Chapter 94
Chapter 94
111 calling your names and the group you will be the place is well is then Mes Flipline called co
“I am hoping to be in the same group with wh on way of y’all but do not let me lart because congratulations You guys kind of gave me a forest phobis why the while make prank ut fcould get as fint out of fear of
Jead
“Nors Hartley and Chloe Stanton.
Nor froze
“Her again? Chloe groaned. “Why do you want this dumpster stuck by my sider
“Oh no, not the dumpster Nora whispered, moving closer to Mrs Hopkins: “Can you please change my partner ma? Anyone but her.”
“I’m sorry dear, I can’t. That’s the essence of this. We want you to learn how to build good communication and at least a bit of loyalty, even to people you once felt uncomfortable staying with.”
“Ugh fine,” Chloe said, already striding toward her like she owned the ground they were standing on
Maya leaned in to me. “That’s a disaster waiting to happen.”
“Maybe Nora will surprise us,” I shrugged.”
“I love her, but she’ll get bullied by Chloe. Nora is too shy and calm for her own good sometimes.”
“We’ll help her if she needs it.” I sighed.
“Obviously.”
“Group Two,” Mrs Hopkins continued, “Aria Morales and Maya Brown.”
Maya grabbed my arm with a shriek and shook me. “YES! WE ARE TOGETHER WE ARE TOTALLY GOING TO WIN. I FEEL IT IN MY BONES.”
“You’re hurting me, calm down.”
“I’m too excited to care!”
I laughed and tried to ignore the sweet tightness forming in my chest at how excited she looked. She’s the best friend I’m glad to have. Being with Maya always made me feel grounded–like no matter how weird things got, I wouldn’t completely fall apart.
“This is unfair, you look quite happy without me, queen.” Jamal said
“You’ll be fine,” Maya chuckled.
Mrs. Hopkins raised her voice again. “Each group will be sent into the forest with a map. Your task is to
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Chapter 94
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retrieve seven flags–one for each color of the rainbow. The first group to return with all seven wins a prize.”
Maya’s eyes sparkled. “Prize. Prize. Prize.”
I nudged her. “Focus girl.”
“I AM focused. On the prize of course.”
Mr. Halden handed us a map–it’s a simple hand–drawn, with scribbles marking large landmarks. The lake, stream, big boulders, a few tall trees labeled as “guide trees.”
“Remember,” he mutters, “the paths are not marked. Use the landmarks.”
“Don’t worry,” Maya said confidently. “Aria’s got a brain that actually works.”
“Wow. Thank you,” I rolled my eyes.
“You’re welcome,” she replied smugly. “It’s the highest compliment you might get today.”
“Will be getting one when we win.”
“Then it will be your first compliment today.”
Nora came up to us, wringing her hands. “I’m… um… going with Chloe now.”
“You’ll be great,” I smiled.
“I pray I make it,” she groaned, her back slumped. “She’s so annoying. She’s already telling me to walk faster.”
Maya frowned. “Do you need us to rescue you?”
“No. I will be fine.” She straightened her back a little. “I’ll do it.”
“Hey! NORA!” Chloe shouted from across, “can’t you move it already?”
Nora flinched and hurried over.
“That girl needs therapy,” Maya muttered.
“Which one of the girls?” I asked.
“Both. None is normal.”
I snorted.
Mrs. Hopkins blew a whistle after calling the rest of the names.
“Teams, get ready! Maps out. Supplies checked. On my count-”
Maya grabbed my shoulders. “Let’s have some fun girl.”
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Chapter 94
“Of course.” I wrap my hair up into a bun.
“Three!” Mrs. Hopkins shouted.
Maya let go of me. “I’m breathing. I’m ready. I’m not ready. I haven’t packed any junks.
“Two!”
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I ignored her, unfolding the map. The forest stretched ahead of us–scribbles of sunlight slicing through the trees, leaves rustling gently in the breeze.
“One!”
And then-
“GO!”
Everyone scattered into the trees.
Maya grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward. “RUN, ARIA. RUN LIKE THE WIND.”
“Stop yelling! We don’t have to run like the others. Slow and steady always wins the ra…”
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“I CAN’T. I’M TOO EXCITED.” She shrieked, “and this is not a fairytale that the slowest would win.”
We dashed down the dirt path until it split into three directions. The crowd spread out, disappearing between the trees.
I stopped, studying the map. “Okay. First flag… red. It’s supposed to be near the riverbend.”
“Where’s that?”
I pointed. “Here. Northwest.”
“Which way is northwest?”
I looked at her. “Please don’t tell me you don’t know directions.”
“I’m an upcoming model, not a geographer.”
“Really? I had no idea.” I replied sarcastically.
“You’re numb emotionally.”
“Yes.”
“And romantically.”
“Thanks.” I laughed and turned toward the right path. “Northwest is this way.”
“Got it! I’ll walk behind you and pretend I knew that.”
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We started moving deeper into the forest. Leaves crunched under our shoes. The air smelled like pine and something sweet. Birds chirped overhead.
Maya walked beside me, humming dramatically while kicking her foot against a few pebbles stones.
After a few minutes, she asked, “Thinking about the mystery girl again?”
I stiffened. “No.”
“Liar.”
I didn’t answer, I wasn’t even thinking of her for real, at least not yet.
Maya didn’t push–she never did–but she bumped her shoulder into mine gently.
“If you’re really curious and you’re ready to talk to her, you can meet up with her,” she said.
I nodded. “Yeah.”
We followed the path until the sound of water trickled through the trees leading to a river? I thought he said it’s a stream. The riverbend came into view–smooth stones, sunlight shimmering on the surface, and-
“There!” Maya shouted, pointing at something. “RED FLAG!”
A bright red square of fabric hung from a branch on the other side of the water.
“Great,” I said. “We just have to cross.”
Maya crouched, peering at the water like she expected it to bite her. “Is it… deep?”
“I don’t think they would want to endanger our life by putting it across something deep.”
“I guess you’re right,” she hummed. “Are there fish?”
“There should be.”
“Evil fish?”
“Are we doing this question stuff instead of trying to take that before another team comes?” I groaned
She narrowed her eyes. “But I don’t trust it.”
I stepped onto a rock in the water. “Come on.”
Maya followed me, making exaggerated fear noises the whole way.
We reached the other side, grabbed the flag, and tied it to my waist chain and covered it with my clothes. “It’s better not to alert other teams about what flag we’ve got.”
“One down,” she said, puffing up proudly. “We’re so good at this.”
“Don’t jinx it.”
“Oh please, nothing’s going to-”
“Haaaaaaa…” A loud scream echoed from somewhere deeper in the forest.
