CARL

"Make sure to have the safety belts on. Do not litter the park when we get there. Also, don't feed the animals." Mrs. Hanna the biology teacher instructed.

"But I love feeding animals. God said we should feel hungry animals." Lana, I think, blurted.

"Maybe you should feed your brain to the animals. Since clearly you don't have use for it." A girl yelled, triggering laughter among most of the students. Poor Lana, she didn't deserve that.

"That's enough, kids!" Mrs. Hanna attempted to restore order.

"I have a question Mrs. Hanna."

"Yes, Bella."

"Are we required to write a field report after the trip?" Her question sent annoyed groans through the bus. Clearly not everyone was pleased with her question especially because they already knew the answer.

"Thank you for reminding me that very important aspect of the trip. Yes, reports are to be written and submitted after the trip." Mrs. Hanna's reply sparked agitated murmurs.

"I have a question too."

"Yes, Nicholas."

"Can we leave already? We have been in this parking lot for nearly an hour. My butt is beginning to hurt and my balls are getting sweaty." Giggles and laughter erupted among the students at the last part of the statement. I couldn't resist a giggle. Nicholas was the most straightforward guy I have ever met. Once he walked up to me and told me to my face that my favorite grey converses were the definition of ugly. Ouch.

"I could give you a towel, to wipe your sweaty balls." Tony Bratelli suggested, adding fuel to the flames of laughter that had already spread in the bus.

"Darling, the towel will be more useful wiping shit from your brain!" Nicholas fired back.

"That is enough! Both of you!" Mrs. Hanna who was fed up, yelled. I cannot begin to imagine how stressful being a high school teacher, is. I wouldn't wish this fate on my worst enemy.

"We will leave in a few. Just waiting for some late comers." I had a pretty good idea who she was referring to.

"Sorry Mrs. Hanna. Traffic was a bitch." There he was, my late comer and his friends.

"Apology accepted, Gavin." She smiled warmly at him, totally forgetting that she was agitated a second ago. He really has a special effect on people. I don't know how he does it.

"By the way Mrs. Hanna that dress brings out your eyes. It's lovely." Gavin complimented the teacher who sent a girlish giggle his way. Seriously Gavin, her? Not that I am jealous or anything. But I'm concerned because she's what, 35?

"You should---take a seat. The bus leaves in a few." She stuttered, like a confused chicken.

Gavin's eyes trailed on the rows of seats, searching for a place to rest his butt. Too bad, the seat attached to mine is occupied with Oliver. You remember him right? I'm gonna remind you anyway. Oliver is the ginger head who loves talking like a parrot. He also happened to be my lab partner in the recent chemistry practical session where he invited me to his party. I said yes, to give him hope since nobody ever goes to his parties.

"I heard that Gavin quit basketball because he couldn't handle the pressure of being captain." Oliver repeated the news that was already the trending topic of River Bridge High. Clearly, putting on my earphones and pretending to listen to music just to ignore his endless gossip, was a bullshit idea. "So sad. What's he gonna do with his life now?"

"No idea." I replied, scrolling through my phone. Time to actually listen to good music.

"Also, Natasha Yen is back. That bitch." His revelation caused my finger to halt its movements on the screen. The mere mention of her name took me back to the fake sex video that nearly ruined my life.

"She was suspended for two weeks. It's been barely three days." I said.

"Her dad is in the school board so strings were pulled and now she is back to ruin more lives." Oliver's statement was confirmed almost immediately as Natasha and her minions stepped into the bus.

"Hello bitches, guess who is back?" Natasha shouted enthusiastically and her minions giggled while fanning her despite the fact that the evening was chilly.

"Hello Natty, looking bitchier." Gavin fired. He was seated behind me.

"Gavin, I missed you old foe. I hope you have been a good boy while I was away." She stated.

"Aww... I knew that you care about me. Somewhere in your cold bitchy heart." Gavin's sarcasm was hilarious. My laughter and that of others, affirmed.

