Chapter XXII: Winning Team

We we’re currently huddled in the park early in the morning for the last and highlight activity of the leadership training. We were wearing hiking outfits because we were hinted that today’s event was associated with the mountain. Of course who wouldn’t want to be prepared for a hiking? No one. "Good morning, students!" the facilitator cheerfully greeted us "Good morning, Sir" everybody greeted in unison even though half of them were yawning "Today is your last activity for this leadership training. This activity will challenge your skills in leading the team towards very dangerous events. This will also test your unity as a team and your skills in finding the way out. For this activity, we will be going to the mountain! You will be split into ten groups with each group consisting fifteen members from different schools. The remaining students will help me if ever something went wrong. This will be a survival activity!" Maybe because of what the facilitator said, the others suddenly woke up. They were dozing off just now but because of what the facilitator said, they were on alert. Who wouldn’t be? It’s a survival activity with just one bottle of water for each member of the group, a coat for each members, one piece of bread and a map for each members. The teacher said all my group mates. We have eight boys and seven girls including me. Then we rode a chopper to bring us somewhere in the mountains. The teacher gave me a tracking device if ever we don’t get back to the hotel. "Team B! Good luck!" the teacher shouted when I went down the hopper "Hope to see you all down!" was the last words we heard from the facilitator before they went away and left us in the mountains  "So...where would we start?" Aiden said which made me look at him briefly before rolling my eyes My grudge against him is overflowing that I just can’t remove the hate I feel towards him. "While going here, I memorized all the trees we passed by. First, we need to find a huge narra tree. It is easy to find because almost all trees in here are mahogany trees." I said and they started looking for a tree I cut ten meters of red ribbon which the teacher gave us when we saw a narra tree but I told my team what I was most worried about. "Well, I have photographic memory but I saw more than ten narra trees or so while going here. So, to be sure, we will put red ribbons on all trees we will pass by. Let’s go?" I asked Then we started walking to the direction where they found the tree. When we get there, we stopped to look for the next tree "Shouldn’t we be quicker to place first?" everybody looked at Carl when he said those words It was true that we needed to place first, but being slow and steady will be much more convenient for us. We shouldn’t be impulsive about going out this huge mountain with forests around. "The estimated coconut trees that we should pass by are ten. After that we will look for an oak tree that is about ten meters high. After that look for a pine tree and voila, we are on the ground" I said and they cheered not until Carl spoke again "As you can see, there was something missing with her directions. We got to pass by a small river before looking for the pine tree. Didn’t you see the river?" he said as if roasting me in front of the others I was about to say something when Aiden spoke up. He went to my side before smiling at the others. "Maybe Piper just took a quick blink and didn’t see the river?" "If it was a quick blink she should’ve still seen it." "Oh yeah? Then you’re the perfect one. You should’ve volunteered as the leader then and not boast around downgrading the skills of Piper." Carl smirked as a symbol of his annoyance towards Aiden and just walked towards the tree next on our list. We started walking too until we saw a coconut tree. They put a red ribbon on it and they suggested taking a quick break. We started walking and at last! We reached the park and were out of the mountains.   "Welcome back! Team B! Congratulations! Go back to the hotel and meet your prize there." the facilitator said and we all cheered We rode a bus back to the hotel and there was a feast ready for the first team to arrive. We started eating and everybody dived onto the foods. We deserved this. I proudly looked at my members and was about to join them when Aiden went by my side to whisper something. "I wasn’t sure at first but when I took a glance at you for more than ten times, I knew you were familiar. I wasn’t also sure why you seemed to hate me that much, but now I get it." "What are you saying?" I asked Aiden and he showed me the book that caused me to hate him "I never intended to get this first, but my hands was quicker than yours. I already read it all and now I’m giving it to you." he said and handed me the book "You’re really---?" "Yeah. So don’t roll your eyes at me. Ever. Deal?" "Deal!" It was indeed the best prize I could ever get after doing that activity in the mountains. Now I don’t hate him. Maybe Aiden isn’t really a bad guy. He even gave me the book. He’s nice isn’t he? The next day, I brought my luggage with me to the closing ceremony. The facilitators reminded us to bring them together with us because after the ceremony will be the departure. After a while the ceremony started with the prayer and a remark from the head facilitator of this training. Then the awarding followed with us being the school with the most awards. The ceremony went on until it was over and time for us to said goodbye. While waiting for Rye and Johnson, Aiden approached "Piper! It was nice meeting you again. I will miss you so much." "Me too, Aiden. Thanks for the book too. I’ll treasure it so much." I said and we hugged each other before I waved goodbye to him Not far from us, my gaze landed on Carl with his dark aura. He was wearing a very scary aura that it sent goose bumps all over me. Does he have a problem? "Anyways, catch up with you later on Aiden! Have a safe trip!" I said and went inside our van where Rye and Johnson were This leadership training wasn’t a bad event after all. I’ll surely look forward for more events like this in the future.