by Danika Stone
In the last fifteen minutes, the bus had moved from rolling foothills to the majesty of the Rockies. Golden waves of autumn grass interspersed thickets of yellow-leaved birch, the green splash of pine trees appearing in knots farther up the slopes. On either side of the road, purple mountains with snow-dusted peaks held court, the bus and the looping road dwarfed by their presence. Vale didn’t have time to appreciate it.
With her best friend asleep three rows behind her, there was no one to divert the bullies’ attention or to distract Vale from her torment. She cast a frustrated look over her shoulder. On the other side of the aisle, Ash’s long legs dangled out over the edge of the seat, snores rising and falling with the steadiness of a poorly tuned band saw. It was a scientific truth as undeniable as gravity: Ashton Hamid could sleep anywhere. With a sigh, Vale turned back around. Outside the glass, the jagged edge of the Rocky Mountains ran past; she watched the dip and rise of peaks rather than look at her classmates.
Ten more weeks, she thought, and I’ll never have to take another phys ed class in my life. Ten. More. Weeks.
If Ash was awake, it would have been different. Their friendship kept the tormentors at bay. But with him asleep, Vale became a target. Ms. Holland’s class was all jocks and popular kids—
“It’s true, isn’t it?” a boy behind her said, jarring her from her thoughts.
Vale glanced back, and her heart sank. Mike. He’d switched seats at least five times since they left the school, and sometime in the last few minutes, he’d taken position directly behind her. “What’s true?” she asked.
“You sent a naked picture of yourself to Brodie Wilson.”
“No!”
“Liar,” Mike said. “I saw the pic. Definitely you.”
“It wasn’t. I’d never—”
“You must want him bad to share…” He eyed her up and down. “That.”
Vale glared. She didn’t see the appeal of hooking up. It didn’t interest her and never had. “Seriously, Mike. I didn’t send Brodie anything. I don’t even know his number.”
“That’s what you say…” Mike took out his phone and pulled up a photo app, scrolling through. “But the pic sure looks like you to me.” He turned the screen to show a half-naked girl—her face hidden by a fall of all-too-familiar red hair—as she leaned over to tug up a pair of gym shorts.
Vale’s breath caught. Blood rushed in her ears. Oh my God, that’s ME!
She stared at the image, aghast. The blue panties and emoji-printed socks were easily recognizable, and the striped sports bra was the same one she was wearing now! The realization hit her like a slap. One of the girls must have snapped a pic when I was in the changing room, then sent it to Brodie!
Vale turned to stare out the window. “That’s not me,” she said in a hollow voice. Just ignore him. Deal with it later. Mike feeds off attention. He’s just a jerk who likes to bully kids who—
Mike tugged the sleeve of her shirt, and it slid down an inch, revealing the edge of her striped bra. “Well, well … Looky here!”
She jerked away from him, pulling her shirt back over the strap. “Seriously, Mike. Leave me alone.”
He cackled. “You gonna deny that picture now?”
“I never sent it.”
“Liar.”
Vale’s hands rolled into fists, her short nails scoring her palms. “Just … go … away.”
Mike clambered halfway over the back of Vale’s seat, his face appearing in her peripheral vision. “Go away? I’m only trying to help you.”
Vale didn’t answer. If she’d had her phone with her, she’d take it out—do anything other than sit here, pretending to be mute—but today she had no escape. Her gaze flicked back down the aisle. Why aren’t you AWAKE, Ash?
A foot bumped the back of her seat. “Yo, Valley Girl. I’m still talking to you.”
Vale didn’t answer. She could barely breathe!
“It’d be a shame if that photo got around. I mean with you being all hot and bothered for Bro—”
“I’m not!” she snapped. “And I didn’t send that!” Physical attraction, the urge to make out with, or date, someone—anyone!—were things that had never appealed to her. She didn’t want sex. She didn’t even want to hold hands. Truth was, Vale had exactly zero interest in Brodie, but she was not going to try to explain that to his best friend.
Mike grinned. “O-ho! Valley Girl’s got a temper! I just want to talk to—”
“Conversation requires two participants,” she said. “As far as I can see, you’re full of it, like always. So why don’t you head on back with the rest of the stoners? Leave me alone.”
