So that’s it. I’m staying.
My dad’s leaving though. He’s off to Nelson to work in a pub at a bowling alley. He leaves next week, before Christmas.
After some meetings with Officer Lando and a social worker named Barb, we got it all figured out. They decided that I should stay here and stick out the school year, since Explore is going well for me. Then we’d figure it out from there.
Lisa’s parents said I could stay with them. I’m going to be in Lisa’s older brother’s room while he’s at university. I’m so stoked.
Today was the last day of outdoor Explore, before we start regular classes in January. Five months of intense classes. I’m pretty freaked.
Rick and Maggie hosted a little awards ceremony in the afternoon. I got “Most Improved.” That’s got to be the worst award ever invented. It means that I really, really sucked to begin with, but hey, at least I got better. “Best Telemark Skier” or “Most Heroic” would have been better. At least part of the award was a $200 gift certificate for the local outdoor equipment store. That was pretty sweet. I think I’ll put it toward some ski gear.
Next winter I’m going to learn first aid and volunteer for Ski Patrol up on the hill. Weird as it sounds, I really got a rush out of helping Kayla.
Speaking of Kayla, I think she thanked me in her own Kayla-ish way the other day.
“Was I mumbling incoherently when you found me?” she asked the Monday after we got back from the ski trip. Her arm was in a sling.
“A little,” I said. Kayla narrowed her eyes. “I mean no, not really.”
“Awesome, pal.” She grinned and punched me in the chest with her good arm. “You’re coming to the party on Friday, right?”
I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
We had a big bush party up in the hills, despite the fact that it must have been minus-twenty outside. That didn’t stop the Explorers though. Tim and I lit a fire in a barrel and set off some Roman candles. Jen broke out the marshmallows, and we roasted a bunch over the barrel fire.
“You know, Mike,” Tim said, “I think that without you, Explore wouldn’t have been as much fun. Seriously.”
“Hey, guys.” It was Lisa.
“Hey,” Tim and Jen said. They ran off with their burned marshmallows.
“Aren’t the stars so clear out here?” Lisa asked. I looked up. They were almost as bright as that night up on the mountain.
We stood there for a while. “You worried about classes next month?” she asked.
“Totally.”
“There’s a class called Reading, Writing and Running.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, it’s like a modified version of English. Apparently we act out Hamlet some days and run five miles other days.”
I smiled. Lisa smiled back. She knew what I was thinking.
Everything was going to be just fine.
Maybe.