Heartbreak Vacation

On Top Of A Mountain

The snow was still thick on the ground. Dana had used one of the cleared hiking trails to get out of town and clear her head. The day before she had split up with Sam. He had picked her up at her dorm room; they had planned to go to the movies.

"Come on in for a minute", Dana had asked.

Sam could tell by her expression that something unpleasant was to follow. Reluctantly he had stepped in the room. Dana sat down on her bed and asked him with a small nod of her head to join her. Sam had sat and had starred down on his folded hands. Dana had tried to say something, but nothing came out. She had cleared her throat. "I am sorry", was what she had finally said.

"Why?", Sam had asked in a flat voice and without lifting his glance from his hands.

"I can't go any further with you. I realized that this won't be fair to you."

His head had snapped up. His beautiful brown eyes had looked hard at her. "Another man?"

Dana had shrugged. She had not known how to answer that question. "In a way...", she had finally said.

That's when Sam had jumped up and had stormed out of the room.

Dana looked over the city. Redbricks and white facades, tall and low buildings were scattered below her. Vaguely she heard horns beeping and acceleration of a motorbike. The wind was sweeping her face and dried the sweat. She searched of the bottled water in her backpack and took a sip, her glance moving over to the hills and mountains that rose behind the city. I have to concentrate on my exams now, she thought and took a deep breath. The Independent Record had offered her a job as a staff reporter after her graduation. She liked working there and would probably take the job. One more glance towards the city that had become her home, then Dana turned and followed the hiking trail back to where she had parked her bike. She had set up a meeting with Julie, who was in on her elbows in finishing papers, at their favorite coffee shop. She wanted to tell her about Sam - even though she knew exactly what Julie would say.

"I knew this wouldn't last", her friend stated matter-of-factly half an hour later. Dana almost laughed.

"The reason?", Julie continued and leaned back on her bench to wait for an answer she though she knew.

"I met John at Teton Pass", she said and looked at Julie with a half-grin.

Her friend had not expected that. "Seriously?", she demanded to know. "You are not pulling my leg?"

She leaned forward to listen to Dana's report. When she had heard the story, she leaned back again.

"I am not sure if you are smart or stupid", she said in her Julie-like, blunt manner. "I understand that you did not want to hurt Sam, but, hell, I would have gone with him wherever he wanted me to go. Especially into a nice, big bed!" She grinned widely.

"Oh, come on", Dana protested, even though she knew her room-mate was at least half kidding. "You don't even know him!"

"But he is gorgeous, extremely handsome, famous - and, boy, does he like you!"

"Yeah, that's the problem."

Julie gave her a long look, raised her eyebrows and took a sip from her Chai Latte, which had gotten cold by now.

"I know that you do not understand my concerns", Dana said shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, I guess the concerns had somehow vanished lately. Or you wouldn't have given Sam the boot", Julie pointed out.

"I guess", Dana admitted. "Or maybe I have just realized that he means more to me than I thought and now I have to find a way to deal with it."

"So mature of you!", Julie teased. "Especially now that our exams are approaching."