Harrison's End

The Hiking Spot

       Driving down the road Leighton's strawberry scented shampoo filled my Jeep. She was way too intrested in my cameras to notice me watching her in my rearview mirror. Her hair was blowing in the wind and she had to keep moving it out of her perfectly freckled face.
      
      "Harrison! Look out!" Chris yelled.
       I swerved away from the deer in the road. I should really start paying attention. Someone could have died.
      
      "Sorry guys. We are just about there though, these curvy roads suck." I responded.
     
       We arrived to the parking area unharmed. The same old fence is keeping you from falling off the steep hill. The sign above the fence points to the left toward the hiking trail and to the right to a camping spot. Nobody used the hiking trail anymore because of how old and 'dangerous' it actually is. By dangerous it means occasional mud slides.
      
     "Follow me to the left. The spot is quite a ways up. But it is totally worth it." I said motioning to the left.
   
    It takes about ten minutes to get to the top of the hiking spot. The air is so fresh and crisp that it makes you forget about everything. That is unless a girl who smells like straberries and vanilla is standing next to you.
    
      The sunset was as beautiful as ever. It never looks the same either. There is always something slightly different, like the colors or a cloud or two are in the way. However, Chris's cigarette smoke never changes.
      
     "Give me one, man." I said holding out my hand.
      
      Chris hands me a cigarette and an extra lighter, "You want one Leighton?" Chris asks holding one to her.
      
      "No thanks. I'm not a smoker." She responds.
     
       I thought of her to be the smoking type. Maybe I have this girl all wrong. What if she's only hanging with us because she hasn't met the cheerleaders yet. Once they get their hands on her she will never talk to us again. I'm assuming that's what will happen. I guess Chris and I will just have to wait and see.
     
       "You guys weren't kidding when you said this place was pretty. It's amazing here. How'd you guys find it?" Leighton asks curiously.
     
      "We were looking for a new place to run where we wouldn't get hit by a car and we found this place. We've been coming here ever since." Chris says as he keeps hiking uphill.
     
      "Well we made it." I say proudly like I have made this place myself.
     
      There are four fold out chairs sitting in a little with a small makeshift campfire. Beer cans and cigarette butts lay around the fire place from the last time we had a small get together up here. We get pretty messed up during our get togethers.
     
       "We are having a small party up here in a few days, wanna come? I can pick you up if you need to be." I ask Leighton.
      
      "Sounds like fun, and if you could pick me up that would be great."
     
       We all walked back down to the Jeep after a few hours of hanging around. Leighton climbs into the back again while Chris smoked in the front seat blowing smoke out the window. And I swear if he burns my seat one more time I will burn him. Chris finishes his cigarette and manages to not burn my seat while Leighton bobs her head listening to the radio. She directs me to her house which is in the rich neighborhood. Which I somewhat expected. Her father was waiting for her and gives me and Chris the dirtiest look I have ever seen before. Chris lights another cigarette making the mans scowl even worse. Dropping Leighton off was quite scary. And I'm not usually scared of old rich men.
     
       Chris and I cruise off to his house to play some video games and smoke some more cigs. I don't know what it is today but those cigarettes are better than I remember. Chris and I just hung out for the rest of the night until around eleven o'clock. Then the party crashing began.