"People aren't wicked or noble. They are like chef's salads, with good things and bad things chopped and mixed together in a vinaigrette of confusion and conflict" ~ Lemony Snicket.

~*~

Wollumbin, Australia.

Agnes, Jason , Takumi and Akane collected their luggage and sat in the bus which took them to their hotel.

"Your room number is 206, sir," the receptionist smiled at Jason. He nodded and took the keys from her.

"And yours is 207, mam," she said to Agnes.

"Thank you," Agnes said, looking at Jason in surprise. "Well--," she began.

"Let's not talk about it right now," Jason politely added, getting inside the elevator with Agnes.

"Right," she said. The elevator dropped them on the 6th floor and they got inside their rooms.

Their rooms were huge. A couch, a bean bag, a huge television in the hall. A kitchenette, two rooms and a luggage cupboard. Rich sandalwood scent, wooden flooring, books and magazines on the table. Wine, tea, coffee, glasses, rich almond and walnut biscuits in the kitchen counter.

Agnes plopped onto the bed and closed her eyes. It was just afternoon, but she knew she had to sleep. As for Jason he sat down on the bean bag,  and putting on his glasses began reading, yet again.

~'~

Jason received a knock on his door that night. He opened his eyes and slowly walked towards the door, opening it.

"What? You're still sleeping?" Agnes scolded him. He looked at her, confused.

"Did something happen? What's
wrong?" he asked, scratching his head. Agnes sighed.

"Get ready fast! Wear warm clothes. I'll tell you on the way," she told him. Jason slowly closed the door and changed into warm clothes in five minutes. He looked at his digital touch-screen watch. 12.30 am. What must have happened now?

He opened the door and found Agnes waiting for him , her hands crossed across her chest.

"Let's go," she said. He nodded, locked the door and followed her.

"So? Where to?" he interrogated.

"We're going Mount Warning. The mountain is a remnant central vent of an ancient volcano, and it's summit breaks at Bryon Bay and hinterland towns. The mountain receives Australia's first rays of sunlight and that is why we're going there this early so that we can reach the top before sunrise," she apprised him.

"You're actually taking me for trekking," he said, sighing. They got up in the bus which took them to the mountain. All of them had worn thick jackets, mufflers and gloves.

"It's a steep mountain, so please climb carefully," the guide instructed them.

"Here," Agnes said, offering Jason hiking poles.

"Thank you"

"Come on!" Takumi shouted who had already started climbing with Akane.

"Coming," both of them replied in unison and followed them.

They climbed the mountain with a chain for resistance. Agnes walked fast, and almost saved herself from slipping.

"Whoa, careful  Agnes," Jason said, giving her support from behind.

"Thanks."

"What's the hurry?"

"I just like to be the first one, you know," she said, slowing down a bit.

Agnes raised her eyebrow at Jason. Then, she shrugged.

"You aren't the lecturer type, you know," she informed him.

"Why so?"

"Never mind."

"No seriously, why?"

She stopped and turned towards him. "Nevermind."

Jason didn't say anything further. He did not want to make her feel uncomfortable, nor did he want to argue at a time when his body was half asleep. He shook his head in mock disappointment. She started walking fast again, and Jason walked behind her, as fast as he could with the hiking pole and the chain. He noticed Agnes was eating something. He narrowed his eyes.

"It's dark chocolate," she said, waving it to him.

"Oh"

"It's my favorite. There's something very amazing about it, something beyond words," she said, biting into it as if it were the last piece on earth.

They climbed the mountain in the dark, having conversations with Takumi and Akane. After nearly five hours of climbing, they finally reached the top, panting and enervated. They plopped down on some rocks.

"The sun will be rising any minute now. We're just in time," the guide said, looking up at the sky. Jason noticed Agnes was still standing. Her eyes glistened with felicity, as if she'd achieved something she had always been craving for; like the moon craves for that one glance of the sun before falling for it.

The sun rose larghetto within the clouds. Its rays, a palette of soft yellow and light orange showered on the mountain like a confetti of nature . The group uttered a "wow" together as their  faces immediately lit up, just as brightly as the stars of the night sky.

"It's so beautiful," Agnes whispered. Jason nodded, looking at the sky and  admiring the beautiful colours that now adorned it.

Agnes took out her camera and tried to click a selfie.

"Stand there. I'll click for you,"Jason offered. She nodded and  uttering  a thank you, stood on one of the rocks.

