The morning light streamed through the window, cutting across Daniel's face.
A muffled sound filtered into his dreams—laughter, voices, movement.
Then—
BANG. BANG. BANG.
Not from the door—from inside the room. Someone smacking the wooden bunk frame.
"YO, WAKE UP, SLEEPING BEAUTY!" Zach's voice rang out.
Daniel's eyes shot open.
What?
His brain lagged for a second, still half-asleep. He turned, squinting at the clock on his phone. His usual alarm time… long past.
For the first time in ages—he'd overslept.
Before he could even process it, his door swung open—Julian and Adrian, already dressed, looking way too smug.
Zach leaned over from his bunk, grinning. "Damn, Daniel. You good? Thought you'd be up doing push-ups or something."
Julian smirked. "Guess even the 'schedule guy' has off days."
Adrian just snorted. "Bro, you look like you fought a bear in your sleep."
Daniel sat up fast, rubbing his face, trying to look unfazed. "I'm chill."
But the moment he swung his legs off the bed—
Chaos.
"Wait, is anyone in the bathroom?"
"Where's my—" He grabbed a hoodie, only to realize it wasn't his.
He tossed it, searching for his stuff.
One sock.
Where was the other one?!
Meanwhile, Zach casually leaned against the bunk. "This is fascinating."
Julian crossed his arms. "So this is what happens when Daniel Carter wakes up late."
Adrian held up his hands. "Should we be filming this?"
Daniel shot them a glare. "You guys have too much free time."
Julian shrugged. "Hey, we've always had free time. You're the one who acts like a soldier."
Zach clapped his hands. "Alright, well, we're heading out. Don't take too long, Sleeping Beauty."
Daniel, still scrambling to find his other sock, muttered, "Yeah, yeah."
As they left, he exhaled, finally pulling himself together. This wasn't happening again.
Tomorrow? He was waking up before everyone.
But for now?
He grabbed his stuff and headed for the bathroom.
A new day had started.
The Climb Begins
At 10 AM, the students gathered at the base of the mountain, their teachers ensuring they had water bottles and clear instructions. The sun was already high, though the dense canopy of trees provided some relief.
The teachers had divided them into groups of eight, pairing students from different classes to mix things up. Daniel was placed in a group with people he barely knew—including Emily, a girl from his class he had never spoken to before.
Each group received a small folded paper with a location written on it—their first checkpoint. But this wasn't just a simple hike up. The paths weren't direct; each checkpoint required them to complete a challenge before moving forward. Some were riddles, others physical tasks.
First Checkpoint – "Trail Split"
Twenty minutes into the climb, the dirt path split into two routes.
A laminated sign was pinned to a tree:
One path is longer but smooth, the other is short but rough. Choose wisely.
"Smooth, obviously," one guy said.
"Wait," Emily pointed ahead. A teacher stood at the start of the 'smooth' path.
As they approached, the teacher smiled. "You're free to take this route—but only if you complete ten squats with your bags on."
A few groaned.
One guy smirked. "Forget that, let's take the rough one."
Daniel adjusted his bag. "I don't care, just pick."
Emily glanced at him. "You really don't care?"
Daniel shrugged. "Both paths go to the same place."
She rolled her eyes. "Amazing input."
Eventually, they took the rougher path. It was uneven, filled with loose rocks and tree roots, making them stumble a few times.
At one point, Emily tripped slightly on a rock.
Daniel, walking just ahead, glanced back. "You good?"
"Yeah," she muttered, regaining her balance. She exhaled. "You don't talk much, huh?"
Daniel didn't answer immediately. "Not really."
She chuckled. "Figured. You're always with Zach, but even he talks to us. You just seem… uninterested."
Daniel smirked. "Guess first impressions stick, huh?"
Emily laughed. "Yeah, they do. But you're more talkative than I expected."
Before Daniel could respond, someone ahead let out a yelp.
"Hey, watch your step!"
One of the guys had stepped on a loose rock, causing it to slide slightly. He quickly jumped back.
"Alright, no running on this part," someone muttered.
Second Checkpoint – "Riddle at the River"
Further up, they reached a shallow river. The water was knee-deep, and a wooden board was laid across as a makeshift bridge.
A teacher stood nearby.
"Before you cross, answer this: What can run but never walks, has a bed but never sleeps?"
Emily barely hesitated. "A river."
The teacher nodded. "Good. Move on."
The next group groaned. "Damn it, she answered too fast!"
Daniel smirked slightly.
Emily noticed. "Wait… was that a smile?"
Daniel wiped his expression blank. "No."
She laughed. "Oh my god, it was. So you do react to things!"
Daniel ignored her and stepped onto the bridge.
She followed, still grinning. "I'm gonna count that as a win."
Third Checkpoint – "Bag Swap"
An hour into the climb, they reached another checkpoint where a teacher handed them slips of paper.
"Whatever name you get, swap bags with that person until the next checkpoint," the teacher instructed.
Daniel unfolded his paper. Emily.
Emily looked at hers. Daniel.
She groaned. "...Your bag looks heavier."
"Yup," Daniel said, already reaching for hers.
She hesitated before handing it over, adjusting the straps as she took his. She slung it over her shoulders and immediately staggered slightly.
