Natasha's POV:

My name is Natasha Rodriguez and I'm eighteen years old, the only daughter of Mr and Mrs Rodriguez. I have a younger brother named Ethan and he's six years old. He's so stubborn and can frustrate the hell out of me as his only elder sister he'd got, but not withstanding, I love him still and he loves me so much too.

My family and I moved in from Spain to Los Angeles in USA six months ago. I was fully admitted to Loyola Marymount university in Los Angeles. When we wanted to move down here, I was against it, I thought how would I cope with the new environment and even make some few friends.

Fortunately for me, it wasn't long enough when I made two new friends named Bernice and Trisha. I really loved these girls, they're fun to be with especially Trisha the craziest of the three of us, she'll take us to club almost every Friday night for us to have some fun. She was a very good dancer, she's a leader of one dance club here in the city.

My friends and I are used to visiting each other after school lectures, today being Thursday wasn't exceptional. Bernice and Trisha were in my family's house after at Arrow highway street. They had bought ice cream on their way to my place and I for my part brought out some cupcakes from the fridge and serve it to them to enjoy the cup ice cream they'd bought for each of us.

We sat in the parlor couch, I was sitting on the single couch while Bernie and Trisha sat on the double couch enjoying our cupcakes and ice cream. The TV was on and Bernice flip the channel to Kissing Booth showing on Netflix.

Since I was with my laptop, my interest on the show wasn't much, rather I was more focused on what I was reading online. I was actually on my Instagram page viewing some photos of adventures tour by one of my followers when the Humboldt toiyabe national forest got me enticed. I continued viewing more pics of the forest and also read some interesting comments on it.

"I think I'm in love with this forest,what if I go for a tour there this weekend? Its just a two hours drive from here to Nevada California. Or no, I shouldn't go alone, maybe my friends would love to join me?", I whispered to myself as I kept clicking on more info on this forest.

"Hey girls,come check this out", I called out to my friends.

"Hope is something exciting to see!?", Trisha yelled back still watching the TV.

"Trust me it is. Come see for yourself",I replied with a smile.

"Okay...we're coming",Bernice said with an eye rolling before standing up grudgingly to come sit beside the armchair of the couch I was sitting, followed by Trisha. My friends peeped into my laptop to see what I'd call them for.

"Wow, its a beautiful place!" Bernice exclaimed taking charge of the laptop and scrolling for more pictures.

"It is indeed. But its a...", Trisha paused and took a deep breathe and sigh "forest", she completed.

"That's what makes it more beautiful and an adventurous place to be", I replied with an exciting grin.

"To be? You want us to go here?", Bernice asked with a raised brow pointing at the picture on the laptop screen.

"Yes. It'll be fun", I answered.

"No,no,no. Count me out. I've never been to a forest before and I don't wish to be", Trisha said shaking her head in disapproval.

"C'mon Trish, don't be like that. This forest you're seeing its not like others that are dangerous", I replied in a persuading tone.

"Really? How did you know that?", Trisha retorted with her hands folded and placed on her chest.

I thought for few seconds for an answer to that question. I shrugged and replied.

"Well...because someone went there and came back alive?", I replied rhetorically.

"Indeed?", Trisha said gasping at my response.

"Yes, indeed. I mean let's try something new. Nothing is going to happen to us. Stop being pessimistic. Actually this is my first time of wanting to try something like this", I replied.

Silence. No word from her, no word from Bernice. Just silence.

"Please, you girls should say something", I said given them a puppy face thing.

"As for me, I don't have anything to say", Bernice replied.

"Neither do I", Trisha said avoiding gaze with me.

Now over to me. "Are you girls saying...you've accepted for us to tour there?", I asked hopefully.

Bernice glance at Trisha, Trisha returned the gaze with an eye rolling and then both girls stared back to me.

"Yes?", I asked nodding my head with open hands.

"Fine. Its a yes", both girls said in unison.

"Yay!! Thank you!", I screamed with excitement pulling them into a group hug.

"C'mon Nat, don't squeeze me to death", Trisha said.

"Of course I will", I replied and pulled them more closer with a giggle. Both girls joined me in giggling.

"Uhhh..What's the group hug about?", Ethan asked as he walked into the sitting room.

"Nothing of your concern, little one", I replied flashing him the best of my smile and releasing my friends from the hug.

"There's something. You just don't want to tell me", he said with a pout.

"Oh, Ethan. Its not everything you should know. Its just girls stuff", I replied him.

"I wish I was a girl so you could tell me", he said pouting and frowning.

Bernice and Trisha burst out laughing. I myself couldn't help but chuckle. Ethan's expression was going from a frown to a cry.

"Oh my baby brother, come here", I said and he ran to my laps immediately and I embraced him.

"Don't worry,I'll tell you later what we discussed when they're gone okay?" I whispered to his ear to calm him down which he did.

"Here, take this ice cream, its for you. Don't share with Bennie and Trish, OK?" I said eyeing my friends and he nodded.

"Good. Now, go to your room and enjoy your ice cream alone. Or do you want anything else?" I asked in a sweet tone.

"Y.e.s" he answered.

"What do you want my little prince?" I asked.

"Can I play game with your iPhone?" he asked shyly.

I already knew he'd ask for it. I took out my phone from the couch I was sitting and handed it to him. He said a thank you and pecked me before given tongues out to my friends and then he ran to his room upstairs before they could get hold of him.

"I wish I have a younger brother like yours, he's so adorable but troublesome", Bernice said with smiles.

"Yea he is. If I have someone like him, we gonna be fighting a whole lot", Trisha said given a toothy grin.

"I know you're also as stubborn as he is. So I'm not surprise if you two end up fighting everyday", I replied gazing up at Trisha.

"So, girls,when are we going to our supposed tour?" Bernice asked with a lit up face. I think she's excited as I am about this.

"Saturday. Saturday its gonna be a perfect day for us to go. We'll leave by 11am and we'll be back by sundown. Cool?" I asked.

"Yea, cool", both girls replied in unison.

"Good. So, I'll be preparing sandwiches for us to eat while we're there. Is it OK by you girls?" I asked.

"Yes. I'll also ask my mum to bake some cookies for us", Bernice replied.

"And I'll be bringing some drinks", Trisha said.

"Awwn. I swear you girls are the best of girlfriends I've ever had" I said to my friends and placed kisses on their cheek.

"I don't think we'll be telling our parents where we are going, am I right?" Bernice asked me.

"Of course, no. We can't tell them. They might end up discouraging us. You know how parents could be all protective" I replied.

"Yeah, Nat is right. We can't let our parents know where we'd be going", Trisha added.

"So what do we tell them then?" Bernice asked gazing up at me and Trisha.

I held my chin and look up to the ceiling for few minutes and an idea struck me.

"I think I have an idea", I said to them with smiles.

Thanks for Reading.