Page 47 of Into the Mountains
“I had to prove that I was faster than him,” Charlotte answers. “And better. And I did.”
I don’t bother correcting her, because no matter what she thinks, I feel like I definitely won in the end.
“Idiots,” Sky says loud enough for everyone to hear. She may think we are idiots, but I think she’s orchestrated this whole trip to force us together in some way. Whether it’s really to be just friends or something more, she’s meddling an awful lot.
A comfortable silence settles over the camp, the crackle of the fire the only sound along with the nighttime wildlife and the sound of the water nearby. “You know that’s the hoodie I tried to steal once,” Charlotte speaks up.
“I know,” is all I say, because that’s the exact reason I brought it with me. To taunt her with it. Instead, I see a smallsmile almost reach her eyes, like she’s remembering the time she almost got away with stealing it.
MAY - FIFTEEN YEARS AGO
The Second Date
“You’re really not goingto tell me where we’re going?”
“No way, Elias. It’s my turn.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever had someone take me on a date before.”
“From what you’ve told me, you’ve never actually dated before.”
“Ouch.” I place my hand over my heart like I’ve been mortally wounded. Charlotte just laughs at me from her place in the driver’s seat. “You’re right though,” I admit. “You’re the first one. And most likely my last.”
The car swerves slightly and I grasp the handle above me, my heart picking up speed. “Your what now?”
“I was kidding, Charlie, please don’t kill us.” She puffs out her cheeks and breathes out a long sigh.
“Would that be so bad though?”
“What?” she asks.
“A life with me?”
She hesitates like she’s searching for the right words. “This is only our second date. I think that kind of thinking is a little too serious.”
She’s right. It is, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about a future with her. Little red-haired babies of ours running around somewhere with land, a lake or a pond nearby to take them fishing when they grow up. Then again, that’s a fantasy I’ve had since high school. I’ve pictured my life with her for years. If I were to admit that now, I’d definitely solidify my social standing as her stalker.
“But in the general sense with no other specifics, yes. But that’s all I’m saying right now.”
“Okay,” is all I can think to say. “So, where are we going?” I ask for the millionth time and am answered with an eye roll. It’s late afternoon and the sun isn’t as hot as it was earlier today. It would be the perfect time to swim in a nearby lake, fish, or do any other activity you can that involves water.
As if she read my thoughts, she pulls into the parking lot of the local marina. “You have a boat?” I almost scream.
She laughs. “I don’t. My parents recently bought one when I left for college. Apparently they decided to do more fun things with me out of the house, which is completely unfair.”
“And you know how to drive it?”
“I do. When I came home for spring break, Dad helped me get my boating license. So you’re safe with me.”
“I never would have doubted that, red.”
I search through the files in my brain, trying to think of a scruple of information I know about boating and ships from research I did in grade school when I went through my pirate obsession. “Did you know a treasure hunter, Tommy Thompson, found a sunken ship, the SS South America that carried over $1 billion worth of gold?”
“It was the SS Central America actually,” she responds with no hesitation.
“How did you know that?”
“I was consumed with treasure hunting and ships when I was in middle school. I thought it was really cool and when I think something is really cool, I tend to fixate on that subject and find out everything I can on it. I spent a lot of time in the library that year.”