"Actually no," she said, standing behind Jason, "You come with me." Akane took the camera from Agnes' hand and clicked their picture. She laughed.

Agnes was nearly dropping on Jason now, who was trying to prevent her from falling.

~'~

"We're off to Sydney now," Takumi said, getting into the flight.

"Yeah. We're gonna go to some beach there. It's called Bondie to Coogee beach walk," Akane replied. Jason looked at Agnes.

"You're eating that since yesterday," he states, watching her finish another bar of her dark chocolate.

"Apparently it's the third bar"

The three of them gawked at her. Three bars?

"What? Don't stare at me. The flight's gonna take off. Go inside now," she said, embarrassed.

~'~

Sydney, Australia.

Akane excitedly landed on the airport.

"Bondie to Coogee walk seems to be really exciting!"
Agnes and Takumi nodded in agreement.

Jason pulled his suitcase and walked with his hand in his pockets.

"Hey, Mr.lecturer?"

"Yes?"

"How old are you?"

He looked at her in surprise, and then replied, "Twenty-six, why?"

"You're still very young. Show some enthusiasm will you?"

"Yeah," he drifted off. Agnes shook her head as she followed him outside.

~'~

"We will be going to six beaches in total. Bondi, Tamarama, Bronte, Clovelly, Coogee and Maroubra. This is the Bondi to Coogee walk. We'll be seeing a lot interesting things in the way, so keep your eyes open," the guide lectured the crowd of twelve.

"So let's go," Agnes chirped like a bird returning from migration, putting on her cap. Jason, lost in his thoughts, walked ahead.

"Where do you think you are going, Mr.lecturer?"

"Aren't we supposed to walk?"

"Yes, but you're supposed to walk with us. Takumi, Akane and myself."

"Right, sorry," he slowed down.

On the way to the beach, the group was fàilted by different sculptures of animals, abstract art and what not.

"Oh my God!" Akane exclaimed.

"What? What?" Agnes asked, looking around in excitement.

"There's a huge magnifying glass there, Ms.Fotaine," Jason said pointing towards it.

"Oh," she went and studied the huge magnifying glass. "This place is quiet intriguing"

Takumi took out his selfie stick. "Jason! come on!"

"Nah, I'm fine, thank you"

"Just  come," Agnes pulled him and smiled at the camera.

"Okay, let's continue," the three of them said in unison.

3 maniacs,
One sane head,
One trip,
With insanity instead.

They walked the beaches one by one, marveling the great views that came along. The Tamarama to Bronte walk was an easy short level walk. The Bronte to Clovelly walk was rather an amazing one. They stood on the cliff top, eliciting 'wows' and 'its looks so beautiful' , happily clicking pictures. However, they did not complete the walk.

Between Clovelly and Coogee beaches, a beautiful bay welcomed them with open arms.

"Gordan's Bay, this is called," the guard informed. It was tranquil, picturesque bay , created by deeply incised gully and sheer sandstone headlands. It had a small beach at the head and remnant land vegetation.

"You can rest here," he added. The twelve of them instantly plopped down. After a while, Takumi and Akane came smiling.

"We're going boating, want to join us?"

"I'm a bit tired.. I'll pass, if you don't mind,"Jason said, sitting down on the sand.

"I'll stay with him," Agnes smiled at Akane who nodded. Both of them remained silent as the water gently brushed through their legs. They enjoyed the scenic view and the tingling feeling that water caused.

"You aren't talking today,"Jason looked at her.

"I got infected by you"

"Yeah yeah"

Agnes opened a bar of dark chocolate. "Want some?"

"Nope. Thank you," Jason said.

"Take it. It's rare of me sharing it with anyone"

"Why me then?" he asked jokingly.

"I don't know. Maybe because you're different"

"Yeah, sure," he laughed. "May I ask you something now?"

"Sure"

"I'm not the lecturer type? What does that even mean?"

"Because you look way too good for being a lecturer. I thought you were a model. You aren't kind of meant for a profession like that with a face like that"

A small smile crept across Jason's face. Then, slowly, he burst out laughing.

"You're insane," he said. Agnes smiled and then joined in laughing. She realized she liked that sound. The sound of his laughter. She realized she wanted to hear it more often.

~*~

Hi Well, Mt. Warning does receive the first rays of sunlight :D I was surprised when I first got to know that !

Bondi to Coogee walk's thing is true too.  A lot more is coming ahead.  Thank you for reading this !