Amara had immediately picked her seat as she arrived at the academy's parking lot. The bus had been on standby since last night.

She chose the last seat and sat near the window. It was a three-day retreat in some fancy beach resort in Montauk. She put her AirPods on as the students began piling in.

Elijah slumped on the seat next to hers. Amara snubbed him and stared at the window. "Hey." Elijah tapped her shoulder but Amara refused to acknowledge him. He decided to yank out her Airpod. "Hey!"

Amara elbowed him on the sides that he yelped. She grabbed her Airpod back. "Don't talk to me."

"Mean again?"

"Because you're being rude!" She inhaled deeply and placed the Airpod on his hand. "Here. Please shut up now."

The bus began to fill with the senior class. She had wanted to listen to her classical pieces and practice on her head but she also needed Elijah to shut up.

Her playlist started just as Primo entered with Natasha behind her. His icy stare lingered on the man next to him before they locked with hers. He arched an eyebrow.

Amara lifted a brow in challenge.

Primo rolled his eyes and sat on the seats in front of her. Natasha smiled at her before she took her seat.

Nothin' On You blasted through her ear. She loved the song and hummed it when Elijah began rapping the wrong words.

"Shh." Amara pinched his arm and sung the correct lyrics. "'Cause we don't wanna be a TV episode. And all the bad thoughts just let them—"

Amara realized that it had gone quiet. She flushed in embarrassment when Primo chuckled and sang the rest. His golden voice rolling in soft waves.

"Beautiful girls all over the world. I could be chasing but my time would be wasted. They got nothin' on you baby..."

Soon after that, someone else rapped and the whole bus came alive with singing and lively beats.

Elijah pulled her Airpod and whispered, "Look at that. Prince Charming saved the day."

Amara shot him a glare and didn't talk to him for the whole ride. What the fuck was he even talking about?

✘✘

They reached the beach resort and the view was spectacular. Their rooms were also located near the beach where she could see the white sand and blue sea. The students sort out their luggage on their assigned beachfront cottages. They took a quick lunch and since it was a rest day, Amara decided to spend the time alone and read her ebook on the beachside.

It was sunset and her toes were completely buried on the sand when Isla, Natasha, and their little clique disturbed her. Amara shielded her eyes as she looked up at them. "What is it?"

"Wanna go shopping with us?"

Shopping?

Amara chuckled. There were so many shops in NYC and they shop almost every week. "Yeah. Okay."

A brunette perked up. "Can you ask Primo to come with us?"

The fuck?

"Nik, no. I think it'll be fun with just us." Isla countered, pulling the girl in a playful hug.

Amara wanted to embrace her because Isla actually caught her irritation. Now, she didn't have to fake a smile at the brunette.

At the same time, she didn't want to give them any ammunition to trash talk her. And Elijah joining some guys playing volleyball had the right timing.

"Eli!" she called out.

The guy pointed to himself and mouthed 'me'. She raised a hand and gestured with her finger.

"Fuck. I'm not Primo, you know," he mumbled when they reached the girls.

"You are now. We're going shopping," Amara announced that made the girls happy. She guessed she was a bitch for putting appearances but yeah, that was girl's world. She'd rather be popular than ostracized.

And she's gonna be nice and suck it up for as long as she could.

They went to the resort's souvenir shops with Isla and Natasha on the lead. The rest of the girls followed and eyed the clothes displayed on the windows. On the other hand, she and Elijah were dragging their feet.

"This is annoying. Why did you pull me to this?" Elijah mumbled, his fingers pushing his curls back.

"Why not? You seem to like annoying me." Amara put her hair up. Her off-shoulder dress and the see-through sleeves let her breathe a little as they walked on the sunny path.

They reached a store called 'Sunbreeze'. The place had beach designs with starfish and sunrays stuck on the walls.

Amara and Elijah both let out a sigh of relief at the sight of an aquamarine couch. They stretched their legs as the girls tried on different dresses.

"How long does this usually last?" Elijah asked with another sigh.

"Three hours. Give or take," Amara replied as she opened her Kindle. She was about to read the steamy scene when Isla had rained on her parade. Bummer.

"What? Are you—"

Amara heard his breath hitch and she raised her head to see Isla and Natasha in dresses. Natasha was in a green backless dress with an emerald clip on the waist. Isla was in a tube flowy dress.

"Princess, what do you think?" Isla twirled.

"It's great, Isla. Nat, I don't like the color," she declared that earned her a thumbs up from both girls.

"What? I thought it looked good." Elijah scratched at his brow as he leaned back.

"I'm the only one who looks good in green."

"No wonder jealousy looks good on you."

His teasing was back and Amara shut her phone off. "Who is the jealous one? Me or you?"

Elijah kept quiet as several girls asked her opinion again. She loved helping them and it's the only thing that she enjoyed shopping for.

"Wow!" Amara commented as Natasha walked out in a sleeveless white dress. Her back was bare except for a thin ribbon and the skirt. "Buy that."

"Damn."

Amara eyed Elijah's astonishment with curiosity. She bumped him on the shoulder. "What's that look? You like her?"

"What?" His eyes snapped to hers. "No! I was just—"

"You better tell Primo now."

"I said no," he insisted. "She's not my type. She's short and thin and damn breakable. Malnourished as fuck. I don't even know what Primo sees in her!"

Amara wanted to laugh at his outburst but Natasha made a choking sound as she exited the shop. She slapped Elijah's arm. "You better pay for her dress."

He shut his eyes. "Shit."

✘✘

Primo: seriously author? I barely have an appearance here. hmph.