She steps one foot forward, and I hear it plop into the mud and sink slightly. Valentina waves her arms around in a circle to regain her balance.
“This is pathetic, Val.” I snort. “Get your hiking legs! Put your back into it!”
“What do you think I’m doing, Valdes? Having a little puppet show in the mud for you?”
I’m trying incredibly hard not to laugh.
“Come on, pick up the next foot. You got this!”
“Isabella—” She grabs her thigh with both hands and swings her leg ahead of the other foot. “You just wait until I get over there.”
“Will it be today? Because we’ve got things to do, you know. Brunch will be over by the time you’re done making mud pies.” I mockingly look down at my watch. “We all got through this part just fine. So why did you choose the muddiest part to walk through? Did you think you were Indiana Jones?”
“Why don’t you come over here and help me?” she shouts and reaches her hand out toward me.
There is something so pleasing about the confident, charming Valentina looking like a newborn giraffe walking through the mud.
“Absolutely not. You’re going to just pull me in with you. I know that trick.”
“I won’t. Get me out of this quicksand!”
“You’re so dramatic.” I sigh and reach my hand out toward her. “If you pull me in, I’m not speaking to you for the rest of the week.”
“Oh, please, as if you wanted to speak to me anyways.”
“Okay, fair.”
I grab her hand and begin pulling her toward me. She lifts her back foot and lands on a dry part of the trail, but the other foot is still in the mud. She loses her balance and begins to lean backward. I grab her hand with both my arms now to prevent the fall.
“Isabella!” Valentina screams as we both fall into the mud.
I land right on top of her, but my boots, knees, and hands are covered in mud. I can’t complain, considering Valentina’s entire body saved me from the messy fall.
I look down at her face and realize we are perfectly at eye level, our noses practically touching. Considering how much taller she is than me, it is odd to see her so closely. Her eyes dart back and forth between my own. For a moment, it feels like we’re the only two in the woods. No trail to hike. No family to impress. No investment to win. Just…us.
Sinking in the mud.
I smirk. “Thanks for breaking my fall, Val.”
“You were supposed to save me, not throw me in the mud, Isa!”
“I thought you needed a mud bath. Your skin is going to be so soft after this.”
“Maybe you need one, too, then.”
“Oh, no, Val. I’m okay. Thanks, anyways.”
I try to get up, but she wraps her legs around my waist and locks me in. I’m completely stunned, but I don’t pull away. She jerks me toward her, pushing my face even closer to hers. I feel a jolt run through my body. With one fell swoop, she swings her body on top of mine, landing my back into the mud. This time, she is looking down at me.
“Who’s dirty now, Isa?” Valentina laughs.
We stare each other down for what feels like an eternity and then suddenly break into laughter.
“Valentina! I’m supposed to be impressing Luciano. Now, look at me.”
“Hey, at least we’re both in the same mess,” she says, grinning.
I can almost melt into the mud at the sight of her from this angle. The way the sun casts a halo around her hair. The little pieces of mud drying on her cheek and forehead. I could stare at her forever.
