particular to Eric. I took in the surrounding nature. I found a brown owl sleeping up in the hollow of an oak tree. I also encountered a couple of rabbits, baby rabbits with their mother.
“You really are a nature girl, aren’t you?” Aaron interrupted me. I flustered.
“Not really. But this park is beautiful.” I commented.
“One of the oldest parks in the world.” Eric said, catching my gaze. I then embarrassingly tripped on a small log, almost falling but caught myself just in time.
“I was about to say klutz.” Aaron smirked. He mocked my almost falling. I tsked at him. We were closer to the parking lot when Aaron asked me the stupidest question you could ask a hostage. “How does it feel to be kidnapped?”
I gawked at him to make sure he wasn’t serious. “You’re really asking me that?”
Eric said the same thing. “You really aren’t asking her that, are you?”
“It’s like Anne Frank! Eric’s the German and you should be recording your thoughts on this whole thing.” He pointed to me and Eric. I didn’t think that Aaron could be any more of an idiot. He sure proved me wrong.
“This is not the correct time period.” Eric rolled his eyes. They’re polar opposites.
Eric let me borrow his bag to stuff some overnight clothing in. I took my last remaining clean clothes, not caring much anymore on how I looked. Aaron honked the horn outside, signaling for the fifth time that we needed to go. And while I trudged downstairs, I found Eric in the kitchen writing quick on a piece of paper. I gazed over his shoulder, reading his note.
Mom,
I'm going out with Aaron to Anderlie Park. Then after, we will sleep over at Travis's Carter's house. Don't worry about us, all right? -Eric
“Your mom’s going to worry about you?” I asked concerned.
“Yeah,” Eric said a bit dazed. “She’s one of those worrier-for-life kind of people. Ever since I was born she’s been careful. And as I grew up she became more watchful. It wasn’t until after that incident that set her off on real guard.” I knew which incident he was referring to.
“But I think it’s nice to have your mom worry about you.” I said. I know my parents care, but they are always so busy to show it. By what Eric’s saying, I’m pretty sure his mom showers her love over him every day. Eric smiled at me while I was lost in this thought.
“Okay.” The front do opened furiously but no head popped out from anywhere. “I have been out there for ten freaking minutes, and I’m going to drive away with or without you. Come on now.” Aaron closed the door again.
“I guess we should go,” Eric said.
“I guess we should.” We were headed out the door until Eric snagged my arm and twirled me back around to face him. I thought he might have lost it and killed me right then and there, but all he did was tug at my hood and dragged it slowly on my head.
“I’m scary right?” He said quietly.
I looked away to catch my breath. “Who was asking?”
After we parked the car, we hiked deep in the woods again. All the while, Aaron managed to complain in both the car and as we walked the trail about how much mileage we’re wasting by this trip.
“Shut up!” I said.
Aaron looked at me like I’ve gone completely insane. “What’s your problem?”
I was about to rip my hair out. “No what’s YOUR problem? All you’ve done is complain, complain, and complain. I’m sick of hearing your voice! Don’t you have anything else to care about besides your car?”
“PMS?” Aaron offered out of nowhere. His assumption was entirely sexist.
“No! Why would—” I let it go. Shannon was right. Aaron was a lost cause.
“Is that Aaron and Dottie fighting I hear?” A smooth voice came out from the woods. “Because if it is, don’t waste your breath Dottie.”
Shannon pulled down my hood letting my hair fall around my shoulders. “Your hair is gorgeous!” She exclaimed. She glared at Eric. “Why’d you make her put the hood on. She has pretty hair that should be shown to the world!”
“Your hair’s much prettier.” I said. I thought it was the truth. I couldn’t count on how many times I wished I had Janaki’s or even the devil in legging’s hair. Straight brown hair was in. Everyone wants to date that girl. Blond frizzy, wavy hair is not that great, at least in my opinion it wasn’t. I tried to convince mom that she should let me dye it, but her utter shock of my disdain made her say no. Blond hair has been in the Fane family for generations. I had absolutely no right to ruin it my hair.
“Oh please.” She waved her hand at me. “Everyone is going brunette like it’s the end of the world as we know it.” Then she added, “You’re a site for sore eyes Dottie.” She smiled at me, or at least I thought she did because her eyes weren’t on me. They were looking past me. She started walking away, a signal that we should follow.
