Hawaiian Heartbreak Read Online Free PDF Page B

awful anyway.”
    Jay
smiled. “Guess it's in the eye of the beholder. Don't tell the kids you don't
appreciate their 'art'.”
    They
stood in silence for a while, Kayla taking another long drag on the water
bottle.
    “OK,
fine, lets keep going.”
    “Yeah?
Good to go?”
    Kayla
grimaced. “Well, everyone says the view from the top is worth it. I'd rather
get the bits between now and then over and done with.”
    “Come
on then, tough guy,” Jay chuckled.
    The
path got steeper and more exposed as they climbed higher. Kayla was thankful
they'd come up at the end of the day, so at least the sun's ferocity was
decreasing. Post-breakup wallowing in sadness and ice-cream had taken priority
over fitness recently, and this hike was starting to make her seriously regret
it.
    The
last part of the trail was a near-vertical scramble over loose rock. Kayla
focused on not stumbling or sending rocks skittering into Jay, who was close
behind her. She suspected he was so close behind because he was worried she
might fall. The thought had also occurred to her. Finally, she heaved herself
to the edge of the crater, and turned to see Honolulu spread out below them.
    “Wow,”
she breathed. The ocean was a clear bright blue from here, the noise of the
waves a dull roar. Skyscrapers and old, stately hotels jostled for space along
the shoreline. Far above the bustle of the city streets, Honolulu looked
beautiful and serene. In an instant, the heat and sweat of the trail was all
worthwhile.
    “Aren't
you glad you broke the rules, trouble-maker?” Jay said from behind her. “If
we'd gone the regular way, you'd be fighting for space now, cheek to cheek with
other tourists wanting the perfect picture for Facebook.”
    “Well,
maybe I want a picture for Facebook too!” She re-joined.
    “Go for
it! Why waste the perfect vista, when you've got no one fighting you for it?
I'll even take one with you in it, if you want.”
    Kayla
peeked sideways at him.
    “We
could always take one... you know... with both of us in it?”
    Jay
rolled his eyes. “A selfie? Fine. But just so you know, I don't usually share a
picture with someone who'll outshine me. I'm making an exception for you.”
    Kayla
glowed at the compliment, and whipped her phone out of her back pocket. A click
of the button, and they were preserved on the screen of her phone; smiling into
the camera together, Jay pulling her close, with Honolulu shimmering in the
heat behind them. It really was the perfect picture for making friends jealous.
She smiled and tucked her phone back into her pocket.
    “So... What
do we do until it gets dark?” Kayla asked, after a beat.
    “We sit
and enjoy the view, gorgeous. I might even look at the city once in a while.”
    Kayla
blushed again, and they sat at the edge of the crater together. Jay draped an
arm across her shoulders as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Her
skin felt on fire where it touched his.
    “Have
you had the spiel yet about why it's called Diamond Head?” Jay broke into her
reverie, and Kayla shook her head.
    “Well,”
Jay continued. “When British sailors first came here, they thought they'd hit
the jackpot. They saw calcite crystals on the beach, and thought the whole
place was full of diamonds. Clearly, they eventually figured out they were
wrong, otherwise this cone would probably have been blasted into oblivion. Must
have been quite a disappointment when they eventually figured it out, huh?”
    Kayla
laughed. “Oh dear. You think your life as an impoverished sailor with scurvy is
over, but no, false hope!”
    “Yep,
tough luck on that one. It's given people all sorts of funny ideas, though. If
we'd gone up the regular trail, I bet we'd have seen someone proposing to their
girlfriend.”
    Kayla
whipped her head round to look at him. “What?”
    “Yeah,
it happens all the time. People like the name, the view is gorgeous, I guess it
makes sense to them.”
    “Ah,
no,” Kayla spluttered. “We just did that