"Hope, slow down!"
Manuel's yell rang through the forest, his legs carrying him forward as fast as they could. Hope, however, was faster than his friend and carried on without a backward glance. The morning sun shone over them, casting a golden hue on the autumn leaves. Chirping birds welcomed the chilly morning, singing from atop the trees. Manuel spotted Hope vaulting over a fallen trunk and rolled his eyes.
"Where are we even going?" he asked for the tenth time that morning.
"You gotta trust me, Manuel," she called back to him, her curls flying in the wind as she zoomed past one of the trees his father had marked to indicate the end of their territory. "I promise I won't get you killed… maybe."
"Ugh, alright," he conceded, vaulting over the trunk. "Can't you at least slow down a little?"
As per his request, Hope slowed down and kept pace with Manuel. The two of them had been inseparable since, well, forever. She was two years older than him, but the lack of kids around had made it easy for them to become fast friends.
Manuel Zubair was the son of Ruby and Aasim. At seven years old, he was a tall, lanky boy with straight auburn hair. His brown eyes scanned the tree line for threats, finding none for the entirety of the trip. His best friend, Hope Leslie Everett, was Clem and Louis's daughter. She had curly brown hair, which was now pulled back in a ponytail much like her mother's. Her eyes were a deep hazel and she had inherited Louis's freckles, which ran all the way from her cheeks to her collarbone.
That day, Hope had opted for a pair of jeans and a small, navy blue shirt with an L knitted onto it. It was cute, she had claimed proudly before leading Manuel outside their parents' line of sight and dragging him to their secret exit to the outside.
Despite their parents' greatest efforts to keep them safe behind the school's walls, the two friends had found a way to sneak out every few nights. One time, AJ had caught them in the act, and they'd begged him not to tell their parents. Although he promised he wouldn't say anything, he pleaded they be extra careful out there, and they were. They would explore the woods, making note of the different types of trees as Manuel told Hope what their name, both scientific and colloquial, was.
Manuel knew a lot about everything; one of the perks of having a library all to yourself and all the time in the world to kill. His dad would often quiz him on different topics he'd read up on the night before. Hope, on the other hand, was a more hands-on type of learner. She liked to explore the world and have adventures. Of course, until she was deemed old enough by her mom, she'd have to settle for imaginary adventures with her best friend.
Thirty minutes had passed since they'd last spoken, and Manuel was starting to realize that they were heading down a path they had never gone through before. The terrain around him was foreign to him; even the air seemed to smell different. He turned to Hope and opened his mouth, but she cut him off.
"I know we're outside the usual zone," she told him, reading him like one of his books. "I just want to show you something my dad showed me a couple of weeks ago."
"Does it involve a prank of some sort?" he asked warily. He was all too aware of his godfather's tendency for jokes
"I promise dad's not going to jump out from behind a tree," she said, crossing her heart. It was a thing her father had taught her and that she'd shown Manuel. Apparently, it meant 'I promise'. "It's just us today."
"Okay," he muttered, not altogether convinced.
They kept walking for the better part of half an hour. The sun loomed over them like a giant blazing eye in the sky, watching their every move. Manuel had a feeling they were not supposed to be here, but he trusted his best friend completely. At one point, Hope raised an arm and stopped him in his tracks.
"We're here," she whispered, as though she were sneaking into a raider camp full of armed guards. Knowing Hope, he wouldn't put it past her.
They weaved through a garden of tall grass, slapping their arms as mosquitoes flew around them. When they finally got to the other side, Manuel's eyes went wide as plates. It was a fishing hut, complete with a small dock and a rowboat tied to it. The roof of the hut itself had collapsed on itself many years ago, and the windows were cracked, boarded up long ago.
There was a narrow gravel path that lead to the dock, where the boat swayed gently with the ripples of the otherwise calm waters. They walked down it slowly, taking in the scenery before them. A soft breeze had begun blowing from the east, making Hope shiver. Manuel looked to his left and pursed his lips. He shrugged out of his leather jacket – a brown one his dad had found on a supply run – and draped it over Hope's shoulders.
