Alma

just a lil mini series about some frens (pt 5/5)

honestly not my greatest plotting/working etc but a fun lil series to write :)

xxxxxxx

zuli-1/5

tyler-2/5

evan-3/5

cam-4/5

xxxxxxx

I watch the world pass by around us; the roads get smaller and smaller, leading into the foothills; Tyler turns the volume knob up and Cam smiles, “I love this song!”

He looks away and avoids my eyes in the rearview mirror, but I can see that he’s blushing.

“I know.”

Cam blushes too, but I just roll my eyes.“For fucks sake, will you two quit flirting and focus?”

Cam goes bright red but turns back to look at me, anyway, “Focus on what, Al, we’re not even there yet!”

Tyler cringes slightly “Actually…Ellington stopped, and were close, I think.”

“Very reassuring.” Zuli mutters, but Tyler ignores her.

We pull up to a parking lot with a trail leading away.

“I hope you like walking, Alma May.” Tyler says, and I sigh dramatically, but charge out of the car as best I can and turn to the path, the others behind me.

The trail leads through a thin forest of Aspen trees, beautiful in their fresh spring colors, and I scan around us before turning back to Cam. “Is it close?”

They knit their eyebrows at the screen and turn it to me.

“Okay, that one is us.” They point to a blue dot facing right, then to a pin type marker to our left. “And that one is Ellington.”

Cam hands me their phone and I turn 90 degrees to the left and walk in short paces until I pass the pin. I press my lips together. That's what I was afraid of.

I turn around and scan the forest, looking for any sign of Ellington or my phone but the trees are quiet.

I look back at them unsurely and Cam shrugs, giving me a hopeful look. “We could… Look around a bit?”

“Alright…” I say and stomp dramatically up the hill.

I almost laugh out loud when Zuli audibly sighs, but I am relieved when I hear the shuffle of their footsteps as they spread out behind me.

I regret the dramatic exit when I realize how steep the hill is. I like to think I last a while, tromping up that stupid hill, but soon enough, my breath is heavy and my legs burn; I'm just about to ask myself if this is really worth it when the curve flattens and the valley comes into view beneath me. My breath catches for more reasons than one.

“Guys?” I call, without looking away.

“Did you find it?” Evan asks.

“No, just… come look at this.”

I climb to the highest point and by the time they’ve trudged up the hill the sun has sunk lower in the sky, faint beams casting lazy shadows over the mountaintop.

“Well shit.” Tyler says and Cam laughs.

I sit down and sigh, letting my feet dangle over the edge.

Cam takes slow steps and pats my shoulder gently.

“How long will you be grounded?”

I grimace, “That plus the whole ‘ditching four classes thing’…It won't be pretty.”

Evan frowns “Wait a second, Al, what about attendance office guy?”

I cringe but Cam just sighs and sits beside me.

“Its ok.” They say, “We’ll at least suffer that one together.”

Evan and Zuli start to complain, but Tyler sits down beside Cam. “I love a sunset.”

I chuckle under my breath and eventually Evan and Zuli come sit beside me.

Just as the sun touches the mountain, I see Tyler reach for Cam’s hand and their fingers weave together.

I smile to myself as the light fades.

About fucking time.