Chapter Twenty Two : Enroute

Xia jumped from the bed, packed her bag and rushed towards the door. She was in hurry to go. She was sweating as if she is running from something. She started to search for her car keys but they were no where to be found she panicked and started throwing things. After sometime she found the keys and ran from her house. She started her car and drove off.

It was still night. Street lights were dimly lit and the night was cold and little bit foggy. She was driving recklessly and viewing the rear mirror as if to check if someone is following her.

She took a sharp turn and from nowhere a truck came and collided with her car. Her car slipped and hit the pole. Xia's head hit steering wheel and started bleeding. She lost hope and was ready to say goodbye to this world. She was about to close her eyes but in meanwhile someone came and opened the door of the car and took her in his arms. She couldn't see properly who it was but he was saying something and she couldn't hear his voice properly.

She felt a little tap on her face. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Orion was there and he was carrying her in his arms.

"Xia stay with me. Open your eyes," Orion was pleading with a melancholic voice. He was looking crest fallen.

Xia tried to say something but it seems like her mouth is choked. She was trying hard to speak but all was vain.

"Why were you running away from me? Don't you know how much I love you? I can't live without you my El monito. You're the only reason I wake up daily. Our story haven't even started and you're leaving me! How can you be so cruel my love? Have some mercy and wake up," Orion said and tears started falling from his eyes.

Xia was clueless. She couldn't comprehend what was happening. She had no idea why Orion was saying all those things to her.

When did he started loving her? It was really necessary to call her monkey while confessing his love! Damn him she thought to herself.

Suddenly a bright headlights flashed behind him. Xia saw that truck again and this time it was coming towards both of them. She tried to shout and warn Orion but no words came out of her mouth and only tears started flowing. Orion was too busy in his sorrow that he didn't notice anything and truck was approaching them with lighting speed, it was about to hit them....

*Meow* *meow*

Xia felt a heavy thing jump on her belly. She woke up with heavy breathing. She opened her eyes and found out she was in her room only on her bed and Timmy was sitting on her tummy. She took a breathe of relief.

What a horrible nightmare!!

She looked at Timmy who was staring her with loving eyes. She laughed and patted its back. "Thank you chubby guy for saving me," she smiled and hugged him. Timmy happily purred.

She looked at the clock. Oh no! She was late. She rushed to get ready.

She said her parents goodbye and took all her stuff and driver dropped her at the college. When she reached everyone was already settled at the bus. She hurried up to get in the bus and saw her gang waiting for her.

"I'm so sorry guys," she said sheepishly.

"Not a new thing for her majesty. Chill out," Reese yawned and gave a boring look.

Tora smacked Reese and said it's okay.

"Why you guys are not in the bus?," Xia asked with confused look.

"Of course because of you. We were waiting for her highness to show up," Reese teased her again. Reese looked like he just got up from his bed and showed up here. He was wearing a grey sweatshirt with hoodie on his head and black trousers with black shoes. His messy hairs we're looking good though.

Xia frowned and faced Gordon.

He was standing there silently. He was well dressed in navy blue jeans and white tee with grey shoes. Hair done with perfection.

He sighed.

" There's no place for us in the back, its occupied by Sordid group  and we don't want to sit in the front with teachers and only available place is there," he answered.

"Yeah," Tora pouted. She was looking so cute in her black dungaree and white tee. Her high pony was perfectly suiting her face.

Xia nodded.

Xia herself was wearing a baby pink dungaree and white tee with white sneakers. She has done her hair in half pony and make up was basic with winged eye liner and pale shade of pink lipstick.

Gordon saw Xia struggling to carry her luggage and laughed.

"Here give it to me," he said and kept her luggage with his.

"May I know why both of you're dressed as nursery grade sisters?," Reese asked with amusement.

" It's called twinning, you empty head," Tora thundered.

"Oh! So I guess even Gordon is twinning with you guys with White tee," Reese said with smug face.

