"That would be nice," I mused. "Protections from exploitation and discrimination."
Victoria grinned at me, as if I were a prized student. "Exactly. Okay, enough heavy stuff. How's your homework load?"
"Not bad. I've stayed on top of it all week, and I think I'm caught up."
"So, a free weekend then?" She grinned.
"Um, yeah. I guess so." I wondered what she had in mind. She wasn't a partier that I could tell, however she did like to go out and do things. So did I, once I knew what there was to do.
"Well, your boyfriends promised to take us hiking. Maybe we can hit them up."
I raised my eyebrows. "My boyfriends?"
"Ed, Allan." She winked. "Doc."
"O-M-G he's my teacher." My cheeks heated.
"Or we could see what Alex is up to?" She relented just slightly.
"Are you determined to hook me up with someone?"
"Actually, they're just all really nice, and it's good to have some friends, but I can give you crap, can't I?"
I shook my head and sighed. "I guess."
"Great. I'll see about hiking tomorrow. The weather is supposed to be great, and then maybe we can meet up with Alex on Sunday." She rolled back to her desk and grabbed her phone.
Defeated, I just shrugged. If she wanted to plan my social life, right now, I was completely fine with it.
"All your boys are fast to reply to texts. Ed replied. They're in for Saturday. He'll meet us at seven after breakfast."
"Early riser I guess." I groaned a little.
"Apparently. Though a lot of people tend to hike early. Avoid the afternoon storms. We're not having many right now, but it's a thing."
"Oh, right. I remember reading about that. Lightning being the big danger." I shuddered.
"Yes. Oh, and Alex asked if you like to dance."
"Um. Yeah, I guess. What kind?"
Victoria shrugged. "Guess we'll find out. He'll meet us Sunday afternoon. He said he would bring a friend so we would both have partners."
"That's nice of him."
Victoria glanced at me. "I can stop if you want me to. I just figured we should take advantage of a relatively free weekend, since we won't have many until winter break."
"Sorry, it's fine."
She continued to look at me.
"No, really, I actually appreciate it. I'm just not used to being surrounded by hot guys and actually going out."
Victoria grinned. "It's only a date if you make it one."
"Maybe you had better tell them that."
She laughed. "I'll leave that up to you. So, what do you want to do tonight?"
"Pizza?"
"Great. It will be our Friday night tradition."
∞ ∞ ∞
We found Ed and Allan waiting for us when we came down after breakfast the next morning. Allan glanced us over and nodded approvingly of our hiking boots, shorts, and T-shirts. We both wore ballcaps and had backpacks with extra water slung over our backs. At Victoria's insistence, I had taken a few of her protein bars, and we both had jackets.
Ed and Allan both wore nylon hiking pants, T-shirts, and hats with a brim all the way around.
"Is Doc coming?" I was under the impression that the three of them did a lot together, so I was surprised not to see him.
Ed smiled, sky-blue eyes practically glowing with pleasure. "He's our ride. Has our packs, too. He'll be here in a minute."
I had wondered how we were going to get to the trailhead. I didn't even know where they planned on taking us.
Allan stared up the road as if watching for something. After a moment, he relaxed. It didn't take long before I heard the grumble of a diesel engine.
"Big truck." Victoria sounded surprised.
"Cowboy," Allan replied.
"I expected a Subaru," Victoria said.
Ed and Allan laughed.
The truck hadn't phased me. I had grown up around big vehicles. I actually would have been surprised if Doc had driven up in anything else. Besides, this was a ranch town.
"Victoria can take shotgun," Allan declared.
She grinned at me and winked. I blushed and nodded acceptance, when the silver truck stopped in front of us.
Allan got the door for Victoria, and Ed opened the one nearest me. I grabbed the handhold and hopped in. Victoria struggled for a minute before Allan pointed out the handholds to her.
"Sorry, might be the first time I've been in a big truck," she grumbled.
The rest of us laughed.
"You'll get used to it," Doc replied.
Ed and Allan slid in on either side of me, and we all buckled up.
"So, where are we headed?" Victoria asked when Doc pulled away from the curb.
"Lost Lake!" Ed and Allan exclaimed.
"Are you sure you want to take them there?" Doc glanced back at the guys for a moment before turning back to the road.
"Why wouldn't we?" Ed asked.
Doc was quiet for a moment. At the roundabout at the edge of campus, he turned west, and the guys both grinned.
"There's about five million lost lakes in the Rocky Mountains," Victoria pointed out.
I could almost see Doc smile, though I sat behind him. "True. I'm not sure what this one is actually called. You really have to know where it is to be able to get there."
Both of the guys sat like typical boys, knees spread, careless of the room they took up. I supposed most girls would scrunch in on themselves to take up less space. I refused to occupy a smaller area just because I was a girl, so I sat the same. Our knees touched, and I had to put a foot on either side of the center console in front of me, so my feet touched theirs. Neither of the guys acted bothered, and I didn't really care. I had grown up around too many oil field guys to be too shy.
I watched the scenery as we left the valley and climbed up into the mountains. I
