Page 10 of The Heart Shot
A lone cloud slid over the sun, blessing me with a moment of relief from its glare. My fingers tapped out a frantic message.
Sorry, Maya, I can’t do this. I know this photoshoot was for your assignment, but I can’t be photographed with a strange man when I’m a sweaty mess—
“That better not be a text bailing on me,” a voice said over my shoulder, and I yelped, flinching so hard I nearly dropped my phone.
“Maya,” I breathed, putting a hand over my heart as I turned to my best friend, who had her arms crossed and her foot tapping against the dirt. She wore a cute denim jumpsuit, her platinum hair pulled into a sleek topknot.
“I know that look, Elsie, and you’re not getting out of this. Besides, he’ll be here any minute.” Maya stomped down the path into the trees. “Come on, I picked this amazing spot at the end of the orchard. It’s a field of sunflowers.”
With shuffling steps, I followed, ignoring the sand and dirt kicking up and coating the back of my sweaty ankles. Sweat was everywhere, in all the little nooks and crannies that sweat didn’t belong—like little bugs multiplying until they were out of control.
Yep, that’s what I had. An infestation of sweat. That was a thing, right?
Lifting my arms away from my body, I winced.
Oh crap. Do I have pit stains now? I probably look like I went swimming in Niagara Falls.Sweaty and dirty. What a great first impression.
“Hurry up, Els,” Maya called over her shoulder. “Your mystery man will be here any minute.”
I could have sworn my sweat glands heard her words and instantly doubled their efforts to drown me and my clothes.
“Mymystery man?” I squeaked. “No, no, no. This was all your idea. He’s no man of mine.”
Maya barked out a laugh. “Calm down. I’m joking. Mostly.” She turned to me, her eyes roving over my frazzled appearance. “You’ll be fine, and you look great. It’s just a photoshoot. It’s not like you’re required to marry the guy.”
At the word “marry,” my stomach jumped up into my throat, and I fought down a gag. The word was no longer in my vocabulary. It died a swift death four years ago.
“Just remember what we talked about,” I reminded her. “We’ll look coupley in the photos, and I’ll let him hold me in awkward poses, butno kissing.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she replied, waving a dismissive hand. Then she added, “I do appreciate you doing this though.” She fiddled with her camera settings. “The assignment was to create a unique photoshoot, and all the other students came up with the lamest ideas. They’re totally missing the point. Sure, some of them might have been in unique locations, but they all lackedheart.All their ideas have been done before, like the engagement session underwater or a couple playing with puppies. But when have you ever seen twostrangersdoing a couples shoot?”
Maya winked at me before fanning herself with a hand. “I’m calling this The Heart Shot.” She paused, staring at me, waiting for me to react. “Get it?” She held up her camera. “Like, camera shot? Lovey-dovey photo shoot?Heart shot?”
Her cheesy smile was full of pride, as if it was the cleverest thing. Maybe she did have something special here, but why didIhave to be the one suckered into it? I crossed my arms and fixed her with a glare.
“Oh, put Ms. Grouch away. Just get through this and you never have to see the guy again if you don’t want to.” She pointed to the thickest area of the sunflowers a few feet away, then looped the camera around her neck and rubbed her hands together like an excited child. “Go stand in there out of the sun. He should be here any minute.”
Rolling my eyes, I pushed through stalks taller than my head, sighing as the shade enveloped my body, cutting off the sun’s brutal rays. The petals of the sunflowers tickled at my face, but I pushed farther, wishing I could keep running and escape this nightmare all together.People chatting and children shouting in the distance met my ears, smothering my senses along with the overwhelming scent of dirt.
It was late in the season for sunflowers, but Raspberry Farms always pressed their luck by planting as late as possible, so people could enjoy the sunflowers and the fall foliage at the same time. It was a lost cause when we had a cold fall, but worth the risk when it was unseasonably warm, like this year.
“Els?” Maya called, much farther away than I expected. Exactly how far into the sunflowers had I gone? “Els, come back!”
Instead of doing as she asked, my feet had a mind entirely their own as they propelled me farther into the flowers. Maybe if I moved far enough away, Maya would forget about me and the pictures, and I wouldn’t have to endure this guy’s hands on my sweaty, damp clothes. The thought fueled my desperation to get away, and my footsteps quickened, my gasps loud in my ears.
“Elsie!”
At the sound of my name a cry erupted from my throat, and I broke into a run. My heart was a war horse stampeding in my chest, and I couldn’t catch my breath. The rough stalks of the sunflowers bit into my palms as I pushed my way through the field.
Why was I panicking? Why couldn’t I get my feet to stop or my racing heart to slow?
All at once, the frantic, screaming thoughts in my head stopped as I collided with something hard and fell backward into the dirt.
“Whoa,” a voice said, but my eyes were glued shut.
My arm ached from the impact, and my bottom sang from my ungraceful tumble into the ground.
“Are you okay?” the voice asked, though it was muffled, like I was underwater.
