Kissing Frogs - A Tropical Fairytale

El Valle

"Harp," Mr. A reads.

I sigh. Figures.

"Okay, people," Mr. A says, "let's meet back at the van in twenty. Bring your swimsuits."

I go grab my things, the food in my stomach triggering an exhausted stupor. Between the red-eye, the jet lag and the emotional roller coaster I've been riding these last few weeks, I feel like up is down and down is sideways.

We pile inside the van. Enrique pulls back the giant gate and sends us off to the crater of a volcano with a jaunty wave. The road twists and winds its way up the mountain like a drunken snake. I stare out the window, ignoring Travis who again is pressed up on my right side. I try to focus on the scenery, which is desert-ish at first. The farther up the mountain we go, the greener and lusher the landscape becomes. Copses of thin pine trees appear, interspersed with little houses along the valleys and hills. Kids play soccer, or football I guess, alarmingly close to the road, something you'd never see at home.

"So it looks like you and me are gonna be making beautiful food together, Princess," Travis whispers, interrupting my daydreaming.

"I don't cook," I inform him.

"Relax, I'm a genius in the kitchen."

"And so modest. How'd I get so lucky?" I shake my head. "I still can't believe you go to Cassels."

"And all it took was going to a foreign country for you to notice," he says, an odd tone in his voice, then sighs. "Look, can we start over?"

"You wish, Trav-ass."

"Hey," he protests, "I'm actually a pretty nice guy."

"Ha," I say loudly.

"What's so funny?" Kiki turns and glares at me.

"Nothing," I say. "Travis just told me a joke."

"Care to share it with the whole van?" Mr. A says.

"Sure." He grins, not missing a beat. "How can you tell if someone is a boy or girl?"

"How?" everyone but me asks.

"You look in their genes."

Groans ring out. My mouth curves up the tiniest fraction.

He elbows me. "Is that a smile?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I say.

"That's all I wanted." He pats my leg. "Lighten up, Princess."

We reach the center of El Valle twenty minutes later, driving past numerous signs for lodging, restaurants and all kinds of activity tours. The town is tiny, but cute. Hector parks the car in front of a bustling open-air market. Rows and rows of colorful stalls sell everything from fruits and vegetables to Panamanian hats and traditional dresses.

"So when are we going to the center?" Juan asks as we get out of the van.

"Believe me, I'm as anxious as you to get there," Mr. A says, a fervent look in his eye, "but it's going to be crowded today. People from the city come up on weekends to escape the heat. I thought we'd get our bearings first." He hands out a few maps. "Let's meet back here in an hour. Behave yourselves and don't get lost. Everyone got a buddy?"

Nope.

I wander along the stalls, thinking. I can't believe I'd been oblivious to Travis's existence at school until this trip. I wonder why he never said anything to anyone at Cassels about Messy Jessie. Probably waiting for the right time to drop the news. Like at prom, along with a bucket of pig's blood on my head. I stop at one stand, absentmindedly picking up different souvenirs. A bracelet made of large turquoise beads catches my eye. Ky would love it. I should bring her back something for spying on Miles.