Arista's POV
The moment the bus finally stopped, everyone woke up at once.
Phones came out.
Bags dropped.
Someone yelled, "WE SURVIVED."
I stepped down from the bus, blinking at the huge resort building in front of us. It didn't feel real. The trip suddenly felt… official.
"This place looks expensive," Advi muttered beside me.
"Act rich," Meera said. "Confidence is key."
Kaelor stepped down right after me, stretching his arms like he hadn't just been stuck in a seat for hours.
"Welcome to temporary freedom," he said.
I glanced at him. "You say that like we're escaping prison."
"Aren't we?" he replied seriously.
I laughed before I could stop myself.
---
Hotel Lobby + my classmates = Total Disaster
The lobby turned into controlled chaos.
Teachers shouting names.
Students dragging suitcases that were clearly too heavy.
Someone already asking for Wi-Fi.
Room lists were handed out.
Sana grabbed mine before I could read it. "Okay, you're with—Meera, Zoe, me."
I sighed in relief. "Thank God."
Then she grinned. "And Kaelor's room is right next door."
Meera gasped dramatically. "DESTINY."
"Stop," I warned, already feeling my ears heat up.
Across the lobby, Kaelor caught my eye and raised an eyebrow like he already knew.
I hated how easily he read my expressions.
---
Our room was loud within thirty seconds.
Meera jumped onto the bed. "THIS IS MINE."
Sana opened the curtains. "Look at that view!"
Zoe dropped her bag. "I'm sleeping first. No arguments."
I stood in the middle, suitcase still unopened, letting the noise wash over me. This—this was nice. Normal.
A knock came at the door.
Meera opened it instantly. "KAELOR."
"I need Arista," he said simply.
My heart skipped in the dumbest way.
"For what?" I asked, stepping forward.
"Teacher wants all group leaders downstairs," he said. Then, quieter, "You okay?"
I nodded. "Yeah."
"Good," he said, and waited so we could walk together.
---
The hallway was calmer. Carpeted. Quiet.
"Your friends are… intense," Kaelor said.
"You should see them during exams."
He smiled. "Noted."
We walked side by side, our footsteps matching without trying.
"You were quiet after we checked in," he added.
"I was just… taking it in."
"Same," he admitted. "Trips always feel like a pause button."
I looked at him. "From what?"
He shrugged. "Everything."
That answer stayed with me.
---
After dinner, everyone gathered in the open common space.
Games. Music. Laughing too loudly.
Someone suggested truth-or-dare.
Teachers shut that down immediately.
I sat on the floor with my friends, back against the couch. Kaelor sat opposite, legs stretched out, watching the room like he was memorizing it.
At one point, our eyes met.
He smiled—not teasing, not playful.
Just soft.
Something warm settled in my chest.
Later, I stood on the balcony outside our room, cool air brushing my face.
Lights from the campus below flickered like stars.
The door slid open behind me.
"Couldn't sleep?" Kaelor asked.
"Too much noise in my head," I said honestly.
"Same," he replied, leaning against the railing beside me. Not too close. Not far.
We stood there in silence.
Comfortable.
For the first time in a long while, I didn't feel like I was running ahead of something—or away from it.
Just standing still.
And somehow, that felt enough.