Hidden in the Works of Serendipity

Chapter 2

        It took me awhile to understand what Miller meant by "give em a show." I honestly thought he meant for us to pretend that we actually liked one another, and I don't just mean by enjoying each other's company. But boy, I was wrong.

This Miller kid was crazy, and as far as I know; he still is. When he explained to me the plan, a little late for my likings though, he really surprised me. Instead, he wanted to make it seem as if we completely hated one another, so that our parents would quit it with trying to set us up. I remember thinking, This is gonna be one heck of a trip. 

Miller pulled pranks on me, like tossing my clothes into the lake or putting itching powder in my swim suit. They were minor, but still left a large impact considering our parents thought we'd get along just fine..or even better. It was even worse that I didn't see any of them coming. He just told me that his plan was to make it seem as if we hated each other's guts, and then he goes and does that?! Like, who does that? Miller Wright, that's who.

I guess he thought that I understood, oh I understood alright. I wasn't gonna just stand around and let him ruin my vacation, even though I was dragged to that cottage. Vienna King doesn't get pushed around. I did what I could do, get even. I put purple dye in his shampoo, and soaked his shoes in honey. I baked cupcakes with salt instead of sugar and left them out for him to eat. I did a lot of stuff to him as payback. But as I suspected, he was always ready to pay his dues. It went back and forth the entire trip. He did this and so I did that. We both wanted the last say in this war, and neither of us were prepared to give up. 

That is, until our parents said enough. They were all really looking forward to this trip, hoping to reconnect, but to no prevail. They were planning to make this trip a yearly thing, but seeing how things turned out, they cancelled everything they planned for our families. 

I guess I did feel a little bad about all of the disappointment I caused, but Miller was the one who came up with this genius plan! Can you really blame me for following in his footsteps? We got what we wanted, having our parents quit trying to play matchmaker..but we also became the sole reason why our parents were so upset that this trip was a bust. 

I did feel guilty, I swear it. So when we were about to leave to go home, I saw the look on our parent's faces and proposed an idea. I told them that just because Miller and I didn't get along, it didn't mean that they couldn't make this cottage trip yearly. They could just have it without us, a getaway with a bonus; no kids. They loved the idea of it, I think it really made that trip worth it. Miller was looking at this plan an entirely different way. He looked as if he was about to blow his top, like if there was a hole around, he would push me in it. The glare in his eyes was a sight I don't think you could ever forget, especially if it were aimed at you. Usually, I would have just turned away without a word, let alone an action or any kind of response. But in that moment, I surprised myself. I don't know what came over me; I told him to grow a set.

That one statement, it really made him angry. I think I crossed a line, cause when I looked back at him, he was raging. It seemed as if there was steam blowing out of his ears, like in the cartoons. I thought it didn't matter though, cause we were about to leave, and I was already in the car.

But Miller wanted to argue, "I hope you know that by giving them that idea, they sure as hell won't be done with trying to set us up."

"And frankly, I don't give a shit." I retorted. 

"You're so stupid, you know that? I don't think you realize the kind of trouble you just created for us! Now whenever they come up here, they're probably gonna plan for us to meet up and grow up together and end up dating! Like in the Swan Princess!" He was feeling really passionate about his theory.

"What kind of trouble would that be, it couldn't be all-wait, wait, WAIT..you watched the Swan Princess? I love that movie!" Finally, something he said that made sense. 

"Will you shut up!?!? You really want our parents to think we're finally getting along? What is wrong with you?" Miller snapped.

"Jheeze, sorry I-wait, why am I apologizing? You're the one that insulted me! You should be the one apologizing." This Miller kid was really getting on my nerves. 

"Look, just pretend that nothing on this trip ever happened, alright? When your parents are around, don't talk about me and I won't talk about you. That way, they won't get any ideas." Miller just kept on bickering. 

"Like I would ever think about you, let alone talk about you, especially to my parents." I had to get my say in the matter.

"Oh please, you know you can't resist me. I bet that on the first day we met and you tipped over the canoe, it was probably because you were too busy gazing over my good looks." He winked. 

"You wish." And that, ladies and gentlemen, were my last few words to Miller Wright.

So with a smile and a wave, I bid my farewell and hoped to never see his stupid face ever again.