Gordon noticed that all three them were wearing white tee except Reese. He shaked his head in disappointment.

"Man don't involve me in this," Gordon said with a deadpan look.

"Guys!! We have more important matters here," Xia said with irritation clearly visible on her face.

" What is that?," Reese asked pulling her hair from behind.

"Stop it!! How we will go there if there is no place for us? It's not like we're gonna stand all the way there!," She replied. The horror of standing in the bus till they reach there hit her and now she got hell worried.

"Here goes her majesty and her group throwing tantrums," Ivy said peeking from the bus window.

And the Sordid group strikes!

"Why don't you keep your mouth shut or else you will get thrown out of the bus," Tora replied. Everyone started laughing and left Ivy speechless.

Mr Anderson arrived and asked why we are standing outside the bus, Gordon told him that there is no place in the bus for us. He told us to come inside he will find a way to get us seats.

The gang don't wanted to go inside but they don't have any other options.

They took their luggages and walked towards the bus but then a black SUV arrived. The door of the car opened and Orion walked out from the car.

"Good morning Mr Steinkuhler," Mr Anderson greeted with a hand shake. He shook his hand and gave him a nod.

He looked at us and gave his usual sexy but highly annoying smirk. Today he was not in his formals but he was dressed casually in blue denims and white tee. He had is black sunglasses on. His hair were messy and shower wet.

"What's up kiddos? Not ready to go yet?," He asked with cocky tone.

"We don't have space in the bus," Tora replied in sweeter than honey tone and a big smile.

"I see. Sir if I have your permission then I can take them with me," Orion offered to help and looked at Me Anderson for permission.

Gordon shook his head and sighed. Xia patted his back and smiled. These two clearly weren't pleased with the offer but on the other side Tora and Reese were more than happy.

Mr Anderson took few seconds to decide and gave his approval.

"Thanks man. You're a saviour. I was not in the mood to ride in that zoo for a bus," Reese said cheerfully.

He loaded his luggage in the back of the car.

Gordon was not pleased to see Orion there but he didn't say anything. He noticed what Orion is doing these days, always finding an excuse to conscript his way in his group. What he doesn't  know is why he is doing that? From when he is interested in hanging out with bunch of college kids? Or maybe he is coming with them because of only one person, Xia. Orion's father already told him to stay away from her even he himself asked him to stay away from her so he better not get close to her. Plus He is Orion! He won't go such lengths only for a girl. This is totally not his style. Or maybe he is after something else. Well he is Orion one can never predict what he is up to. He had to find out about this cahoots.

He shook all those thoughts away from his mind and quietly loaded his and girls' luggage in the back.

They all settled down in the car. Gordon sat in the front with Orion. Reese sat with Tora and Xia in the back.

"Everyone settled down comfortably I hope," Orion said adjusting the upper mirror of the car.

"Yeah very much," Reese said with a toothy smile and placed his arms around Xia and Tora who were sitting on his left and right side. Both the girls slapped his hands and he quickly removed his hands.

"Relax kittens," Reese said with a frown.

Everyone chuckled seeing his funny face.

"Okay then. Let's begin our journey," Orion announced.

"Buddy don't tell me you too agreed to twin with these nursery grade kids?," Reese said with goofy face.

"I beg your pardon?," Orion replied with confusing look.

"Your t-shirt, it's white, just like us," Gordon answered in a bored tone.

Orion laughed noticing others' white T-shirt.

Whole journey Reese, Xia and Tora teased and fought with each other. For first half an hour they fought to play their favorite songs but no one won because the owner of the ride decided that no songs will be played. They have to sing their favourite songs.

Xia was not in the mood to enjoy. She was disturbed because of her strange nightmares and the fact that Orion is always there. She couldn't comprehend what those nightmare are all about. She didn't participated in the her friends concert and kept her eyes at the window looking at the greenery. She was falling asleep but suddenly something hit her head when she opened her eyes she saw cheetos in her lap. She turned her face to see everyone is holding a packet of cheetos as she open her mouth to say something they all started to throw cheetos and other chips at her. They all ended up in laughing riot. This left Xia with about to cry face. They all stopped and everyone became silent.

