“Well, I’m not leaving you up here alone,”he says. “Your dad would kill me. Actually, he’d kill me if he knewwhere we were, but abandoning you at the top of a waterfall? Notexactly the most gentleman-like move.”
Damn it. I didn’t mind letting my guard downat the bungalow the other night because I was in a safe place, buthaving to be vulnerable and hand over another piece of my soulwhile on top of a waterfall?
“I sort of lied to you!” I shout, hopingmaybe he didn’t actually understand what I said.
“About what?” he calls back.
Uggghh. Kiagwa, why couldn’t you haveswallowed my words too? Will’s voice is ten times deeper andlouder than mine, yet my words don’t get eaten by Mother Nature.It’s like Kiagwa actually wants to see me suffer.
“I’ve never done anything like this,” I say,leaning closer to him so he can hear me without us being in ashouting match. “I don’t like heights, and I don’t want todrown.”
He steps back toward the path we followed toget up here. He reaches for my hand, and because I’m afraid I won’tbe able to move without him to stabilize me, I take it. He leads meback into the cave, away from Kiagwa.
“You don’t have to do this,” he says. “I’llwalk you back down if you want. But then I’m going to come back uphere and jump because I thrive on this whole ‘reckless abandon’thing.”
I look down to avoid his eyes. It’s now thatI notice his swim trunks. They have palm trees on them, and I’malmost certain it’s a generic brand. I just imagined him in namebrands, like Rip Curl or Hurley. It’s almost funny to me. It wouldbe a hell of a lot funnier on land.
“I don’t want to be a coward,” I finallysay.
“Jumping off of a waterfall doesn’t mean youhave courage,” he says. “My friend Theo…Well, he used to be myfriend before the…Anyway. A friend of ours actually did drown, andTheo was the lifeguard on duty when it happened. It was too late bythe time he got there, but Theo blames himself. Everyone in HornIsland and Crescent Cove thinks he’s this low-down drunken loserwho’ll never amount to anything.”
I stop him there. “Why are you telling methis? Telling me about your dead friend who drowned is notencouraging.”
“I’m getting there,” he says. “Theo fellapart, and as far as I know, he’s still broken as fuck, but he getsup every day. He puts one foot in front of the other. He stilltries to make something of himself, even with the world against himand, well, being against himself. That is courage.”
I realize what he’s getting at – thatcourage can be simple and I don’t have to jump – but how in thehell does he expect me to walk back to dry land after hearing abouthis ex-friend having enough courage to still get up every morning?If I don’t take a flying leap off of this waterfall, I might aswell grow a tail and scamper off to Oz because this little lionesswill be the ultimate coward.
“I want to jump,” I say, trying to soundconvincing.
“Kaia, you don’t have–”
“No,” I cut him off. “I need to.”
“Okay then,” he says, motioning me back outof the cave toward Kiagwa. He takes a deep breath. “Hey, if you’re scared, I’ll hold your hand.”
I can’t believe he just used my own lineagainst me.
Even worse, I can’t believe it works.
I lock my fingers with his, and on three, Ifind my courage.
Chapter Eight – Dominic
I wait in the resort lobby for Kaia to changeclothes. The bungalow is literally just down the pier, but she saidif she goes back there to change, the day is officially over, andshe’s not ready to end it just yet. I guess seeing your parent doeskind of put the adventure on pause. So I wait.
Sloane and Will already left to attend a dinner partywith their parents. Will seemed annoyed by it, but Sloane said healways overreacts and the parties are never as horrible as heimagines they’ll be. Will said he has to wear a tie, and that aloneis horrible. I’ve been dragged to plenty of events and parties tostand next to my dad and smile. I have to take Will’s side on thisone.
Kaia walks over to me from the restroom, back in hertank top and cut off shorts.
“Where to?” I ask, hoping she has a plan. She’s seenmore of the island than I have.
But she shrugs. “I figured we could just walk downthe beach,” she says. “I haven’t been much further than around theresort, except when I go somewhere with Sloane.”
We exit the lobby, and I’m instantly more relaxed theminute my feet touch the sand. There are moments when fancy hotellobbies feel normal because of my dad and the lifestyle we’ve hadwith him, but being on the beach is where I feel at home. There’snothing better than sand, salt water, and a sunset.
Kaia doesn’t say much as we stroll past tourists withgiant umbrellas and people playing volleyball. A hot dog truck isparked near the sand’s edge with a lengthy line that wraps into theparking lot. If I bought food from a food truck, it’d definitelyhave to be something better than hot dogs.
“You like frozen yogurt?” Kaia asks, drawing myattention back to her. She points ahead. “I think I’m going to getsome.”
We walk over to the small building. It looks like asurf shack, minus the surfboards and wetsuits. Clear Christmaslights hang from the roof, and the menu is listed on a chalkboardoutside in girly handwriting.
The girl behind the counter leads forward. “Hey, whatcan I get for you guys?” she asks.
I motion for Kaia to order first. She debates the cupor cone for a moment before deciding on the cup. She immediatelychooses cotton candy flavor. It’s a bright pink and blue swirl witha touch of purple, which feels pretty appropriate. I order a cup oftoasted marshmallow, which Kaia curls her nose upon hearing.
“I’ve got it,” I say, handing over the credit cardDad sent with me.
I actually wish I had cash on me right now becausethe credit card looks haughty. Then again, if I walked