She looked to her right with a frown, though her smile betrayed her eyes. She pulled the jacket closer to herself, nodding at Manuel.
"Always the gentleman," she teased. His parents had taught him to always take care of girls, especially his best friend, and he'd taken that advice to heart.
"You were cold, I wasn't," he said matter-of-factly, shrugging one shoulder.
"Uh huh," she smirked, stepping onto the dock. The wood creaked beneath the weight of their boots.
They got to the boat and stood silently looking at it, almost scared to get in. Manuel turned to Hope and raised a brow.
"So what is this place?" he asked.
"It's a fishing hut." Hope had a smirk on her face as Manuel rolled her eyes.
"Smartass."
"Sorry," she said, looking back at the boat. "My dad brought me here a few weeks ago. He said he and mom used to come here sometimes to have some time to themselves."
"I don't blame them," Manuel said, nodding. "That's like what we do."
"Exactly."
"This can be our secret spot when we go out at night," he said, snapping his fingers. "I don't think your parents are using it much anymore anyway."
The girl turned to her best friend, nodding slowly. She raised her pinky finger, another one of their parents' teachings. "Pinky promise?"
He curled his finger with hers, shaking it up and down.
"Promise."
Manuel sat at the southernmost table in the courtyard, remembering. The book he had been reading lay forgotten on the table. He didn't really understand why that particular memory, which had taken place at least eight years ago, had been plaguing his mind lately. Tonight, he was sitting by himself, waiting for dinner to be served. On the other side of the courtyard, Hope and AJ were sat at one of the tables, working on a drawing for Clem and Louis's room.
AJ had been a big brother to both Hope and him since they were born, helping them with anything they needed. Now, a man grown, he formed part of the school's leadership, alongside Manuel's parents. Through the years, people had trickled into their territory looking for a place to call home. As they were mostly struggling survivors with no more than a knife for protection, Aasim and Ruby gracefully allowed them into the community, extracting a promise to earn their keep.
Now, over twenty years after Clementine and AJ had arrived at the school, their numbers had risen to a whopping forty survivors. Despite this, Manuel's mind had recently been inhabited by a singular person: Hope Leslie Everett, daughter of Clem and Louis, the original leaders of their community. He didn't know why he was thinking so much about her, given that they'd been friends for as long as he could remember. Nothing had really changed recently, so why now?
Tonight, she was wearing Clem's old denim jacket over a white tank top. It was so simple, yet Manuel could scarcely find a flaw in her appearance. Her hair had seen drastic changes over the years. The right side of her head was covered in deep brown dreads, cascading down the side of her face. On the other side, curls framed the pretty smile she wore all the time. A bit of both my parents, Hope had told Manuel when he asked about her questionable hairdressing choice.
When she looked up from her drawing, the two best friends met gazes and Manuel looked away shyly. Why had he done that? It made no sense, yet at the same time, it made perfect sense. How that was possible, Manuel sure had no clue.
On the other side of the courtyard, Aasim and Louis sat opposite each other at one of the tables, working on the schedule for the coming week. While Aasim made a list of the necessary supplies, Louis doodled a few notes onto a music sheet.
"Are you even listening to me?" Aasim's annoyed voice broke through his thoughts, bringing him back to reality.
"I am," he said nonchalantly, looking up at the man. "You just said we need to send a supply group to that nearby town in search of rope and wire."
"You really have mastered the art of hearing without listening, haven't you?"
"I was always great," Louis replied, jabbing the pencil toward Aasim. "So, who is going on this group?"
"Hmm, let me see," he mumbled, checking his list on the paper. "Willy and AJ are going in with Tara, Mike, and Layla."
Louis nodded along. "I like it, that's a solid group. Add Clem on that, too. She hasn't been out in a while, and I know she misses doing those runs with AJ."
