AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I continue to trail behind the hiking expedition, in no hurry to catch up with the rest. Now that I’m finally centered, I want to savor this serene moment and soak in the beauty of the sunny winter morning.
As I continue to hike up the steep hill, I notice a faint scent in the air, hinting at the impending arrival of the first snow. There’s a sense of anticipation, as if nature itself is preparing for something extraordinary while I’m right smack in the middle of it. The sound of birds chirping overhead adds a melodic backdrop to the tranquility around me, forcing me to take another deep breath and fill my lungs with the crisp air, hoping to memorize this feeling for when things get too overwhelming.
I can almost see Doc’s smug smile when I tell her that her suggestion actually worked. I’ll never hear the end of it. Still, she was right—the quiet solitude of the trail brings a sense of peace, allowing me to fully appreciate the natural wonders surrounding me, making my problems seem so small in the grand scheme of things. The soft crunch of fallen leaves under my feet serves as a reminder of the changing seasons, highlighting how fleeting life can be. Even Mother Nature’s beauty never stays the same for long.
I can’t help but feel a sense of gratitude for being able to witness such a picturesque sight. Sure enough, my worries startto dissipate, and I find myself smiling when there is no real reason to.
After an hour’s hike, we finally reach our destination at the top of the majestic hill. Up here, everything feels magical. Hopeful.
“Wow,” I mumble, standing atop the hill, gazing down upon the expansive beauty of the reservation below. The lush greenery stretches as far as the eye can see—a vibrant tapestry of nature’s splendor. From this vantage point, I can’t help but feel small in the presence of such magnificent natural grandeur.
But I guess that’s the point.
Here, I’m irrelevant.
Here, I’m just another guy, completely powerless compared to Mother Nature.
“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” Riley beams after she’s taken a sip of water from her bottle. “I’m glad you like it.”
“It’s… just… wow,” I tell her, not even embarrassed by being tongue-tied.
“Pretty spectacular, isn’t it?” Riley adds with a bright smile, “But we’re not done yet. The best is still to come.”
I barely register what she just said when she points to a crew on the far side of the hill getting everything set up.
“Wait? Are we ziplining down?” I blurt out excitedly.
“You know it! You’re not afraid of heights, are you? I should have asked that before bringing you here. My bad.”
“No. I’m not afraid of heights.” I shake my head.
“Good, then this should be fun,” she says excitedly, entwining her hand in mine and pulling me towards the crew.
I let her lead me to them as Matt, our expedition guide, starts to go over all the rules we must comply with to stay safe while ziplining. But all through his long speech, I can’t get it out of my head how I shouldn’t be holding hands with Riley.
How wrong it feels to me.
Discreetly, I pull my hand away and take a water bottle from my backpack. Guilt accosts me when I see Riley frown from the corner of my eye.
God, I’m a jackass.
“You all ready?” Matt asks when he finishes, receiving a loud cheer in reply.
One by one, the group starts to go down the zipline, all hollering and laughing on their way down.
“Your turn. Are you ready, bright eyes?” Matt says over to Riley, and I don’t miss how he is unashamedly flirting with her and giving her a good once over.
I should be mad or maybe even jealous that he feels he can eye fuck my date with me standing right beside her, but I’m not.
Not in the slightest.
“I was born ready,” she shrieks in glee. “See you on the other side, Nate,” she says and then leans in to press a chaste kiss on my cheek.
Matt scowls in my direction while I feel a little uneasy with how Riley is so at ease with demonstrations of affection, especially when I’ve done nothing to merit them.
But I store that problem away for another time, preferring to focus on Riley getting ready. With a huge grin on her face, she launches herself over the cliff, shouting out the silliest thing I have ever heard anyone shout while ziplining.
“PINAAAAAAAPPLE!” she yells, laughing.
