As soon as we leave the city, we are greeted with row after row of mountains. Fifteen minutes into our drive, we’ve seen nothing but epic views. Reykjavík was nice, but the countryside is stunning. Everywhere I look are huge mountains off in the distance, some of them topped with a healthy layer of snow.
Luke has been quiet all morning, which I should welcome considering he was on a date last night, but it only makes my curiosity more voracious.
“You never mentioned how the date went,” I say, my eyes glued to the window of the car. Luke insisted on driving, which is fine by me. Everything about Iceland is gorgeous, and I’d much rather be gawking out the window than paying attention to the road. On our right side, the ocean pans out in the distance. On the left, tall, jagged mountains streak above our heads, the rocky surface coated in a thick layer of moss that’s so vibrant italmost looks neon.
“Good.” Luke sounds almost chipper.
I cock an eyebrow. “That’s it?”
“Great?” He tries again.
“I don’t get any other details?” He doesn’t normally give details of how his date goes, so I’m not sure why I suddenly think he owes me details now.
He shakes his head, laughing. “She was nice. Very flirty. Boldest girl I’ve ever met.”
The words make me cringe a little. What doesthatmean? Were they just making out all night?
“Bold how?” I ask, then stop myself. “Actually, never mind. I don’t want to know.”
He laughs. “I’m just saying, she’s not like anyone else I’ve ever dated. She did most of the flirting, which was nice.”
I study the words, wondering if there’s more to them. Is he referring to the fact that he’s been crushing on me, and since I don’t feel the same way, I never flirted with him like Cassie does? The words annoy me, but I work to brush them off and remind myself this is good. Luke needed someone like Cassie to help him get over me.
“Well, I’m glad you had fun,” I say, and I mean it. “Needed some action in your dating life.”
Luke lets out a chuckle. “Ha! Yeah, and your dating life is so exciting these days?”
“I’ve been single for a couple months. Let a girl do some window shopping.”
Luke shakes his head at me. “You just trying to get me to go out with Cassie so I’m not in your way when you need to findyour own date?”
“I don’t care who you date, Luke. As long as you don’t sexile me from my own Airbnb.” The joke feels bold, and Luke doesn’t laugh the way I thought he would, which makes me regret saying it. “Anyways, it’s just about having fun while we’re on vacation. It’s not like you’ll ever seen her again.”
“Actually,” Luke starts.
I give him a look of spit-it-out, and he keeps his eyes trained to the road and away from my face.
“Cassie might be meeting us at the waterfall.”
Wow. Their date must have gone much better than Luke is letting on.
“Cool,” I say, mostly because I don’t know what else to say. Not that I’m not happy for Luke, especially if he likes this girl, but I guess I had envisioned the date as a one-night thing. What was the point of Luke coming on this trip if I’m just going to spend it alone?
We’re quiet for the rest of the car ride, an awkward silence sitting between the two of us until the waterfall comes into view.
It’s hard to miss. Though Iceland is full of mountains, where we’re driving is perfectly flat, letting us see far and wide like we’re in a fishbowl, and the edges of the bowl are the mountains. On the cliff side of one of those mountains is one of the tallest waterfalls I’ve ever seen.
The closer we get, the more details I can make out. There’s a small dirt path leading around the waterfall, letting tourists get up close and personal. Water cascades into a pool that never fills up. The water flows away from the massive pool of waterand down a small river that carries it away. Every exposed area of rock is coated in that bright green moss.
“Wow.” The words come out of my mouth without me even realizing it.
I glance over at Luke, and he’s smiling.
He moves the car and the moment he puts it into park, I hop out. Cold wind brushes up against me, and I pull my jacket around me, zipping up. Normally I’d have a low tolerance for the wind, but with the waterfall so close, I barely notice it before I start running toward the dirt path that will take me behind the waterfall.
“Harper,” I can hear Luke calling my name from behind me, laughing. When I turn, he’s struggling to get his hat on.
He’s wearing a green beanie that’s almost the same color as the moss. It makes his brown eyes look bigger, in an innocent sort of way. It’s cute.
