For a moment, we are silent, our eyes lingering. I watch as her eyes dart back and forth between mine again, but I can only imagine her thoughts. Butterflies quickly form in my stomach. My lips feel dry but achy, as if they need something. Something Valentina could provide. My heart is beating loudly in my chest. I’m almost certain she can hear it unless she miraculously has mud stuck inside her ears.
“Hey! Are you two all right?”
I lift my head to see Maria looking over at us.
“Yeah, we just fell in the mud,” Valentina says, then turns around and gazes at me for a moment longer. Her eyes shift toward my lips and then back to my eyes. I freeze. She chuckles, climbs off of me, and stands up. I quickly become aware of the fact that I was lying in a disgusting pile of mud. It’s the cold, icky dose of reality I need. What the hell am I doing? I need to get a grip.
“You go ahead. We’ll catch up!” Valentina shouts.
“Good, because I don’t want a part of any muddy mess,” Maria cackles.
We stand up, and I look down at my clothes. Then, I look over at Valentina, who is completely covered.
“Your hoodie! I told you not to wear it.”
I can only imagine how much it cost.
“Eh, it’s fine. I’ll get it dry-cleaned when we get back. Or buy a new one.”
Right. I forgot. She’s one of them. I’m the odd one out here.
We start to hike over to catch up with the group.
“At least we have the showers and a change of clothes, right?” I recall.
“Oh. Right. About that.” Valentina chuckles.
“What did you do?” I groan.
“It’s all part of my plan.”
“Val…”
“Okay, so I may have moved the changing stations and portable showers yesterday. Hid them somewhere in the back of the woods at the top.”
I stop and stare at her, feeling both annoyed and impressed. The sun casts a glow on her cheek.
“Are you fucking serious? Why did you do that?” I shout.
“Sh. Luciano was in charge of the tents and showers. So, I figured if I hid them, Sofia would get pissed that he ruined the brunch, and everyone had to eat in gross, sweaty clothes. It’s genius, actually.”
She isn’t wrong. It does seem like a solid plan for her. It just sucks for everyone else, including me. The girl covered from head to toe in mud. What a great way to impress the rest of the family. At least they’ll all also be sweaty and gross, right?
“You seriously suck. Why do you need to do this, anyways? Do you still love her?” I finally ask, unable to keep the annoyance out of my voice.
Valentina’s gaze shifts, softening just a little. “It’s not just about how I feel about her. I just think she deserves better. Luciano isn’t right for her, and maybe she just needs a reminder of what that looks like.”
I feel a pang of something—jealousy, maybe?—and quickly shake it off. “Whatever, dude. I just wish I didn’t have to suffer through brunch because of it,” I mutter, frustrated.
Valentina looks away, a hint of wistfulness in her eyes, but the determination remains. She’s convinced that if Sofia just sees things clearly, she’ll make the right choice—her. And now, I’m caught in the middle of her plan.
As we continue walking the path, slowly catching up with the group, we spot flashes of vibrant green ferns and brightly colored wildflowers. The woods are alive with the sounds of wildlife, and I can hear the distant calls of squirrels and the shuffling of chipmunks through the fallen leaves. We even pause for a moment to examine a spider’s web, glistening with dew, and admire the intricate design of its delicate silk threads. If we weren’t muddy, wet, and miserable, this would be such a gorgeous hike.
“Damn, what the hell happened to you?” Sofia asks as we quickly approach the rest of the guests.
Valentina is occupied with Silvana, who comes to her “rescue.” I can’t help but roll my eyes.
“What? Oh, right. Nothing. I was just saving Valentina from the mud she fell in.” I shrug.
