The Innocence

Chapter four

-The day of-October 16th-mountain trip-

It was about 8:30 Am and I had started to get ready for today. I had been so occupied with the kiss it made the week go by faster. After my shower and spending a lot longer in there then I should have, I got on some Arizona jeans and a white shirt with blues sleeves that stopped at my elbows. I put on my dads old work boots that have seen better days. I went downstairs with my jacket and the picnic basket for our lunch. I walked into the kitchen and made food.
"Morning hun, you're up early." She came in the kitchen chewing some toast.
"Morning mom. It's the surprise birthday thing for Aurora today." I said sitting with a bowl of cereal in my hands.
"Oh yeah. Excited?" She asked with a suspicious smile.
"Yeah, I think she'll love it." I continue to eat.
"You didn't bring up the kiss did you?" She crossed her arms.
"I didn't know exactly what to say, besides I didn't have too."
"Mhm should have known." She bit her toast.
"What, mom she got to it first and I chocked." I put the bowl in the sink.
"You get that from your dad." She told.
"What the woman getting to it first or the choking." I teased.
"Hilarious." She said walking into the bathroom.
I chuckled, "I plan on talking to her today.. maybe."
"Mhm heard that before."
"Ha." I said looking at my watch and seeing the time.  "Anyways I've got to go." I began to walk out of the kitchen.
"Whoa whoa whoa, wait." She said after me.
"What?" I turned towards her.
"I love you, be safe, have fun." She smiles.
"Weirdo." I teased again walking out the door, she laughed.
I drove over to Aurora's house and pulled into her drive way, just as she was coming out. She was in all Hollister clothes, as per usual; The shirt, the pants, with this really nice leather jacket that had those hoodies attached to it, with some leg warmers, scarf, and boots. A lot more clothes then probably needed, which made since, I told her to dress warm, but she looks beautiful.
"Hey stranger." She said hopping into the truck.
"Is that what I am now?" I teased.
"Oh wow, twisting my words." She shut the door.
"Haha- you ready?" I asked.
She clicked her seat belt and smiled, "Yep."
"Good." Getting ready to put the truck in reverse, I almost forgot the biggest part of the hole surprise. The gift, "But I have one more thing." I told.
I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out a small box, "Happy birthday Aurora." I smiled handing it to her.
"Oh.. You didn't have too." She said, taking it from my hand.
"Ehh but I did." I told, anxiously waiting for her to open it.
She rolled her eyes as she began to open it. Aurora eyes widened as she opened it completely, she looked at me with her mouth open in shock, then back at the necklace. Auroras mom died when we're growing up, she loved roses. The necklace read 'Anna' with a little red rose dangling from it.
"Drew, oh my god. It-its so beautiful." She told with one hand covering her mouth.
I helped her put it on, "Do you like it?"
"I love it, thank you." She got red in the face.
"I thought you'd might."
"How did too even know she liked roses? I-I never told you?"
"My mom. She was, once upon a time, best friends with yours."
She just smiled from ear to ear, "Its perfect."
"You're welcome." I told, "Shall we?" I asked.
"Please."
On the way, we began talking about stuff, in between conversations we sang along to songs and had some goofy moments. She turns down the music and looks at me. I got nervous, apart of me thought she was going to want to talk about the kiss more.
"Where exactly are we going?"
"Aww there's the question I was expecting."
"Well I'm asking?" She sassed.
"Wow, you don't know me at all if you think I'm telling you."
"Wow pulling that card. I can clearly see it's somewhere up the mountains?" She crossed her arms.
"Well yeah, I wouldn't want to lose an opportunity. And that's all you get to know." I winked.
I thought that might have been to flirty but she didn't seem to mind, I wasn't paying enough attention, all she said after that was, "mhm." With a dorky side smile. After about an hour or so we were finally at her surprise, Prescott trails. I put the truck in park and stepped out with my jacket in my hand, she got out a bit slower. Her face lit up, she always told me how much she loved nature and animals. So I knew this place would be perfect, since she's never been here.
"Where are we Drew?" She held onto the trucks door sounding so amazed.
She was someone you'd think was one with nature, from the tallest tree too a small bunny. She was all of it. It lit her soul on fire and set it free. She had the biggest smile I've ever seen.
I was so lost in her amount of amazement that I didn't realize I was just staring, "Drew?"
"What? Yeah?!" I said, snapping out of it.
She laughs," Where are we?"
"Well, Miss Aurora we are in Prescott, the 307 spruce trail."
"I've never even heard of this place." She looked around. "Wow." She took a deep breath in and then let it out.
I gave her a moment, and then closed the door to my truck. "Let's go." I grabbed the basket and blanket.
"Wait, there's more!" She questioned.
"Well why don't you come find out." I said walking backwards.
"Wait for me." She grinned shutting the door and trotting after me.
We walked about two or three miles before getting to the right spot. It was about time for lunch so we sat and began to eat. It was quiet while we ate, she looked at me and sat up quickly, sipping some of her soda and cleaning off her hands.
"So, how do you know of this place? And I want the entire story." She finished the strawberry.
"The whole story?" I said in a high pitched voice.
"Yeah, c'mon, spill! I want to know how you came across this magnificent place." She said shaking my knee.
I laughed, "Okay, okay." I said. "It was back when my grandpa would come down here to visit. He and I would go hangout and talk, we couldn't ever find somewhere that was constant. Well one day, right before he died, he and I decided we wanted to come up here, and eat lunch, walk one of the trails, we'd pick at random. Well we were headed to the map that showed all the trails, when we had just stumbled across the 307 spruce trail. Keep in mind this was like third time he had come down. After finding it, we just came back every time after that. Became our place, we talked about everything up here. It's like a second home."
"You never told me this." Aurora softened.
"We didn't tell anyone, not even my mom. She just knew it was somewhere my grandpa and I wouldn't have cell service."
"How come?" She asked.