Aasim finished the list and set the paper aside. He rubbed his face, sighing heavily. It had been a tiring three weeks after the two new survivors joined the school. Tara and Mike, a couple of twenty-year-old twins that lost their parents in a herd, had promised to earn their keep in exchange for food and protection.
He looked over the courtyard behind Louis's back, scanning the area. Violet and Tenn stood watch at the watchtowers at either side of the gate, looking over the tree line. The sun had started to go down a half hour ago, the black starry sky replacing the orange blanket. The moon was half full tonight, seemingly glowing brighter than usual.
To their right, AJ was showing Hope a drawing he'd started a few weeks before. Clem and Louis's daughter had grown into a beautiful young woman, her freckled cheeks lighting up as she laughed at a joke AJ made. Aasim's eyes drifted over to the other side of the courtyard, where his son sat alone at one of the benches.
Something seemed off about Manuel, Aasim thought. He had a far-off look, a sloppy grin on his face, and the book on the table had been abandoned long ago. The man followed his son's gaze and smiled when his eyes landed right back on Hope.
"What're you looking at?" Louis's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Look at Manuel," he said, nodding his head toward his son. "Who's he staring at?"
Louis did as he was told and then turned back at Aasim, a confused look on his face. "What am I looking at?"
"He's staring at your daughter," Aasim said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"And?"
"Don't you think it's a little similar to the way you used to stare at Clem when you thought none of us were looking?" he pointed out.
Louis took a minute to process what his friend had said, but realization dawned on him. "No," he whispered. "You don't think he has a crush on her, right?"
"I think he might."
Louis didn't say anything for a moment, looking down at the sheet of paper. He turned to the admin building and called Clementine over just as she was about to go inside. She came over to them, placing a kiss on Louis's lips.
"Hey babe," Louis said, smiling at her.
"Hey, you."
"Listen, you don't think Manuel could have a crush on our little sunshine, do you?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant and failing miserably.
Clem chuckled, sitting down beside her husband. "Of course he does."
Both Louis and Aasim looked shocked, their faces demanding an explanation. Clem rolled her eyes.
"He's been looking at her almost constantly for the past three months," she exclaimed, chancing a glance back at the boy. "He might as well have a neon sign over his head that says 'I love Hope Everett'."
"I think love's a little much, don't you think?" Louis stuttered, frowning.
"Honey, they've known each other for almost sixteen years," Clem pointed out. "We were together for about two months before you told me you loved me."
"That was different, I…" he trailed off, looking down at his hands.
"She's not your little girl anymore, Louis," Clem said, placing a soft hand on his shoulder. "And you gotta admit, they would make a cute couple."
"She's right, man," Aasim put in, nodding.
Louis considered it for a moment, looking back and forth between his daughter and his godson. Was this what being a parent boiled down to? Heaving a sigh, he nodded.
"Alright, I guess he's a good kid," he mumbled, making Clem chuckle. "But they can't be a cuter couple than us."
"Of course, honey," Clem assured him, kissing the top of his head and winking at Aasim. With a wave towards Violet on the watchtower, Clem took her leave and entered the admin building.
The two men sat in silence, looking at the young teens. Maybe they would make a cute couple, Louis mused to himself. He and Aasim shared a knowing look and rose from the table, heading for the lone boy. Manuel looked up at them as they sat down at his table, Aasim beside him and Louis opposite him. The autumn breeze blew past them, making Manuel shiver in his short-sleeved t-shirt.
Aasim and Louis smiled at each other conspicuously, glancing at the teen, who frowned.
"What's… going on?" he asked, looking between his father and godfather.
"We were just chatting about you," Louis said, shrugging, "and a certain freckled girl with dreads and curly hair and golden eyes."
"What?" exclaimed Manuel, a slight blush running up his face.
"Way to be subtle," Aasim snapped at Louis, rolling his eyes. He turned to his son and sighed. "Manuel, we know you like Hope."
"No, I don't," Manuel said immediately, crossing his arms. "I don't have a crush on Hope."
