“Welcome to casa la Casper,” Finn says, nudging my shoulder.
My head snaps to the side, charging after his retreating steps. “Wait, what? You own this place?”
“Correction.” His footing stops. “Weown this place.”
I don’t believe what he says until I notice how his one eye pinches, trying to hold back his irritation. Is that because of me? Because even after all this time, I’m still struggling to accept this one thing.
Everyone else around seems to of done so, so why can’t I?
Before I can say another word, Finn’s already climbing the one step to get inside. Somehow my comment put a damper on his once energized mood.
If Hailey doesn’t get it, she at least doesn’t express it. Her face one of sympathy as she passes. The screen door smacks behind her.
The metal rod on the flagpole clinks. Clanking at the hardware on the rope that holds the flag at the top. My neck arches, following as it willows, blowing in the breeze.
“Ya comin’?” Eli hollers, holding the door.
Cole already having gone inside, no doubt to claim his room before Hailey could snag the best one.
“Knowing your brother, he’s got a busy day planned for us all tomorrow.”
“Coming,” I yell, unmoving.
I hear the smack of the screen again. Eli headed inside with everyone else.
I do what Finn did earlier, far less dramatic, but take a lungful of this new air, now that it’s only me. It’s crisp, clean. I like it.
The view is stunning, but something I can’t explain settles below my belly button. It’s not like the nerves earlier in the car. This is something else, new.
Anticipation, I hope.
“Chop-chop, woman,” Hailey hollers, sunglasses over her nose as she peeks her head back out. “We already lost out. Cole called dibs on the room with the best view.”
Shoving that sense of dread aside, I sling my bag over my shoulder, a grin taking over my face as I meet her. Ready to make memories with my friends.
If only I had listened to my gut…
forty-six
Rory
We’reonamountain.Not as impressive as the ones behind the house because those are too far away. But this one’s still of dramatic size.
Most of the morning we spent hiking at an incline. The trek, combined with the dense air, had my insides begging for their grave by the time we got to our destination.
Hailey made her disapproval known the entire way up. Somehow finding the extra oxygen to speak aloud what we were all thinking. Her criticism settles some when I agree to go shopping with her tomorrow.
Selfishly I do that more so for myself. I run quite a bit, so I like to think I’m in decent shape, but this has me second-guessing myself.
The climb to get here hadn’t been easy, but once we get to the top and I see the view… every step was worth it.
I breathe in and it feels like an expansion of my soul. The view’s breathtaking. The blue sky trails parallel to the lingering mountain. The ground miles below our feet. Trees scatter for miles between a valley, a town not far off from there.
We decide to break up here for lunch before heading back down. Everyone has an appetite after the journey.
We’re about halfway back down when I hear a smack and an “ewww.” Hailey wiping off the dead gnat from her arm.
A few minutes later and Finn is doing the same. The swarm around us getting worse.