Secrets of the Anasazi

by Sky Whitehorse

  "Don't go there. You flirt with Warren like crazy. Speaking of, have you two defined your relationship yet?" She took a bite of pudding.

  Maya looked at her plate and spun her leftover noodles with her fork. "Not exactly. We just like each other a lot."

  "Have you kissed?"

  Maya paused, considering whether she could trust her cousin or not. A smile crept over her lips, unable to keep a secret. Chantal was beginning to grow on her like her friend Bella back home. "Only once, but don't tell." She looked at the ceiling. "His embrace is amazing. When we touched it was like a wave came crashing over me."

  Chantal smiled. "Well, it's nice for someone to finally notice me. Did you see how blue his eyes were? He listens to everything I have to say."

  Maya nodded. She was glad to see Chantal happy about something other than hanging out with the Brat Pack. "I have to hand it to you, he does have a nice gene pool."

  "Let's head back to the room. I need to see what I'm going to wear tonight."

  They put their plates away and headed to room 111. As they rounded the corner, they realized something was wrong. The door hung crooked on the hinge and everything inside was in shambles. Ahote was measuring the size of the broken window. Lance was picking up broken items. Aunt Roz was picking pieces of glass off the floor and throwing them into a garbage bag that Chase carried. Dr. Parker had his hand on his chin, looking around like a detective. Things were knocked off the dresser, the mattress was thrown against the wall, and the window was broken.

  "What happened?" Chantal asked, darting into her room. She watched as Lance threw away her broken mementos.

  "We don't know. We were hoping you might have an idea who did this," Dr. Parker replied, "and why they might want to break into your room."

  "They broke my glass music box shaped like the piano I've had since I was five... and my trophies." A tear slid down her cheek.

  Dr. Parker placed a hand on Chantal's shoulder. "I found this by the door," he said, handing her an envelope.

  Chantal opened it the envelope, pulled out a card, and frowned. "It's an invitation to Paris's party."

  "Do you think she would do this?" Dr. Parker asked.

  Chantal put her hand over her chest, her mouth falling open. "No,” she replied, but her tone seemed to be more telling, like she was unsure.

  Maya thought of how Paris had bragged about stealing, and how she got a thrill out of it.

  "Is there anything missing from your room?" Aunt Roslyn asked, placing her hand on her shoulder.

  Chantal looked around. "It's hard to tell with everything broken and being thrown in the trash."

  "What about the dream catcher that was hanging in the window?" Maya said. "Is it still in here somewhere?"

  Everyone took a moment to scan the floor.

  Ahote looked through the broken window. "It will take weeks to get a new pane delivered. Chase, would you get the staple gun and put some clear plastic over the window?"

  Chase nodded.

  Aunt Roslyn pulled Chantal in for a hug.

  "Paris asked if she could buy the dream catcher from me,” Maya said, with a sour taste in her mouth, “and I told her it wasn't for sale.”

  "Paris?" Aunt Roslyn asked, repeating it like it was crazy to suggest she would take anything. "She wouldn't have been able to do a thing like this,” she held one hand out to the door jam while the other was tightly wound around Chantal.

  "She's jealous Chantal," Maya added. "I could see it in her eye the first day we went riding."

  Chantal glared at Maya, wiping her face. “She wouldn’t.”

  Dr. Parker put his arm around Aunt Roslyn, rubbing her shoulder. "You'd be surprised at what kids these days are capable of."

  Maya picked up the broom that Chase had left behind, sweeping the floor. Aunt Roslyn and Dr. Parker hauled away two garbage bags full of broken items. The room was cleaned and put back together, but it was empty. The posters had been shredded, and the Kachina dolls were gone.

  Chantal held the invitation out. "We're invited to Paris's end of summertime fun costume party. She has one every year before school starts."

  Maya felt heat flush through her. "Count me in.”

  20. Hold on to What is Good

  "Chantal, I'm sorry about your things." Maya spoke from her heart as she massaged her shoulders on the bed.

  "I just can’t believe someone would break in, damage my trophies, break everything of sentimental value, and take a dream catcher." She had tears welling in her eyes.

  Maya looked at the barren walls that once had posters of horses plastered on them. She decided she would paint something to hang on her wall, but it would take time.

  "I feel like I want to cry my eyes out and eat ice cream all night." She rubbed her hands over her face and sighed.

  "I know what will get your mind off things."