Mike’s laughter faded. For a second it seemed like he was going to leave, and then a dark smile crossed his face. He leaned back and shouted over his shoulder. “Yo, BRODIE!” he bellowed. “C’mere a sec!”
“What’d you say, Mikey?” a voice on the far side of the bus answered.
Vale flinched. It was Brodie Wilson, the most popular boy in the school. Vale avoided him at all costs. While it was true he had an aesthetic quality to him that Vale could appreciate in the same way she could recognize a pretty sunset or an interesting flower, he had a mean side that Vale knew all too well.
Mike reached for the sleeve of Vale’s shirt again. “I want to show you something!”
“Mike, stop.” Vale jerked away. “You delete that photo, or I’ll tell Holland you took your phone out of her box.”
“I didn’t!”
“I saw you.”
His eyes narrowed. “Yeah? Well, I’ll just tell Holland I forgot to hand it in. You think she’s gonna remember?” He waggled the phone at her, the half-naked image dancing before Vale’s eyes. “You really want the teacher to see what you sent to—”
“I DIDN’T send it!” Vale’s voice broke. She wanted Mike to leave her alone. Wanted off this bus. Most of all, she wanted the picture gone! But it felt like anything was going to make the situation worse. “You’ve got to delete that picture.”
“Not a chance. Yo, BRODIE!” Mike shouted a second time. “C’mere!”
Brodie stood up. “What?”
“I want to show you—”
“Mr. REYNOLDS!” Ms. Holland barked. “You get back to your SEAT! This bus is moving! And you too, Brodie! SIT DOWN, both of you!”
Ash’s snores paused, and he scrabbled upright. “I’m up, Mom! I’m up!” The students on either side of him broke into peals of laughter as Ash blinked weary eyes. “Wh-what happened…?” The laughter rose.
Ms. Holland stood and pointed to Mike and Brodie. “To your SEATS! Both of you!”
“You got it, Holland,” Mike said. Laughing, he jogged down the aisle to the last row and threw himself into the seat. Vale shot a pleading look toward Ash, but—half asleep—he didn’t notice. At the back of the bus, Mike handed the phone to Brodie, who hooted in laughter. Brodie handed it to the boy next to him, and the hoots grew louder. Vale slid down until the top of her head was well below the back of the seat. Tears prickled her eyes.
Ten more weeks, then I’ll never have to see these jerks again.
* * *
Ash wasn’t athletic at the best of times; sleep deprivation made it worse. Struggling up the steady incline, Ash discovered just what a poor hiker he was.
“Y-you go on ahead, Vale,” he panted. “I’ll catch up.”
“Nah,” Vale said, smiling. “I’m good right here.” She glanced over her shoulder at the teacher who’d plodded three steps behind them the entire morning. “A team always hikes at the speed of the slowest hiker, right, Mr. Perkins?”
The man grumbled rather than answered.
“Seriously, Ash,” Vale said. “We’re in no rush.”
Ash looked up. “Hey! Is that…?”
“The lunch spot!”
“We’ve got to hike farther?” he groaned.
“This is the halfway point,” Vale said. “But at least now we’re caught up to the rest of the class.”
The teens ha
d gathered in an open clearing. Behind them, the banded lines of Avion Ridge formed a ragged edge between sky and ground, a rock wall looming above the trees. Ash shivered. The hikers stood in shadow here, the warmth of the day gone.
“It’s colder than I expected it to be,” he said.
“Wish I’d brought mitts,” Vale said. “I bet we’ll have frost tonight.”
Ash frowned and zipped his jacket up over his sweatshirt. “It’s still hot back in Lethbridge. I … didn’t expect this.”
Vale shrugged. “Yeah. But the weather’s always a bit tricky in the mountains in the fall.”
Ash glanced down at his runners: slick-bottomed Keds that had never seen anything but pavement until today. “You think we should’ve brought winter boots?”
“I, uh … hope not.” She tightened her grip on the shoulder straps of her pack. “Before we eat, we should let Holland know we’re here.”
“God, I’m starving,” Ash moaned.
