Michael and Ari had been driving for at least half an hour before Ari turned onto an unfamiliar dirt road that Michael didn't recognize from driving to the party the other night.
Tree branches scraped at the side of the truck, and Ari soon pulled over to the side at what seemed to be a dead end.
She opened her door to get out. "We're here!" She smiled.
Michael slung his backpack over his shoulder and stepped out of the truck. He followed Ari to the truck bed where she put down the tailgate and pulled out a large blue cooler Michael assumed was filled with the food they would be eating.
"Do you need help carrying that?" Michael offered, outstretching his hands.
"No, I'm okay, thanks," Ari smiled, making her way back around the truck. "The trail is right here."
"What trail?" Michael asked, confused. He scanned the forest that lined the road and saw nothing but tightly woven underbrush and tall, thin poplar trees, their spiny branches reaching up towards the blue, cloudless sky like groping fingers.
"Right here." Ari laughed as if Michael was being incredibly dim and gestured towards a tiny break in the leafy bushes and ferns. It was not so much a trail as it was a deer path.
"Really?" Michael rolled his eyes.
"Yes, really. Now come on." Ari gave her eyes a roll as well and somehow, miraculously pushed her way through the brush, cooler and all.
Michael clenched his teeth and followed her, and was surprised to find that after a few paces the "trail" widened out a bit, enough that Michael could see where he was putting his feet. The plants and bushes still dragged at his sides, though, and the only reason he didn't lose track of Ari was that her bright, fluorescent green Mountain Equipment Co-op backpack acted as a beacon to guide his way.
After the two had been walking in silence for about ten minutes, they arrived in a darker, damp, swampy sort of area an Ari came to a complete stop. Michael nearly crashed into her, but managed to steady himself.
"What is it?" Michael felt his heart speed up. "is it a bear?'
"No," Ari gave a little laugh, putting down the cooler. "I want to show you something."
She made a turn to the right, stepping off the path. Michael followed her, feeling the damp, mossy ground squish beneath his shoes rather unpleasantly.
"Isn't it kind of a bad idea to go off the trail?" Michael asked hesitantly, stepping over a rotting, fallen tree. "Why if we get lost?"
"It's okay," Ari said, glancing around. "I know where we're going."
Ari soon stopped and knelt down, looking intently at something on the ground. All Michael could see was wet, green moss and the twisting roots of a lichen covered tree.
"What?" he asked, feeling the knees of his pants soak through as he knelt next to Ari.
"Look." She pointed at something near his knee, and Michael moved closer, getting a better look. It was a tiny, white, three-lobed flower with small, purple spots.
"What is it?" Michael asked, wondering what was so special about the tiny flower.
"Amerorcis Rotundifolia," Ari breathed. "That means something like 'small, round leafed orchid'."
"Um...okay?" Michael laughed. "It's an orchid. Cool."
Ari ignored him, continuing. "Did you know that these orchids rely on the fungal relationship in the ground to grow, not photosynthesis? And if the ground doesn't have that very specific fungal relationship, then they can't grow. Their whole lives rely on chance. It's basically miracle when they do appear."
Michael didn't really understand all that sciency, 'fungal relationship' stuff, but he did understand the basic idea. The soil had to be in a certain, special condition for the orchid to grow, and it was a fluke when that condition did occur.
"So it's pretty amazing that we're even looking at these little guys right now." Michael smiled, touching the tiny flower with the tip of his index finger.
When he looked up, Ari was staring at him, an enigmatic look on her face.
"What?" Michael laughed.
"Nothing." Ari blushed almost unnoticeably, glancing back down at the orchid.
Michael wanted to keep asking her what that look had been about, but he decided to let it go.
"Amrorca rotunda...foliage?" Michael attempted to sound out the flower's complicated Latin name, laughing at how badly he messed it up.
"No," Ari laughed too. "it's Amerorcis rotundafolia. You were close."
"Maybe I'll just stick with 'small, round leafed orchid' for now." Michael smiled, brushing a hand through his hair. He had noticed earlier that his sandy roots had started to peek out, and he had wondered if he would re-dye it or let his natural hair colour reemerge.
"Yeah, that's probably best." Ari giggled, biting her lip.
Ashton's words from earlier that day streaked through Michaels mind. "Her parents were both killed."
How could this fun-loving, jovial person in front of him have suffered such a loss in her life? Both parents, and at such a young, impressionable age?
He felt his heart grow heavy again, thinking of Grace. He wanted to know Ari's secret, her method of keeping that feeling away. Maybe he should just ask?
He must have been giving Ari a strange look, because her brow furrowed. "What?"
Here's your opportunity!
He sighed. "Nothing."
Sorry for the super long wait (again)! I've just been super busy lately.
Can you believe there's only like three weeks left until school starts again?
WAIT, NO, I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT!!!
*cries in corner*
Loser_Luke(ypants) a.k.a Milo a.k.a the Grain Silo a.k.a Mayo a.k.a mustard and ketchup a.k.a relish a.k.a I don't have a fetish for nicknaming myself after condiments, what are you talking about?
a.k.a I should really shut up
