We fall into an easy back and forth conversation. She has a lot of energy and seems to know what she wants from life. She tells me about her dreams of moving to New York to study architecture.Wow!That’s ambitious, and I have to say I’m impressed. Judging by her clothes, I’d have guessed fashion. When I mention as much, she shuts down a little and pulls into herself.
I’ll figure that one out later.
I need to bring the happy girl back. “A deal’s a deal. Here’s my phone.” I hand it to her. Her eyes light up, and a smile spreads across her face. She locates the number she needs from her phone and dials it with lightning speed. She paces in front of the fire until I hear a female’s voice on the other end.
She blurts out words faster than I can keep up with in my lethargic state. I wipe my hands down my face, trying to keep sleep at bay, but I know I have to call it a night after this. Mom and Dad will put the fire out.
“Seriously?” She sounds distraught. Suddenly, I’m very interested as to why. “Yeah, okay. Thanks, Beth. I’ll see you in a few weeks.” She covers the mouth piece and glances over at me. “If she needs to reach me, is it okay for her to call your phone?”
I nod, and she finishes her phone call. The air around her has changed. Gone is the carefree girl. Now, I feel anger rolling off her, and her hand shakes as she gives me my phone. It’s slight, and I’m not sure she even knows she did it.
“Everything all right? You look pissed.”
She clenches her jaw and nods, but the shimmer of unshed tears doesn’t go unnoticed. She wipes the water before it has a chance to fall and clears her throat. “Thank you for letting me use your phone. Have a good night, Tristan.” I hear the rasp in her words and don’t want her to leave like this. I stand, ready to pull her in for a hug, but she turns before I can take a step closer.
She walks out of sight to her cabin. I feel a desperate urge to make things better and put a smile back on her face. Tomorrow will be a good day for her, even if I have to force her to like it.
Chapter 5
Lana
Iwake the next morning, my pillow stained with mascara and tears. When I got back to my room last night, I was too upset to wash the makeup off my face. All I could muster was getting into pajamas and curling up into a tight ball to cry.
I must look like a damn raccoon.
Beth told me Joe was flirting with other girls at the party. Like,allover them. She even said she thought she saw him come out of the girl’s restroom. If I wasn’t stuck at this stupid ranch in the middle of the damn country, this never would have happened. Mom knocks on my door, and I ignore her.
“Wake up, sleepy. It’s a beautiful day, and there’s tons to do. Your father and I are going on a hike. Want to come?” She sits on the side of my bed and pushes my hair out of my face. She clucks her tongue when she sees the black stains on my cheeks. “What’s wrong, Lana?”
“You both dragged me to this stupid place, and the boy I like was all over other girls at the party that I was supposed to be at. I have no service here on my phone, so I can’t get in touch with my friends, and I’m in the middle of nowhere. Shall I continue?” I whisper yell in response.
“Lana, I know you’re upset, but there’s no reason for you to talk to me like that. I’m sorry you missed out on the party, but if that boy was flirting with other girls because you weren’t there, then he doesn’t like you as much as you want him to.” Her voice is firm yet still soft and understanding.
I sit up and glare at her. “You don’t know anything. You don’t get it. I don’twantto go on a hike.”
She stands and walks to the door, then stops and turns to me. “Suit yourself. If you want to miss out on everything this place has to offer, you do that. You’re going to look back on it one day and be sad you didn’t enjoy this experience.”
She closes the door behind her, and I scream all my frustrations into my pillow. I lay still for another twenty minutes or so before I finally drag myself out of bed and shower so I can get something to eat.
I pull my wet hair into a ponytail and put on my bathing suit. I stare at the cute bikini I packed but think better of it. My thoughts turn, and I remember the conversation with Beth last night.I bought that bikini to impress Joe, and he forgot about me the moment I was out of sight.
I pull up my shorts, toss a tank top over my head, and pull on a pair of hot pink converse to complete the outfit. I need some food and decide to take my book with me so I can read afterwards.
I stopped reading last night at a good part, and I’m dying to know how this story is going to end. I open it and read as I walk, dodging a set of kids who run right in my path. I don’t account for the mass of muscle who proceeds to put himself directly in my path and end up walking into him.
He grabs my waist and holds tight, and this time, I manage to hold on to my book. I look up at him and pull out of his grasp. His arms don’t feel as nice on me as Tristan’s did last night.
“Morning, Holden. Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was walking.”
He smiles a toothy grin and tips his hat. “No problem at all. Morning, Lana. Where are you off to this morning?” He takes a small step closer, and I wrap my arms tighter around myself, hugging the book close to my chest.
“I was going to get some breakfast and sit by the pond to read.” I walk around him, and he falls in line next to me.
He’s cute, but after last night, and the warning Liz gave me yesterday, I want to stay away from him. I don’t need another boy breaking my heart.
“Are you sure I can’t convince you to go horseback riding? I’d be happy to teach you the proper way to ride.” He smirks, and his brown eyes darken at the insinuation. If I weren’t a virgin, or on vacation with my mom and dad, I might take him up on the offer just to rid thoughts of Joe from my mind.
“No, thanks. Maybe a different day. I want to finish my book.”
