The path starts to turn until I’m going behind the gallons of water that feel like they’re dropping from the sky. The pictures online that looked so perfect didn’t even do it justice. Stepping behind a waterfall this big and watching so closely as the water freefalls—there’s nothing else like it in the world.
I’m taking photos when I hear a giggling shriek from behind me. I turn to see Cassie on the ground, her butt soaked, and Luke offering a hand to pull her up.
“You okay?” he asks.
She’s still laughing when he pulls her upwards.
“I’m good,” she finally breathes. She brushes her butt off, removing some dirt but also coating her hands in mud in the process. “Gross.”
Luke pulls his hat off, making his hair stick up in all sorts of directions, and uses the hat to brush off Cassie’s hands. Her giggling finally stops, and she looks up at Luke. I instantly know what she’s thinking. Her eyes go soft, and she leans forward the tiniest bit. Luke’s back is to me, so I have no idea what he’s thinking, but Cassie, I know, wants to kiss him.
“Luke!” The words pop out of my mouth before I can think it through. Cassie’s eyes fly to me, rage radiating off her. Luke turns, his face scarlet like he’s been caught in the act. It takes me a moment to come up with an excuse. “Can you get a photo?”
“Uh, sure,” he says, stiff and awkward.
I move to stand at the edge of the path so the water is to my back and pose again, smiling, though this time it doesn’t feel as genuine. I can still see Cassie glaring at me as she stands next to Luke.
“This is so cool,” he says, handing me my phone back. He keeps his eyes on the waterfall, away from me and Cassie, and I wonder if he can notice how angry Cassie is. He fidgets a little, so I’m hoping he’s more thankful I interrupted the moment than mad about it.
“Come on, I want to show you something,” Cassie says, taking Luke’s hand and leading him away. I’m about to say something but can’t come up with anything that wouldn’t make me sound like a jealous third wheel.
Which I’m not. I just prefer my best friend to not keep ditching me.
They disappear again, following the path and stepping backout to the open area in front of the waterfall.
I stand in the cave behind the waterfall by myself, the air misty, wet, and cold.
Watching as Luke disappears, I fight the urge to yell out to him to wait. He’s made his choice.
Chapter 18
Luke
Cassie’s leading me away before I can protest. I try to glance back at Harper to make sure she’s okay, but before I can, I’m tripping over the ground and forced to keep my eyes forward. The path out is more complicated and rocky than the path into the cave. We navigate the muddy and rocky stairs. The only bright side is that Cassie finally has to let go of my hand so we can get out.
“Shouldn’t we wait for Harper?” I ask as we reach the top of the muddy steps leading us back out into the open. I glance behind us and see Harper, but I can’t make out her face. I’m not sure if she’s able to see us.
I’d been embarrassed when she’d caught Cassie and me almost kissing. It felt like she’d found me cheating on her, which is ridiculous since we aren’t even dating. But even then, I couldn’t help but feel relieved when I heard her call my name.
I don’t know what’s with Cassie today, but she needs to chill. However flirty she’d been acting on our date, now it’s tenfold. I’m sure it has something to do with Harper, because Cassie is being extra possessive. I tried to chalk it up to the factthat her boyfriend had cheated on her, but it’s starting to feel a bit ridiculous.
“It will just be a minute,” Cassie assures me as we step out into the open air again, the wind whipping her hair across her face. The mist from the waterfall has made her hair wet enough that it clings to her face. Without stopping, she begins down the dirt path. It begins to fork, one direction leading back to the parking lot, the other going off to somewhere unknown.
I’m tempted to turn around and find Harper again, but Cassie doesn’t pause. I consider ditching Cassie, but I don’t take her as the type of girl to just let me walk away. As bad as I feel leaving Harper behind, I’m nervous about the scene Cassie might cause if I go back to Harper.
The last thing I need is Cassie shouting across crowds of tourists, accusing me of having a crush on Harper. It’s true, but I didn’t need Harper to know that.
I start thinking of how I can apologize to Harper later.
Cassie stops at a spot where the river from the waterfall leads to what looks like an open slit in the side of the mountain. It doesn’t look like much, but then Cassie walks into it, being careful to stay close to the edges, her hands skimming the rock wall so she doesn’t go into the water.
I follow close behind, watching as Cassie ducks her head under the slabs of rock jutting out. For the first time today, I wonder where in the world Cassie is leading me. Because right now, it just looks like we’re going deeper and deeper into sketchy territory. The only thing keeping me moving forward is the sound of a waterfall. It must be in the cave somewhere.
I inch around a slab of rock, careful with my footing not tostep in the water, and when I look up again, the area clears out, revealing another tall waterfall. I thought we were entering a cave, but it’s more like a carving into the mountain with nothing over our heads. Stone hugs us on all sides except for the small entrance we came in through. And in the center of it all, there’s a massive waterfall.
“A lot of people forget about the second waterfall. If the water’s too high, you can’t get in, but right now it’s perfect.” Cassie climbs up on a boulder near the foot of the waterfall and motions for me to follow.
“Wow.” I look up, my eyes following the path of water. It reaches all the way up to the top of the mountain. There are massive stone walls all around us. I’ve never felt so small in my life.
