The Day I Stopped Needing Them

I had been hopeless with directions since I was a child. Telling one direction from another was nearly impossible for me. When my friends unanimously decided to climb Mount Wilder over the break, I didn't want to ruin their fun, so I swallowed my objections. We hadn't even made it halfway up when my boyfriend, Landon Abbott, my brother, Trevor Knox, my best friend, Phoebe Doyle, and the new transfer student suddenly disappeared. They had taken my water, clothes, and medicine with them. Then a torrential downpour hit. A venomous snake bit me, and I tumbled down a cliff. I called them 50 times, but no one answered. When I tried to call the police, my phone died the moment the call connected. I survived alone on that mountain for 6 days and 5 nights. I was at death's door by the time the police finally found me and rushed me to the hospital. After barely escaping death, I hurried back to campus. There, I found Landon and the others eating extra-spicy fondue. Everyone was fighting to put food on Bianca's plate. Trevor said, "Bianca, you were right. We had to push Marina, or she'd never learn to deal with her terrible sense of direction." Phoebe laughed. "She's had 6 days. I'm sure she managed to find her way off Mount Wilder. Everyone has to grow up sometime." Bianca looked adorably bashful. "I just hope Marina won't be mad at me when she comes back. She never liked me much to begin with." Landon casually held out his hand to catch the cilantro she spat out. "She wouldn't dare blame you. You did it for her own good. She can't depend on us forever. What is she, a helpless baby?" Tears slipped silently down my cheeks. Nearly 20 years of history with them meant less than the 3 months they had known Bianca. Fine. I would never get in their way again. ***** "Professor Harper, I'll accept the place in the exchange program in Avelia." My academic advisor smiled brightly. "That's wonderful. Studying abroad is always a great opportunity to grow. "Just remember to discuss it with your boyfriend and the others. Long distance isn't a small matter." My advisor knew. In fact, nearly everyone at school knew. Landon, Trevor, Phoebe, and I had always been inseparable. Then Bianca joined our circle, and I was the one she pushed out. After I hung up, I felt much lighter. Bianca spotted me through the window and bounded outside. She grabbed my arm and shook it excitedly. "Marina, you're amazing! You really found your own way off Mount Wilder!" Looking at her innocent, harmless expression, I forced a smile. "I was too stubborn to die there." Her smile froze. Landon and the others came outside as well. Trevor folded his arms across his chest. "Marina, you should be thanking Bianca. "She was right. Being bad with directions is really just an excuse. Once we took your supplies and made you find your own way off Mount Wilder, you'd be able to find your way anywhere." Phoebe linked arms with Bianca as if they were the closest of friends. "Marina, you really are slow, though. I can't believe it took you 6 days to get down." Landon didn't mock me. There was even a trace of concern in his eyes. "There must have been fruit and water up there, right? Otherwise, you couldn't have lasted 6 days and 5 nights. "What matters is that you made it out. Good thing we all managed not to answer when you called." Those 50 calls had been cries for help. Yet they thought I had been joking. I took two steps back and spoke in an even voice. "After you abandoned me, a torrential storm hit the mountain. "A venomous snake bit me in the calf. I fell halfway down the slope, broke a bone, and lost consciousness. "A rescue team took me to the hospital. The light outside the emergency room stayed on for 3 hours. "The doctor said I would have died if they'd arrived a few minutes later." I smiled at the four people standing before me. "So, are you satisfied with what it took for me to overcome my bad sense of direction?" All four of them stared at me in shock. Trevor was the first to challenge me. "Marina, is making up a ridiculous story like that supposed to be funny? You look perfectly fine to me." Bianca's voice immediately turned tearful. "Marina, are you trying to make everyone blame me? It was my idea..."