Louis smiled, placing a hand on the young boy's shoulder. "Little man, you've always been a lousy liar like your dad."G
"Hey!" said Manuel and Aasim at the same time.
"You can fool your old man, but you can't fool me."
Manuel's eyes darted between his father and Louis, his mind racing a thousand miles a second. Finally, he sighed dejectedly and nodded.
"Alright, yeah."
"It's okay, son," Aasim said, "We think you should go for it."
"Go for it?" the boy exclaimed. "Are you crazy, dad? She'll kill me in seconds."
"While I agree she could do that, being Clem's daughter," Aasim grimaced, remembering that time Clementine tackled him to the ground when he came up behind her, "she might feel the same way, who knows?"
"God will, when I meet him after I tell her how I feel," Manuel said, only half joking.
"Don't be so dramatic," Aasim said.
"Yeah, that's my job," Louis quipped, jabbing a finger on his chest. He tried to remain serious for a moment, looking Manuel dead in the eye. "Look, as Hope's father I only have one thing to say."
"Yes?" Manuel said, gulping.
"If you do anything to hurt her," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Though his eyes betrayed his cool demeanor, his nostrils still flared. "I'll kill you before even Clem or Hope herself can. Got it?"
Before Manuel could answer, Aasim guffawed and shook his head. "Louis, you're as menacing as a golden retriever, but I think my son got the message."
"I did."
"Good," Louis said simply, nodding. "Now go get her," he added in his usual carefree tone.
Manuel's eyes went wide as plates. "What, now?"
"Yes, now," Aasim said, going along with Louis for once. He pushed Manuel off the bench and towards Hope.
Manuel gulped and began walking, his eyes glued to AJ and Hope on the table by the bonfire. As he walked, his hands began sweating. He rubbed them on the side of his jeans, wondering why this was so much more difficult than facing a walker; or ten walkers for that matter. Because this time, you have more of a chance of dying, his mind kept telling him, but he pushed on.
Around him, several people milled about their evenings, waiting for Omar's gracious meal. Tonight, the menu was smoked salmon with a side of broccoli and potatoes. Their yield on the greenhouse this year had been quite good, and they were making the best of it by having slightly larger meals and stockpiling whatever was left for the coming winter.
When he got to the table, he stood motionless before them, looking for words. Hope was the first to notice him, looking up from the drawing. The dreads bobbed by her face, framing it perfectly. When he met her gaze, she smiled and raised both eyebrows.
"What's up, Manuel?" she said, her high, soft voice a welcome melody in the boy's ears.
AJ looked up and raised a brow at him. The man had been very reserved for some time after a girl he'd found during a supply run got bit in front of him. Not even Clementine could bring him out of his shell. The only person he really opened up to lately was Hope, who had a way to make the man smile despite anything.
"I was just, uh," stuttered Manuel, cringing at his own words. "Could I talk to Hope for a little while, AJ?"
"Of course, man," AJ said, nodding at him. He turned to the girl and smiled, "we'll continue this tomorrow, and I can show you how to shadow correctly. That was a tricky one for me."
"Okay, thanks, AJ," she said, placing a kiss on the man's cheek and bounced out of her seat.
She followed her friend to the edge of the courtyard, where the shadows cloaked their faces the most. When he struggled to find words, Hope smiled and punched him playfully on the arm.
"What's with all the secrecy," she said, imitating a scary voice Louis used to do whenever he told them stories about monsters and ghouls.
Finally, a brilliant idea went through his mind. It was so simple; he wondered why he hadn't thought of it before. He took her hand, noticing just then how soft it was despite the calluses that had formed on them through the years. Without a word, he led her through the cemetery and towards the entrance to the greenhouse.
"We're going outside?" she asked, confusion clear in her face. Their secret exit to the outside was located just under a sheet metal on the south wall of the greenhouse. Somehow, they'd kept it a secret from everyone but AJ for almost ten years.
"You'll see," he said, his voice miraculously returned to his body.