  She looked over her shoulder at Maya. "What?"

  "Getting ready for the Fourth of July celebration... with James, remember?" Maya headed to the closet, flipping through the hangers. She pulled out a black mini skirt with an aqua top that had laces up the cleavage. “I haven’t seen you wear this.” She laid it on the bed.

  She grumbled. "I completely forgot. I need one of those funnel cakes." She got up and went to look at herself in the bathroom mirror. "Will you fix my hair in a side French braid?"

  "Sure." Maya started separating pieces of hair.

  "So, how are things with you and Warren?"

  They met eyes in the mirror. "Oh, you know, he's always busy working. Can we not talk about it?”

  “Well, asking me not to talk about it makes me really want to talk about it.”

  Maya let out a deep breath. "Your mom said she would send him back to the reservation for the rest of the summer if I didn't keep my distance."

  Her jaw dropped, followed by a sarcastic chortle. "She's just blowing smoke. Can you see her sending him away? She needs him to take care of the horses and take guests on climbs into the canyons. Without him Ahote couldn’t keep up with the work, and the hotel would go broke. The horse rides and climbing are what brings in the business.” She touched the top of the braid Maya had started. “It’s not like I would mention it anyway, so, don’t worry, you can tell me all the dirty details."

  "There are no dirty details to tell.” Maya rolled her eyes. “He’s very romantic, actually. He has this calming way about him I can’t explain, not like any other guy I've known."

  She laughed. "He's always been like a big brother to me. It's a little weird when anyone I know dates him."

  Maya's head snapped up. "Who have you known that's dated him?"

  "He hasn’t mentioned it?” She picked up a lip balm and smoothed it over her lips. “He and Paris dated last summer."

  Maya’s throat suddenly felt like she had swallowed gravel. It explained everything, the way they had been awkward around each other on the climb. The way Warren tried to avoid her unless necessary during the climb but cast jealous glances at her when she flirted with Roy. Her voice cracked as she asked, "Why did they break up?"

  "I'm not sure. Paris had a physical attraction to him but she gets bored fast.” Chantal played with her bangs.

  Maya felt her heart sinking. Even though she knew he dated Paris before Maya came to visit, her inner voice still nagged at her.

  “Last summer she used to come over and hang out by the stables as he took care of the horses. They snuck around, mostly. Her rich parents never would have approved of their relationship."

  Maya didn’t realize she had bitten her lip so hard it hurt. Thinking about Paris putting her hands all over Warren the way Paris did to Maya’s brother made her seethe. She knew she shouldn’t let it bother her, but she couldn’t help the way she felt. Her mind flooded with questions. "Well, how far did their relationship go?"

  "They..." she almost blurted something, but stopped herself, exhaling, "it's not my place to tell."

  Maya tied the end of the braid with a tie, yanking harder th
an she realized.

  “Ow!” Chantal said, reaching for her head.

  “Sorry.” She raised her upper lip and tied the end of her hair.

  "It looks nice. Thanks."

  Maya was too preoccupied with angry thoughts to reply. She took out her makeup bag and brushed on her makeup with a scowl at the mirror on the dresser.

  Chantal changed and put makeup on in the bathroom. Maya decided to leave her hair down but changed into a nice pair of Capri shorts with a light brown tank top that accentuated her darker skin. She added the beaded head wrap. Seeing herself in it made her calm down, like she was a someone else when she wore it. Someone more mature. She hoped Warren would see her that way. The different shades of brown brought out her eyes and matched her shirt.

  "Okay, I'm ready.” Chantal stood in the doorway of the bathroom. She raised her eyebrows. “That really works for you.” She brushed her fingers through Maya’s hair.

  Maya looked at the time. “Oh, eight-fifty. We should get going.”

  They headed to the lobby. The halls were bustling with guests.

  "Girls," Aunt Roslyn called when she spotted them. She was selling glow sticks and necklaces at the front desk. "Here, choose one."

  They selected necklaces. "Thanks," they replied.

  "Hurry, the fireworks start in ten minutes." She waved her hand at them to get moving.

  They fastened their necklaces as they walked out the front doors.

  Stars flecked sparkles of light in the ebony sky. A large crowd assembled east of the hotel. Patriotic music echoed from large speakers over the canyons. As they approached, they saw James ordering cotton candy from a truck selling treats.

  "Hey," Chantal greeted him.

