Invincible

Chapter 1- Lava Lake

Inhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, inhale, exhale.... breath deep.... As I repeat this over and over again, I pick up my pace. The sound of my feet hitting the gravel, and the cool breeze on my face makes every obstacle fade. In this moment all seems simple and less complicated. There's nothing but nature surrounding me, and the smell of fresh pine fills my senses.

This summer job at the 320 Guest Ranch in Big Sky, Montana has been the perfect escape. Every evening I am able to go on trail runs and remind myself that life doesn't have to be as complicated as I've made it.

His eyes, and his smile come to mind. I want to drown in his eyes, but then quickly erase his image and run faster to clear my head. He's not worth it! He's gone! There's nothing I can do about it now.

The pain is deeper than anything I have ever felt before. Who knew heartbreak could hurt so much. My legs begin to feel like jelly, but I don't let it slow me down. Instead I push harder, and all thoughts start to fade. All I focus on is my breathing, the wind whistling in the trees, and the living river roaring. I allow the surroundings to relax my mind and work their magic.

When I reach Lava Lake, I breath a sigh of relief. Taking my phone out of my back pack I take a selfie with the lake behind me. I never want to forget this moment. This moment of peace! Gratitude feels my soul, and I find a big sturdy boulder to sit on. Once I'm sitting, I take off my Nike running shoes and immerse my feet into the ice cold lake. Soon they are numb, and I close my eyes to focus on nothing but the sounds around me. This is what life is about.

Lifting my tank top up and over my head, I toss it over to the ground beside me. Next, I slip off my shorts and lay back atop the boulder. Closing my eyes once again, I let the heat of the sun soak into my skin. The heat feels relaxing, and I can't help but get lost in the moment.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of a whistle, and in shock at the thought of not being alone I quickly wrap my arms around myself. My efforts of trying to cover myself up are for nothing.

"Damn!"

My eyes come in contact with Drakes. His brown eyes rake over my body, and I feel heat rise to my cheeks. Drake is one of the biggest players on the ranch. He came over from Tennessee to work as a cattle hand, and has been quite the flirt. I know better than to take anything he says seriously.

Ignoring his comment, I move myself from the rock and begin getting dressed.

"Oh come on! You can't even let me enjoy the view for a moment?"

Squinting up at him, a chuckle escapes my lips. "Bored with Kat already?" Kat is from Washington. She came here to work on the ranch for the summer. She too loves the outdoors, and for the most part she and I get along.

"Come on, you know she and I ain't serious."

Laughing, I slip my back pack onto my shoulders. I bring my eyes back up to Drake. I would be an idiot if I denied how gorgeous he is. His tan golden skin, sandy brown hair, and light brown eyes would make any girl stare. An image of dark curly hair and deep brown eyes interrupt my mind. Pissed off at myself for letting my mind go there I start to run again.

"Running off already? You're not even gonna say goodbye?"

Without looking back I wave my hand, and sprint down hill. I hear Drake chuckle in the distance, but his laugh does nothing to make me turn my head. There's only one laugh that affects me. One laugh that haunts me daily.

With the trail being uphill all the way up, the run back down is a breeze. With each step I take, I try to keep myself from stepping on any rocks that might cause me to stumble. Slow and steady I tread down the trail. Making my way around a bend, a family of four appears, and I swerve off to the right to avoid colliding into them. Before I realize what's happening, I feel myself start to slide and then fall forward. My knees hit hard, and then I feel my head hit a rock. My vision goes blurry, and then I feel an arm grip my shoulder.