"Okay—seriously, what do you have in here, bricks?"
Daniel smirked. "You're just weak."
Emily narrowed her eyes. "Next time, I'm putting rocks in your bag before the swap."
Daniel shrugged. "Then I'll just make someone else carry it."
Emily huffed, adjusting the weight. "Unbelievable."
Final Checkpoint – "The Climb"
The last stretch was the hardest. The peak wasn't just a gentle slope anymore—it was steep, with wooden steps built into the ground. The wind picked up, and each step burned in their legs.
"Why the hell did I agree to this?" one guy groaned.
Emily wiped sweat off her forehead. "Shut up and climb."
Daniel, as always, just kept walking.
A few more steps, and then—they reached the top.
The city stretched far into the distance, a breathtaking view. The wind was cooler, carrying the distant sounds of birds.
For a moment, nobody spoke. Just taking it all in.
Then someone exhaled. "Worth it."
Emily turned to Daniel, still catching her breath. "Not bad, huh?"
Daniel looked at the view, then nodded slightly. "Yeah. Not bad."
Emily gave him a side glance. "I feel like that's the most approval I'll ever get from you."
Daniel shrugged. "Probably."
She rolled her eyes but smiled.
At the Top – Meeting the Others
As they reached the resting area at the peak, familiar voices filled the air. Several groups had already arrived—Ethan's, Ryan's, Zach's, Adrian's, and Owen's.
Owen spotted Daniel first. "Took you long enough."
Daniel exhaled. "We took the scenic route."
Owen smirked. "Translation: You struggled?"
Emily snorted. "He barely broke a sweat. I, on the other hand, might actually die."
Ryan stretched his arms. "At least you guys made it. Julian's group is still on the way, and Logan's group is probably even further behind."
Zach chuckled. "Julian's probably overanalyzing every rock on the way up."
Adrian grinned. "And Logan? Probably regretting his life choices right about now."
Daniel sat down on a nearby rock, finally taking a break. Emily plopped down next to him.
Owen leaned over. "So… anything fun happen on the way up?"
Emily smirked. "I got Daniel to smile."
Zach blinked. "You what?"
Daniel sighed. "...It wasn't a smile."
Emily laughed. "It was."
Owen grinned. "Damn. We should've made bets before this trip."
Ryan laughed. "Next time."
The group continued their banter as they waited for the rest to arrive, the mountain breeze cooling their exhaustion.
A few minutes later, another group arrived.
Julian was leading the way, stretching his arms. "Damn, that took forever."
Right behind him, Rowan walked up, scanning the area. He wasn't sweating much, but his eyes were sharp, taking in the surroundings.
Owen grinned when he saw them. "Well, well, if it isn't Julian and our new guy."
Julian dropped onto the stone bench next to Zach. "Man, I thought I was fit, but hiking in a group is slow as hell."
Zach smirked. "Should've ditched them halfway."
Rowan, still standing, scoffed. "He tried."
Julian laughed. "I did, but the teachers would've hung me upside down if I went rogue."
Ethan nodded toward Rowan. "And? How was your group?"
Rowan crossed his arms, glancing at Daniel before answering. "Tolerable."
Owen whistled. "Damn. High praise coming from him."
Julian grinned. "Oh, it gets better. He actually had to be the team leader because we were all too lazy to do anything."
Rowan rolled his eyes. "Because you are lazy."
Zach chuckled. "I like this guy already."
Just as their conversation was settling, another group showed up.
Logan stepped forward, hands behind his head, looking relaxed as ever.
"Yo," he greeted casually. "Did we miss anything?"
Owen grinned. "Just Daniel making a new friend." He motioned toward Emily.
Logan raised an eyebrow, then looked at Emily. "Wait, Daniel talked to someone outside our usual mess?"
Emily smirked. "Shockingly, yeah."
Logan grinned. "Guess anything's possible, huh?"
Daniel sighed. "You guys are acting like I don't know how to speak."
Julian clapped his hands. "Alright, alright, let's settle in before Owen starts getting weird again."
Owen gasped. "How dare you?"
Ryan nudged Owen. "Nah, he's right."
Owen groaned. "No respect."
The group settled in, some sitting on the stone benches, some just lying on the grass. The teachers were still waiting for the rest of the groups, so they had a few minutes to relax before heading down.
Adrian stretched his arms. "You guys actually looked at the view yet, or just busy talking sh*t?"
Ryan nodded toward the railing. "It's pretty good."
Daniel finally took a proper look. The city was visible far below, a mix of rooftops and streets stretching endlessly. The surrounding trees rustled lightly in the breeze.
For a moment, nobody said anything. Just taking in the scenery.
Then, Owen broke the silence. "Man, imagine if this was a battlefield, and we were scouting from up here."
Ryan gave him a blank stare. "You good, bro?"
Owen laughed. "Hey, just saying. Would be a cool advantage point."
Zach leaned back. "Or we could just enjoy the damn view for once."
Daniel didn't say anything. But in his own way, he agreed.
Rowan stood near the railing, eyes flicking from the view to Daniel, then back again. Something about seeing him laugh made things feel... different. Not better. Just—different.