Chapter 10
He only knew her for 3 months, but what was that feeling he always had, like he had known her forever? Every time something like that came to his mind, he shrugged it off as if it was some unwanted thought. He was at one of the sights that they were excavating. They were geared with nice hats to prevent any sunburns from the scorching sun. No one else except for Zander had a sunshade on. His eyes were burning from the hot southwest Colorado sun.
" Let's take an hour's break and come back!" Mr.Bailer's voice came like a relief, the hot sun got all of them bad. They walked into the large, cool tent that was put up. Everyone took turns to drink water, as much as they could and popped in a few hydrating fruits. Zander sat near one of the tent poles and leaned his exhausted head on it, ever so gently so that the tent won't collapse on top of them.
His phone buzzed from his belt kit. He smiled because he knew exactly who it would be. He took the phone between his fingers and turned it around so that the screen was facing him. It was indeed his best friend. Though he had a lot of friends from school and college, he felt a weird feeling, like Scarlett, was the closest among all the others.
Letta: Hi, Z! What's going on there? Excavation going well? Found anything yet?
Z: Hey Letta. It's really exhausting here, and we haven't found anything yet. How are you?
Letta: Cool. I'm ok. I was talking to my dad about switching colleges next year.
Z: That's great! What did he say? I'm sure he was supportive of it...
Letta: He was... But I think he was a little disappointed that I want to change what I'm doing.
Z: He'll come around. Wanna see this place? It's really nice.
Letta: I'd love to!
Z: I'll video call you, ok?
Letta: Yea, yea!
Zander was so excited to show her the place he was in. It was the Mesa Verde. He dialled her number for a video call. She picked up after three rings. She looked excited about seeing that place, he could feel that radiating from her face. Marie was sitting next to her as well, to see the place.
" Are you going to show me the place? I'm done seeing your face." She smirked while Zander faked a hurt expression. " You hurt my feelings, Letta." " Aww, poor baby... Get up and move!" Zander chuckled and got up, though his limbs were hurting from exerting himself too much. He hissed as one of the blisters under his foot felt like being pinched between fingernails. " Are you alright, Z?" Scarlett let out in a worried tone. " What happened, Zander?" Marie enquired as well. " It's nothing, I just tripped." He lied, not wanting to make them worried.
He exited the tent and started walking around the place, showing them the places. Trevor entered Scarlett's room all of a sudden and looked at her place. " Woah! Don't you remember us visiting this place? Marie was only 7, so I doubt that she would even remember this place. Our Camera fell from one of the places and broke, so we couldn't get the pictures. Don't you remember, Scar?" He asked. Zander looked at Scarlett and noticed a look passing her face. " I remember now! Yea it was really nice!" She said, but Zander noticed that her voice was monotonous.
He was going to find out what it was about her that was so different, it gave him bad vibes. Sometimes she gave him blank looks, sometimes she was all good. There was something... He couldn't put a hand on. Would he ever be able to find what it was?
" Letta! So I was saying... It's been such a sunny day that my face has become a little tanned." " I can see that Z," She said with a smile. " Yo, Zander! Nice hat!" Trevor yelled to which Zander laughed. " Thanks, buddy! I can get you one when I come back!" He offered. " I'd love to own one! Wow, Scarlett! You really know how to find cool friends huh?" Trevor teased as he walked out. " I need to go as well. My homework is pending. Bye, you guys!" Marie said and got up from the bed, making a run for the door.
" You know you can tell me anything right? " Zander told Scarlett. " What do you mean?" She asked with an unreadable expression. " I know that you're hiding something, Scarlett. You can tell me. I won't judge you if that's what you're scared of. I'll be there for you. I promise to help you if I can." Scarlett looked at him, she could tell him, but she wasn't sure herself. Maybe it was going to be alright after a few more days.
" It's nothing, Z. You might have to leave any minute now." " No... You have to tell me! I've noticed you throwing around blank looks! No one is noticing this, but I can't help but notice, Letta. I promise to help you. Please trust me?" She looked at everything except her phone.
"Zander! Let's get going!" Mr.Bailer's voice came from somewhere. " Bye, Z." She ended the call, but Zander was sure that he saw a trace of tears glistening in her eyes. He tried to not feel hurt, but he was hurt.
Their excavation had taken them less than the number of days they had predicted. Scarlett refused to pick up Zander's calls and answer his messages. Her inbox was flooded with messages and call logs were filled with his missed calls. The great actress that she was, she covered up the remorse that she felt by smiling and acting all normal. When her friends asked her about Zander, her smile would falter only a little, but she managed to make everything look so normal.
Zander was frustrated that she wasn't answering him. Then a plan came to his mind, a plan which was sure to succeed. All he had to do was make a friendly phone call. He was on his way back home, though the thought of facing Scarlett was worrying him, he knew that was the first thing that he was going to do.
" I'll get it!" Zander heard Scarlett's voice as he rang the doorbell. She unlocked the door and looked shocked, she wasn't expecting him to be here for at least another week. Though she was missing him, she wanted that one week to make sure that she could face him, after all, he had figured out that something was wrong, though not what was wrong. " Surprise!" He whispered. She didn't know how to react, but did what her heart told was right, he was her best friend. She hugged him as a few tears escaped her eyes. " I missed you so much!" She whispered. " I did too, Letta." Whispering back and forth they stood there for a couple of minutes.
" Happy to see me?" He asked expectantly. " No..." His face fell. " I'm sooo happy you idiot!" She chuckled and he joined in. "Come in... Have lunch with us." She smiled at him. He was too tall for her to look at and she was too short for him to hug without bending his knees. They walked inside and Zander was greeted with lots of love from her family.
He did nothing but making plans and executing the first few steps to his plan, it was a pretty good one. " Hey, Ryan!" He spoke into his phone. " I need your help, man. Can you come over tomorrow?" The other person who happened to be his best buddy from high school was ready to help his friend. Zander was lying on his bed that night, a peaceful feeling settling in his heart.
He was going to make his plan work, tomorrow, his mind told him and so he waited for the sun to rise. He was going to get an insight into what she was suffering from, why she couldn't tell him anything. He was going to help her, even if it had to be done by force.