SHATTERED GLASS: love always finds a way

5. Hikes

«Rise and shine!» Vanessa exclaimed, the morning after, making me open my eyes. «Breakfast is outside.»

I got up and put on the first thing I could find, which funnily enough was the one thing I should have never had with me: Kate's old hoodie from her days at Columbia University. She had left it in my office when we were dating, and I used to wear it all the time.

«Hey, I see you still really like that hoodie» Kate smiled at me when I went outside on the porch, while calmly drinking her tea.
«Uh, yeah, it's quite comfy. I've been meaning to give it back to you, unless you don't want it anymore» I replied, sitting next to her.

She shook her head and put the cup down.

«You should take it. It suits you. Plus, I've got a hundred of those.»
«Thanks.»

Heidi and Melissa reached us, chatting way too cheerfully for someone who has just woken up, and so did Vanessa and Aidy. The only ones that weren't with us were Cecily and Leslie, that were gone to market together.

«So, did Cec tell any of you how long the hike will be?» I asked to the other girls.
«She said that when we get there, we'll see a really beautiful lake and we might even jump in for a quick swim. Didn't say anything more» Aidy nodded. «So... are you two okay?»
«Why not» Kate shrugged her shoulders, nonchalantly.

I nodded, but my face clearly said something else.

«Alright, I'm gonna go get changed» the blonde actress beside me said, getting up.

She disappeared inside her cabin, as Aidy asked me what was going on.

«I know about Kate and the other girl. She has been in a relationship all summer, hasn't she?» I exclaimed, with a little haste in my voice.

I wasn't annoyed by Aidy, but more by the fact that no one had told me before and I had to find out myself.

«Brook, it is not my place to tell you about Kate's life. You should ask her» she answered, calmly, trying to resonate with me.
«There it is, always protecting Kate! What about me? You have been judging me every day for the last two months because I was sleeping Lena, but Kate is so fucking awesome that you can't judge the fact that she has been in a relationship since the moment after we broke up» I raised my voice.
«First off, I have not been judging you, I have been trying to get you to understand that sleeping with Lena isn't the solution to your problems. Second of all, I haven't been protecting anyone, are you fucking with me? Every time you two have seen each other for the last two months, I have been trying to keep her away from you, working my ass off so that you wouldn't have freaked out! We wanted to be there for you because you were heartbroken, and we're your friends as well. I am sorry for being rude and honest with you, but what all of us have been trying to do the whole summer has been protecting you from something you should have worked out by yourself.»

She got up, took her bowl of cereal and left, leaving me sighing in anger. After a few moments I heard a voice behind me, so I realized that Leslie and Cecily were back and they had probably listened to our argument.

«What the hell happened? I leave you kids alone for thirty minutes and you start fighting like wild cats?» Leslie sighed. «Get ready, we are leaving in thirty minutes.»

Cecily stayed quiet, but her eyes were speaking for her. Out of all my friends, she was the one that had been with me the entire time, listening to me, giving me advice and reassuring me about Kate. She had really worked hard to make sure I was okay, and I still thought that she would have taken Kate's side instead of mine. There should have been a rule about not dating someone in your friends group, just to avoid a situation like that.

I didn't say anything during the hike. I was the first one of the group, walking faster, trying to clear my head. I didn't hear Cecily calling me to stop, because we were at the small lake; I just kept walking, blindly, until I stopped a few minutes later and sat on a rock, in front of a gorgeous landscape that I was too upset to notice.

Finally, after a few minutes, I calmed down and focused on everything around me. From there, I could see the small villages and towns, the sea, the woods.
I didn't care about the other girls, who were telling me to be careful or I would have fallen down the mountain: I could have stayed there forever.

«Here» Vanessa told me, making me wake up from my daydreams.

She handed me a sandwich and a bottle of water, then sat next to me.

«How you doing?»
«I'm good. You?»
«Tired. The girls are thinking about swimming in the lake after they are done eating.»

I didn't say anything. There was no need to. I just wanted to preserve that moment for the rest of my life.

«Hey Ness, could you give us a moment?» Aidy asked our maroon-haired friend, approaching us.

She got up and left, as Aidy took her place.

«I didn't mean for those words to come out like that. I am deeply sorry if I hurt you in any way.»
«I know. But I also know that you meant them.»
«I did, but not like that. What I am saying is that now would be a good time for you and Kate to make up and be friends again, because with the new year of SNL, Cecily and I won't be around all the time to help you out. You've got to learn how to live with the pain, or it will crush you.»

I weakly smiled and hugged her.

«Thanks.»
«Now let's go, because I really, really, really want to swim in that lake.»

I finished eating my sandwich in silence, then I reached the other girls, took my clothes off and grabbed Aidy's hand. We jumped together in the cold water, screaming, wishing that a moment like that could last forever.