As the Wheels Turn

Summary: Secrets are revealed and drama unfolds as the students and teachers at Forks High go on a weekend camping trip in the middle of the secluded forest. AH. AU. OOC. Rated Mature for a reason.

Author's Note: I'm writing this story as an exercise, to get back into writing my other stories. For some reason it helps when I start something new, because then I get random cravings to continue writing my unfinished stories.

Chapter One - All Aboard

Bella POV

Friday, the last day of school before a short two day break to escape from the melodrama that existed in every high school. This Friday, however, would not be followed by a typical Saturday and Sunday at home. This weekend was the annual senior camping trip. Bring on the drama. Or don't. That'd be preferable.

The one positive thing about today was that classes were cancelled on this stormy Friday, because we were scheduled to set out on our little adventure at noon. But the negative overruled the positive. Despite the fact that the buses wouldn't arrive until our departure time, we were still expected to arrive at the school when first period would normally begin. Why? Because teachers were evil soul sucking monsters, that was why.

We had gathered into the auditorium to wait for noon to roll around, and all I could think about was whether or not I should spread my coat out on the floor in front of the chairs and take a nice, long nap.

A horrendous giggle echoed through the auditorium, ringing through my sensitive ears, and I cringed. I glanced around the crowded room - boys running up and down the aisles, stomping loudly…a few girls sitting on the stage, legs dangling over the edge as they talked to a teacher…a group of guys huddled in a circle, near the stage…and random kids sitting all over the place, talking loudly. That'd be a definite no to possibly taking a nap.

"Good morning, sunshine." Alice climbed up to the top row and plopped down beside me.

"Mmph," I mumbled in return.

She handed me hot chocolate in a foam cup and I immediately took a sip.

"Mmm." I smiled into the cup. "Good morning, darling dear."

"Much better." She folded her legs and relaxed into the chair. "What's on the agenda today?"

I gave her sideways glare.

She touched the bottom of my cup and tipped the rim against my mouth, forcing me to take another sip.

Feeling better, I answered, "Well, we're stuck here for a few hours, and then we get to cram into a bus with the rest of the delinquents for another few hours. And then we get to trek through a gross and dirty forest filled with spiders and other frightening creatures to set up tents and sleep outside." I took another sip. "Could this weekend be any greater?"

"It's straight out of a fairytale, that's for sure," she replied dryly.

The rest of our posse trotted over and took their seats in the row in front of us before twisting around to look at us.

"This should be illegal," Eric said, clearly exhausted.

"Agreed," Jessica replied. "Making us sleep outside with animals? Hello. Welcome to the 21st century. We're meant to be indoors. I mean, seriously, do I look like a pig?"

"Sometimes," I answered.

She narrowed her eyes at me as I took a large gulp of hot chocolate.

"No. Never," I corrected myself.

"Not that," Eric said, "being awake this early. It's wrong."

Jessica slapped his shoulder with the back of her hand. "You were up this early yesterday, dork."

"I thought it was illegal then as well." He flicked her arm. "And quit hitting me."

I stared at the two of them and shook my head. "It's amazing how much we've matured these past four years."

Alice tapped my wrist with her index finger. Twice.

I turned my attention towards her. "May I help you?"

"Drama alert." She jerked her head towards a couple standing a few feet away, in the aisle. The girl had her arms crossed in front of her, an angry expression on her face and her jaw was clenched tight as she glared up at the guy.

"Ah," I said, "What is it now? Another break up and she announced her 5th pregnancy, although each time she supposedly had a miscarriage after the relationship healed, and now he's finally catching on and called her bullshit and she's pissed he'll be deadbeat dad, even though she's not really pregnant?" I took a deep breath, that was a lot to say in one sentence.

Alice shrugged. "Probably. You can't say you've truly experienced high school until you've seen a fake pregnancy in order to prevent a break up."

"My dear Alice, we've experienced too much high school. I cannot wait for it to end, after all, we know adults never lie and cause drama."

We quickly glanced at each other, looking deep into the others eyes.

"Oh God," I said, "It's really never going to end, is it?"

Jessica poked her head in. "What are you two jabbering about?"

"Stuff," Alice replied.

Jessica gripped the back of her seat, leaning in closer to us. "What kind of stuff?"

Eric, still have asleep, mumbled, "They're acting like arrogant pretentious morons again. Claiming to hate drama, yet secretly wishing one of our classmates is a prince in disguise, dating the poorest nerdy girl in school."

"You are way off, sir," I stated. "I'm hoping one of our teachers is secret undercover agent scouring for another imposter, a dangerous notorious hitman. The romantic Cinderella crap is for amateurs. Bring on the action and suspense."