"Yes I do. It's why I won't publish your athletic failures in the school blog for everyone to read. Consider it a show of good faith." She addressed, taking a seat. Her minions joined her soon after.

"That's enough entertainment for the evening." Mrs. Hanna whose presence I had totally forgotten about, spoke. "Now that everyone has arrived..."

"Not everyone." A voice which I recognized as my mom's, stated. I know that she is the principal and all but what the fuck is she doing here? Wait, is that a duffel bag on her shoulder?

"Principal Lucia!" Mrs. Hanna who was equally surprised to see her, exclaimed. "Did I forget to sign something?"

"No Hanna. I am here for another reason. Turns out I will be joining you on your little ecological trip. Isn't that fantastic?"

Not in the slightest. This is a nightmare. The worst kind.

"Yes principal Lucia." Mrs. Hanna smilingly retorted.

"I am excited to learn things about plants and animals." My mom yapped. Then she turned her attention to us, her students. "I hope that during the trip, nobody will stir any sort of trouble. Which means, no holding parties, drinking, sharing rooms with the opposite sex and of course, no engaging in any sort of sexual behavior during the trip. Kids, your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, always remember that." Her announcement triggered angry murmurs in the bus.

"Silence!" She demanded and immediately, reticence blanketed the place.

"Lastly, I will pray for the journey so that we may arrive in one peace. Everyone, close your eyes." She instructed. "Teresa, I see you back there. Whispering something to your friend." She called out one of the students. Damn, this woman has the eyes of a hawk.

"Dear lord, we come before you, asking you to grant us safety and protection on the road as we travel. May you cover each and every one of us with the precious blood of Jesus. May you protect us from the devil's grasp. I pray this humble prayer, trusting and believing in Jesus' name. Amen." She concluded the prayer.

Suddenly, my phone chimed. I had received a text from Gavin. My heart skipped a beat as I clicked on the text.

Hey hot pie.

A chuckle escaped my lips after reading the text.

Is that seriously the best pet name you could come up with? I hastily typed back.

What's wrong with it? He texted back.

It is old school. I am sure you stole it from some 90's Tv show. I replied.

Guilty. Guess I will have to come up with another pet name. How about Thumbelina? You know, coz you're tiny. His text was cute it's why I couldn't control a smile from dominating my lips.

I like it. But the problem is Thumbelina is a girl and I am not. I texted back.

You're right. Guess, I will find another suitable pet name. He texted.

Or you can just call me, Carlito, like you always do. I love it when you call me Carlito. I bit on my bottom lip as I typed. Hearing my name slide past his lips, is always a turn on. The way the syllables roll off his tongue, is heaven on earth.

Carlito. He texted.

Yes. I replied.

You have no idea how badly I want to touch you. And just like that the temperature of my body spiked to like 100 degrees.

I would love to finish what we started at the café bathroom. If my face wasn't already red, I believe this time it was redder than a cherry after reading his text.

Not here. We could get caught. My fingers trembling with arousal, I typed back.

"Oliver, I would love to seat next to my son if you don't mind." Mom's voice yanked me from the steamy text session.

"Sure, principal Lucia." He moved to some other seat, leaving me at her mercy. No sooner had she plopped on the seat next to mine, than the bus started moving.

"So, who are we texting?" She directed the question at me and I swear, my heart dropped to my balls.

"No one important." I replied.

"Then, you won't mind handing over your phone."

Rest in peace Carl. Travel safely to the underworld because guess what? Your mom is gonna kill you after reading the erotic texts in your phone.

"Mom..." I held on to my phone tightly.

"Phone. Now." Clearly she was not giving up so I handed her the device that would ensure my demise. I watched as she scrolled through my texts. She was silently reading the texts. She handed me back my phone after a few minutes. "Good job son. I'm impressed." Was what she said.

Okay, what the hell is going on? Why isn't she angry? More importantly why is she congratulating me?

I checked my phone and my eyes literally flew out of the sockets at what I saw. The erotic texts had been deleted and substituted with biblical verses.