Page 82 of Valley Girls
“You make West Virginia sound nice.”
She rolled her eyes. “Itisnice.” Tipping the water bottle, she drank the sweet, clear spring water.
“If West Virginia is full of people like you, I don’t know why it gets a bad rap.”
She snorted. “It’s full of people like me. But also, people much nicer than me. But it’s terrifying when outsiders have ideas about you already. What can you do different to change a story they already think they know?”
Jonah didn’t say anything, but his eyes narrowed thoughtfully and he pursed his lips as he refilled his bottle. “I still think you should ask Petra. Or, if not her, maybe Adeena would do it.”
“Adeena is Petra’s partner. I would feel really weird asking her. I haven’t seen Caroline in a while, and maybe she hates me. Petra obviously doesn’t think I need to aid. Walker doesn’t find me attractive. Everyone hates me.Wah.”
“All right. Whoa, girl. No one hates you.” He rolled his eyes.
Rilla stuck out her tongue.
“Just ask. The worst that could happen is someone says no. You’ll live.” He shifted away.
“You heading on?” she asked.
He nodded. “Thanks for running with me.”
“Fine.Bye.”
“See ya.” He jogged off, heading farther into the woods for more miles.
Rilla closed her eyes against the breeze that tasted like home, and then turned back for the heart of the Valley.
She stalked the Camp 4 parking lot for the next few days, until she found Adeena alone one evening.
“Do you know how to aid?” Rilla asked.
Adeena nodded over a drink of water. She lowered the bottle. “I was wondering if you were ever going to learn.”
“I asked Petra, but ...”
“Petra doesn’t like it.”
Rilla forced herself to say the words. “Would you be willing to teach me?”
“Absolutely,” Adeena said, screwing the lid on as the car pulled in, Petra driving. “Pick out the climb you want to do and meet me here tomorrow afternoon.” She waved goodbye.
Rilla waved back, in the direction of the car. After all her agonizing, it had been so easy.
Gage leaned across the seat. “Your turn for dinner duties. I signed you up with me. We’re making bibimbap. Tomorrow.”
“Sounds good!” Whatever that was. The unspoken rule was that when it was your turn to cook, you tried to make something only you could make. Rilla assumed if she ever had to come up with a dinner they’d want her to make fried chicken and collard greens, and good luck because she could barely cook rice and beans.
Stuffing her hands into her shorts, she walked over to HUFF, trying not to replay the conversation with Adeena, and thereby find a way to talk herself out of trying. She wouldn’t be here if she hadn’t tried. And kept trying.
It wasn’t safe, but it was better than not trying at all.
Twenty Six
Early afternoon when the dusty shadows lengthened through the pines, Rilla met Adeena at Camp 4 and they collected their gear, checking the route map to make sure they’d packed what they needed. It made Rilla proud and nervous that Adeena trusted her to take the lead on the trip. Adeena handed Rilla the aid ladders, and Rilla carefully dropped them into the pack.
In the amber light, they hiked the short hike along the east face of El Capitan.
“Petra won’t be like ... mad at about this, right?” Rilla asked, even though it seemed weird that an older girl like Petra would do that.
