Road Trip
Caitlyn didn’t know what she thought of Vi. She disliked her most of the time, unless they were flowing together during lab experiments. That one movement of Vi straddling the chair in the detention room forcibly replayed in the back of mind. But she remembered Vi scoffing and pushing away from her at that party, and giving her rude looks all class.
She didn’t know what they were. Friends? Acquaintances? Lab Partners.
Caitlyn sighed as she started studying for the big upcoming science test and tried to forget her lab partner for a moment.
After heading home from a very fun evening with her girlfriend, Vi turned on her phone to see Caitlyn’s message.
Yes ma’am, she replied. After that she showered, completed the lab report, and went to bed.
Caitlyn was drinking water in the kitchen when she saw that message pop up, and when she did, almost like a scene straight out of an animation, she spat out the water all over the sink.
“Honey. What's going on in there are you okay?” Her father, Tobias, asked as he paused the movie he and Cassandra, Caitlyn's mom, were watching from the couch.
“Yes, Yes! I’m perfectly fine Dad… Just saw a funny Tiktok”. Caitlyn replied squeamishly.
“That damn phone. Caitlyn be more polite!” Cassandra scolded from the couch.
Caitlyn's mind tried to shake off her mother’s comment and the fact she had just spilt water everywhere.
Why are you so stupid, Caitlyn? She just texted you. Why were you so surprised?
Before Caitlyn went to bed, she quietly thanked Vi when she saw that Vi had completed her part in the report. If she didn’t, Caitlyn would just do it anyway. She sometimes has a hard time trusting others. Or relying on someone for part of her work. She hated group projects.
A few weeks later, Vi was starting to not mind her lab partner. They worked good together, got As, and weren’t terribly rude to one another. But one Friday morning when she walked into the classroom, she noticed Caitlyn wasn’t her usual self.
“You study for the test, Kiramman?” Vi asked as her question brought Caitlyn out of her tired spaceness.
“Huh?... Oh yea, I did.” Caitlyn responded quietly after stopping her constant pen clicking without returning Vi’s gaze.
She seemed off this morning. Not annoying or uptight.. Vi wanted to ask her if everything was okay, but they weren’t at the level yet. Vi didn’t even know what they were. Friends? Acquaintances? Lab Partners.
“Clear off your desks, everyone! Ready for the exam?” Dr H shouted. After many groaning complaints and once the passing of the test was completed, Dr H. added, “This test is very special. The top four students with the highest score will have the pleasure of going on a science trip with my wife and I to the beautiful mountains of Noxus!”
There were some murmurs in the room and soon the competition was on.
It would be pretty cool to go on that, Vi thought.
“Bet you a coke I get a higher score than you” Vi said as she turned again to look at Caitlyn. Caitlyn didn't seem to hear her or care. She was too caught in her own little world.
“What no snarky comeback? What alien abducted Kiramman last night?” Vi scoffed, but her face turned slightly worried when she realized Caitlyn truly didn’t say anything back.
When the tests were passed out to them and the time started ticking, Caitlyn, like a robot, started taking the test.
Vi was struggling to focus on the questions in front of her because she couldn’t stop thinking about Caitlyn.
Eventually she physically shrugged it off, and easily completed the test within the timeframe.
After softball practice and her motorcycle ride home, Vi’s mind still wandered to Caitlyn. She pulled out her phone, scrolled down to Caitlyn’s contact labeled “Piltie Looking Mongoose”, chuckled at herself for coming up with that name, and after typing and deleting what she was gonna say, she texted.
V: you doing okay? couldn’t help but notice you were a zombie in chem today.
After a couple of minutes, Vi’s phone buzzed, lighting up the screen.
C: Whats it to you?
…
Caitlyn saw the read receipt on her screen after she basically blurted out that reply.
Oh my god, I’m so stupid she was just being nice, Caitlyn thought.
Struggling to decide if she should double text or not, she decided to say
C: Sorry. It was nothing. I’m just tired..
V: well then you should probably go to sleep, and I think you owe me a coke cause I ACED that test!
After a couple eye rolls and sighs, Caitlyn responded,
C: Whatever you say.. Goodnight.
Letting out a nervous exhale, and then wondering why the fuck she was nervous, the corners of her lips turned upright after seeings Vi’s reply of
V: goodnight, mongoose.
