Swept Away

by Nicole O'Dell

  Brittany sighed. “I didn’t say for sure that Kyle was doing drugs or that he even knew about it. But something didn’t feel right.”

  “All right. Let’s drop it.” Amber rested her forehead on the cold window and watched the darkness fly by. “I was ready to leave anyway.” Would she have stayed longer if she’d gone alone?

  Chapter 2

  A GRAND PRIZE

  “Amber Stevens and Brittany Kim, you’re both needed in the office,” the faceless voice droned from the crackly loudspeaker.

  “Oooooh, you’re in trouble!” Several boys in Amber’s class teased her.

  “You guys are so immature. Are you sure you’re seniors? Really?” She clucked her tongue and grabbed her books and purse. They quickly scooted their desks so close together that she had to turn sideways to squeeze between the desks on her way out of the room, giving the boys the perfect opportunity to try to trip her.

  Ugh! Grow up! She scowled and rolled her eyes as she stepped over their outstretched legs.

  Amber saw Brittany a little bit ahead of her in the hallway. “Psst. Britt!” She hissed through her teeth.

  Brittany turned and waited for Amber to catch up. “What do you think they want us in the office for? We can’t be in trouble for anything. Can we?”

  “I have no idea. But we haven’t done anything wrong that I can think of.” Amber shrugged. “I guess we’re about to find out.” She pulled open the office door and they stepped inside.

  Mrs. Reely, the principal’s secretary, glanced up from her computer and smiled. “Hi, girls. Have a seat.” She gestured to the orange plastic chairs that lined the windows to the hallway. “Don’t mind me. This computer is acting up again.” She peered over her half-framed glasses at Amber. “I don’t suppose computer genius runs in your family, too? Or should I call Kyle to come help me?”

  Amber laughed. “You’ll have to get Kyle for that. I don’t know the first thing about them.”

  The secretary looked at the schedule, then picked up her phone and placed it between her ear and shoulder while she rifled through her Rolodex.

  Brittany slumped down and shrugged toward the window behind her chair. “I hope no one sees me.”

  “Oh, who cares? We didn’t do anything wrong, Britt.” Amber laughed it off. “Besides, they all heard our names on the announcement.”

  Mrs. Reely drummed her fingernails on the desk while she waited. “Yes, Mrs. Pasterning, when Kyle Stevens gets back inside from gym, would you please send him to the office?” She replaced the phone in its cradle and spun her desk chair away from her desk.

  “Why no public announcement for Kyle?” Brittany whispered.

  Before Amber could respond, Mrs. Reely’s phone buzzed twice and she turned to the girls. “Principal Warner is ready for you both. He’s waiting in his office. Go right on in.”

  Amber shuddered in mock horror.

  Brittany put her hand over her mouth, stifling her giggles.

  Principal Warner smiled at them and gestured to the orange and blue padded chairs opposite his desk.

  Brittany sat on the edge of her seat. She wrung her hands together and tapped her foot.

  Amber plopped down and quipped, “Hey, Prince Warner. What’s happening?” He had a reputation of being a fun principal who enjoyed bantering with the students. Amber knew he wouldn’t find her disrespectful, but she alsoknew her parents would be horrified if they had heard her say that.

  His eyes twinkled at the nickname. “Oh, nothing much. I have something I wanted to discuss with you two.” He pulled two files from his desk drawer and stared at the contents of the top file for a moment.

  Hmm. What’s this all about? Amber fidgeted in her seat for a few moments, then she glanced at Brittany and had to choke back her laughter. Brittany was as white as a ghost—Amber wondered if she might pass out. Poor thing.

  “So,” Principal Warner said, smiling. “You two know your grades are near perfect and you’re exemplary students. You’ve also never missed a day of school. Right?” He leaned forward.

  Amber’s shoulders relaxed. This should be a fun meeting. “Yep. Now you’re going to tell us we both got awarded full rides to Princeton, right? Get it? Prince Warner… Princeton …” Amber waited for a chuckle or a laugh that never came. Ooh, tough crowd. “Not funny? Okay, I’ll stop.”

