Hooked Up

Chapter 15 - Barbados

"Wake up, you lazy butt!" I pull the pillow from under Stella's bed. She groans. "Up up up!"

She throws her legs over the mattress and scrubs her eyes with her fists. "What time it is?"

"A quarter to six."

"What!" she seems shocked, even though we went through this at dinner yesterday.

"The sun is about to rise," I tell her. "I told you we need to leave at six, at the latest. We want to be back before the sun hits its highest point."

"I know, I know," she pulls her hair up on a ponytail, yawning greatly. "I'm starting to regret agreeing to this madness."

"You can still pass," I grin, throwing her the sunscreen. "But just so you know, Mike is already up and getting dressed."

I got up fifteen minutes ago, myself, and am already dressed properly. I'm wearing comfortable khaki shorts, a white breathable UV protected shirt, and a pink cap to cover my head. I've braided my long hair and pulled on hiking shoes. I'm also carrying a backbag with three water bottles, sunscreen, a sports drink, a knife, and a first-aid kit. Mike also has a bag, his including a phone, a map, dry food, and more water. We're not doing a hard trail today, considering this is Stella's first, but we want to be ready for anything. You can never be too prepared.

"Uh fine, I'm coming," she gets up and covers herself in the lotion.

"Shut up, will you?" Riley mumbles and turns around in her bed, pulling her covers tighter.

"Come on," I tell Stella and lead her to my room so Riley can sleep. I hand her my extra hiking clothes, knowing she doesn't have any, and put a sunhat on her head. "The guys are fixing breakfast," I tell her and we head downstairs, where plates of eggs and whole-wheat toast await us.

Mike and Landon are dressed like true hikers, the former actually being quite experienced. We eat in silence and then head out. The seven mile trail starts a few miles from the villa, so we take a car there.

"Let's get going" I lead the way, the only one knowing this area. Landon comes right behind me and Stella and Mike keep up the rear. The scenery is beautiful, palm trees and other tropical vegetation all around us. It's only sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit when we set out, but the warmth has climbed up to seventy when we take our first pause an hour in. We're at a beautiful hill overlooking the sea. Stella crumbles down to the ground and I hand her a water bottle.

"Please tell me we're halfway through," she pants, swiping sweat off her forehead.

I grimace. "Actually, no." We're keeping a steady but rather slow pace, taking her fitness level into account. "It's still a mile and a half to the waterfalls."

"You're doing well for your first time" Mike tells her, earning a pleased smile. Okay, something is definitely going on between those two. We all drink up and admire the scenery for a little longer before continuing. Stella falls into step next to me, the boys falling back a little.

"So, you and Mike, huh?" I grin, giving her a sidelong glance. She purses her lips.

"I like him," she admits. "But I don't know if he feels the same way."

"I'm pretty sure he does," I smile, thinking back to how he was looking at her yesterday.

"Yeah?" her eyes light up.