Afterwards, the girls stared at their ceilings after turning off their phones, and both drifted off to sleep.
“Can the following students please report to the principal's office: Jayce Talis, Caitlyn Kiramman, Violet Lane, and Viktor Doom.”
“Oh shit, Vi! You're in troubleeee!!” Mylo shouted to Vi as they were talking in the halls.
“What's it this time?” Vi grumbled as started her walk of shame.
At the same moment, Caitlyn was freaking out. She had never been to the principal's office before. Was she in trouble? Did they contact her mother? She scurried over to the office as fast as her long legs took her.
When Caitlyn entered the room, the others were already in there with the same worried look on their face. Dr H. sit next to the principal, Mr. Salo, and said,
“Children, welcome! Don’t worry your not in trouble”-
As soon as he said that everyone let out all the air that consumed their lungs.
He continued, “You four got the highest score on my latest test, which means you should start packing your bags for the beautiful Noxus mountains!”
Jayce and Vi both let out a loud cheer and turned around to high five their lab partners, but it seemed Viktor and Caitlyn weren’t up for it.
“Now, the camp will be in the woods, and we will be staying in cabins so concerning roommates”-
Everyones mind exploded with thoughts as Dr H said these words.
C: Please, please give me Jayce. Anyone but Vi.
V: Dont put me with her or pretty boy, just Vik.
“Jayce and Viktor you will be roommates and Caitlyn and Vi will be roommates” said Dr H.
C: Oh dear god I have to room with her??
V: What are the fucking chances.
Pretty big, Vi considering you and Caitlyn are both girls.
“Now- there will be no horseplay on this trip, it is strictly for scientific data. I expect best behavior from all of you.” said Dr H.
Caitlyn had a routine. She was particular like that. Wake up, run 5 miles, eat a healthy breakfast and pack her lunch, go to school, go home, go to fencing lessons, do homework, stretch and go to bed. And no way in hell was she gonna let Violet Lane ruin that.
During the weekend, she’d read and practice piano with her father. Very rarely she would hang out with friends, partly because she had few, and partly because she liked her solidarity. Sometimes Jayce would drag her to parties, like that one she collided with Vi, but other than that she had zero social life.
Vi, on the other hand, loved hanging out with people. She loved partying it up with her softball team, with her friends, with her family; lighting up the room was she strong suit and she loved people.
She also had a morning routine, unless she wasn’t too hungover if she partied the night before. She’d wake up, go to the gym, do homework, go to school and practice, come home and annoy Powder, and go on a night run. Some nights she had trouble sleeping, so she tired herself out.
Saturday morning, Vi woke up with excitement. Today was the day of the science trip. After packing her bags and mentally preparing herself to room with a Piltie, she drove to school on her bike to find Caitlyn, Viktor, and Jayce already on the outside steps.
“Woah. That's a cool ride,” Jayce said as they all watched Vi screech into the parking lot and take off her helmet.
The motion was in slow motion through Caitlyn’s eyes, new showered pink hair popping out and a stoic look on the Zaunites face. Vi was wearing a white tank top with baggy shorts, making her muscled figure stand out in the sunshine.
Shaking off her disgusting thoughts, Caitlyn stood up to get ready to be loaded onto the bus.
When Vi walked up to the steps, Jayce crisply dabbed her up with a smile.
“Damn, that's a good grip pretty boy.” Vi exclaimed with a wink.
Both Caitlyn and Viktor raised an eyebrow as if bewildered from what Vi had said.
“Pretty boy, huh?” Jayce questionly with shocked look on his face.
Throwing a friendly punch to his shoulder, Vi said
“Relax, I have a girlfriend. I’m just messing with you.”
Caitlyn tried very hard not to be shocked and a bit uneasy when she heard this information, quickly glancing at Vi and then looking down on the concerte with shame.
“Load up, scientists! Its a six hour drive to the Noxus mountains so we do not have time to waste”
Dr H shouted, breaking the awkward silence between the four of them.
As everyone climbed in the bus to take their seats, Caitlyn sat in the far back, Jayce and Vi in the middle, and Viktor closer to the front.
Before Caitlyn could put her headphones on, she heard ruptured laughter from both Jayce and Vi as they were showing each other Tiktoks and memes already.
This was gonna be a long bus ride, Caitlyn thought with a sigh.