Your dad just called Nashua, he seems angry, Belle told him.
I ll go call him, Nashua went inside, followed by Belle.
Zella creep into the house a few minutes later, and stood outside the kitchen doorway listening to Nashua s conversation with his dad.
(Nashua and his dad s conversation while Zella stood at the doorway)
Nashua: Dad, I didn t think it mattered if I did, He yelled.
Roy (Nashua s father): I told you to never see that white girl again! I don t want you to date or marry her. In fact you will never go to her house again I ll make sure of that!
Nashua: What-? He started.
Roy: you re banned from coming there again. Don t talk to her at school either! He interrupted then banged the phone down.
Nashua: What you can t ban me from seeing her! Nashua growled in fury but Roy had already hung up.
Zella covered her mouth. He couldn t ban Nashua from seeing her, she thought angrily, fisting the doorframe.
Nashua saw her as he walked toward the door. He stopped, Guess you heard, huh? he asked, looking strained.
Yeah, I did, she admitted, choking on tears threatening to spill down her cheeks, ill miss you, she added, feeling a tear fall.
No you won t, he wiped the tear off her face.
Zella looked up at him.
Meet me at the corral at midnight, he whispered as Belle walked into the living room.
He brushed his hand against her cheek making her jump in surprise.
Let s go on the porch, Nashua suggested, taking her hand.
As they went out the door they saw the mustang gallop around the corral.
He looks so free, Nashua mused, sounding envious.
He s not though, Zella said sadly.
I better hurry or Dad will get mad, he told her, then added see you tonight, he half hugged her.
I can t use the door so I ll have to climb the oak by my window, Zella told him.
Well, be careful, that tree is real old it might not be sturdy, Nashua warned gazing into her eyes.
She couldn t look away for a while until he looked away. This is stupid! What s wrong with me? We ve been friends ever since we could walk. This wasn t just any guy; this was Nashua! She thought
~C~S~
Zella set her alarm clock for 12:00 a.m.
She looked at the tree she had to climb down and groaned. She hadn t climbed a tree since she was 10 and she now was 15.
When the alarm went off she jumped. She had been thinking about how she could let Nashua know she was in love with him without telling him.
She turned the alarm clock off and put her shoes on. She opened the window and looked out.
She had a twenty foot climb down. Taking a deep breath she leaped for the tree, grabbed it, and was on tree. Trying not to look down she started climbing down.
One step down, Zella heard rustling leaves beneath her on the ground.
Who s there? her voice cracked. The rustling stopped. Suddenly the branch under her snapped.
Uh! she gasped, falling 19 feet to the ground. But she didn t hit the ground, Gotcha! a familiar voice said, and then she was in Nashua s arms.
Na--, she breathed, limp with relief, she could hardly breathe.
That was close, Nashua said, still holding her.
She gave a weak laugh of agreement. The ends of his hair tickled her face.
Wow, it was 30 degrees out there and he was warm?
Nashua put her down gently. She couldn t see his face but she could tell he was wearing his stetson.
Are you okay? he asked touching her arm.
I m fine, Zella said, blushing.
I knew that tree wasn t sturdy, Nashua mused, his breath turned to fog.
Trying to change the subject Zella asked, How are we going to mount the horse?
Nashua scratched his head in a thoughtful gesture, We should mount him in water, he said finally.
What? Zella cried, That creek water is less than 15! Are you crazy? Zella yelped.
Stop shrieking, I know where a hot spring is, Nashua told her.
A hot spring? There s no such thing in Cher--, she started, but Nashua silenced her by putting his finger to her lips.
Yes there is about two miles from Coyote Springs, he said a-matter-of-factly.
Are you sure it s a hot spring? Zella asked him.
Yeah, I m sure, it s about 75 degrees in winter, Nashua said grabbing her arm, Let s go, he said towing her toward the corral.