Orange

Orange.

Orange stained the skies of Santa Catalina, spilling from the sun, and stinging the skins of those who still walked the island's floor. Orange like the bottle of sunscreen Shannon squeezed onto her pale skin. Orange like Anton's sneakers, as she rushed down the dirty orange rocks of Catalina's mountain.

"Okay!" She said through pants, "I think we're about halfway up." Shannon looked up at her, rubbing the rest of her sunscreen into her skin before standing up.

"Cool, so what are our chances of getting up and down the mountain before nightfall?" The question wasn't much of a joke, it was past noon when they first started climbing.

"I dunno." Anton replied, scratching her dark hispanic skin. "But I've heard it's beautiful at the top, so if we make it there by sunset it'll be like, double beautiful." Anton grinned at Shannon, she shimmered like an angel against the falling sunlight. Shannon smiled back following her higher into the mountain.

Shannon and Anton were polar opposites, Shannon had a passion for biology, Anton wanted to animate, Shannon wore tanned jeans and plain shirts, Anton wore flowered crop tops and shorts. Shannon's eyes were grimy, and hidden behind glasses, Anton's eyes were beautiful and filled with life. Anton seemed to have overflowing courage, Shannon was lucky to have any. Anton was straight, Shannon was not.

"Ey look!" Shannon turned to Anton, "Mountain flowers, what kind are these?" Anton asked, plopping herself down near them. Shannon twisted to her satchel, grabbing a small hand book and sat down next to her.

"Erm" she paused, "These are.. Phlox tenufolia or 'mountain phlox'." Anton picked one, the petals drooped in her large hands.

"Oh." she said, lifting herself back up and instead leaning against a nearby rock. Shannon scooched closer to the flower.

"Says here it blooms during spring and fall.. But it's summer.." she said, only barely taking notice to how close she was approaching the edge of the mountain path they stopped at.

"Weirddd" Anton replied, examining the orange rocky earth.

"That is wierd, maybe it's erm, a different flower.." Shannon continued. She pulled out a small ruler, trying to measure it and the flowers around it. Anton listened to her hum under her breath.

Orange.

Orange like the sunburn on the sides of Shannon's neck.

Orange like the rocks they stood under.

Orange, white and black, like the snake that pulled itself past the rocks and towards the white blooming flowers.

"Sh-Shannon!" Anton yelled. Shannon turned abruptly dropping her ruler.

"What is it??" she yelled back.

"Just stay calm." Anton replied. Shannon shot up, the snake slithered towards her slowly, licking the air. Shannon's eyes widened, her breath quickening, she tried not to scream, not in front of brave, beautiful Anton, she backed closer to the edge of the pathway.

"Hold on Shannon!" she cried, turning to a large dirty rock. She ripped it from it's place, holding it shakily above her head. Shannon's eyes were locked with the snakes, it spit it's tongue into the air, then hissed quietly. Anton got closer, step by step. The snake spun around, hissing furiously baring it's teeth that dripped with spit.

She threw the rock, there was a hardy splat, and a yelp. Anton toppled back, catching herself on the side of the mountain. Blood seeped from all sides of the rock. Blood seeped from all sides of Anton's foot.

"Anton!" Shannon cried, rushing over to her.

"Are you okay? Thank you! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine" Anton replied, gasping shortly for breath. "Let's keep going."

"You're hurt." She said quietly.

"Yeah, I hit my foot with the rock."

Shannon bent to her shoe, it was also stained red. She undid it carefully, rolling up her sock, then looked at her barefoot. The toe was mangled, there were deep gashes from the rock's spiky sides on her ankles, and dirty imprint was left on the top of her foot.

"Oh Jeez." She said quietly.

"God fucking damnit!"

"I'll wrap up your foot with my jacket, but there's no way you'll be able to walk with.. That." Anton pressed her head against the mountainside, tears were in her starry eyes.

"I'll call 911."

"You won't get reception from up here." Anton said quietly.

"When you went farther up the mountain, did you see any place to like, rest?" Shannon asked.

Alton cringed, "I saw a little cave thing, I think it had a lit fire too, cause it was glowing. Maybe someone'll be there, It's not too far from here."

Shannon nodded, and took Alton under the arm, supporting her as they walked. She could feel her heart beat speed up everytime the mountain got steep. She just wanted to slow the heart, and tell it that she was here. And everything would be fine.

Just fine.

The cave was larger than expected, but not deep. A fire was still lit but it had been abandoned, Shannon helped Anton sit, relaxing her legs.

"We did it.." Anton said weakly, looking up at the sky. The sun was coming down, she shivered in the cold of a night fast approaching. Shannon nodded from across the cave, she was checking for animals or food left behind.

"Shannon?"

"Yes?"

"Could you sit next to me..?" Shannon turned, her blush hidden by the weak cave light. She hopped over a few stones, and slid down the cave wall.

"Hi." she said, Anton smiled back.

"Thanks." Anton then said, "For letting me do that for you." It was Shannon that smiled next. Sunrise passed as Anton rested a head on Shannon's shoulders, she was blushing hard now, seeing her resting, and happy. Resting and happy with her, on her.

"If I wasn't straight." Anton said quietly. "I would have told you 'I love you.'"

"If I wasn't straight, and my foot wasn't dead, I would have had you right here." She said even quieter. Shannon's blush now stretched to all across her face.

"If you were straight.." Shannon whispered as quiet as she could muster, "Then you wouldn't be telling me this." Anton didn't respond, just giggled and smiled.

"Hey Shannon.."

"I love you."

Orange.

Orange like the fire reflecting off her lips.

Orange like her lips reflecting off the fire.

Orange like the warmth in the air of Santa Catalina.

Orange like the heat in the cave, on a mountain of Santa Catalina.