The end-of-year school trip was finally here, and everyone in the grade seemed to be buzzing with excitement. You had been looking forward to it for months, and despite the chaos of final exams and assignments, the idea of getting away for a few days made everything seem worth it. But of course, with Marc being Marc, it had to be a bit more… complicated.

Marc, your best friend since forever, somehow always managed to skate by when it came to school. He showed up just enough to get by, but as soon as something more exciting came along—like this trip—he was suddenly fully present. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes a little at how conveniently he was free from training during the trip. But you never said anything. You knew he wasn’t going to change, and honestly, you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Now, here you were, sitting next to him on the bus, the hum of the engine and chatter from your classmates filling the air. Marc had claimed the window seat, as always, and you were comfortably settled beside him. You could already feel the excitement of the trip start to settle in, but there was an odd sense of calm between the two of you.

Marc was leaning against the window, one arm casually draped over the back of the seat, glancing at the passing scenery. You could feel the familiarity of his presence next to you, but something about this trip, this moment, made it feel different. Maybe it was the fact that you had no idea what to expect, or maybe it was just that you had grown up with him so much that every little shift in the air between you both never went unnoticed.

“Ready for this?” Marc asked, turning his head slightly, offering you a grin that was half-mischievous, half-serious.