𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 |𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐊𝐀𝐔𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐙| 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐄𝐃

𝑷𝑳𝑬𝑨𝑺𝑨𝑵𝑻 𝑮𝑰𝑭𝑻

𝗧𝗢𝗠'𝗦 𝗣𝗢𝗩

I drove my four-wheeler over to Johanna's house. It'd been two weeks since my party and I couldn't remember the last time I drove this over to her place. Since she moved out four years ago, it became a yearly tradition that she stayed with her parents the night before her birthday. Her family had always been close, and she enjoyed time with them whenever she could. She'd often crash at my cabin just to have breakfast with her parents the next morning.
     
Johanna's father was a rancher. He owned most of the meat and dairy farms in Monteagle, while her mom ran things behind the scenes of their businesses. She was the face of the company and most of Johanna's uncles and aunts were employed by them as well. People loved their family-operated establishment, it was what kept them coming back.
     
Driving next door to Johanna's childhood home was always a scenic experience but today, God was showing off. The colors in the early morning sky blended together perfectly, enough to catch my eyes the further I drove down into their property.

From the oranges, to the reds, to the bright greens that flowed together in the warm brisk air, it all radiated beauty. The weather would be perfect for what I had in store for her today.
     
Let's just say I was finally going to show her what she'd been on my balls about since we started driving. As soon as I pulled up to her front door, she opened it with a huge smile on her face.
     
"Happy birthday, Jojo."
     
"You're up early."
     
"It's my best friend's birthday and that calls for celebration."
     
"Oh yeah?"

I nodded.
     
"Where are we going?"
     
"Go get dressed and you'll find out." She eyed me skeptically.
     
"What? You don't trust me?"
     
"I trust you."
     
"Then why are you still standing there?"
     
She stepped back with her hand still on the door. "I'll be back in ten minutes."
     
"I'll be here."
     
Thirty minutes later we were on the road because ten minutes never actually meant ten minutes when it came to Johanna and getting ready.
     
"Are you going to tell me where we're going?"
     
"Nope."
     
"Oh, come on! You know I hate surprises."
     
"All the more reason to torture you."
     
"But it's my birthday, you're supposed to do everything I say today."
     
"Is that right?"
     
"Yep. Those are the rules."
     
"Whose rules?"
     
"Mine."
     
"Can't I just surprise you?" I reached for her thigh, but she intercepted my hand at the last second. "Ohhh! Did you see that, Tom? You have to be quicker than that. I have cat-like reflexes. I'm secretly a ninja."
    
I grinned, nodding in front of me and her eyes followed the movement. Using the distraction to my advantage, I squeezed her inner thigh. "What was that?" I mocked, squeezing tighter. "I'm sorry I didn't catch that? Cat-like what?"
     
She thrashed, squealing and laughing at the same time until I let go.
     
"Now what were you saying?"
     
"You mean before I was rudely interrupted?"
     
"Yes, before that." She shook her head, smirking. "I don't make the rules, I just follow them."
     
"And what other rules are you following, Jojo?"
     
"Oh, you know... a little of this, a little of that. If I told you, I'd have to kill you."
     
I scoffed out a chuckle. "You could get rid of me so easily?"
     
"I mean I'd be sad, but I'd move on."

Before thinking, I blurted, "With Cain?"
     
"I don't know. It depends on where you're taking me for my birthday."
     
"So, you're wheeling and dealing now?"
     
"I learned from the best."
     
"Would that be me?"
     
"The one and only."
     
"I'm happy to hear that I taught you well then."
     
"I'll let you live if you tell me where we're going."
     
"I'll make you a deal."
     
"We're back to that?"
     
"We never left."
     
"All right, I'm game. State your terms."
     
"If you stop asking me where I'm taking you then I may give you two surprises instead of just one."
     
"Hmmm... tempting. Does that mean I get two happy endings?"
     
"I could give you multiples, but if you only want two, I guess I'll have to comply, it is your birthday after all," I replied with a smirk.
     
"Multiples? Interesting... I guess I will remain silent. Who am I to take away your happiness?"
     
"You're my best friend." She smiled.
     
"But you're also a huge pain in my ass."
     
She stopped smiling and turned up the radio, pretending like she was upset when in reality I knew how excited she felt.
I knew it because I felt it too.

𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗔'𝗦 𝗣𝗢𝗩

Once we got off on the exit for Berlin, I smiled again.
     
He wouldn't. No way. Not after all these years...
     
"Why are we in Berlin?" I questioned, looking at him like he was crazy.
     
"For a little piece of paradise, Johanna." He replied.
     
I let him have this and didn't press for more. Ten minutes later, he parked his truck on the side of the road by the woods and I couldn't hold back any longer.

"Tom, are you taking me hiking? I don't have boots for th—"
     
He placed a wrapped gift on my lap. "Your first happy ending."
     
"Did you wrap this?" He nodded.
     
"Wow. You did a good job."
     
"I watched a YouTube video."
     
"For me?"
     
"Always for you."
     
I could see Tom grinning like a fool from the corner of my eyes. "It's so pretty I don't want to open it."
     
"I knew you'd say that."
     
"Then you shouldn't have made it so nice. Did you make the bow too?"
     
"I did."

I peeked up at him through my long, dark lashes. "This is really sweet, Tom. Thank you."
     
"You haven't even seen what it is yet."
     
"If the wrapping job is any indication then I know it's going to be amazing."
     
"Open up the gift, Jojo."
     
"So bossy." I laughed.
     
Slowly and carefully, I unwrapped the box that read Merrell on the lid and loudly shrieked, fully aware of what it was. Quickly, I opened the shoebox and there in front of my eyes were my very own pair of black hiking boots with light pink laces. I'd been begging Tom to take me hiking with him since it became his hobby when he started driving. He always said he'd take me when the time was right.
     
"You even got my size correct."
     
He raised his eyebrows with a challenging yet amused expression before opening the door and stepping out of his truck. I laced up my new hiking boots and followed his lead, only to be met with a hiking stick and a water bottle in his hands.
     
"Once we get to the side of the mountain, you grab and step where I do, understood?" I nodded, eager to get this journey on the road. I'd never been hiking before, at least not like this.
     
By the time we began climbing down the side of the mountain, my legs started to shake. "Don't go so fast."
     
"Johanna, I'm going as slow as I can." "can."
     
"I know, but shit! Why didn't you ever say how dangerous this was? You do this by yourself? Why?"
     
"To get away from all the crazy women."
     
"Me included?"
     
"You're the first one on the roster."
     
I giggled, "Tom, don't make me laugh or I'll fall."
     
"Just make sure you keep grabbing and stepping where I am, and you won't fall."
     
"How reassuring of you."
     
"I'd never let you fall."
     
"If I do fall," I smiled, "I'll make sure to fall on you." He peered up at me from the rigged spot he was standing on. "Why do you think I'm below you?" "To catch me if I fall?"
     
"To move out of the way if you do."
     
My mouth dropped open.
     
"I'm kidding. Of course, to catch you if you fall."
     
"Well, now I'm questioning your motives."
     
"I promise once you see where I'm taking you you'll be on my balls to bring you back."
     
"How much further?"
     
"Not much."
     
"You keep saying that."
     
"You keep asking."
     
"Are we close?"
     
"We're getting closer."
     
He glided down with precision, as if he remembered every step he needed to take by memory. Where to grab, where to hold, it was effortless for him. I knew he loved hiking, however seeing him actually do it was a completely different experience.