Chapter 3; The Coast

"Will you give us permission to check your room?" She asked on the phone

"Oh, maybe no-- but you can wait for me on the front door of my room" I answered, "I'm on my way" I added

I turned my phone off then placed it in my pocket. "Sorry Desiree, I have to go--" I told her then urgently left the building.

"What could be happening at me room--" I thought while running towards my room. I stopped in front of the elevator-

"Why?! The elevator's so slow, I need to take the stairs"

thud thud thud, my footsteps went every time I stepped up

"Hello ma'am--" I told the woman that called me after I saw her beside my room's door. "--I'll check it out myself," I said then twisted the doorknob.

The siren sound became louder the time I opened my door. "Wait a sec-- that's my laptop--" I thought then ran towards my laptop on the kitchen table.

"What's going on in there?" the lady asked then tried to peek in my room

I swiftly turned off the laptop to make the noise stop then I answered- "oh, It's nothing... It's just my laptop."

"Oh, ok then. Just call me in the entrance in case you needed help" The lady answered

"Thanks for the notifying about this earlier," I said as I close the door

I sighed then sat on the sofa with the laptop on my hand. "What could be my laptop's problem?" I asked myself then opened the laptop after being placed on my lap.

"Oh, I forgot to place some details" I whispered after I opened the laptop. Out of a sudden, a thought came into my mind-

"You don't want the police invading your house again, right?" my father said yesterday

"argh-- I'm so confused!--" I shouted, "Should I follow what my Father said or-- just continue doing this?" I asked myself while walking around the room's premises.

I took a deep breath then peeked into my laptop. I inputted the needed data for the tracking app while the phrase still lurks around my mind, repeating and repeating and repeating itself. "hmmm, would you please go away!" I whispered then walked towards the kitchen table and placed the laptop there

"I must keep my projects secret or else my parent's will find about it--" I said in a trembling voice

The only noise than I can hear once again around the room is the keyboard's sound that I'm producing every time I press a key. "It's so silent--" I thought while facing the laptop's screen.

Out of a sudden, someone called me on the phone--

"I feel like-- It's Hershey again" I assumed then grabbed my phone-

"Hello, Who is it?" I asked

"Good afternoon Dexter! It's Miss Barb" She answered

"Oh, good afternoon ma'am, what could I do for you?" I asked with respect

"Well, I have an announcement to make about tomorrow--" She replied

"What is it, ma'am?" I asked

"-- The time of the trip will be rescheduled, The busses will be leaving at 10 am instead of 8 am" She answered

"Noted ma'am, Thanks for the info" I answered

"That's everything I needed to say--" She said, "Everything clear to you?" She asked

"Yes, thank you" I replied

"Bye then--" She said then turned the phone down

I placed my phone on an opened drawer then headed to the stool next to the table placed in the kitchen. "Umm, what now?" I asked myself while looking around the room.

ring ring ring, my phone rang once more

"Oh, another phone call--" I thought so I stand up and pulled the phone out of the drawer

"Hey, Hershey-- What's up?" I asked

"Don't you know how to say goodbye?" She said

"Oooh, yeah-- I'm sorry--" I apologized, "My room called me on the phone, she said that there's a problem... Well, It's a long story" I answered then chuckled

"Ok then--I understand" She replied, "Well anyway, you doing anything?" She asked

Ding, my laptop said

"Umm, n-nothing... Just sitting on the k-kitchen" I replied with my voice trembling

"Dexter, don't let the cat out of the bag or else your dead" I whispered

"By the way-- why did you ask?" I asked

"Oh, nothing... I just want to invite you later--" she said, "-- for a bicycle ride 'round the city then we'll watch the sunset on the coast" She added. "Wanna join?" She offered

"Sure! I love that" I replied, "What time and where will we meet?" I asked

"About-- 5 pm, in front of my apartment. Meet you there!" She replied

"Oh, ok then see ya! Bye." I spoke then turned down the phone

I stand up then head towards the window and peeped at the view outside.

"Hello, world!" I cried. "Well, nobody can hear me cause I'm like on the 45th floor," I thought then chuckled.

"ooh, yeah... what might be the notification earlier," I thought as I walk towards the laptop. I glanced at the laptop's screen then saw a message from my mom--

"Don't think of doing any sort of hacking stuff"

"What the--" I thought as my eyes got bigger and feel some kind of guiltiness evaporating from my skin

"Y-e-s--m-o-m," I said as I type my reply on the keyboard then click send

I stared on the clock and saw that it's 2 pm "Hmnn I'm ahead of schedule" I said, "I feel kinda hungry-- What about ice cream from the cafeteria?" I thought as I feel my tastebuds begging for something to eat. I rushed into the cafeteria below then walked to rows of food stalls then saw the ice-cream corner.

I grabbed a large container then ran to my room. I can feel my tastebuds having a party due to its indescribable flavor.

Time passed after having a nap in the living room. "This day's perfect," I said, "No distractions, no annoying persons, and most of all- peace and quiet" I added while starring at the ceiling, lying on the sofa.

"What would be better than this?" I asked myself then the clock caught my eye, "I feel like I missed something--" I thought as I continue to stare on it.

