hobbledehoy

Little Adventures Will Lead To Greater Ones

Okay, I lied. I have no patience whatsoever.

I showed up at the front gate a hour or so before we were even suppose to meet.

I pace back and forth. Kicking rocks. Tapping my toes. I constantly remove my classes and clean them, it was becoming ridiculous.

I kneel down and start to organize a few pebbles by size. It's not like I have anything better to do.

"Hey there, handsome!" I hear Merlynn voice behind me, "Loving the stripes."

Without thinking, I glance down at what I'm wearing. A sweater, yes a stripped one. I also wore jeans today, and a pair of gray Vans; the color of my sweater.

"Have you been waiting for me long?" Asks the girl who's dressed like she's going hiking.

"No," I lie as I stand up and brush off my pants, "A few minutes or something."

"Okay, then. Here you go!" She hands me a small backpack, and starts walking off.

"Um, what's in this?" I ask, following her off the campus.

"A water bottle, lunch, a towel, and a pair of clean socks." Merlynn answers with a smile, a mischievous one at that.

"And what do we need with all that?"

"Don't worry about it!" Merlynn calls over her shoulder as she starts jogging towards a small yellow jeep, parked beside a lamp post.

I trusted that she wouldn't take me somewhere crazy, which may have been foolish of me, but I climb into the passengers seat anyway.

Kind of fearless of me, eh?

"So where are we going?"

"Only the most romantic place in Kaysville!"

"Uh," I shift uncomfortably, "Why somewhere romantic?"

"No, that's what it's called! Rockwall Falls, the most romantic place in Kaysville," Merlynn explains as she peers into the rear-view mirror, "But we're not going for romance."

"what are we going for?"

"Adventure."

"That's very cryptic of you..." I mumble.

"It's a surprise, Hyrum," She exhales loudly, "So just shush your face and enjoy the ride."

I nod slowly and accept the fact that she wasn't going to tell me. The thought still pressed on in my mind, along with questions, but I manage to keep my mouth shut.

I open up the compartment in front of me and pull out a giant case full of different CD's. I flip through pages of CD's until I found something that I liked.

I stuck a Of Mice & Men CD in Merlynn's car player, then I turned up the volume and leaned back.

Merlynn seemed a bit distant today, and I found it a bit odd.

Usually she never shuts up. And I mean that in a good way.

"You okay, Mer?" I finally ask, after we had been driving for twenty minutes in silence.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Perhaps. Are you going to answer mine?"

"Fine. No, I'm not okay," She replies irritably, "Are you going to listen?"

"Always."

"I have been planning to go to Rockwall Falls for a while now, because I hear it was a place one could get away." Merlynn begins, her voice is steady as she watches the road, "I'm bringing you simply because I don't want to be alone. Because... Well, I'm alone now."