It was zilia, she stood before them, as if she had been watching the whole drama, her arm's where folded across her chest and a stern look weaved on her face.
"Hey, Li," she said, her voice sounding cool but unusual, maybe because of mike, she seems not to have like mike ever since they melt.
"It's time to go." She said, not even paying attention to weather mike was there or not.
Lily jumped slightly, as if she had been caught doing something she shouldn't.
"Oh, right, definitely" she said, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, she squat down, avoiding mike's gaze as she wore back her snickers.
"Sorry," she mumbled to mike, before following zilia out of the garage.
Actually, she couldn't really explain why she behaved like that at the sight of zilia, even zilia was quite suspicious of something, she hadn't see lily behaved this wiredly.
Mike at the other hand was left dumbfounded, as he wondered why it seems as though he wasn't part of the mission.
Plus, why would zilia just come and interrupt his conversation with lily? As if he was actually having a conversation.
"All right, team!" Jonas called out from the distance, clapping his hands together. "Let's get this show on the road!"
They all hurriedly packed the last of their belongings into the van, the excitement in them was quite palpable in the air.
Zilia and Lily climbed into the van, settling into their seats. As they pulled out of the driveway, the sound of the wheels crunching on the gravel filled the air and exhilarating dust all over the place.
The trees lining the road were a blur as they drove passed along, the landscape outside the window where changing from city to city, as they kept driving.
Jonas took a deep breath, the anticipation of the adventure ahead where filling his lungs already, he was finally embarking on the long awaited journey.
He kept on driving after the traffic light turned green on them: signaling them to move.
Mike was sitting next to Jonas, he had actually wanted to sit next to lily but smart serinal took his sit that was close to where lily was sitting.
He just wondered, why his whole attempt of talking with lily, was just being ruined today; first, it was zilia and now serinal.
'Nevertheless, I'll finally get that opportunity during the trip to talk with her no matter the obstructions.' he smug to himself in his thoughts. 'i just hope, she won't turn me down!'
As they move on, a conversation clinch between Zilia and Jerry, who where sitting at the next sit after the driver and passager sit.
"Shuuuh" Zilia exhaled, her eyes wide with wonder, as she glared at her side mirror, viewing the buildings that they where swirling by. " Honestly, i've never been on a journey like this before, this is so going to be ecstatic."
Jerry nodded, a grin spreading across his face at zilia statement. The once zilia that said she would never go on the mission with them, was the one saying 'this is going to be ecstatic'
Jerry couldn't help but smug at himself, as he also recalled that he had been no difference from his cousin.
It took years of argument before he believed his dad on the issue of the crystal and zilia was just in a couple of hour's.
"It's going to be quite an adventure you know, you could have missed it by the way" he said, still excluding himself from the victim.
Unfortunately, zilia wasn't aware of weather Jerry had been researching with his dad or not. Although, she assumed he had, because, both of them where the ones convincing her to join them.
"I'm glad that we all are on this plus I can't wait to see what's actually out there." Zilia said, a smile weaving all over her face.
She turned to her side mirror, trying not to look too excited, as she was used to being standoffish, but she couldn't help it but feel so elated about the mission.
The two of them began to discuss all the possibilities that could lay ahead, their voices animated and full of energy as they continue chatting.
Lily sitting behind them at the last sit with serinal watched them, a small smile playing on her lips. She was happy for them or rather, for the fact that zilia had agreed to be with her on this, even though she was a bit nervous herself.
Meanwhile, serinal from behind, had been noticing the anticipation of anxiety wearing on lily's face, though she seems happy, but the anxiety in her, was clear. She couldn't help but try to speak amicably to her.
"It's okay to be nervous," Serinal said, her voice gentle and reassuring, as she towed her back from the wall of the vehicle, gazing at her.
"I'm a bit nervous too, to be honest. But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I think we're going to have a great time don't you think so?" She asked and reached out and took Lily's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"We're all in this together, and we're going to make some amazing memories."
Lily smiled, feeling a little more at ease. "You're right, but this to me is more of a mission than having some fun or great time" she said, feeling a sense of camaraderie with her new friend.
"Yeah, yeah, of course, you've point, but sometimes fun time might just be some options for relifing you know" she wink at Lily, who flushed in laughter.
"So, what are you mostly afraid of, because I…umm…i presumed you said 'is more of a mission' out of the petrified things out there, right?" Serinal asked, her voice kind and leery.
Lily took a deep breath, mustering up the courage to reply her, she was a bit nervous.
"Actually kinda of a yes, because of the petrified things out there" she said, her eyes dilated at the moment. "And as for what terrified me the most; it's definitely snakes, yeah, I'm really terrified when it comes to snakes; like i hate them!"
Serinal nodded, clearly understanding her fear. A lot of people are pretty much scared of snakes, and that could probably be one of the most prominent creatures they might be encountering out there in the jungle. Who knows?
"That's a common fear, actually," she said, chuckling. "But I promise, we're going to be safe. And you never know, this trip might even help you overcome your fear."
Lily considered this, her face still a bit anxious, but feeling a bit better now. Finally got new friend to talk to.
"We're going to take this journey together, as a team," Serinal continued, her voice full of conviction as she tries to sound encouraging as possible.
"We'll face our fears, and we'll face challenges, but we'll do it together right? And at the end of it all, we'll come out stronger than ever."
Lily felt a sense of comfort and confidence wash over her, like a warm blanket. She knew she couldn't really do this without someone like serinal and her sister who will back her up when she's scared or something.
"Shit! Where are my manners!" Serinal hollered, almost in whispering, immediately she remembered something and she facepalm her forehead as she recalled.
"I'm Serinal by name, I'm sorry i didn't introduce myself earlier"
"Nah! No worries. I already know your name, during the weekend. Remembered when we where training? Only that, we didn't really get to hook up with each other you know" Lily said, winking at her.
Serinal couldn't help it but chuckled at her statement. Both of them burst into laughter as they gaze at themselves humorously.
The van wound its way through the lush, green landscape, the sun beating down on the windshield.
As they drove, they began to grow restless, they where clearly exhausted of sitting, as they have been driving for more than six hours now, so they decided to pull over at a scenery overlook.