Settling in...

Finally, the day they had all been eagerly anticipating arrived.

Excitement buzzed in the air as they gathered their bags and piled into the van. Jake, ever the responsible one, had volunteered to drive, and his trusty van could fit all eight of them comfortably.

Jake took the wheel with Lily sitting beside him.

Behind them sat Chloe, Natalie, and Ethan, while Noah and Ava occupied the back seat.

"Ready for an adventure?" Jake asked with a grin as he started the engine.

"You bet!" Noah replied enthusiastically, his excitement mirrored in the faces of his friends.

.

.

.

The drive to the mountains took about five hours, but the time flew by in a whirlwind of laughter, games, and conversations.

They shared stories, played music, and even indulged in some lighthearted teasing.

"Are we there yet?" Ethan asked for the tenth time, leaning forward to peer out the window.

"Almost," Jake assured him, chuckling. "Patience, my friend."

Finally, they arrived at their destination. The van rolled to a stop, and one by one, they climbed out, stretching their legs and taking in the fresh mountain air.

Noah looked around and grinned. "Finally, we are here!"

Lily stretched her arms above her head. "Yeah, never thought that a five-hour drive could be so tiring."

Jake rolled his eyes playfully. "Why are you complaining when I'm the one who's been driving?"

Ethan looked up at the house and whistled. "Wow... The house looks so old."

Ava shivered slightly. "What the hell, it looks so scary."

Lily smirked. "Are you scared?"

Ava quickly shook her head. "What? N-No, I'm not scared."

Noah clapped his hands. "Okay, let's go, let's go."

.

.

.

They made their way inside the house. It was an old villa, with creaky floors and a musty smell, but it was also surprisingly clean.

The furniture was vintage, and the decor had a charmingly rustic feel.

"Yaa, this looks so shabby," Natalie remarked, wrinkling her nose.

Chloe's eyes sparkled with excitement. "It will be adventurous!"

Natalie nodded slowly. "Yeah..."

Jake stifled a yawn. "Whatever. I'm going to sleep because I'm tired."

Lily raised a hand to stop him.

"Okay, but first let's decide the rooms. There are four rooms in this villa. Me and Jake will stay in this room. Chloe and Natalie can stay in this one."

She glanced at Ava, Noah, and Ethan. "As for you three..."

Noah looked at Ava and then back at Lily.

*BLINKING *

"Me and Ava can stay together if she doesn't mind."

Lily smirked and looked at Ava. "Ohh...Well, Em, are you comfortable with it?"

Ava glanced at Noah, who was smiling at her

She felt her cheeks heat up. "Y-Yeah, I have no problem."

Noah smiled and blushed. "Great."

Lily nodded. "Okay then, Ethan will stay in the last room."

Ethan groaned. "What! Why am I staying alone? I should have brought Max with me..."

Chloe sighed. "Yeah, you could have invited him here."

Ethan explained, "Well, I did, but he said that he will be going back to the UK to meet his grandparents."

Chloe nodded in understanding. "Ohh..."

Jake stretched again. "Anyway, I'm going to sleep."

Lily stopped him once more. "Okay, but let's eat something first."

Jake relented with a smile. "Okay..."

They gathered in the kitchen and prepared a simple meal together.

The atmosphere was filled with camaraderie as they cooked, joked, and shared stories. After eating, they finally headed to their respective rooms to rest.

...

In Ava and Noah's room, an awkward silence settled in as they unpacked their bags.

Ava nervously fidgeted with her clothes, unsure of how to broach the subject of sleeping arrangements.

Noah finally broke the silence.

"Well, umm, you can sleep in the bed. I will sleep on the couch."

Ava turned to him, shaking her head. "Uh, no, no, you can sleep here with me."

Noah looked at her, surprised. "Are you sure?"

Ava smiled shyly. "Yup."

Noah returned her smile. "Okay..."

....

Hehe...don't worry nothing is gonna happen...

Hehehe...

Ohh...

I am watcher...as you know me from other novels...

I am your friendly watcher.

I do nothing but comment and silently watch...

Well...

Hehehe...it's a horror novel...if it was a romance...then...

Hehehehehe....I can only imagine...

Hehehe....

....

As they settled into their respective sides of the bed, Ava couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. This trip was already proving to be more eventful than she had imagined.

Nightfall brought a serene quiet to the old villa. The forest outside hummed with the sounds of nature, creating a tranquil backdrop to their first night in the mountains.

Jake and Lily lay in their room, the day's journey catching up to them. "Today was fun," Lily said softly, snuggling into her pillow.

"Yeah," Jake agreed, his voice heavy with sleep. "I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings."

In the next room, Chloe and Natalie whispered excitedly about the adventures that awaited them. "This place is amazing," Chloe said, her eyes sparkling even in the dim light.

"Totally," Natalie agreed. "I'm so glad we decided to come."

Ethan, alone in his room, felt a mix of excitement and a hint of loneliness. "I hope this trip brings some unexpected surprises," he murmured to himself, looking out the window at the starry sky.

Meanwhile, in Ava and Noah's room, a comfortable silence settled between them. They lay side by side, each lost in their own thoughts.

Ava glanced at Noah, who was staring at the ceiling, a small smile on his face.

"This is going to be an unforgettable trip," she thought, feeling a warm sense of anticipation.

*****