Charles looked at Kimberley flatly.

"Gosh I hate that but I think it's true. Mrs. Lily is a teacher who submits to power." Byby said.

Seeing Kimberley's still annoyed expression, Byby smiled slyly. "You know what, Alice? Kimberley ever--"

"BYBY!!" Kimberley shouted loudly interrupting Byby's conversation. She glared at Byby. "Want to die?!"

Byby put on a scared face. "The ferocity is out it's out...."

"What do you want to tell?" Cheryl urges.

"No, forget it." Byby looked at Kimberley with a smile, meaning she was joking.

"I know. Kimberley must have thrown Mrs. Lily and got scolded."

"Don't talk carelessly!" Kimberley picked up a nearby bottle, ready to cast it if Thomas continued with the story' essay.

"Stop talking about Mrs, she often appears out of the blue." said Cheryl who actually laughed the loudest. "But I guess we have to imagine her splashing."

"Hey, time to pack up." tell Christian who rejoins after going to the toilet.

"Well, very fast." Byby tidied up her things lazily.

"Wow, it's cloudy! Hopefully something happens that we expect!" Cheryl exclaimed excitedly.

"What happened?" asked Christian.

"Think by yourself."

Alice chuckled softly. She stood with her back to the bag.

"Come on!" invite Kimberley to take the end of the group position.