Eric looked at Jessica. "I was right about the arrogant pretentious moron part."

"Arrogant, yes, I admit it," I said, "Though I prefer to be called sassy. Pretentious, eh, debatable. Moron? Most certainly not."

Jessica blurted, "Hey look, it's your boyfriend!"

Eric, Alice and I looked up in time to see James Cameron, the idiotic Forks senior, not the director, walk past us. As he trailed by our row of seats, he stuck his middle finger up in our direction. I returned the gesture. It'd be rude not to reply.

Jessica was what I'd refer to as ditzy. Whenever she'd see someone we didn't like, she'd either claim the person was our lover or best friend, depending on their gender.

James was my mortal enemy. Our mothers were best friends in high school and even had us 4 months apart. They forced us to play together when we were kids, but then our parents got into some random fight. I'd hear my mom and dad rant about the Camerons, so I'd relay what I heard, and James would tell me bad things about my parents. We then took our parents' hate for each other out on each other. His mother was supposedly a slut, so that made him a dirty illegitimate bastard. I was 7 years old when I decided this. Damn. Children were freaking cruel. It wasn't as though we got any better as we aged, however, considering we were still fighting till this day.

"I've lost all faith in humanity," I said aloud.

"Ditto," James muttered, "God inflected unnecessary pain on us by creating you, thus making me fear for this worlds future. The anti-Christ has been born." His voice faded as he wandered off.

I yelled back at him, "My parents created me, actually. You know, the married couple!"

Alice covered her ears. "Chill, girlfriend."

Eric stared at me. "This is the girl who calls herself superior to the rest of us."

I shrugged both shoulders and lowered my voice. "I'm not without flaws."

"We know," Jessica, Eric and Alice replied simultaneously.

**

"Noon! O-M-G. It's finally noon." I shot up out of my chair as my friends followed me with their eyes, looking like disinterested zombies.

Standing in front of the stage Mrs. Durst, the uptight 12th grade English teacher, whistled to gain everyone's attention. "Alright. Listen up. The buses just arrived-"

Applause broke out all over the auditorium and people began standing up.

Mrs. Durst shouted, "Quiet!" Silence fell across the room. "Everyone remain in your seats." People groaned as they sat back down. I silently re-took my place next to Alice. "Here are the rules-", another round of groans, "you've already been given your bus number, and when I list your bus, you will stand up and form a line by the door. We're going to be organized, we're not barbarians."

As my bus number was called, I was both disgruntled and overjoyed by some of the people who followed me down. James, the hick, stood somewhere at the end of the line, along with his trashy girlfriend, while my three best friends stood next to me near the beginning-middle of the line. I thought having James on the same bus as me for the next several hours would be torture, but it got worse, Mrs. Durst was our bus chaperone. Each bus was assigned two chaperones, and if we also got Mr. Greene or Mrs. Holt, I'd hang myself.

We walked out to the buses and boarded after the teachers did a quick head count. Alice and I shared a seat near the back of the bus, and Eric and Jessica sat across from us. Unfortunately, James some how made it near the back, only two seats in front of us.

Jessica squealed and gripped my upper arm, nearly cutting off my circulation. Apparently it was a mistake to make Alice scoot in and sit by the window. I was now vulnerable to physical abuse.

I winced. "Plan on taking my arm with you, or can I have it back? Fully intact, preferably."

"Look," she whispered, nudging her head toward the front of the bus, still gripping my arm. "Mike just got switched to our bus."

I watched as Mrs. Durst walked Mike to a seat where only one person was sitting. He was originally supposed to be on a different bus, but apparently plans had been changed.

I pulled on one of Jessica's fingers, making her death grip on my arm loosen, and she finally got the hint and let me go.

"Thank you," I said with a grimace. The girl was stronger than she looked.

"Sorry." She smiled. "But I've totally just made plans to hook up with Mike this week."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Right. Good luck with that."

Crushes were always disastrous, especially for someone like Jessica who was completely in love with the most popular kid in school, and he didn't know she existed.

Jessica sighed happily. "This is my chance. I'm going to be brave. I'm going to go for it. After all, we're only seniors once." She paused for a few seconds. "And I will slit my wrists if I go to college a virgin."

Speaking of crushes, the barely out of college history teacher stepped aboard and took his seat near the bus driver.

"Who're our chaperones?" Alice asked. She was so tiny and the bus was so crowded she couldn't see what was going on beyond our seat.

"Mrs. Durst you already know about," I answered, "and Mr. Cullen just boarded."

Author's Note: Will be updated daily if you want it to be. I don't write for reviews, but it's hard to continue writing something no one seems interested in. So you know what to do.