The Perv In the Fedora

I was crouched behind a tree that overlooked the exit of my house, eyes watching carefully as a limousine pulled up. Its go time.

Arid, Olivia, Fey, and Autumn piled into the limousine and my father sauntered out. He had on a Hawaiian shirt and cargo pants. Someday someone would need to teach that man what fashion is. I face palmed and kept myself behind the tree.

A few long seconds passed and Veronica stuttered out looking like she was a zookeeper, her shorts rather tight.

I slapped myself to keep composure and watched as the limousine started and zoomed away. I made sure to feel for the camera in my trench coat pocket and turned around. Behind me a yellow bike laid quietly in a pile of leaves. A smile crept over my face as I stood it up and kicked the brake away.

I peddled down the steps leading to the shrine, the winter air whooshing past me as I skidded to a stop.

Its time bitches.

Peddle after peddle I followed the limousine from a far distance, some pedestrians glancing at me with awkward smiles. I waved back.

I made my way by a playground, a few of the mothers watching with daggers in their eyes. Jeez, do I look that shady.

I annoyingly peddled faster as I kept my face hidden.

After about twenty minutes, we passed by Grand Dobi. The extravagant school waiting patiently for students to return after the weekend was over. I gestured to it, in due time my friend.

The base of Mt. Pyre was surrounded by a high gated wall. A few dozens of people piled out and made their way toward the building at the gate. My family took their sweet time to go, me being only a few people behind them.

"The full trip, and also a camera expense." I said with a smile. The kid at the register also smiled at me.

"Have a nice hike, we have checkpoints for breaks throughout the trail, enjoy!"

I gave him a thumbs up, "Oh indeed I will."

I started to walk away but a hand was placed on me, the kid at the register smirked with menace, "If you are trailing those girls, the best place is the third checkpoint, the wind is just right."

He winked at me. I blinked rapidly and looked if anyone noticed our exchange. I leaned in, "How did you know?!"

The boy pointed at the camera in my hand, "I am a fellow enthusiast you could say, be safe, and don't get caught."

What???!!?

I guess this was something I should be thankful for? I thanked the man reluctantly and shoved the camera in my pocket. People are so fuckig weird.

I stayed the course, my eyes glued to Fey whose eyes were deader than a fish. Autumn sneezed and gestured to Arid for a tissue. Olivia however, was far from the pack, her eyes watching the dead trees as a bird floated to one branch. She wore a pink blouse and a thick red leather sweater with a black skirt, her hair clipped up with a flower.

I caught myself staring, my eyes slowly dropping to her skirt which swayed in the wind. Arid turned toward me and and I quickly grabbed my camera and aimed it toward a group of people.

As the path broke off into multiple paths, less people piled behind them, making me have to keep my head down.

As we came to checkpoint one, a little concrete area was situated with a small place with restrooms. The incline was more noticeable and a few droplets of sweat dripped down my body.

Who in their right minds found this fun? Like what the fuck...

I edged toward the metal railing that overlooked the city. I found myself taken aback at the view. The city was laid out with precision, each building so small compared to Grand Dobi, the school having ten or so buildings all connected by paths. Behind the school was a huge square garden filled with hundreds of multicolored flowers and trees with browning leaves. This view was amazing, I almost wanted to cry.

But of course my manly-ness choked it back.

I glanced at my camera, knowing only how to take pictures, I mean I hope that was it. I aimed the camera at the glorious view.

"You have a good eye, this is the single best time for taking pictures of the city."

I froze at the sound of a familiar voice.

A young girl with short blonde hair and a red flannel stood holding a camera. A black skirt also flowing in the warm air.

It was Amelia Amaris, the girl who gave me a ride to my first day at Grand Dobi.

Oh.My.God.

I shriveled up and retracted my camera. I lowered my voice, "Indeed it is."

I pulled the collar of my coat up to cover everything but my eyes. This was bad, beyond bad. If she figured out it was me then...

Wait, I relaxed. No one knew they were my sisters. I sighed and let the collar fall back into place.

"Hey."

Amelia blushed and looked away, "UH-I-heh?"

I put my hands out, "So why are you up here?"

She clapped her hands together and took a deep breathe, "I like taking photos of pretty things."

I smiled and nodded, "I guess I do too, couldn't help but want to snap this."

Amelia weakly nodded, "Yeah I came up here with a friend."

I raised an eyebrow, " A frien-"

Olivia hugged Amelia from behind, "Hey Amy, did you get the picture you wanted?"

The two were distracted for a single second.

