We were driving for a couple of hours. I tried keeping myself busy, but I was so focused on the moment that I was anxious for the entire ride. Eventually Mel turned onto a dirt road and floored the gas, causing me to sink in my seat.

“Sorry,” she said. “I have to floor it here so we don’t get stuck.”

As she drove down the dirt road, we were surrounded by trees. The leaves were growing back, and some of the branches were swiping against the car.

“I hope they don’t leave scratches,” I said with concern.

“It’ll be fine.” She smiled.

I trusted her, but I had to work hard to get her to trust me again.

She parked her car down the road in front of what looked like a camping ground. The sun was beginning to die down, and the birds were beginning to fly home to the east coast again. It was warm. It was spring.

Mel ripped the keys out of the car, opened the door, and said, “Wanna go for a hike?”

I didn’t really have a choice in the matter. So I said, “Yeah, let’s do it.” I wasn’t exactly sure what I had gotten myself into.

Mel popped opened the trunk and grabbed a pair of heavy-duty boots and a backpack.

“Sorry, I would have asked you to bring yours if you have any, but this was kind of a spur of the moment decision.”

“It’s all good.” I shrugged. My sneakers were eventually going to bite the dust, though this hiking trip might bring them closer to it faster.

“Follow me,” she said as she began walking down a path. I obeyed. I was hours away from the city, in an environment I wasn’t exactly used to, and pretty sure I had seen a sign that said, “BEWARE OF BEARS” — although my imagination might have made that up. I had all the trust in the world for Mel. I still loved her, and I wanted her to stay close. That was what I wanted to talk about. But I was scared. Mel didn’t have a reason to love me back. I’d put her through a lot, and I shouldn’t have. But she was still there, and maybe that counted for something?

We made our way to a wide river with a fallen tree lying over top of it.

“How fearless are you feeling this evening?” Mel asked with a grin.

“What? You can’t be serious. No.”

“What’s stopping you? You just beat up a bully and helped destroy your parents’ property. You can’t walk over a little tree?”

“Oh, Mel. I’ve already been enough of a badass today.”

“No, you haven’t. Come on, take my hand.” She extended her hand to me.

She wasn’t going to stop until I did what she wanted. I sighed, and gave her my hand.

“Go slow,” she said softly. “Don’t pay attention to the water, just focus on me.”

We made our way on top of the tree, and we slowly stepped across. I could feel fear creep into the back of my head.