Julia has lived on Nova Island for six years. After the trauma she experienced there, she decided to go home. It's been ten years since her last visit to the small seaside town. She didn't expect to see her arch-enemy sitting in her parents' living...
"You never had a chance with her." I pull the car away from the curb and drive off.
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Looking in the rearview mirror, I see Cole standing in front of his house, watching the car as I round the corner.
Veronica leans forward. "Can you pull over? I want to sit up front since the seat is now vacant."
"You may want to spray it before you sit in it."
She shakes her head. "I wish you would let up on the poor guy. Haven't you both been through enough during the past ten years? He loses his parents, and you lose touch with yours, and then you have a near-death experience. We all know what he did to you, Julia. You should have a proper heart-to-heart with him. After you've shown me around, I want you to go back to his place and talk."
I sigh. "Fine, I'll have a proper heart-to-heart with Cole. Don't expect too much to come out of it."
"I won't."
When it's safe, I pull the car over and wait for Veronica to climb into the front seat. She puts her buckle on and looks over at me. "Where are we going first?"
"I thought that we should go to my favourite spot. It looks over the whole city. Not many people know of this place as it's mostly through the bush."
"How did you find the place?"
"When my eldest brother first got his license, he wanted to check out bush tracks, and we did that. He found this place by mistake. Ever since then, I've come up here. It also has a waterfall and lake to swim in during summer."
A smile spreads across her face. "It's a good thing I'm wearing my bikini. I think a nice swim is in order, don't you?"
"I supposed so." Looking at the back seat, I see two towels. "There are towels in here also. I think Mom put them in before I left with her car. She somehow knew that I would take you up here."
I see the turnoff for the track ahead and indicate. Turning onto the track, I see a Ford wheel-drive pull behind me, and a guy steps out of the car.
He walks over to my car and bangs on the window. "You can't go in there; it's private property. Plus, there's nothing in there."
I pull my window down. "I know it's private property because I own it."
He closes his mouth. "Oh, I didn't know that." He walks away and climbs back into his car.
"Do you own this property?"
I shake my head. "He doesn't need to know that. The people who own it found us at the lookout one day and threatened to call the police, but I talked them out of it. We promised them that we wouldn't tell anyone about it, which we haven't. You're the only new person to know about this place." I continue to drive to the lookout.
When we get to the lookout, I turn the ignition off and look around at my favourite spot.
Veronica steps out of the car. "You are right. This place is great." She looks around. "So, which way do we go to the waterfall?"