"Promise we made. So no one could steal it." I paused. "If I'm honest, I haven't been here in a long time." I looked around leaning back with my leg extended.
She didn't say anything for a moment, "Not after." She stopped.
"Nope." I told. "After that, everything changed, I refused to come up here, to even think of this place, let alone the mountains." I looked down messing with my fingers.
"That was hard for everyone." She put her hand on mine. "We hated seeing you like that. You were so angry and well sad for a lack of a better word" She told, "My dad even was worried for you. He wanted, a couple times to come check on you. You know, you had some male figure in your life. I told him probably not the best time. But he never actually reached out." She adjusted herself on the blanket.
I smiled, "I'm sorry for putting you through that." I apologize, " I wish he did I was so lost." I finished.
"You don't need too. You were there when I lost my mom." She waved off. "Can I ask what changed?"
"I'm not angry anymore. I've come to realize that this place is somewhere I could visit, in a sense that he were here with me."
"So it's your own personal grave stone since he's buried back home."
"Yeah exactly!"
"I don't understand though? Why bring me?" She sounded confused and a bit emotional.
"I knew he'd want me to have someone to share it with. He was someone special to me, and so are you, in a way you are just filling his shoes and I know he'd be pleased." I smiled.
"That's very sweet, but I would never fill his shoes." She smiled, and I couldn't help but noticed her blushing a little.
Today we shared a moment that made us stronger as friends, as cheesy as it sounds, and I've fallen even more in love with her.. but that is something I don't think I'll ever have the guts to tell her. I look at my watch and grabs Aurora's hand and brought her behind a bush.
"Andrew, what are we doing? Why are we behind a bush?!" She question. "Are we seriously gonna act like we're in first grade and kiss behind a bush."
My head snapped so fast hearing her finish that sentence. I was trying not to read into it too much, because I didn't have time for that.
"No you derp, I could do that if I wanted too." I said not really filtering myself before saying it. I ran in front of the bush just a tad further then us and put some food down and ran back.
"What are you doing! Those better not be firecrackers!"
"Shh."
"Drew I'm being serious, we're gonna get in trouble."
"Shhh!" I shushed again.
"Andrew go pick those-." I covered her mouth.
"Shh." I said sternly, holding my hand over her mouth. "Look." I pointed with my eyes, at the deer walking towards the food I had laid out.
Auroras eyes shifted, then widened tremendously. Lust filled her eyes as she watched the beauty eat. I take my hand away slowly, I smile at her amazement.
"Now you see." I told looking at her then the deer.
We sat watching the deer eat; with his large brown antlers that must've weighed a ton on his head. We saw how his ears flickered from all the flies, when he looked up in fear, his antlers stood tall, springing out in all directions. It's black hole for eyes stared our way. Just until he sprinted away without a single sound. After he had left Aurora and I sat there a minute later, she was in shock, frozen I believe.
"What'd you think?" I asked looking at her.
"A site for sore eyes." She responded.
"Amazing right?"
"Definitely." She told smiling.
"Yeah they are such beauties. Which is why they were also my grandpas favorite animals." I explained.
"I can see why." She told.
We made it to our way to our stuff and I wanted to talk to her about the kiss but I felt it would ruin the moment. Perhaps that was an excuse, I didn't know anymore. The thought of the answer frighten me.
"So is that what you see every time you've come here?" She asked as we began to pick up the food we weren't eating.
"This would be the second time, yes. My grandpa was full of tricks, he taught me how to do it. Only worked once until now." I folded the blanket.
"How come? You can't tell me that was all pure luck?" She questioned.
"John always told me that it was about timing. See they know what time of day to adventure close to the road. Less people and such. So, he would test it. Half hour later each time we came. Sometimes it's work, like the first time, and others we strike out, and so on." I explained, "This time was just pure luck, I got up at the right time." I finished.
"That's pretty cool that your grandpa can figure out a schedule like that with animals." She replied.
I smiled, truly thinking about it. She was right. It was pretty awesome that he could at least attempt to guess how they work. After a little we decided to head back to the truck before it got too dark to see. We hung out in the bed, talking for a bit. I thought this would be the perfect time to ask about the event. She was eating more strawberries looking at the clouds, I was looking at her. I wanted to bring it up but I couldn't get myself to say anything. To her I was just staring, looking like a creep. Just then she spoke.
"So about the other night. When I kissed you." She turned her head.
"What about it?" I questioned.
"Was it too-" before she could continue and before I could actually process my thoughts, I kissed her.
Time seemed to slow as we pulled away, I looked at her afraid she wasn't going to be accepting. But I watched her big blue eyes stare back at me, no rejection in sight. I was shocked, stunned she even let me. Her face than turned a blush red and I felt mine get warm too.
"Does that answer your question?"
She smiled, blushing a lot now, she put her hand near her mouth, "Yeah, it does." Her eyes flickered up and down, looking at me then at the wooden bed.
It was quiet now, and I look over and she was still a little red, but now bitting her lower lip. I was actually curious to what was going through her mind at that moment, but I didn't want to make her uncomfortable.
"It's getting late, and I have to get to the airport early tomorrow morning. Are you ready to go?" I start getting out of the bed of the truck.
She jumped, like she was coming out of the a daze, now I was really curious, "uh yeah, don't want to keep you up too late do I?" She mocked.
"Hey it is totally normal for someone to go to bed at 8:30." I helped her out of the bed of the truck.
"Yeah for an 8 year old." She laughed at me walking around toward the front seat door.
"Oh wow, so since I turn 18 I'm 8 not 7?" I raised an eyebrow.
She just smirked and got in the truck, I scoffed with a side smile, I closed the bed of the truck and got in.