seemed one bit familiar . I turned back down the path , but when it forked , I had no idea which trail to take . My nerves felt like they were strung as tight as a tennis racket .
I felt a hand touch my shoulder .
My self-defense course kicked in automatically .
I shoved my elbow into some ribs .
Stomped back on a foot .
Whipped around to kick .
And tripped I tried to put it all out of my over a stump . mind and just run . I was so hurt , “ Hey , what ' d you do that I didn ' t pay much attention to for ?” said a muffled male voice which paths I was taking , and I
I looked up in terror , but wasn ' t even sure exactly which what I saw had me giggling . In path I was on at the moment . fact I laughed so hard , I was The woods behind Aunt Laura ' s crying . There stood Matt , all 6 house were full of trails that foot 2 , 190 pounds of him , crisscrossed in every direction . I wiping his bloody face with one shivered when I realized I didn ' t hand and holding his side with know where I was . The locals the other . were full of stories about hikers
“ Jeez , girl , what is with getting lost in the Smokey you ?” Matt pulled off his shirt
Mountains . and held it up to his bleeding I usually carried my cell nose . phone , but I ' d been too upset to
“ Not that I ' m not glad to see remember it when I ran out the you , but what in the heck are you door . I looked around , but doing here ?” nothing about the canopy of trees “ I was worried about you , so above me or the trail markers I jumped in my car this morning and headed over . Ashville ' s only a couple of hundred miles from here , you know .”
“ No , I mean here . In the woods . On a trail I don ' t even recognize .” I looked around , trying to get my bearings .
“ Oh , that . Well , your aunt said you ' d gone for a run so I used my amazing tracking skills , courtesy of the Boy Scouts , thank you very much , and found you .”
“ Uh huh , seriously .” I rolled my eyes at Matt . Honestly , sometimes he was impossible .
“ Okay , so I headed down the main trails , remembered your tendency to always go left when you come to a fork , and here I am !” Matt finished with a smug grin .
Then it registered . Matt had driven all the way from Ashville because he was worried about me . I was so touched and relieved that I burst into tears and lunged , wrapping him in a bear hug that nearly knocked us both over .
“ Matt ,” I said , “ I ' ve never been so glad to see you , and …” Tears came to my eyes , and I couldn ' t finish .
“ And what ?” he asked impatiently . Matt wasn ' t always up for what he considered “ girlie ” emotion .
“ You gave up your date with the UNC coed for me .” And I smiled …