Inevitable (Book One)

Chapter 10

Shawn

I pull into the gravel parking lot and steal a glance over at Lyla who is looking out the window of my car at the surroundings confused. I get out of my car and manage to make it around to her side just as she is pushing the door open. I reach for the handle and open it the rest of the way for her as she smiles up at me amused and climbs out. She looks around again at the wooded area surrounding the parking lot. The entire thirty minute drive here she interrogated me to the best of her ability to try and find out where we were going, but I managed to stay strong and not give anything away. I walk around to the back of my car and open the trunk. I pull out the cooler and backpack I had stuffed full of supplies earlier this morning and then close the trunk and lock my car.

"What's all that for?" Lyla asks as she points to the two bags I'm carrying.

"You'll see," I smirk when she rolls her eyes at me and attempts to give me her best stern look, but instead bursts into laughter and I join her. Her laugh is a sound that is quickly growing to be one of my favorites. I've come to recognize that her true laugh, when she finds something really funny, is loud and obnoxious. I've even caught a snort or two throughout the outbursts. Then there is the little giggle she does when slightly amused that is so much softer and delicate. It surprises me that both sounds could come out of the same girl. I nod my head to the right, gesturing towards a trail as we start out on the hike. It's not a long walk, maybe ten minutes to our destination as I lead the way. Lyla doesn't press for information anymore as she falls in step silently beside me, the odd comment about the beauty of the trees or the trail slipping out.

"Here we are," I breathe out as we reach a small clearing about fifty feet off the main trail. I hear Lyla gasp softly beside me as we step through the last bit of tree covering and our view falls onto a beautiful lake. I smile down at her as she looks around the lake and starts to move along the small shoreline towards a dock the juts out twenty feet or so into the water.

The small row boat that Danielle, Kyle and I bought is on shore and chained up around a large tree. Lyla reaches the dock and walks out along it, finally stopping when she reaches the edge. I follow her and stop a few feet back, admiring the beauty of the scene and girl in front of me. I wish I could take a picture of her right now, starring out at the lake, the water calm and reflecting the trees along the shoreline, but I am not looking to creep her out so my phone remains in my pocket.

"This place is beautiful," Lyla comments as she finally turns back to look at me. "How did you find it?"

"Kyle actually brought me and Danielle out here last year and we all loved it, we come here quite a lot when the weather's nice." She nods along and smiles as she glances back out across the water again. I watch her eye something back on shore. "I wish we could take that boat out, it's peaceful being out on the water."

I follow her gaze to where my boat sits on shore, the chain visible from where we are confirming it's locked up. I get an idea and start to walk back down the dock towards the boat, trying my best to hide the smirk that's on my face from her.

"Where are you going?" I hear her ask from behind me. I hear her feet start to thud along the wood boards of the deck as she follows behind me. As I reach the shore line, I crouch down by the boat and pretend to inspect the combination lock that's securing the chain around it. "We can't use this, what if someone comes along that owns it? They could call the cops on us." The worry in her voice and on her face is adorable as she glances around as if someone is going to pop out of the bushes and catch us. I contemplate carrying the joke on a bit farther, but I don't want to piss her off at the start of my chance at this makeup date.