Chapter Four

"It's looks like we're gonna have to stop to get gas, gas tank's almost dried out. We passed a gas station two miles back. We should have stopped then." Peterson tells Daniels and he agreed, by now it's been three hours on the road and they still got another three hours before they enters Locke Road that leads to bear forest which will take an hour more.

He looks at the students and all of them seems to be engaged with their friends, all except Joseph McAllister.

Jack slowly walked to Joseph and sits beside him.

"What's up Joe, it's a long ride. Don't ya have any friends to chat with?." He emphasizes with his hand looking back to Alec and the rest.

"Mr. Daniels I'm not really in the mood to talk to anyone, I just want to be alone." Joseph said adjusting his glasses.

"You sure about that?." Mr. Daniels said urging Joseph to take a quick glance at the back, he saw Claire, Hayley and Alec laughing and he felt awkward immediately Claire looked at him, he quickly turned around, "Am sure Mr. Daniels. When are we arriving?."

"Well, we'll arrive there in about four hours top." He glance at his watch and him and Callum's eyes caught. Leslie was just quiet and looking outside the window.

"Hope the gas won't be a problem for us." Callum spoke out and Jack smiled, "No it won't, we'll still get to another gas station up ahead, besides we still have enough gas to take us." He replied him and Callum said nothing.

He walked passed Callum, "We could turn back and get to the gas station we passed a few miles back you know?." Daniels heard him say and slowly turns around and look at him.

"That was like forty minutes ago, it'll take more of our time. Can't take that chance. There would be another gas station up ahead Callum." He said resigning to his seat.

****

"Yo, Hayley, can I talk to you for a minute?" Ezra called patting the seat next to him.

Alec looked at Ezra suddenly and gave him the 'Be careful' look, Ezra understood. "Alec I just wanna talk to her, nothing more." Ezra had to say. Alec wasn't angry though, he knew just like him, Ezra has his sister at heart, so he was cool with both of them talking.

"Excuse me." Hayley said to Claire, she wanted a chat mate and Claire isn't much of a talker and her brother, well doesn't like talking much either, Ezra however, is a fun to be with kinda guy. This is also the first time a guy asked her to sit beside him and she did aside from her twin brother.

"Hi Alec." Claire found herself talking to the Alec that was sitting next to her, his eyes was closed and his head rested on the comfortable coaster seat.

He opened his eyes and turned to look at Claire. He smiled and she felt this strange feeling in her stomach, it wasn't a feeling of pain, it was excitement and more of happiness. He smiled at her, she definitely thought he would have ignored her just like he has always done in class.

"Hey Claire." He said and the feeling was much better.

"I'm good. I didn't think you would come to this boring trip you know." She thought of something to say and he smiled again.

How on earth does his smile make me feel this way... She thought.

"Who would have missed a golden opportunity to score an A in math without working really much on it unh?" He answered and she gave it a thought.

"Am glad you came on this trip." She shyly said, though she has always felt alone in the world, she didn't think she'd feel safe with Alec around her.

"Well am glad I did also." Alec replied, looking at her, he has finally realize that Claire is a very beautiful girl and she's also smart. She hasn't been a social type, well he was definitely glad him and her were finally talking.

"Why's that?" Claire found herself asking a presumably dumb question. She felt embarrassed altogether so she had to turn her head and stare at the tall trees by the roadside through her glass shielded window.

"Well, for a first, I get to talk to the most beautiful girl in school," He said and she tried to hold back her smile, if only he knew what his words were doing to her.

"I highly doubt it Alec, Hayley is the best, I mean she's lovable, friendly, helpful and amazing all together, I don't have that qualities in me." She said what to her is the dark truth.

"Says who?" Hayley chips in their conversation.

Claire tried to hide her face or at least hold back her tear which has been threatening to fall if she just let her emotions ruin her. To her, she was right, she can't catch a guy's fancy neither getting a seductive glance, all the looks she's seen so far felt like the ones of hatred. Even in the bus, she can swear that most of her classmates are not excited that she's around.

"Says the ugly Ms. Nielsen." Claire said and she heard a chuckle from the back, she and Alec turned around and saw Helena, laughing obviously at Claire.

"What's funny?" Hayley asked Helena who kept quiet at once.

"Don't let them get to you Claire, you're beautiful, even more beautiful than my ugly twin sister." Alex said holding Claire's hand. Hayley gave him a quick jab and he playfully winced in pain.

"Boy if am ugly then you are Santa Clause for real." Hayley said settling down on her seat while Claire and Alec laugh at her comeback.

"Am glad we're friends now Claire. This could be a beginning of a Friendship." Hayley added slowly turning her gaze to Claire.

"Yes, could be." Claire said still looking outside the glass window. 

"You know Santa Claus isn't ugly right?" Alec said catching his breath. 

"Yea right!" Hayley scoffs slightly elevated.