“It’s not that long. About half an hour,” Charles answered, taking out his handkerchief and wiping away her sweat in concern.

Blinking in surprise, she asked, “Half an hour? I thought you guys reached way earlier than that.”

 

“Uh…” he uttered and chuckled awkwardly. “Well, we could have reached the top very early at first, but it’s all Tyler’s fault. He went on the wrong path. So—”

“What do you mean it’s my fault?” Tyler argued in a huff. He had just walked over and overheard Charles speaking badly about himself. “You’re the one who resorted to dirty tricks and pointed out the wrong way to me because you couldn’t beat me in speed.”

Snorting smugly, Charles said, “Even if I tricked you and pointed out the wrong path to you, you still went on it anyway. Just how dumb are you?”

“You!” Tyler hissed, holding his fist angrily.

 

Holding her forehead, Sonia interrupted, “That’s enough, both of you. Stop arguing. You’re giving me a headache.”

“I’ll massage you, darling. You’ll feel better after that.” Charles paced behind her and rubbed her temples as he spoke.

 

Seeing the situation, Tyler mumbled, “Bootlicker.”

Hearing him, Charles replied in an equally hushed voice, “Some people aren’t even fit to be a bootlicker.”

The edge of Sonia’s lips twitched, and she was speechless at the sight of an adult and a teenager arguing like children. “If both of you are going to continue fighting, then get away from me and let me have some silence by myself.”

“No more fighting. We’re not fighting anymore, darling,” Charles assured hurriedly.

Tyler nodded as well, indicating that he wouldn’t argue anymore. Indeed, both of them held on to their words and quieted down, and Sonia was finally able to have some peace.

Looking down the mountain, he asked, “By the way,

us,” she

can’t even beat two ladies in a hike and is taking so long to reach the

my brother that’s the problem, but Tina, for sure. She must be

to admit that, in a sense,

it to the top was really because

be true when Toby arrived at the peak with Tina on

adjusted his body to the fatigue. After all, it was a physically demanding task to carry a person weighing around a hundred pounds up the mountain. Even if he worked out all year round, he was still deadbeat tired and was panting

meantime, Tyler stood next to him, fanning his

Toby?” Tina asked in concern as she paced

and he was about to answer when Tyler stood between them and glared at Tina angrily.

ferocity in his eyes, she staggered backward and

“Don’t you have legs on you? Why do you need him to carry you? Can’t you walk by

and she looked as

frustrated Tyler even more, and he wanted to continue when Toby broke him off, saying, “That’s enough now. Stop lecturing her. I was the one

his head around, looking at him in disgruntlement. “I’m speaking

to do it?” Toby asked instead with

of the

Tina cried,

to her, he

answered,

three others, who were away collecting wood and

and Tina, Zane placed down the small rocks in his hands and said in amusement, “Hey Toby, you finally made your way up here. It must have

glanced at him nonchalantly and ignored him. Very quickly, he retracted his gaze,

heat up the lunch which they had brought to the

looking at Zane and Charles while brushing her hands off after she was done

“I don’t have one because I don’t smoke.

and smiled awkwardly. “Sorry, I forgot to bring

bring one, either,” Rebecca and

up into the skies helplessly, Sonia lamented, “So nobody has a lighter. What are we

the mountain with the cable car to bring a lighter, Toby’s cold voice suddenly echoed.

looked very expensive, he got up, walked to Sonia, and passed it

she merely looked at

on his face. “President Fuller, you better keep your lighter away.

and turned to look at Tina behind

a lighter, and I’m not so petty as to be jealous over something like this.” Turning to

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