Page 88 of The Last Special Thing

Where was it going? Why was it by itself? Was it lonely? An adventurer like herself?

Madisson screeched, flinging her arm across his backpack and ending the tiny bug's life.

A cold sorrow filled Amelia, like a midnight in the desert. Tears streamed down her face.

“I didn’t mean to upset you!” Madisson wrapped Amelia in her arms and smoothed down her hair.

Amelia couldn’t explain the reaction, couldn’t even think about it. The anguish over the ant’s death was unshakable.

“You’re making a scene. Let’s go,” Art growled.

He stood up and brushed off his jeans. Slinging his backpack over his shoulder, he took an unflinching swig from the water bottle.

Madisson pressed her cheek to Amelia’s. “I’m really sorry.”

Amelia gave a nod, and Madisson unleashed her grip. They followed the boys, who were already on their way. She swiped at her tears. It was just an ant. Her reaction was unwarranted. Despite the logic, another tear fell.

At the park’s opening was a man in a tie-dye with long grey hair and rectangular glasses. A red and green parrot perched on his shoulder, talons gripping his shirt. Three children, about six years old, surrounded him.

“Oh yeah, Tico loves children.” His voice was gruff through his beard.

Madisson froze. Tico squawked, wings flapping, then tucked them back into its side. Its sleek beak pointed upward. She inched toward the man and the children. Her hand started to raise to the bird before Max intercepted. Putting his arm around her, he forced her outstretched hand to her side. He maneuvered her in the other direction. An attempt to prevent a second girlfriend meltdown in five minutes.

When they reached where the pavement met the sand, a blanket of happiness wrapped around Amelia. She forgot the ant and the bird in the bliss of the beach. It was a different happiness from the loud ecstasy where she was crazed in elation. On shrooms, it was a quiet comfort, like fuzzy slippers by the warmth of an evening fire.

“Can we put our shoes in your backpack?” Madisson asked Art.

“Sure.” He unzipped the backpack and reached for their shoes. Madisson slipped off her Vans and handed them to him.

“You’re so nice,” Amelia said, handing him her sandals. There was a whimsical charm in his kindness.

She took a few steps onto the sand and clenched her toes, feeling the warm grains between them.

“We had sex here once.” She looked up at Art.

“I could never forget.” He gave a wicked grin, as if replaying the memory.

He chugged the last of the water bottle, then crushed the plastic in his hand and threw it towards a trash can. He turned around, and the bottle missed the bin's opening. Turtles crossed her mind. Happy swimming turtles. With Art’s blatant disregard for plastics getting into the oceans, the turtles probably wouldn’t like him.

She could have put the bottle in the trash can, finished what he started, but the group was walking away. The task was daunting, and she turned her back to the plastic. Her shoulders slumped as she followed the group. The turtles probably hated her, too.

Madisson paused for Amelia to catch up. She extended her hand, and Amelia took it. With Madisson’s hand in hers, the emotional pendulum swung again. Turtles were long gone, as the girls danced around shells, careful not to crush them. The magic of the mushrooms returned.

“Let’s go!” Maddison burst toward the sea, hand still gripping Amelia’s.

They laughed in delusion as they raced toward the open ocean. At the shoreline, they broke apart. Amelia drifted into the wet sand, her toes sinking in and water grazing the top of her foot. Lifting her arms, she shimmied her heels back and forth until the sand covered them. Life couldn’t get better. Each ray of sunshine shimmered against her.

Madisson’s eyes went wide. “Amelia. You have to know how amazing you are. You’re my best friend in the whole wide world. You’re beautiful and have this confidence about you. I never want to fight with you again. It’s the fucking worst fighting with you.”

Amelia put her hands on Madisson’s cheeks and stared into her swirling cinnamon brown eyes. “I love you so much. I’ll never have a different best friend.”

They wrapped their arms around each other, the water caressing their ankles until the guys approached.

Max shook his empty water bottle at them. “We’re gonna go get a refill.”

“I don’t want to go,” Amelia whined. The receding wave left her feet sinking deeper as she and Madisson parted.

“Good thing you’re not my responsibility.” His words were short, arms crossed in agitation.