Best Dating Rules by Tamie Dearen (story books to read .TXT) 📗

“I’ve been a few years back. How long is it?”

“It’s about eighteen miles. They’ll go about ten before they set up camp.”

“What if she gets on the wrong trail, hiking by herself?” asked Charlie.

Spencer gritted his teeth. “I’ll find her. And when I do, I may tie her to a chair for safekeeping!”*****

“Now, we get to go down a chute instead of up. You should like that,” Josh said to Emily with a smirk. Each time they faced another steep rocky chute, she questioned whether they were truly on the right path. Even with pants on, she had bruises and scratches on her legs from scrambling, climbing and slipping on the loose rock climbs. She hurt in every part of her body, but she refused to complain. She was afraid her companions would lose patience with her and leave her to fend for herself. She looked dubiously at the steep descent as Josh crawled down.

“You go next,” said Brad. “Just let him get down a bit so you don’t knock rocks on top of him.”

Emily wanted to stop and rest, but she kept the thought to herself. She managed to climb down the precipitous drop with only a few additional injuries. At the bottom she stood up and felt herself sway a bit.

Josh frowned at her. “Have you been drinking enough water? You look a little washed out.”

She tried to remember. “I’m not sure. Maybe not.”

“Sit down and drink something.” Obediently, she sat and dug into her pack for a water bottle.

“Why are you out here by yourself, anyway?” he asked. “It’s actually dangerous—you should always hike with a buddy. Why are you meeting your friends instead of hiking with them?”

She dropped her face in her hands. “It’s a long story.”

“It’s about a guy, isn’t it?” Josh grinned before taking a long drink of water. “Girls do really stupid stuff for guys.”

“Hey!” she objected.

“Guys, too.” He held up his hand. “Brad once ran naked in the snow to impress a girl.”

“And she really was impressed.” Brad plopped down beside Emily. “It was worth it.”

“So,” Josh asked, “are you trying to impress some guy by doing this hike by yourself? Because, he might think it was a dumb thing to do.”

“Do you think so?” She hadn’t considered her plan might backfire.

“Oh, yeah,” said Brad. “He’ll think it was a dumb thing to do. You should tell him you planned to hike with us all along. Except, I guess that might make him jealous. Who is this guy, anyway? If you were my girlfriend, I’d be hiking with you. I’d never let you out of my sight.”

“I agree,” Josh said. “In fact, this guy sounds like a jerk. I’ll be glad to take his place.”

“He’s not a jerk. He doesn’t know I’m coming. It’s a surprise.”

Brad raised his eyebrows. “You’re doing this to surprise him?”

“Okay, fine.” She covered her face and spoke through her fingers. “I screwed up and hurt his feelings, and I’m trying to impress him so he’ll give me another chance.”

“Well if it doesn’t work, my offer still stands. I don’t get my feelings hurt easily. And I’ve never met a girl who’d hike a trail like this just to impress me.” Josh stood and offered her a hand up.

“We should pick up the pace.” Brad tightened the strap on his backpack. “We’ve got another tricky downhill before we start back up. And then it’s going to get really steep.”

“Steeper than it’s already been?” She felt queasy at the thought.

“I’m afraid so,” Brad confirmed.

Time blurred in Emily’s head. It seemed she’d been climbing forever. Even when the trail took a downturn, she couldn’t relax due to the sheer angles and the loose rocks.

“This is the last climb before a fairly flat part with a nice view.” Josh patted her arm as she stared at the cliff before her.

“This is not just steep,” she declared. “It’s straight up.”

“You’ve got to go up, or else go back the way you came. Do you want me to refill some of your water bottles?” He stowed away two water bottles he’d filled from a spring using a filter pump.

“I think I have plenty,” she said, checking her pack. “Oh, wow! I only have two left. It still feels so heavy. I thought I had four or five. Yes, Josh, thanks. I guess I need some more.”

“No problem.”

“Do you want to let me carry your backpack up this last steep part?” Brad offered.

She shook her head. “Y’all have been great, but I’m determined to at least carry my own pack. I need to prove to myself I can do this.”

“You’re a bit on the stubborn side, aren’t you?” Brad flashed a grim smile.

“So I’ve been told.” The climb was even more difficult than it appeared. To her great consternation, she found the backpack pulled her so off balance she couldn’t keep her grip. After numerous attempts she found herself at the bottom, bleeding from multiple cuts.

Josh threw a small rope down from the top. “Brad, tie her backpack on.”

Her shoulders screamed their relief as Brad pulled the pack off. This time, she offered no resistance.

“Don’t feel bad,” he said. “You gave it a good try. But it’s too heavy, and you’re too small to climb something this steep with it on. If it makes you feel any better, I’m planning to send mine up by rope as well. Too bad we don’t have the equipment to set up a climb with a belay for you.”

She was in so much pain she didn’t argue. Not for the first time, she questioned whether this hike was a good idea. But she was way past the point of turning back. She had no choice but to struggle on.

Arriving safely at the top, Brad pulled out a first aid kit. “We should all take a minute to wash out these cuts and doctor them up a bit.” Emily noted the guys only had a few small cuts, compared to her multiple gashes. But she