"Hmnn-- 3 pm and today's Friday, Let's see--" I whispered as I grabbed my phone then started to read each schedule for the day--

"OH, I FORGOT!!" I cried then entered the elevator, "Come on, come on--" I whispered to myself as I tap my wristwatch continuously. I urgently ran out of the building then fetched my bike.

"I hope I still am not that late" I whispered as I pedal my bike faster and faster heading to Hershey's apartment.

"Yes-- I'm just in time," I thought as I saw Hershey walked outside her apartment's gate while pushing her bike along. I stopped in front of the then said- "Sorry, I forgot that I'm having a bike ride with you--" I said apologizing

"-- Not just me" She then said

"Wait-- I'm lost... W-what do you mean?" I asked

"Look over there-- you'll see the answer," She said then pointed to her apartment's doors

"D-Desiree?" I said, "Why is she here?" I asked then looked towards Hershey

"Oh, yeah-- you don't know the news," She said then chuckled, "I am now officially living with Desiree!" She said then High five with Desiree as she walked in front of me.

"So-- she'll come with us?" I asked with an unsure look

"Of course, duh." Hershey said then smiled, "She's so fun to be with-- I promise" she added then sat on her bike's seat.

"Hey! Desiree, Dexter-- Let's go" Hershey cried then started pedaling

"Wait up!" I said as I started following Hershey's tail

I got hypnotized by the view of tall buildings and the sun's orange rays reflecting on the plant's leaves. I glanced at the lamposts as they slowly light one by one.

"What's this feeling?" I asked myself as I looked at all the possible views around the city. I can feel my hair starting to stand on end, It's not the scary type-- It's the indescribable feeling pierced to by heart by the view.

After we journeyed with our bikes, we had finally arrived at the coast but we first walked towards the parking lot to place our bicycles there. I sighed as I look on the coast then said-- "at last... We all made it" I cried then stretched myself after a long journey.

"What now?" Hershey asked us after we formed a circle beside the waves.

"I guess let's just watch the sunset as you said--" Desiree answered

I sat beside Hershey while the waves touch our feet. "What's better than this?" Desiree asked while looking at both of us.

"Yeah" I answered then smiled to her while following Desiree's flow of mood.

I stared at the ginormous sun in front of us then took a glimpse of the tall metal skyscrapers on my back. I suddenly felt like air as a group of breeze pass by me.

"I feel so small--" I thought. As I watch the city work and the sun continue to set. Out of a sudden, a question struck my mind-

"Kayleigh is such a wonderful planet--" I thought, "What if, we are not the only species in the universe?" I thought as I look at the stars slowly appearing.

"Hey, guys--"I said then looked towards the girls, "-- had you ever asked yourself are we are the only living species in the universe?" I asked. "w-well yeah... I'm kinda crazy but there's a possibility right?"

"Mhm mhm-- maybe" Hershey replied while smiling, "Well-- what do you know... We still don't know the universe's contents--" Hershey added then stood up while looking at the bazillion stars, "-- Dexter might be right!" She exclaimed then ran on the beach's shallow part.

"Come on, It's fun!" She said as she splashes water in front of us.

I immediately followed her into the waters then walked in circles. "Desiree-- come on!" Hershey shouted.

"Oh, ok then-- But I won't stay that long," she said then rubbed her shoulders. She then ran towards us under the stars. The sky got darker and darker every second that passes so I said-

"Eyy-- seems like we need to go home..."

"Yeah, I agree-- The sky right now is super dark," Hershey said

"Race you there!" Desiree said then we all started to race towards the said place

" Wait for me Desiree--" Hershey said

"Yeah I'm also kinda tired," I said while breathing hard

"I changed my mind lol-- Let's just walk," She said while breathing heavily and chuckling at the same time--

We walked at the sidewalk while looking at the vehicles passing by-- We are all silent for seconds of walking until I asked-

"By the way-- Hershey?"

"Mhm?" She said

"Are you going to the field trip tomorrow?" I asked

"Of course-- well you know... I'm the president and the teachers expect a lot from me" She said then chuckled

"How about you Desiree?" I asked then looked at her

"Umm yeah. My parents said yesterday that they'd let me go" She replied

"What do you all think--" Hershey asked

"What do you mean?" I asked while starting to sit on the bike

"-- Umm, I was thinking if maybe--" She replied, "-- We'll ride on the same seat, the same bus, to go to the NSH?"

"Well that's a great idea-- what do you think Desiree?" I asked

"Sure! That's amazing!" She answered then smiles

"Seems like it's time to split up broskies," I said then waved my hand

"Ok then see you tomorrow Dex!" Hershey said then started to pedal towards their apartment.

I sighed then said "Well-- that's that" then I started pedaling.

Out of a sudden, a heavy rain came out of nowhere--

"What the--" I said while slowly getting my clothes wet. My shoes are getting heavier so from time to time they slip from the pedals.

My glasses are getting moistened by the rain that's why I can't see--

beep beep, the car went

I wiped my glasses then stopped at a corner of the street while breathing heavily. Suddenly I noticed someone who looks familiar--

"Is that--?" I asked myself--

[End of Chapter 3]