“I didn’t tell him to do that, but it’s not like you didn’t deserve it,” she bites out. Great. The sorry excuse of a man is ratting me out.
“Whatever, Daniel.” She rolls her eyes. “You’ll be fine. Man up.” With that, she clicks off.
“Wanna tell me something?” she asks as she sets her phone back on the hot tub siding behind her. She crosses her arms, staring into my soul.
“Uh, I might have driven to Daniel’s house before we left,” I slowly say, testing the waters. They are murky and unclear. “And I might have punched him.”
She throws up her hands, disturbing the water around her. “Why, why, why?” she groans. “I handled him. I did not need you stepping in. He’s demanding you pay his medical bill, you know? His nose is broken!”
Despite the situation, I laugh. “I’m completely satisfied that I broke his nose. I’ll happily pay for any medical bills. Dank Nose Daniel is his new name.”
Hadley snorts a laugh, unable to hold it in. The water is clearing now.
“I can take care of my own messes,” she says, but her cheeky grin lets me know all is forgiven. “But thank you,” she finishes in a whisper.
“It was my fist’s pleasure.” The laughter dies down and we settle into another easy silence. The birds sing a song around us, crafting a tune that I commit to memory to copy on the guitar one day.
“This is kinda fun, huh? Getting away?” she asks, taking in the view around us. It is stellar. The mountains loom around us, the sun setting behind the western side.
“Kinda feels like old times when we would go camping in Dad’s backyard. Mom would bring us marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers to our makeshift fire of sticks and dead pine needles.” I reminisce. “Except no mountains like these. Only the sprawling woods.”
“Don’t forget her famous hot chocolate.” Hadley and I both sigh with pure pleasure at the memory of the sweet, thick, chocolatey goodness. “Man, I really miss her.”
My stomach lurches, and I feel like I might vomit right here. I press my lips together, keeping it in. “Yeah, I miss her too.” The silence stretches on between us; the only sound is that of the bubbling water. Mom would have wanted this for me. She shipped Hadley and me before shipping people was a cool thing to do. Mom even gave me her ring before she died…
Why had I been running from Hadley for so long?
“Do you remember that time when we went to the Bluffs and stumbled upon the little pool of water?” Hadley asks.
Of course I remember that day. It was the first time I remember seriously thinking of Hadley as a potential girlfriend. She had cried her eyes out while we sat in the water because she had come home from school and her mom was strung out yet again. I had wrapped her in my arms and held her while the sun-heated water tinged our skin red. Her hair had smelled like coconut and her tears had dripped on my shoulders. Each tear broke my heart and I remember thinking to myself,“I want to be the person who always comforts her when she is crying.”
But what I finally reply is, “Yeah, that was an exhaustingly hot day. The hike to the pool was brutal.”
“This weather is much better,” she begins, adding the next part in a whisper, “and I’m much better.”
“How is your mom?”
Hadley clenches her jaw then answers, “Fine as far as I know.”
“You should call her while we’re away. I’ll be by your side just in case.”
“Thanks, Brax. But I’d prefer to enjoy this trip.”
Knowing better than to push her on this topic, I let it go.
I lean back, sinking further into the warm water, letting my muscles unwind and relax. It feels so right to be here with Hadley. Nothing replaces Mom, but being with Hadley dulls the ache. My head is light, my skin warm. Maybe I’m a little too comfortable?
Water assaults my face, and I jerk upright. I vehemently spit out the water (and germs) infiltrating my mouth. Wiping my eyes clear, Hadley’s grin comes into full focus. I narrow my eyes, imagining they look like the slits in Voldemort’s nose at this point.
“You did not just splash disgusting, germy water at me,” I say the words slowly, honing my focus on Hadley. Our eyes lock. My prey will not escape.
I stand up, rising a full two to three feet above her seated position. My world spins a little, but I maintain my upright position.
Her grin slips.
“Rawls, don’t you dare. I have my face painted on.” Her words are rushed as she leans as far back away from me as she possibly can.
“Don’t dish it if you can’t take it.” I cock my head and taunt her, inching closer across the hot tub to her. Why is the world spinning still?