"Hey are you okay? We're sorry. We were just trying to cheer you up. It seemed little out of place today," Gordon said with concern.

Xia looked up with her gloomy eyes and snatched the packet of cheetos from Reese and starting throwing cheetos at them.

"You sly fox," Tora laughed.

Everyone was enjoying food attack.

"Guys that's enough you all have already made my sweetheart dirty. I guess we should end this here," Orion interrupted with a disappointed face.

"Oh please! You can clean your car afterwards. Don't be a buzzkill grandpa," Xia pouted. She leaned to his seat and poured the whole packet of potato chips on his head.

For a second there was pin drop silence but the look on Orion's face caused a laughing riot.

All the way they were doing silly things, clicking photos, singing songs at top of their lungs.

In between some moment Orion and Xia's eyes would meet. They didn't talked to each other for the whole time. They would just pass each other glances and whenever one is caught by other they would shift their gazes.

Finally after five hours of driving they reached their destination. When they reached there everyone in the back seat was asleep.

"Rise and shine monkey,".

Xia felt someone knocking on her head. She rubbed her eyes, straighten her back and she opened her eyes to see Orion standing in front of her with his evil smirk.

She furiously came out of the car and punched him in the stomach.

"This is a way to wake up someone??," she thundered.

"And here is an angry monkey," he laughed.

"Whatever," she left to take her luggage.

Mrs Nate gathered everyone and told them that the sponsoring company has allotted some old lodges for everyone. The rooms has been given according to roll numbers and in front of every room a name slip is placed so students can go and retire in their respective rooms.

She also informed that today there will be no task as everyone is tired from the journey so the internship will start from tomorrow.

Xia and gang were looking for their rooms but they couldn't find it. It's like someone has skipped their roll numbers.

"Gordon do you want to say something," Tora narrowed her eyes at him.

"What? Why I would want to say anything?," he replied with confused look.

"Think harder man," Reese folded his hand on his chest.

"Ohh," Suddenly something hit Gordon's mind. "About that guys I'm sorry I totally forgot to mention that issue to Orion," he answered.

"Great. Here I was worried that we will get separate room but now it looks like none of us have any room," Xia sighed and sat on her suitcase.

Reese and Gordon went to ask the teacher about their rooms. Tora and Xia were waiting for them.

"Xia are you okay,"? Tora asked leaning against the wall.

"Yeah. Why do you ask?," Xia said not sure what Tora is asking about.

"Nothing. I just felt you're acting different today," Tora replied.

"No, it's nothing. I just had a weird dream last night and very unusual things have been happening with me these days. Listen I have to tell you something but first promise me you won't freak out okay?," Xia said.

"Promise. Promise. You can tell me anything," Tora said giving an assuring smile.

"Ladies what are you doing here?,"

Xia turned and saw Orion towering her. He was looking at her with a charming smile and then he looked at Tora, " You don't want to go to your room?," he asked her.

Xia turned her face to Tora, who was star struck. Her eyes were twinkling and her face displaying biggest smile possible. Xia sighed and said ," It seems they forgot to assign rooms to us,"

"I see. Let's go then and see if this is the case," Orion replied.

"Gordon and Reese are already on this," Xia replied dryly.

"It won't do any harm if we too look in this matter.More the merrier. Am I right Tora?," he chuckled more like teasing Xia by trying to get her best friend's support.

"Right," Tora chippered.

She dragged Xia with her. Three of them walked together in complete silence but it still didn't stop the starring competition between Xia and Orion. They were secretly stealing glances of each other. In case of Xia, If looks could kill nobody would want to be Orion but the way Orion was looking at her it was something inexplicable.

"Here these are your rooms," Orion directed towards the old buildings in front of them.

"This is so beautiful," Xia muttered looking at the old building with awe.