The following weekend after David and I's conversation it seemed he took it to heart. He made plans for us and his gang of friends to go out "river floating" and then go cliff jumping. So, he gathered rafts and paddles and drinks and food. There were ten of us that he invited and 9 showed up including myself. We met at a local Target and then began the hour drive down to a small town called Craig. David was mindful of everyone taking the lead for any issue that occurred and leading the way. I met the other girls that were there and we made small talk that turned into innocent curiosity on whether David and I were seeing each other. I smiled coyly and said, "Well, he hasn't spoken to me about his feelings yet." And left it at that. Meanwhile, David was in the distance talking and laughing with the other girls in the distance after we had docked on a sand bar for 20 minutes. We had been floating for about two hours before we decided to rest. Our next stop was to go cliff jumping. So some of us swam, drank and listened to music while making jokes and having a good time. Everyone in the group was related to the Air Force in one way or another whether they were a girlfriend, an ex-wife, a new friend, an old friend or a member. We were all having a good time getting tipsy. I ferociously was using my paddle to keep the rafts on course. The river current was said to be one of the deadliest in the county. Even expert swimmers had been known to drown in this river.
An hour later, we finally made it to the cliff we would jump from. All of us excitedly got out of the rafts, except for Ecko (one of the girlfriends) who was set on not jumping while enjoying being intoxicated. I started climbing up the mountain when i heard my name being called, "Kristen!!1 Kristen!!! Come over here!!!" "Kristen!!?"
"I'm coming. I'm coming." I spoke. It was David. Apparently he was making an effort to finally treat me like his friend he gave a shit about. Alarming. I continued to climb carefully over to him and feared what I was about to do, until it became something WE were about to do together. I was afraid of heights and as i peered down several feet below me I had second thoughts.
"Alright Kristen, at the count of three we are going to jump together." He held my hand tightly and protectively.
"Ah..okay." I said warily.
"1...2...3..."
We jumped. Cliff jumped.
I screamed ALL the way down into the water and came up for air gasping as I had swallowed the lake water.
"Kristen, hug your knees to your chest!!! Hug your knees to your chest!!" David cautioned.
I felt like a wet dog that didn't know how to swim. Thank God for my life jacket!! I thought to myself.
He pulled me the rest of the way to shore and i had never been more grateful for my life!! Everyone else got their chance to go cliff jumping with him. He made sure that mission was accomplished. After we all survived we continued to paddle down the river to where we had parked one of our cars to take us all back to the main entrance of the camp ground. Once we arrived to the end we all decided to have a cook out at one of the guys's house on base where we would grill and smoke hookah.
The drive back, David and Tiffany, the girl who rode with us seemed to have alot in common as they hung onto each other's words.
"Tiffany, we'll pick you up later on tonight when we are going to the party."
"Ok David." She said caught off guard.
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We both got into my car and rode over to Albertsons to get more food for the cookout after picking Tiffany up. David and Tiffany began talking again as I drived. When we got there, they teamed up and seasoned the meat and veggies together. Tiffany seasoned while David mixed the meat up in the bowl before he would mold them into patties. I, was hanging with the other girls taking shots, playing cards and smoking hookah. I was clearly determined on having a good time. My feelings for David wavered. At times, I found myself really caring about him and then in other moments I felt he was the biggest douche bag. Either way, I was here and trying to make the best out of every situation and letting go things was becoming easier and easier the longer I was away from home.
One by one, people began to go home to their kids or with their significant others and it was just the four of us left. The host, Brian, David, Tiffany and me. David was seeming particularly interested in Tiffany and didn't seem to mind flirting with her in front of me as he reached over and twisted her bracelet around on her wrist to see what was engraved on it. I was confused about David's boundaries and exactly what he was trying to accomplish as he stared over at me and asked me a question I completely missed. And just like that, any romantic feeling I'd ever had for David started to die out for good. It got late and after playing a round of truth or dare and him sharing some crazy situations with all of us about his escapades made me think less of him. I drove us all home and gave Tiffany a hug, where David followed behind and gave her one too that looked awkward. I didn't understand what he was trying to do, but whatever it was I didn't like it and was not moved by his intentions.
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The next morning I had slept in and made myself breakfast. David was gone. The phone rang.
"Kristen, whats this David told me about you expecting to be paid for helping me out?" It was Miss Liz.
"Excuse me? I never told David I was expecting to be paid. I told him the opposite." I retorted.
"Well, Kristen, it seems like we need to sit down and have a talk. Is David around right now? Have him and you come over and we will all sit down and talk this out. I don't like there being misunderstandings."
"Ok, i can call him now and have us meet in twenty minutes. Does that work?"
"Yes. The sooner the better."
I called David. He didn't answer so i texted instead.
In 30 minutes we were both over at Miss Liz's house about to talk things out on the business.
I was boiling upset. David knew I was going to talk to Miss Liz about the work and money situation. How dare he throw me under the bus!!!! I felt so betrayed. He clearly respected Miss Liz more than he respected me to confide in her after he and I had our discussion about his concerns about me not being paid by her.
I entered into the house after getting off the phone with my best friend about the situation. I was starting to see that my decision to come out to Montana wasn't the what I had planned.
As soon as i made it in the door, Miss Liz called for me in the basement where i found David sitting next to her eating her food. He's such a mama's boy. I thought.
"Alright, yall need to tell me what's going on." Miss Liz spoke. "Whats this about you thinking you were to be paid, Kristen?"
"You know Miss Liz, it was David who wanted me to ask you if you were paying me for helping you out with your business, but I said to him that i didn't feel right asking someone who is sick and about to be going into surgery, 'Hey how much are you paying me?' I said to him i thought that was insensitive."
"I don't know why David feels he needs to get in the middle of this. No one told him to talk to you about me and you. I told him i would talk to you about this two days ago and that I would talk to you about it before your surgery." I continued.
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