They squeezed through the hole behind the sheet and began their trek up the woods. It was starting to get dark outside, but their eyes had gotten accustomed to being outside at night after so many years. Manuel walked a few paces ahead of Hope, retracing the path in his mind.
Their walk lasted over forty minutes, by which time Hope had already exhausted all the possible questions she could have done. Manuel was giving her nothing to work with, but the girl had complete trust in her best friend, so she followed him nonetheless. At one point, the boy stopped and dug into his back pocket.
"What're you doing?" asked Hope, raising an eyebrow.
"Put this on," he said, producing from his right pocket a cloth. "I want you to be surprised when we get there."
"You sure my dad is okay with us going on a scavenger hunt right before dinner?"
"Oh, I'm sure," he said, smirking. "He gave me permission."
"I find that hard to believe," she snorted, putting the blindfold over her hazel eyes. "I hate that I trust you enough to do this." All Manuel could do was chuckle.
"Okay, take my hand and walk with me," he said softly, guiding her over a fallen branch.
Above them, owls hooted almost solemnly. A cold autumn breeze reminded Manuel he hadn't brought a jacket, and he cursed himself under his breath. By the time they got there, his skin was crawling with goosebumps. They arrived at the yard full of tall grass, where Hope had taken him eight years ago. When they started to weave through it, Hope let out a soft laugh. Manuel didn't know if the goosebumps were from the cold or her laugh. Maybe both.
"No peeking, remember?"
"I won't peek, I promise," she said, crossing her heart. "But try to keep the grass from hitting my face."
"That, I can't promise."
"Ass," she said, smirking.
After they got past the grass, Hope heard the gravel beneath her boots crunch. They walked forward about ten yards and Manuel made her stop.
"You can take it off now," he said, though he had a feeling she knew where they were.
Hope had the grace to gasp when she found herself in front of the fishing hut by the huge lake. The half moon was refracted in the water, the ripples caused by the wind distorting the image. Above them, the stars shone brightly, illuminating their path to the dock. The two teens walked over the gravel, its crunching the only sound between them.
In the water, the rowboat was gently rocking back and forth, swayed by the small waves. On the seats were two oars, their white paint finish all but gone after many years of decay. Manuel turned to Hope and offered her his hand, smiling as he looked into her golden eyes. Those eyes that seemed to hold the knowledge of the universe, yet the innocence of a child.
"Ready?"
The golden eyes widened. "We're actually going to go into this thing?" she asked, bewildered. In all their years sneaking into this place, they had never dared try to row the boat. It seemed almost sacred in a way, as though it were part of the environment.
"Yeah, I think it would be really cool," he said simply, shrugging one shoulder. Inside his pockets, his hands were still clammy, and he attempted to wipe them off again to no avail.
"You're not trying to trick me so you can push me into the water, are you?" she said, raising a cautionary fist, but Manuel only laughed.
"Nothing like that," he said, shaking his head. "I just wanted to talk to you, and this seemed to be appropriate."
"It's gotta be something important if you're having me go into this rickety thing," she muttered as she let Manuel help her onto the rowboat.
The teen got in after her and grabbed the oars, dipping their tips into the freezing water.
"You sure you know how to row a boat?" she asked, wonder in her voice.
"I've read books," he said; his official answer to anything new they tried in their lives. As Hope rolled her eyes, Manuel began rowing, and they were off into the night.
Around them, the world seemed to have come to a halt. On the other bank, the silhouettes of pine trees loomed over the water like sleeping giants, their tops swaying with the soft wind. The black water around them reflected the sky above them, a giant mirror that seemed to notice their presence as the boat created larger ripples and distorted the beautiful image on it. When he was satisfied with their position in the lake, he stopped rowing and set the oars down.
Under the starlight, Manuel looked at Hope. Her curls fell over the left side of her face, grazing her cheek ever so slightly. With curious eyes, she scanned the area, wary yet calm, tired yet alert, simple yet beautiful. Her freckled cheeks became flushed with the cold, but her smile never faltered.
