In Search of Tomorrow ✓

Twenty-Five

After Maddie and Clare were finally satisfied with the time they had spent looking at the exotic birds, we kept walking. The next stop on our map was a series of large fountains—a path of pavement ran under the streams of water so that people could run underneath.

I remembered this from when I had gone to the park with my parents, and I immediately tensed my grip on Cameron's hand. However, he had suddenly obtained a goofy smile, and he practically dragged me to the beginning of the path.

"Come on!" he exclaimed, tugging at my hand as the water sprayed the pavement unexpectedly.

He took off under the fountain, whooping and thoroughly soaking his shirt, and I hesitated only a second before taking off after him. The sweat from spending hours underneath the late spring sun faded instantly, and I grinned and laughed as water splashed me right in the face.

The puddles on the pavement were slick, and I almost slipped in my sneakers and faceplanted onto the ground several times. My hand came down on Cameron's arm and I righted myself, laughing hysterically as another jet of water splattered the top of his head.

"You think that's funny, Evelyn?" he asked, sticking his hand underneath the water and directing the stream directly at me. "You had to mess with the guy who knows his laws of physics."

The first splash of water hit me in the chest, completely soaking the front of my shirt, and the second drenched my hair. I tried without success to redirect some of it back in his direction, but he kept soaking me.

"Truce!" I squealed as I nearly slipped on a puddle and broke my tailbone. "I surrender!"

Laughing, he took his hand out from underneath the fountain and scooped me up, spinning me so that I was lightly misted with water. When he set me down a few moments later, we were both soaked but laughing.

He brushed back some of my wet hair that was sticking to my face, then cupped his hand against the back of my neck and kissed me. The fountain was still spraying us, and we were both wet and sticky, but it was perfect.

It felt like minutes but was probably only seconds before he pulled away slowly and locked eyes with me. No moment had ever felt so perfect.

"I love you, Evelyn," he said, kissing my forehead.

"I love you, Cameron," I replied.

He took my hand and we met Maddie and Clare on the other side of the fountain, letting the sun dry off our dripping clothes.

We spent the rest of the afternoon in the bird park, walking through all of the exhibits and then starting the loop trail again because we had nothing better to do. Twice we passed the dandelion field on our way to another destination. Both times, I stooped to pick up a dandelion, was unable to wish on it, and let it fly away into the breeze.

Finally, Maddie and Clare were getting tired and cranky, and Cameron and I decided it was best to head home. I'd just loaded my sleeping sisters into the car when he asked, "What do you think about making it a full day out and going to dinner?"

"All four of us?" I asked, climbing into the passenger seat and buckling my seatbelt. I craned my neck to look at Maddie and Clare—Maddie had fallen asleep in the backseat and Clare's eyes were drooping. "They look pretty wiped out."

Cameron shrugged. "We don't have to," he said. "I just thought it'd be fun."

That was how I agreed to us going to the nearest Olive Garden for dinner. When I told my sisters about where we were going, they perked up immediately—we hadn't really eaten out much since money had become a problem. They even stayed awake the entire car ride there.