“Then you’re in luck. This is the lunch spot.” She nodded to the far side of the clearing. “C’mon. Holland’s standing over there by the trees.”
They headed across the meadow, passing groups of students eating lunch. A mottled bird that looked like a cross between a chicken and a pheasant burst from the undergrowth. Ash watched it flutter into the trees, then land in the bushes.
“What in the world…?”
Vale followed his gaze to where the bird waddled through the undergrowth. “It’s a spruce grouse.”
Ash stared into the trees. A few steps away from the meadow, the light dropped by half. “What did you call it again?”
“Spruce grouse is the official name, though they’re sometimes called prairie chickens or fool hens.”
Ash chuckled. “Fool hens, huh?”
“Yeah. People think they’re kind of dumb—the way they let other animals get close to them. They’re pretty mellow.”
Ash watched it as it faded back into the autumn foliage, the plumage a match to the brown and orange leaves. “How do you know all this stuff?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “I read things, I guess.”
“I know that, but where’d you learn the stuff about birds?”
“I’ve got a couple books on wildlife. Books on the woods, and on camping, and survival, and…” Vale shrugged. “I just read a lot of stuff. Okay?”
Ash grinned. “Pretty cool.”
“Most people think it’s lame,” she said with a snort. “But … I kind of like it.”
“Nah. It’s good, Vale. It is.”
“Thanks.” She smiled. “Now we better hurry up and tell Holland we’re here.”
They jogged across the clearing. The movement gave a much-needed rush of warmth to Ash’s limbs. He had the sudden wish that he’d actually packed when Vale had asked him to, but there was no way to fix it now. He was here. Stuck.
Their teacher looked up as the two of them arrived. “Ashton and Vale,” she said. “There you are.”
Ash slid his pack to the ground. “Sorry, Ms. Holland. I’m not a fast hiker.”
“Try to keep up for the second half,” she said. “You don’t want to get lost. You too, Vale.”
“We’re going faster than I’m used to.” She glanced at Ash. “And Ash here hasn’t ever gone hiking.”
Ash felt a wave of relief, quickly chased by guilt. No matter the situation, Vale always covered for him. But I couldn’t even tell Mike and the guys to leave her alone.
Ms. Holland frowned. “Then both of you should stay near the front. That way you can set the pace and Mr. Perkins doesn’t have to wait for you.”
Ash glanced over his shoulder. Mr. Perkins’s job was to bring up the rear of the group so no one got lost. He’d walked three steps behind Ash and Vale the entire time, irritated by their slow pace. “We’re on a schedule,” Perkins had told them. “The conditions are good right now, but weather can change fast … It gets dark early in the mountains.”
“I’ll try to go faster on the next leg,” Vale said. “Promise.”
“Good,” Ms. Holland said. “Those clouds on the horizon look like rain.”
Ash dug through his pack as Ms. Holland and Vale chatted about the changing weather. He pulled out a half liter of Mountain Dew and a crumpled bag of Doritos. Seeing them, Ms. Holland shook her head. “Is that your lunch?”
“Uh … yeah,” Ash said, scrambling for a lie. “I’ve got a high metabolism. Figured I should go with high-energy food.”
“You certainly have that.” She nodded to Vale’s backpack. “You’d better eat something too, Vale. Everyone else has already started.”
“Right.”
Vale pulled out her lunch bag while Ash munched on chips. He scanned the open field. This lunch area wasn’t a camp per se, just a small clearing in the valley. It had no picnic tables or anything to sit on. On the far side, Mike and his group climbed trees, having finished their lunch long before Ash and Vale had arrived. Ash cast wary glances their way. If the bus ride had been any indication, Mike was in a mood today, Vale (as always) his favorite target.
Just stay over on your side, Ash thought. We’ll stay here. No troubles.
He turned away from the trio to find Vale still standing. She chewed her sandwich as she stared out at the rocky cliffs to the north. Seeing her expression, Ash frowned. She looks worried. I wonder why …
“Want to sit down?” he offered. Ash leaned back in the long grass, the contents of his untidy bag spread across the ground. He pushed a pair of shorts that had fallen out of his backpack to the side. “There’s lots of room here, and the grass is pretty soft.”