  Brittany’s eyes shot daggers.

  Amber knew it drove Britt crazy when she acted like this—which was probably why shedid it so much. People—grownups—always liked her, so she didn’t worry. “Too familiar with adults….” That’s what Mom and Dad always said. Amber considered the possibility. Nah. No such thing as too familiar—if you can pull it off.

  Principal Warner’s blue eyes still twinkled. “I do get it.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Actually, I wish that were my news. But hey!” His eyes brightened even more. “I’ve got a second best for you.” He pulled a sheet of paper from his stack and skimmed it as he paraphrased the words. “Dave Druthers of Druthers Ford Dealership made an offer to the student body over eight years ago. He offered a new car to the student who graduated with straight A’s and perfect attendance for all four years of high school. The problem is, it never happened until this year … and now …”

  “Now, it’s happening twice.” Brittany shook her head.

  “Wow! That’s amazing.” Amber stood up and paced the room. “I can’t believe it. We need a new car so bad.”

  “Well, here’s the thing,” Principal Warner hesitated. “I double-checked the details with Dave Druthers today. He’s offering a brand-new Ford Focus sedan.” He turned his computer monitor toward the girls so they could see the car.

  “Wow. It’s beautiful!” Never thought I’d have a car like that. Amber sat down and stared at the screen with the pearly white car pictured driving down a country road. “It’s so pretty in that color, too. And four doors? Stereo system? It’s a real car!”

  “Yep, it’s a real car. That’s for sure.” Brittany smiled. “Would you believe that is the exact car—different color—that my parents considered buying me last year when I got my license? They decided I wasn’t ready for my own car, though.”

  “I remember you test driving it now that you mention it.” Amber bounced on the edge of her seat. “You said you loved it.”

  “Well …” Principal Warner turned the monitor back around to face himself. “Even though it looks like you could both qualify for it—which is an amazing feat—there’s only one car to give away.”

  Amber deflated like a blown-up balloon that slipped away before the end got tied. “What do we do now?”

  Principal Warner seemed uneasy. He hesitated and looked at his computer screen. “We’re going to have to make it a contest between the two of you. I mean, it would be open to anyone who had a chance, but since there’s no one else in the school with perfect attendance, let alone the grades, it will just be you two.”

  Amber collapsed in her chair, deflated even more if that were even possible. She looked at Brittany and offered a wry grin. “There’s always a catch, isn’t there? We can’t compete against each other.”

  Brittany’s dark eyebrows knitted together. “What do you mean? Why can’t we?”

  “Sure you can,” the principal interjected. “You didn’t even know this was on the table until I told you just now—so you haven’t lost anything. Just don’t either of you count on it, and then you won’t be too disappointed if you don’t win. But you should both definitely work toward it. It will be a lesson in good sportsmanship, however it turns out.”

  “Sure. We can do this. It’ll be fun, actually.” Brittany smiled. “No matter what, one of us will win a car. That means we’ll have a car to share when we’re away at college.”

  Amber shook her head. “No guarantees for me and college. You know that, Britt. And neither of us better come down with typhoid or tuberculosis or some other horrible disease that causes us to miss a day of school. But you still make a good point.” Amber considered
the possibilities as she toyed with the choppy ends of her hairdo. “Okay, I’m in. I’m going to give you a run for your money, though.” Amber winked at Brittany.

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Brittany nodded once, sealing the deal.

  Looking at the notes he had written, Principal Warner cleared his throat. “Okay, like I said, the deal is, if either of you misses a day of school or slips below a 4.0 GPA, you’re out of the running and the other will win the car at graduation. If you both keep the record you have going, it will come down to actual grade percentages. Right now, averaging all of your classes, Amber, you’re tracking at a 96.5 percent and Brittany, you have a 96 percent.”

  Amber made a fist and punched the air. “Yes!”

  “Obviously, you’re so close, it’s anyone’s game. One or two questions on one test could change the outcome. You’ve got to work really hard if you want to win that car.”

