Finding Her (Sequel to Judging Me)

(6) Going Hiking

                Alisyn was gorgeous. When I saw her make her way out of the passenger seat my jaw almost fell to the floor. It did drop, I admit. The dress she was wearing was just… Wow. Zee didn’t tell me exactly where it was we were going or how to dress, so I only dressed a little over casual. Next to Alisyn though, I looked like I had just climbed my way out of a pile of ugliness.

                “You look fantastic.” I said still stunned by her.

                She smirked, “Thank Zee for that. She’s the one that made me up. Let’s get this over with.” She went straight past me and to a table in the nice restaurant.

                I followed her to the table. “Still refusing to like me?”

                She peered up at me over the menu, “No. Just the opposite, actually, I want to get to know you. I just feel weird wearing all this.”

                “Oh.” The waiter soon came and took out orders. The food was good. The company was better. I don’t mean that in a more than friendly way. She was just very nice and funny. I had a weird feeling we were being watched the whole time we were there. It was creeping me out.

                Despite the weird feelings it went well. We actually had a lot in common. I think we could be good friends. I hoped so; I wanted any piece of Marcie I could get. I felt like I was losing her all over again.

***

                Over the course of a month, Alisyn and I had become close. Things had been rough for her, and they still were. She reminded me of Marcie. Not just with her looks, but in the way she acted. Being near her didn’t feel the same way that it did when I was around Marcie. Around Marcie it was like the air was full of electricity, and every time I saw her it was like something new.  Alisyn it was like being around a friend you’ve had since you were in diapers. It was completely different. Despite that, I like being around her.

                She had somehow convinced me to go hiking with her. Zee and Ronnie had decided to stay with me until I decided if I wanted to stay or go back home. They weren’t going hiking though.  Lucky them.

                “Come on Andy! You walk like an old man!” Alisyn yelled from the top of the hill. She put her hand on her hip. I don’t know how she moved so fast. She was like a mountain ninja. “Actually, that’s an insult to old men.”

                “Oh shut up! I’ve never been hiking before!”

                “It shows. You really are out of shape.  Maybe I should make you do this more often.”

                “No thanks!”

                “Hurry up then! I want to get back home before dark.”

                Dark. There were bears in these mountains. I knew that it wouldn’t really matter to her since she was out here all the time, but I had never seen a real bear before, and call me crazy, I wanted to keep it that way.  I ran up the hill. She would probably leave me out here.

                “Good boy! You made it!” She reached up and ruffled my hair. “Now, I’m going to take you down to the waterfall. If you don’t keep up you can slip and fall. It’s not in my plans to carry you to the hospital. So, keep up!”

                She was merciless. She took off and I had to jog just to keep up. I almost fell every other time I put my foot down. I was not built for this. When we reached the waterfall she casually jumped over the railing that was stopping you from going to close. There was a big sign that said “CLOSED FOR WINTER. DANGER OF ICE.”

                “Isn’t that dangerous?”

                She turned around and rolled her eyes. “Please, I do this almost every day. There’s no ice. You’d have to be stupid to fall. Now come one.”

                “I don’t know… I’m pretty stupid.”

                She was the mountain ninja. I was, well me. It’d me luck to fall and get killed.  Why did I let her talk me into doing this? She gave me a look and walked over to me. Grabbing my hand, she pulled me over the rails and to the bridge that connected two large rocks. She pulled me across it and we stood on the other big rock near the waterfall. There were posts for railings, but there weren’t any actual rails. She sat on the edge of rock. Cautiously, I sat beside her. Water sprayed at us It was actually pretty. Then, sunset approached. Alisyn hopped up and extended her hand toward me which I happily took. We headed back to her little house.

                When we got there we walked in on the not-so-lovely scene of Zee and Ronnie doing what they just love to do. It honestly still made me jealous. My jealousy brought back all my memories of Marcie. No matter how good they were, they always sent me into a little depression. I could never hold her again. I could never kiss her. I couldn’t do anything.

                “Andy! You ok?”

                “Not really. I’m going to bed.”