Vale gave a weak smile. “Yeah, Ash. Thanks.”
She sat down next to him, legs neatly crossed, while Ash shoved handfuls of Doritos into his mouth. Weary and hungry, neither spoke. It reminded Ash of their years in elementary school, when the lunch tables at school had been so tightly packed that Ash and Vale had never had a place to sit. Frustrated with the end of the benches, they’d made a pact. Eat lunch as fast as possible, then go outside before anyone else finished. The jungle gym on the edge of the field had been their refuge; they’d claimed the bird’s nest on top every single day when the weather was good. Ash poured the last of the chips into his open mouth, then washed them down with soda.
Even then, the two of them had been on the outside.
Ash had just finished chugging his Mountain Dew when Ms. Holland ordered the class to tidy up. “C’mon, everyone!” she shouted. “We’ve got to hike that far again before nightfall. No time to waste.”
Ash groaned. His legs ached, and the thought of going farther left him wanting to scream. “Is she fricking kidding me?”
“I don’t think so.”
“But I can’t keep walking! I’m gonna die out here. I’m gonna—”
“Shhh!” Vale said through a bite of sandwich. “Whining’s not going to help.” She pulled out the second half of her sandwich and stood up. “Ms. Holland…?”
“Yes, Vale?”
“Ash and I haven’t finished eating. We’re not rested.”
Ms. Holland lifted her gaze to the sky. “Then you two had better hurry up. We’ve got to go.”
Ash groaned. “It’s not fair!” He threw an arm over his eyes. “Why me?”
“Why all of us?” Vale said. “And you should pick up your clothes, Ash. Everyone’s tidying up.”
“Ugh … fine.” He gathered his scattered clothes from the ground, frowning as he did a slow circle. “Have you seen my socks?”
“Over there,” Vale said, pointing. “By those bushes.”
“Thanks.”
“There’s a pair of shorts on the other side too. Hurry, Ash. We’ve got to get going.”
“Right, right. I know…” He frowned. “Wait. Where are the shorts again?”
Vale pointed a second time. “Over there.”
“Got it.” He shoved the shorts in and tried to zip his pack closed. The zipper caught. “Ugh! I can’t—” He tugged
harder. “I—I can’t get this—” He jerked another time. “Zipper’s caught—”
“It’s too full.” Vale shook her head. “Hold on. I’ll help you reorganize.”
“Thanks.”
While Vale pulled out his clothes and refolded them, Ms. Holland rushed from group to group. “Hurry up, everyone!” she called. “Pick up your garbage. Put it in a sealed plastic bag in your pack so it doesn’t attract animals. The wind’s picked up, and the weather’s starting to change. Let’s GO!”
Ash raised his eyes. Above Avion Ridge, a line of dark clouds hovered; an icy breeze blew down over the trees. He shivered.
“There. All done,” Vale said.
“Thanks!”
“No problem. But we need to start hiking.” She pulled her knit hat out of her bag and zipped her jacket up to her throat. Ash wished that he’d brought a hat. His ears burned as he followed her toward the trail that led into the western forest. In the center of the meadow, Mr. Perkins stood, doing a head count.
“Vale and Ash. Twenty-three … twenty-four,” he muttered, checking off his list. “Get walking. Try to keep up this time.”
“You got it.” Ash nodded and tucked his head down.
Vale stuck out her tongue, but, busy with his attendance list, Perkins didn’t see.
Ash and Vale were almost out of the meadow when Vale suddenly stopped. “Oh, you bastards,” she hissed.
Ash looked up. “What’s that?”
“There.” Vale pointed across to the trees. In the forest off to the side of the meadow—out of the hawkish gaze of Ms. Holland and Mr. Perkins—Mike, Brodie, and the others appeared. Ash knew what Vale had seen: The mound of garbage that danced in the wind at their feet.
Vale veered off the trail, straight toward them. “Hey!” she shouted. “You need to pick that up!”
Mike turned. “What’d you say?”
Vale stomped toward him. “I said you need to pick up that garbage.”
“What garbage d’you mean?” Brodie sneered. “’Cause the only trash I see is YOU, Valley Girl.”