Hop*

Olivia smiled and removed her scarf, " who were you talking too?"

Amelia pointed to my previous position, "Oh just Wa-"

She stopped and realized I no longer was next to her. Olivia karate chopped Amelia on the head, "Are you seeing ghost again, I told you they don't exist."

The two giggled and I heard them clack away from me. I exhaled, my body stuck in a pile of shrubbery five feet below the railing.

Ouch, that hurt!

I craned my neck up and saw that Amelia was gone. "Jesus that was close."

I sighed heavily per usual and pushed myself off of the thorns that stabbed my side. I dusted the leaves away.

A kid stared at me and his father beckoned him to stop. I waved at the kid and turned toward my sisters.

The summit appeared.

Being five feet beneath the platform made it were I had an angle straight for two walking away. The only difference was, I couldn't tell the two apart. The same maroon snickers and black tights, and due to the railing, I couldn't see anything else.

I zoomed in and made sure no one was watching.

Was I really going to do this?

Could I possibly do this?

Why was this needed?

Fuck, I was crumbling under pressure.

"Take the damn picture!"

I jumped and the camera slipped out of my hands. I quickly grabbed it before it hit the dirt.

Jane and Sam stood behind me.

Jane wore a short cut purple dress and a yellow sunhat with yellow rimmed glasses resting on her perfect nose. Sam wore a red collared shirt and regular jeans.

He nervously looked away, "Why the hell do you look like a creep?!"

Jane slapped me on the back, "That's besides the point, WHY ARE YOU HESITATING!"

I put my hands up in defense, "Well I needed a perfect picture and you just had to-"

Jane leaned in, our lips inches apart, "I know hesitation when I see it, especially in men."

Sam grabbed her shoulder, "Chill Jane, being a pervert is a lot of pressure."

Jane sighed and rolled her eyes, "Well we don't have time, We have to plan your speech for next Friday. Seven days, do you know how long it takes to write a damn speech?"

I stopped, "Wait how did you know I was here?"

Jane and Sam looked at each other, and their faces went red.

"Because!" They both blurted out.

Oh?

A devilish grin spread across my face, "Because is suuuuuch a vague answer. Maybe perhaps a date by chance?"

Sam started to walk away and Jane followed, "As if." They both said in unison.

Bummer...

I quickly caught up to them and matched their pace. I could care less how they got here, we had a job we needed to do. If I wanted to have a sliver of a chance to run for President.

Why do you even wanna run Warren?

I ignored the question and pushed on, "So we should wait for checkpoint three."

They stared at me, "And why is that?" Jane said as she twirled he purple hair. Sam shrugged as she spoke.

"I got intel that said opportunity would arise in that location, trust me..."

Jane narrowed her eyes, "And if we fail?"

I swallowed hard, "Then we fail."

Sam face palmed and Jane completely blew me off.

I could of said something epic there but I settled on that. I slapped myself internally and drooped my shoulders. I sucked ass at punchlines.

The sun was still high in the air and somehow the frigid cold that was present this morning was replaced by five o-clock heat waves. The trench coat I was wearing getting quite stuffy.

Checkpoint Two arrived at our feet.

"Amelia is here?!"

Sam said as he was crouched behind a bush.

I gestured for him to be quiet down. Jane was also crouched, a pair of binoculars pressed against her eyelids.

"Look at all these fit men, I could just gobble them up..."

I grimaced as I saw drool on her bottom lip. Jane was very interesting indeed. I shook my gaze away from the hound dog and leaned over to Sam, "So what were you guys doing before you came here?"

Sam shrugged, "We just wanted to discuss your speech and saw a weirdo on a bike peddling after a limousine."

I scratched the back of my neck, "Hehe, was it that obvious?"

Sam and Jane nodded in unison.

I was really starting to hate these two together.

Arid and Fey pointed at a few flowers and they crouched down to talk about them. I readied my camera and watched closely.

Hmmmmmm.

I thought as they pointed at a few tulips wavering in the wind.

Then my breathe went quiet as they pointed directly at us. I flattened on the grass and Jane swung herself behind a tree just shy of us. Sam followed me. Through the thicket, we saw a single rose sitting idle in front of us.

Oh shit, fuck.

"Isn't your favorite a rose Arid?" Fey asked as she touched one of its petals. Arid leaned down and tapped on of the thorns. "Yeah, it's so beautiful yet it has thorns so you cant just pick it. You have to be careful and pull it right."

The two smiled and Sam clasped his hands together and prayed.

"So Fey, I was thinking after what he did we should reward him."

I held my breath.