*Yesenia's POV*
God I hate the woods. There's Mosquitos and bugs everywhere. We drove to a popular camping place then set off on a hike. "Are we there yet?" I whined.
"No Yesenia. We barely started, it's only been like an hour," Bailey responded.
"It feels like we've been hiking for days." After another hour of hiking we decided to set up camp. " I don't know how to pitch a tent."
"Of course you don't." Bailey set up our tent then I crashed inside.
"I'm so tired. I can't even like move."
"Stop exaggerating. If I knew you were this lazy I wouldn't have invited you."
"I'm not lazy but the hike up here was tiring."
"Okay I'll give you that much." We had hot dogs for dinner and s'mores for desert. I didn't feel like I was eating too much and I didn't need to throw up. That night I laid next to Bailey and wondered what I was going to do once I got out of treatment.
"Bai are you still awake?" Bailey grumbled something under her breath. "Bai do you know what you're going to do once you get out of treatment?" Bailey turned around to face me and sighed.
"I've actually never thought about it."
"Really? I think about it all the time."
"I guess I'm mostly just focused on recovery."
"I'd like travel for a bit then go to college but I mean I'm like broke."
"Really? To get treatment here is pretty expensive."
"I know, my dad is paying for it. I just don't want to feel like a free loader." Bailey sighed.
"Well let's go to sleep because tomorrow we're getting up at 4am."
"4AM?!"
"Yes now shut up and go to sleep." I turned around and muttered under my breath.
"You all want to kill me."
The next morning we all went on another hike but it wasn't as long or tiring as the first one. We rested for awhile at the top and I looked out at the incredible scenery. It was all so peaceful yet full of life. It was beautiful. We passed by a gift shop on the way back and Mr.McCarthy let us look around. The store was small and had a lot of hand made trinkets. I saw this really cool dream catcher so I grabbed it. I also saw this beautiful jade necklace. I held it and stroked the wonderful small balls of jade.
"Did you know that for almost a thousand years, jade has been worshiped for its life-extending powers."
I jumped a little and turned around. A Native American man, I'd say in his late fifties, was smiling brightly at me. I was about to speak up when he started talking again.
"It was used for courage, wisdom, emotional balance,love, fidelity, humility, generosity, peace, and harmony.Jade is believed to bring good luck, health and fortune. It's a stone with a gentle, steady energy." He stopped and gave me another smile. It was quiet for awhile as I wondered what to say back.
"Uhm wow that's really cool."
"Yes it is very cool indeed. It's a good gift for yourself and it will complement your skin tone nicely." I smiled and felt my cheeks fill with blush.
"Thank you but I already have this cool dream catcher. It's supposed to catch my bad dreams right?"
"Yes your bad dreams will get caught in the web leaving you with pleasant dreams only."
"I really need this then." I give him a small smile which he returns.
"Having too many nightmares?"
"Yeah, I have a lot on my mind."
"It is a girlfriend?"
What the heck? How did he know I have a girlfriend? I gave him a puzzled look and he only gave me a hearty laugh.
"How did you know I have a girlfriend?"
I mean I don't hide the fact that I'm bi but I don't go around flaunting it so that everyone knows.
"I saw her in your eyes."
"My eyes?"
This guy is really weird, I mean I knew Native Americans have like special powers but come on.
"Yes your eyes. By looking into them I see someone who makes you very happy, who makes you feel wanted and loved. I assumed a boyfriend but then I looked at your smile."
"My smile told you I'm bisexual?"
"It told me that the someone who you're madly in love with and who loves you just as much is a girl."
"Oh. Uhm yeah I have a girlfriend who I very much love but no we haven't fought for a very long time."
"Then is it about your rehabilitation?"
"Did my eyes tell you that too?"
The man chuckled and shook his head. He smiled and pointed at Mr. McCarthy.
"No, Mr. McCarthy comes to hike over here every year. I know he's from the rehab center not too far from here and I saw you walk off the bus." I laughed a little and set the necklace down.
"Yeah I'm in rehab but it's not exactly that either."
"Can I take one more guess?" I smiled at him and nodded. I really liked talking to him for some reason. "Does it have to do with what you'll do once you get out of treatment?"
"Yeah, I just don't know what to do with my life. I mean I've already screwed up so much of it I don't want to ruin my future."
"You didn't screw your life up, you simply just took the wrong turn and ended up in a bad town. Just know that your car has a full tank of gas and you can always get back on the highway and take the right path." We both laughed and he picked up the jade necklace again.
"Thank you for that. I'll keep it in mind."
"I know you will and I know that your future is bright."
"How do you know that? Was it my mouth?" We laughed again but he shook his head slightly.
"No, it was your soul. I see many girls get off that bus every year, and most of them don't care about their life. They only get help because their parents make them and then as soon as they get out they go back to their old ways. But sometimes I see a girl like you, a girl who truly wants to get better and wants a better life. Besides you're a smart girl, I can tell." I give him a big smile and thank him. He gives me a hug and I oddly just hug him back. I don't think about doing it I just do. He holds up the jade necklace and puts it in my hands.
"If not for you then how about that girlfriend of yours? I'm positive she'll like it." I give him another smile but hand it back to him.
"I'd love to give it to her but I don't have enough money. I can barely afford this dream catcher and even if I leave it I still can't afford this necklace."
The man thinks to himself for a moment then smiles brightly at me.
"It's on the house then," he says putting it in my hands once more.
"I can't- I can't accept this. It's worth a hundred and twenty five dollars, I can't just accept it." I try to give it back but he refuses.
"I insist on it and besides I own this shop I can do what I'd like. And I'd like to give this to you to give to your girlfriend." I smiled and shook my head.
"It's- I just- wow I mean- why?"
"Because this necklace will bring you a lot of luck. Trust me when I say that this necklace will bring a lot of great things into your life."
I couldn't stop smiling and thanking him for such a generous gift. Mr. McCarthy told us that we had to go so I walked with him to the cash register and paid for my dream catcher.
"Thank you Mr. - uhm I don't think I got your name?" He smiled and handed me my dream catcher and the necklace which was in a nice, small organza bag.
"Call me Alo."
"Thank you Alo," I said and gave him my best smile. I felt a sense of calmness within the shop and once I stepped outside I felt that calmness diminish. My calmness didn't fade completely though. When I moved my fingers across the surface of the necklace I felt some of it and when I smelled the dream catcher I felt warm. As we drove back to the center Bailey asked me how I afforded to pay for it.
"He just gave it to me," I responded.
"That's weird."
"Why?"
"I asked him if he could lower the price on this bracelet because I was short a dollar and fifty cents and he said no. He said it in a really mean way too. Even when I paid for it he gave me a dirty look." Bailey held up the bracelet and it was nothing too special. You could mark it down a dollar or two and you'd still be profiting so I wonder why he didn't? Alo seemed like such a chill, nice guy when he talked to me.
"That's weird."
"Yeah really weird."
Bailey and I didn't talk much after. I spent most of the time thinking about what Alo said. I wonder what great things this necklace will bring me. I laid my head back on my seat and decided I'd sleep the rest of the trip.
When we got back I half expected to see Demi waiting for me but the person who was sitting on my bed when I walked in was Wesley. He stood up when I walked in and smiled at me.
"Hey," he said in a warm tone. I was confused but smiled back at him.
"Hey," I responded.