  Amber sat up, stretched her arms over her head, and cracked her knuckles. “Well, I guess I’ve got some studying to do. I thought we’d be able to skate through the last half of senior year. Guess not.” She stood and collected her things.

  Principal Warner laughed good-naturedly. “Ah, that was my plan all along. Got to keep you girls on your toes.”

  “Thanks for everything, Principal Warner.” Brittany pulled the door shut behind them.

  Amber groaned at Brittany. “Why do I feel like no good can come of this?”

  “Oh, it’ll be fine. Don’t even worry about it. It’s just a little healthy competition.” Brittany waved her hand.

  Easy for her to say, with a fleet of fancy cars at her disposal. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. We’ll just have to make sure we don’t take it too seriously.”

  “You mean they’re going to give you a car?” Dad’s fork froze in front of his face and his jaw dropped while Amber told the story over dinner that night. “You see?” He dropped his fork on his plate and pounded on the table. “I told you to give God a chance. I told you He wouldn’t let us down.”

  “Hang on. Before you get all excited, let me finish the story. There’s a catch.”

  His face fell slightly, but he quickly recovered. “Still, this is clearly a God thing no matter what.”

  A little chink in the armor, Dad? Amber shook her head to clear her negative thoughts. It’s not his fault, after all.

  Mom reached over and covered the top of his hand. “Let’s let Amber explain before we get carried away.”

  Amber resumed her story and spared no detail. She finally stopped to take a bite of her untouched dinner, then continued. “Plus, not only do I have to compete with Brittany, but we wouldn’t get the car until the end of the school year. So, I don’t see how this can be much help for us. Our car isn’t going to last that long.”

  “Well, don’t be too sure about that last part, Amber.” Dad pointed his finger at her. “Our car will last as long as the Lord wants it to. Not a day longer, nor a moment shorter. That’s a guarantee.” He looked thoughtful. “Besides, this would be your car. It would go to college with you. God’s still going to take care of your mom and me.”

  “And as for the competition,” Mom jumped in, “that’s part of life. Your friendship should be strong enough to withstand that after all these years.”

  “But what if Brittany wins the car?”

  “Then you’ll be happy for her, sweetie.” Mom winked and gave her a knowing smile.

  “I’m not sure I’ll be able to do that. She doesn’t need the car like we do, Mom.” Amber picked at her food.

  “Trust that God knows what we all need, and let Him sort it out.” Mom stood to put some dishes in the sink. “And you think you wouldn’t be happy for her, but I promise you would be. You love her.”

  “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” Amber gazed out the window at the sun setting over the mountain range. “No. I know you’re right. What was I thinking? Of course I’d be happy for her. I lost myself in the dream for a little while. But I’ve got it together now.” She nodded and took one last hearty bite before she put her plate in the sink.

  “Good. I’m glad to hear it.” Dad rose from the table and grinned. “Now go study!”

  Laughing, Amber headed up the stairs to call Brittany. Halfway up the stairs, she had second thoughts and ran down to grab her book bag. Studying might not be a bad idea. But she had time for a phone call first—always time for that. Besides, if she kept Brittany talking on the phone, then Britt couldn’t be studying either. Distraction—there’s a plan! Amber chuckled out loud as she dialed.

  Chapter 3

  HIT THE BOOKS

  “Come on girls. We’re going for a run slash hike.” Amber’s mom bounced into her bedroom dressed in one of her lavender warm-up suits. “You two need a break from all this studying. You’ve been at it all day. Enough’s enough. Your Saturday’s going to be over before you even know it.”

  Amber flopped back on her bed and groaned. “A break makes sense, Mom. But a run? That’s not quite what I had in mind. Do we have any Oreos?”

  Brittany’s eyes widened. “Oreos sound good to me. I ran on my treadmill this morning.”

  “Nope. No cookies in the house. Besides, you two have been inside sitting on your duff for weeks—you used to run all the time. Youneed fresh air, activity … and so do I. It’s going to be way too cold to hike in the mountains in a few weeks—so come on, let’s go.” She checked their feet. “Brittany, I see you have your running shoes on already. Amber can loan you some warm clothes.”

