135 Final scene

So if this is due north, then this way must be…

Nowhere.

It’s not nowhere, Grace. We’re somewhere… We’re definitely somewhere.

Of course we are. We’re right back at this big rock…again.

That can’t be the same rock. Can it?

Trust me. It is. We’ve walked past this rock six times now. I’ve studied it in depth. See this ridge right here? I call it the Little Dipper because it resembles the constellation. And see this spot right here? That’s the Grand Canyon. George has a lot of hidden secrets to share with the world, don’t you, buddy?

You named the rock?

Of course. At the rate we’re going, I feel like George and I are going to be spending quite a bit of time together, so I figure, the least I can do is give him a name.

I’m going to get us out of here, you know.

Okay. You keep telling yourself that, Carla.

I know exactly where we are.

Sure you do. In the meantime, I’m just gonna take one little peek at the GPS on my phone.

No!

Hey! You’re lucky I have the Rugged Max phone case, or else you’d be buying me a new phone.

Sorry. It’s just…you promised I could be the navigator.

I’m really questioning that decision right about now, but yes, I did.

Then let me navigate.

Fine.

Question…

Don’t.

But you don’t even know what I’m going to ask!

Just don’t.

Are we…

I’m warning you…

Lost?

( )

What? It’s a legitimate question! Isn’t that right, George?

Fine. Whatever. I give up. You’re right, Grace. We’re lost. We’ve been walking in circles for hours and it’s all my fault. I’m no good. Useless. I don’t know what I was thinking! I couldn’t find my way out of a paper bag.

How, exactly, would you find your way into a paper bag?

I should’ve listened to my dad in the first place. If I had, then maybe we wouldn’t be stuck out here, in the woods, just waiting for the wolves and bears to come and eat us.

So now we’re getting eaten by wolves and bears? That just took a dark turn.

I guess I don’t need this anymore.

Carla, no! Why did you do that?

What do you care? You still have GPS on your phone, don’t you?

Yeah. But wasn’t that compass your great-grandfather’s or something?

Great-great-grandfather’s, but who cares?

Um…I’m going to guess your great-great-grandfather for one.

He’s not here.

But your dad is, and if I’m not mistaken, he’s probably not going to be too happy with you for losing a precious family heirloom.

Well then I guess he’ll just have to be happy with being right about me…once again. I am a screwup, just like he always says I am.

Carla…

What? It’s true. I’m barely scraping by with enough credits to graduate, I got rejected by not one, not two, but three of my top choice colleges, and I have no idea what I’m going to do with my life!

Okay.

Okay?

Yep. Okay.

What is that supposed to mean?

It means that it’s okay to make mistakes every once in awhile. It means it’s okay that not everything works out the way we want it to. It means it’s okay to not have all the answers. I sure as hell don’t.

Really?

Yes, really.

But you always seem like you have it all figured out.

How long have we been friends?

Since third grade.

Then you should know that the only thing I have figured out is which Chinese place has the best egg rolls and which is Harry Potter book is the best.

The Prisoner of Azkaban.

Exactly.

And I know one more thing.

What’s that?

Your dad’s wrong. You’re not a screwup. In fact, you are a lot more capable than either you or your dad give you credit for.

I had one job on this hike, Grace—to navigate our way through the forest—to get us safely out. And I couldn’t even do that.

You may not have gotten us out, but you got us here…to this spot.

Yeah, like six times.

Exactly. Did you ever stop to think that maybe this is where we were supposed to end up? That you spent so much time focusing on getting us out that you never stopped to realize where we were hiking to? Look at this place! Look at this night! It’s clear and bright and you can see a million stars.

I guess you can.

It’s beautiful!

It really is.

You’ve spent so much time worrying about graduation and what’s going to come next, that you’ve forgotten to enjoy where you are right now. It hasn’t always been easy…you’ve had to work really hard sometimes, and you’ve made mistakes, but you’re here…you made it. And you should be really proud.

Y s s m t w a g a w g t c n, t y f t e w y a r n. I h a b e y m i. A y s b r p.

Yeah, maybe you’re right.

And as for today…you’ve spent so much time with your nose pressed into that compass that you forgot that the entire point of taking a hike was to experience nature. And there’s no better place to experience nature than right here. Isn’t that right, George?

You know he’s not going to answer you back, right?

I don’t know. Out here…in the crisp night air…in this special spot you found for us…I almost think I can hear him.

Oh, yeah? Then what’s he saying?

He’s saying… Don’t get eaten by the wolves and bears.

( )

So should we go look for your compass?

Yeah, in a minute. Right now I just want to take a minute to enjoy where I am.

Sounds good to me.