  He gave her a warm smile. “There you are. I was worried you were going to ditch me for your friends.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it." She looked at the man in the truck. "One funnel cake, please." She pulled change from her pocket. "Maya, do you want anything?"

  She looked around for Warren. If she didn’t find him soon she would be walking through the mob during the show searching for him. "No, thanks." She scanned the crowd.

  "Maya?" she heard a deep voice from behind. "I was starting to wonder if you were coming."

  She turned to see Warren. He wasn't in work clothes like usual; he was cleaned up and smelled like cologne. She immediately felt the magnetism between them, but was still sour about what Chantal had told her.

  "I was getting ready." She slipped her hands in her pockets. "Where's Roy?"

  He pointed to some lawn chairs a few yards away. It was hard to see their outline, but she could make out the back of Lance's head, next to Roy's dark, curly mop, who had his arm around... Paris.

  "Can we watch from somewhere else? Somewhere more... private?" Maya asked.

  Warren rubbed the back of his neck. "We could go behind the hotel. There aren't any people there."

  She glanced at him, then looked away quickly. "Let's do that."

  They ambled behind the hotel until they found a large, flat rock to sit on.

  "Mm... you smell nice," he whispered, putting his arm around her.

  She pulled away and sat up straight, staring at the sky as if she couldn’t wait to see the fireworks.

  He scratched his head. "Are you ok?" He asked in an uncertain tone.

  "I'm fine," she lied, turning her knees away from him.

  He paused. "I heard about the break-in. To your room."

  She nodded. "Chantal is upset."

  "Of course. She has every right to be." He leaned closer to her, trying to make eye contact, but she averted her gaze. “Are you sure everything is ok?”

  "Why wouldn't it be?"

  "I don't know. You seem really short and distant."

  She looked at her feet.

  He sighed. "Maybe the kiss ruined everything."

  She tried to make out his facial expressions, but it was too dark. "Why? Was she a better kisser than me?"

  He jerked his head toward her. "Who?"

  "Paris?" Maya said in a cold tone.

  "So that's what this is about? You're jealous of something I did last summer? How did you find out about that anyway?"

  She rolled the bottom of her capris up a notch. "Chantal just told me."

  He rubbed her back in a circle. "I’ll make sure to thank her for that.” He said sarcastically. He reached for her hand but she pulled away. “Don't be that way.” His voice was low and relaxing. “You were a thousand times better kisser than she was."

  "Really?" she said sarcastically. She doubted it since she hadn’t had much experience with kissing.

  "Yeah, really. Also prettier."

  She smirked. "Now I know you're joking. I'm plain vanilla. She's a sundae with sprinkles on top—and a cherry!"

  He chuckled. "No, minus the cherry."

  She squinted at him with curiosity.

  "She makes her rounds with every guy she can get her claws into. Oh, look!" A bright streak of light shot across the sky and fizzled out in ten seconds. "A shooting star."

  "Awe! That was incredible.” She sat up straight. “I've never seen one of those before."

  He put his arm around her shoulder. "That's exactly what I said to myself the first time I saw you."

  She laughed. "Ok, that was cheesy."

  "But I'm serious." The tone of his voice was earnest. "The first time I saw you when you came to visit with your mom, dad, and Roy, I knew right away there was something special about you."

  She face-palmed. "I remember the first time we met. I tripped and scraped my knee. You brought the first aid kit, wiped it off, and put the band-aid on."

  "That's right."

  The first firework exploded. He lightly kissed her a few times on the neck. Her eyelashes fluttered at the touch of his lips, sending tingles up and down her body. He pulled her into his arms. Her back rested against his chest. She could feel his breath on her neck, and her pulse raced.

  The show continued with spectacular flashes and cracks of red, white, and blue but their minds weren't focused on the fireworks. His arms held her around the midsection as she sat in his lap. She breathed heavily as his lips and nose pressed into her neck, right below her ear, nuzzling her. He made her feel comfortable and relaxed.

  As the show came to the grand finale, the popping of lights and sounds became closer together, until it was over. A cloud of smoke slowly drifted away into the clear night sky.

  "Do you see those three bright stars shining brightly in a row?" he asked, his deep voice serene and peaceful.

  "Yes."

  "That's Orion's Belt."

  She nodded.

  He cleared his throat. "Do... do you see the ones in the shape of a cross over there?"

  "Mm-hmm."