The common room was a long single-story building. It was filled with couches, tables, chairs and a television set at one end of the room. Bookshelves were lined with old boardgames and playing cards. This place was a recreational area for all students.

Typically, the common room was relaxed and filled with happy and laughing students. Today was no exception, apart from one particular table. Whilst others chatted pleasantly, there was a bubble filled with tension. The four people around that table were rigid, anxiously awaiting the next play.

Finally, June broke the tension. Cheering, she played a winning hand. Bark groaned, already knowing the outcome. Nonetheless, he totaled the scores and revealed them to the rest of the table.

"Girls win," said Bark, slumping back in his chair.

Scratching my head, I checked the numbers. "How?" I muttered.

My confused gaze drifted from a defeated Bark, to a smug June before settling upon a smirking Evelyn.

June danced in her chair, snapping her fingers. "That's right, we're good," she sang cockily.

Bark looked at the girls, pointing at each of them in turn. "I want a rematch, and a new teammate."

I looked at Bark, hurt. "What's wrong with me?"

"You're an idiot," answered June, who was still dancing.

"Oh yeah?" I asked, leaning back in my chair and folding my arms. "Well, this idiot," my smile faltered as I couldn't think of anything to say. "Iiiiiii got nothing."

June laughed. "Case and point," she said, shuffling the cards.

Evelyn rolled her eyes before shaking her head at me. "Maybe we should play solo? Any team with J always loses."

Bringing a hand to my heart and dropping my jaw, I feigned insult. "V, how dare you," I said, exaggerating my hurt tone.

Bark nodded and stretched his arms across the table. "It's true man. You suck," he said, laying his head in his arms.

"Alright then," I replied, a note of challenge creeping into my voice. "Let the games begin."

Evelyn looked me dead in the eye and in perfect monotone answered, "The games began a while ago. Were you not aware? Wow, you really are bad at this."

I smirked and thumped my chest. "Oh sweet, naïve, Evelyn," I crooned.

"Sweet?" Bark asked, looking at me in disbelief. One of the girls kicked him under the table, but I'm not sure who.

"Naïve?" Evelyn answered, scowling.

Standing, I shot the trio a knowing look before leaving to prowl the shelves. It did not take long to locate the game I wanted. My eyes lit upon it, and I grabbed it eagerly.

Returning to the table, I flaunted my prize triumphantly. Dropping the game, grandiose gestures embellished its greatness. "Ladies and Gentlemen," I boasted. "I present to you, Yahtzee."

Bark deadpanned. "You can't be serious," he said, seemingly offended.

Sighing, I sat beside him and shrugged. "You lot can beat me at card and strategy games, but this is a game of chance. Now, to be clear, I hate Yahtzee. It's repetitive and boring. That being said, my pain will be well worth defeating you fools."

June looked genuinely concerned. "Yahtzee is a game of chance," she said slowly, carefully enunciating each word.

Frowning, I nodded. "I know. I just said that."

"So, why do you expect to win?" June asked, reaching for the game.

I shrugged. "I'm lucky."

Evelyn groaned in disgust. "I'm out. There's no way I'm playing Yahtzee."

Smirking at Evelyn, I leaned across the table and winked at her. "Come on, V, get lucky with me."

The moment the words were out of my mouth I realized the mistake. Evelyn turned pink and hid her face in her hair. My cheeks flushing red, I floundered like a beached fish.

"Not what I meant!" I exclaimed, desperate to escape this pitfall. "I just..." Trailing off, I looked to Bark and June, desperate for help. Needless to say, they were useless.

Bark was grinning like an idiot, eager to see how badly I screwed this up. June was laughing herself silly, the noise drawing the attention of several of our peers.

Finally settling, June finished laughing and wiped at her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she smiled innocently, and I knew I was in trouble.

"J," June began, "Evelyn already said, she would rather play solo, and Bark was telling us how much you suck."

Once again June exploded in laughter, chortling at her jokes. Bark, Evelyn, and I however all grew extremely quiet and rather uncomfortable.

The awkwardness and June's giggling stretched on a moment longer than it needed to when Bark slapped the table. "Excursion," he said seriously.

"Excursion," I repeated, nodding frantically. "The trip to a place, at a time."

Smoothing her hair down, Evelyn frowned at me. "You really are an idiot," she said condescendingly.

I rubbed the back of my neck and inhaled sharply. "Yeah, nothing I can about it. No cure for stupidity."

"Natural selection," Bark offered, as if it were obvious.

Everyone fell silent for a moment, watching Bark with mild concern. His oblivious face made me worry.

"What?" Bark asked, leaning back and folding his arms. "I'm right."

An awkward silence dragged on for a short while until June finally broke it. Shaking her head, she said, "the excursion is to a nearby town called Lambarra. We go by bus, stay the night at a motel and leave late the next evening."

I cocked my head at June, my raised brows asking an unspoken question.

Her fingers drumming on the table, June shrugged. "The school does this excursion every year. Each grade goes at a different time throughout the semester. Bark and I have been a few times."

"What do you do there?" I asked, curious. My old school had never done an excursion like this, but I suppose it could be fun.

Pursing her lips, June looked to Bark, waiting for him to answer. Oblivious at first, he groaned upon realising what June wanted. Nevertheless, the grouchy sod humoured her.

"There's not really a limit on what you do," Bark answered, picking at the corner of the desk. He looked up and sighed, seeming disinterested. "You have to stay within the town limits and be at the motel by a certain time, but that's about it. The whole thing is just to give everyone a break."

June nodded. "Yeah, it is fairly relaxed. Lambarra's only small though. There isn't much to do apart from shopping. Though there are some nice cafes."

"Does have a nice arcade," suggested Bark, looking expectantly at me.

"Alright, I can make some time to destroy you." I laughed and ignored Bark's skeptical look. Scanning the table, I noticed Evelyn was being quieter than normal. She was chewing her bottom lip. I'd only seen her do that when she was trying to figure something out.

June and Bark continued talking but my attention was solely upon Evelyn. When she finally broke from her daze, she met my eyes and scowled. It was all I could do to laugh. Simply sit there and laugh. Evelyn, June, and Bark all looked at me as if I'd finally snapped and my peers were obviously frustrated by my noisiness, but I didn't notice. It felt good to laugh.