“We found the greatest spot Eric.” She bragged, tossing her hair back to tie into a ponytail.
“Oh really?” Eric said.
“You don’t believe me? That’s so like you!” She spun around to Eric making him come to a sudden halt. “I found it on a whim. I think a couple of girl scouts used it for hide and seek. And possibly for hanging around away from their leader.” She snickered. “There’s a large hammock tied between two trees.”
“A large hammock?” Aaron said. “Whatever happened to your very scholarly vocabulary?”
“I need to reread the dictionary.” She said. “Hey Eric, my birthday’s coming up. How about a new Thesaurus?”
“You’re birthday is not for six months.” Eric reminded.
“Fat.” Aaron said, cutting off their brief conversation. “Fat is another word for large. There’s your half-birthday gift.” He smiled.
Shannon sighed in frustration. “You are an idiot. That word is just as bad as large.”
“What’s wrong with large? I like large.” I said. Then Shannon sighed at me as if I didn’t understand. Words were the same to me. Who cares if one word sounds better than the other? They’re all the same.
“Excessive is a good word.” Eric said, pointing out his finger.
Shannon gasped. “That is a good word. Eric, why the hell are you not in English honors?” She hit him on the shoulder in a playful way.
“I only know fancy vocabulary because of you.” Eric said, his eyes locking onto hers. No, not the mushy love again! I turned my gaze from them. The sun was setting now. Through the trees the rays glared at me, hurting my eyes.
“You guys are weird.” Aaron broke the silence first.
“And you’re a stupid idiot.” Shannon muttered.
“And you’re using idiot too much. Why don’t you try another word?”
“Okay, how about you cretin.” Aaron stopped walking and stared at Shannon.
“You may have gotten me this time—”
“No, don’t worry. I have to learn a lot of good words to describe you and Travis. There endless ways to say ‘idiot’. You know that right?” She glanced up at Aaron.
He just grumbled something that was too hard to comprehend. Shannon gave a small “mhm” and all I could hear was the crunching of leaves beneath our feet.
When we turned around a corner, Shannon jumped up in excitement. “We’re here!”
I looked up from the ground to find Travis and Carter in the middle of a bunch of logs. They were struggling to start a fire. Travis muttered curse words under his breath while Carter scowled at him.
Shannon put her hands to each side of her mouth, shouting, “You guys suck! Where’s the fire?”
Travis brought his head up and gave her a deep glare. “Why don’t you try it?” He stood up, throwing sticks on the ground in a foolish manner. Carter was still bending around, not wanted to be defeated yet. Travis folded his arms up to his chest, looking away from him and the fire. “I give up.”
And right when he said that, Carter announced, “Got it,” with a bright yellow flame reflecting in his brown eyes.
> “Yeah, well…” Travis started. The sound of his voice baffled. “I helped.”
“Actually, you did.” Carter nodded, grinning. “You moved.”
“All right.” Shannon said. But this time she didn’t have anything to add to that.
“You came here without a plan!?” Aaron yelled.
“No, I came here on a spur-of-the-moment.” He gave her a look of disproval. “I just, uh—tear your eyes away from me right now Aaron Reed!” She spat. Aaron looked away in a rush. I held my top lip with my bottom teeth, trying not to crack a smile.
We were all settled down on the floor. Carter and Travis were across from me. Carter sat on one of the logs while Travis sat somewhat near him. I caught Aaron’s soft brown hair at my right. His half-grin suggested that he thought up something dirty already about the way Carter and Travis were near each other. And finally, Shannon and Eric rested at my left.
The dead air made an eerie sound. It was quiet.
“What fun,” Aaron said. “But dumb.”
Shannon took this to create an opposing view. She put her palm against her head. “I may have done this with the wrong bunch.”
“Well too late now,” Travis said. “I lied to my dad. The deed’s done.”
I stared at the fire. The flame was a bright yellow-orange color. I hated the weather right now and the flame only made me think more of this. My face felt hot due to the small fire, but my hands at feet were icy cold. How could one part of the body can be a total opposite of the other? Nothing could ever be in sync, apparently.
“DOTTIE!” Shannon yelled at me.
I