  Brittany stared at her Nikes.

  Amber could read her mind. She knew Brittany wished with everything in her she’d worn high-heeled shoes that day. Why, oh why, had she worn running shoes? Across the room, Mom had her foot up on a desk chair, stretching her calf.

  It’s no use. “We’d better get this over with, Britt.” Amber shook her head and laughed. It had been a long time since she and Mom had gone running together. Maybe it would be nice to get out and stretch a little. “How far are we going to go?”

  “I want to jog the Hidden Falls trail. You remember? The one that runs along Jenny Lake and overlooks the cascade.”

  “Mom, that’s got to be five miles long!”

  “We’ll go up two and a half miles and then return the same way.” She laughed. “You can do it. We used to go much farther than that. We’ll take it slow and walk when we have to.”

  “Okay with me, Mrs. Stevens. Sounds kind of fun, actually.”

  Amber shot Brittany a look. What changed her mind? Oh well. Maybe it would be fun.

  They collected what they needed and headed to the garage. Amber scurried barefooted, carrying her running shoes, across the cold cement garage floor and climbed into the car. While her mom drove them to their starting point, she pulled on her socks and tied her shoes.

  Brittany pulled her hair into a ponytail.

  Finally ready, Amber relaxed and watched the beautiful, familiar terrain out the window. Immediately, a sense of peace washed over her. Why would anyone live anywhere else? “We should go skiing this weekend. There’s enough snow at the higher elevations. And with Christmas next month, the slopes are going to get busier soon.”

  “Not a bad idea. We had better get as much use as possible out of our season passes—I doubt we’ll be able to afford them next year.”

  Sigh. Thanks for the wet blanket, Mom.

  “Here we are.” They pulled over outside the park entrance and got out of the car. The echo of three doors closing shuddered through the mountains.

  The sharp, crisp smell of the evergreens awakened Amber’s senses. Amazing how a few short miles up the mountain completely changed the air—changed everything, actually. She inhaled a few times, clearing her lungs and her mind with every breath.

  They stood beside the car and stretched their muscles. “Ready?” Mom sounded eager. “Let’s go.”

  They set off in a jog up the mountain trail, the pine needles crunching beneath their feet. The frigid air felt much
colder than their home in the valley.

  Her breath making little white puffs of smoke, Amber said, “This really does feel good.” Gasp. Puff. “I forgot what fresh air could do for me.” Gasp. Puff.

  “It sure doesn’t sound like it feels good.” Brittany laughed as she easily kept pace.

  They jogged along the western shore of Jenny Lake in silence except for the rhythmic crunch … crunch … crunch… of the evergreen needles beneath their feet. The air got thinner as they started the slight rise up the mountain—going downhill would be so much easier. Suddenly, big, white snowflakes started to fall around them. The flakes filled the air andswirled in front of their faces, landing on their cheeks and melting into little droplets of water.

  No one broke the silence. Amber figured her mom was praying—she had that look on her face—and Amber could understand why. They couldn’t feel closer to God than the Wyoming mountains, especially when it snowed. Amber closed her eyes for a brief moment. Can You still hear me, Lord? Or have I wandered too far from You?

  She shook her head to clear her thoughts and took a deep, raggedy breath to fill her lungs with oxygen. “I think I need a break.”

  “No you don’t. Push through it.” Mom smiled. “Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Wait for that second wind.”

  They continued on. And on. They trudged up the slowly rising elevation toward the cascade in what Amber would call a jog, but was probably more like a fast walk. It happened just like Mom said it would. After a few minutes, Amber fell into a pattern again, able to keep up the rhythmic pace. She glanced at Brittany, who jogged alongside her on the right. Not even a tiny huff or puff. Well, if I were that small, I’m sure it would be easy for me, too.

  They reached the end of the trail at an elevation of almost seven thousand feet. Trying to catch her breath, Amber staggered over to the guardrail and peered over the cascade at the treetops below. Beautiful. Not a care in the world. It felt good to rise above the trials of life.