"So," she said finally, pulling him from his thoughts. Of course, the reality in front of him wasn't very far off his thoughts. "What is this mystery talk you needed to have in a lake in the middle of the night in autumn." She emphasized the autumn part, raising an eyebrow.
"Sorry about the cold," he began, offering her a lopsided grin by way of apology, "but I needed to do this now."
"Do what?"
"Hope," he said, his voice trembling, though the cold had left his body by now. His troubled thoughts seemed to have straightened out somehow, as if he'd done this a thousand times before. "I've been thinking a lot lately…"
"More than usual?" she teased, tapping his forehead. "Does this thing ever stop for a second?"
Manuel chuckled, closing his eyes as he lowered his head. His cheeks were burning, and his hands felt as though he had just dipped them into the lake. But his mind was cool, and his heart steady. He'd read dozens of books about young teens falling in love, but this was nothing like those authors described it. They all claimed you get butterflies in your stomach, but Manuel could swear his stomach had never felt emptier. And in the apocalypse, that was saying something.
"Not really," he admitted, giving half a shrug. "What I wanted to say was, I've been thinking more about you."
"About me?" she repeated, only half joking this time. Maybe this is actually serious, she thought.
"Yeah." Manuel sighed, willing his mouth to say the words he'd rehearsed a million times in his head. "You've always been my best friend in the world; my first friend, actually. You've been by my side since I was born, and now, I think – I think I like you as more than just my best friend."
Hope raised her brow, Manuel's words dawning on her. Still, she let him talk.
"I kept telling myself I was just being crazy, but then Louis and my dad saw me staring at you," he explained, pursing his lips. Why did I say I was staring at her, he chastised himself. "They convinced me to tell you how I felt. I needed you to know"
Hope stared blankly at the boy sitting across from her. The boy that had been her adventure companion her entire life. The boy who had been with her through thick and thin. The boy who was now confirming that she wasn't the only one with crazy stupid feelings. The golden-eyed girl had never been one to sit on the fence for long, and she wouldn't start now.
Following her instincts, Hope leaned forward and gently pressed her lips to Manuel's, closing her eyes. It was a feeling like nothing she'd ever experienced before. He tasted sweet, like the chocolate she'd given him that morning. She felt his hand on her cheek, his thumb gently drawing circles on her temple as they kissed.
When they broke apart, it seemed a million years had passed, when in reality it had been about twenty seconds. They stared into each other's eyes, a pregnant silence lingering between them. Around them, the world was deathly still, as if nature itself were holding its breath for this moment and this moment alone.
"I – wow," was all Manuel could muster, a sloppy grin plastered on his face.
"I know," Hope replied, a similar grin on her lips.
"Wait, this means you have feelings for me, too?" Manuel asked, blinking as the realization hit him.
Smiling, Hope kissed him again, pulling him closer by the collar of his shirt. "Does that answer your question?"
"I don't know, I'm still not quite sure," he teased, unable to wipe the smug grin off his face. In return, he received a light smack on the shoulder. "Ouch," he said dramatically.
"And I thought my dad was theatrical."
"Well, I learned from the best."
The silence returned to them, if only for a few seconds. Both teens savored the moment, basking in each other's company. Finally, it was Hope who broke that silence.
"I have to say, when you brought me here I was thinking you'd do one of two things:" she said, smirking. "Confess your undying love for me, or kill me way out into the forest so there would be no witnesses. I'm glad it was the former."
Manuel scratched his chin pensively, looking up at the moon. "Well, there goes the rest of my plan for the evening. I guess I'll have to find another night to kill you on."
The girl leaned in again, this time offering him only a peck on the lips. "You know I'd kill you sooner than you could, Zubair," she whispered into them, her golden eyes piercing his brown ones.
"You're on, Everett" he teased, closing the gap between them one last time. The rowboat rocked gently beneath them. To Manuel, the stars had never shone brighter.