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I manage to regain my balance.
“Oooh, I saved us,” she sings loudly and swings her legs again, repeating the motion that caused us to trip.
“Saved us? It was your fault,” I grumble and start walking again. This time I keep my eyes glued to the ground. “If you don’t stop, I’m gonna put you down and let the snakes have you for lunch,” I threaten, but start to walk again.
“Oh, you would never,” she giggles.
“I would so,” I taunt.
She just laughs harder. I blow a lock of my hair out of my eyes and remember that I was supposed to get my hair cut before I went home tonight.
I can see the light breaking through the clearing at the top of the trail. I can’t wait to get this annoying kid off my back and get the hell out of these woods.
I start walking faster.
“No, you wouldn’t. We’re a team. You’re a superhero, and I’m your cape.” She spreads her arms and starts making whooshing sounds as she sways on my back like she’s flapping in the wind.
I try to ignore her and keep my focus on getting us out there.
Sweat trickles down my forehead and into my eyes. And then my stomach grumbles. The trees’ shadows are getting longer, and I know we need to hurry.
“Now that we’re best friends, we need nicknames,” she proposes, propping her chin on my shoulder so that we’re almost cheek to cheek.
I shake her chin off. She just puts it right back.
“You’re a girl. And ten. I’m not going to be your best friend,” I tell her.
“I’m eleven. And it’s too late, you already are,” she says and squeezes my neck tightly.
I step out into the clearing that leads to the ledge. As soon as we’re on the gravelly ground, I pry her arms loose. Her legs only hug my waist tighter, and she doesn’t budge.
“Get down. I really gotta go.”
“Only if you promise to be my best friend,” she squeals.
“Okay, I promise,” I say quickly.
“I knew you’d say yes!” she chirps and then hops down.
I squint up to check the sun. The sun has started falling a little. I’m gonna be late.
“Get your stuff and let’s go,” I tell her impatiently.
She sprints over to a pair of bright yellow flip-flops and slips them on. I’m so distracted by the big white flower attached to the top of each shoe that it takes me a minute to realize she’s not holding anything else.
“Where are your clothes? And those shoes aren’t fit for walking through the woods. Did you walk up here in these?” I snap impatiently.
Girls are so annoying.
She looks up at me, shielding her eyes from the sun.
“I don’t have any clothes. I came in my swim suit. I didn’t know about the snakes,” she says miserably. I can’t see her eyes, but I can see that bottom lip trembling.
“Oh, God. Please don’t cry.” I rush toward her, ready to clamp a hand over her mouth if she starts caterwauling.
She covers her face with her hands and sniffles.
“I'm sorry. I didn’t know,” she says in a voice that makes me feel like a monster for snapping at her.
