CHAPTER THREE

There was a spring near the mountains, short drive past the village, that Reagan's family used to collect fresh water from a few years back. They would deliver it to the city in 15-liter jugs and It was the only reason they needed a pickup truck. It didn't fit in the Mini Cooper Reagan's father restored before she was born, hence the purchase of the old, rusty, red truck that used to take at least 6 tries of turning the engine on before it actually functioned.

Few years after their small, part-time water delivery business died down, overshadowed by the expansion of a distilled water company built two cities away, the pick-up truck served no purpose but they kept it in the garage. Neither Reagan nor Ronald thought they'd ever bring out the truck, not for at least a couple more years when Reagan was due to go to college, but they also didn't expect seven unlucky travelers to unfortunately have their car break down next to where they live.

That's why after a few years without being used, the already rusty pick up truck Logan has named Cherry ("Every car needs a name, everyone knows this,") was back on the road after, as usual, six attempts at starting the engine.

And now they're driving uphill and Cherry is barely surviving.

She was definitely doing better than the school bus Greg Paul was driving but the breaks were faulty and the clutch hardly cooperated. Every time they went over a patchy road, the tires would slip and she would slam on the breaks, making everyone wobble on their seats almost every ten seconds.

So there they were, the boy (sans Greg and Ronald) on their second uncomfortable car ride this day, with Reagan driving underage, on their way to a gravity hill—something quite impressive but definitely not worth this trouble.

"Are you even allowed to drive?" Logan asked. He was in the front seat, the five younger ones sitting outside.

"Nah," She laughed, "But it ain't like there are police around to get me in trouble."

"Touché," Logan nodded then tightened his grip on the overhead handle before saying, "What does this gravity hill even look like? Daniel was so excited about it when he found out we were passing through Calhoun but hasn't told any of us what's so great about it. I can't see the excitement over some hill."

"Wait," Reagan chuckled, "You don't know what a gravity hill is? And—I'm sorry if I'll laugh—you think it's an actual hill?"

"It's not an actual hill?" Logan asked, incredulous, "What in the world is a gravity hill then?"

Reagan stifled her laugh, "S'just part of a road with a bunch of trees in the background. Makes a pretty neat optical illusion."

"Let me get this straight," Logan clarifed, adjusting on his seat to face her, "Are you telling me we drove all this way to see a part of the road? Which we've been seeing for the past week if I may add."

"Yes," She laughed, "But it's pretty cool."

"Yeah, pretty cool doesn't seem worth it," Logan grumbled underneath his breath, obviously trying to be somewhat polite, "Where even is the gravity hill? If it's a mile away I swear I'm gonna—"

Logan was interrupted by Reagan slamming Cherry's breaks and shutting the engine.

"It's here!" She grinned, "Everyone get out."

+++

Reagan watched through the rearview mirror as they all formed a line and before she chuckled at the sight of Daniel whose phone was already out of his pocket, seemingly ready to record a video, but what really amused her was the excitement inarguably written all over his face.

She then, without the intention, glanced at Jack and the inarguable look of exasperation and loathing, and that was definitely more amusing. Everyone else looked between a mixture of confusion and impatience.

The gravity hill was right in front of where her truck rested, only a few feet away from where the boys stood. It was only a small piece of the road, as promised, and it was almost forgettable if it wasn't for the small sign that said Marowick's Gravity Hill written with chipping paint just beside the small slope. She then drove down the small downwards slope and wasn't surprised that no one batted an eye but she knew that they see her going upward.

Once she was past the small slope, she looked for anything to aid the illusion in her glove compartment—she found a water bottle—then pushed the door open. She took a second to appreciate the never-ending lovely scenery in Oregon, then turned to them.

They all still wore their previously present emotions but intensified—most of them just looked more confused and impatient, Daniel looked more excited, and Jack looked more ready to start attacking someone.

Reagan only grinned and dropped the water bottle, letting it roll down the slope, initially looking like the most anticlimatic thing she could've done in that situation, but it only took a second before Daniel loudly gasps, "It's falling upwards."

"What the hell," Logan reacted, dumbfounded, "It's rolling upwards? What in God's name—"

Reagan chuckled at their reactions, seeing them pull out their phones and walk towards the water bottle. Even Jack looked interested but if she didn't know better, it may just be his pride unwilling to accept that there's a phenomenon he didn't understand.

"Man I wish I could use my camera right now," Logan said to Jonah, "I'm vlogging on my fucking phone."

"Roll it again!" Zach demanded and Corbyn quickly complied.

They stayed there for more than ten minutes, trying to make sense of why the water bottle was rolling down a hill upwards, while Daniel told them an urban legend of how resurrected children were the ones pushing the bottle up. Reagan and Daniel got a kick out of it when Jonah actually believed it for a second.

When the excitement subdued, Reagan told them.

"It only looks like it's rolling upwards," She explained, "I could go with the easy way of explaining things and tell you that it's because some ghost kids are pushin' it upwards but it's actually just 'cause the big horizon in the background's covered by some trees, making you see the lines differently, and makes it look like the hill's going upwards when it isn't."

"Okay," Jack's response was instant, clearly unimpressed, "So let me just summarize everything you said to make sure it isn't a joke."

Reagan, unaffected, only shrugged with a smile, "Go for it."

"We travelled for two hours, destroyed our engine for crying out loud, and trapped ourselves in what is basically the middle of nowhere with no wifi, no signal, probably no civilization, just to see an optical illusion?"

"Well," Logan answered for Reagan, "I was thinking the same thing on the car ride here but I'd say it's pretty worth it."

Everyone shrugged and nodded along in response and Jack looked just about ready to explode.

"You have got be fucking kidding me," He exclaimed, "Worth it? You call this worth it!? You couldn't have just looked this up on YouTube?"

"Sorry, man," Daniel shrugged but he looked genuinely apologetic, "I mean, I know we'll be delayed for a quite a while but I think the bus could've broken down anywhere. It's kind of lucky that it happened here where there's people kind enough to accommodate us."

"You call this lucky, Daniel?" Jack hissed sharply and Daniel visibly stiffened.

"Well, yeah, I think this is kind of lucky. I mean, we're in a beautiful place and we're all happy—"

"And that's all that fucking matters isn't it? That you're happy. That we decided to follow your stupid idea to see this worthless hill to satisfy you when no one in that stupid bus even bothered to ask me why I'm upset," Jack yelled in one strained breath and Daniel flinched with every emphasized word, "Congrats, Daniel. Thank you so fucking much for ruining the single good thing I had to look forward to this entire week, all for some hill I really wish would burn in hell."

"Enough," Logan interjected, "That's enough, Jack. Don't go diva on your bandmates just because things didn't go your way."

And, well.

Reagan didn't have any sympathy for Jack to begin with but even she felt the pain on Jack's expression. He looked betrayed and defeated and for the first time since she's met him, she felt a slight bit of pity. And concern, but she would never willingly admit that.

"You know what," He said, the volume of his voice surprisingly barely above a whisper, "Forget about it."

"How far is the village you were talkin' 'bout, Reagan?" Logan asked, ignoring Jack.

Reagan knew that Jack was being irrational. At least from her perspective. She knew he was out of line but he looked hurt and she can't help but feel a little sympathetic.

"Uh, ten-minute drive. Max." She coughed uncomfortably.

"Any chance we could have that stone-stove pizza?" Jonah asked, obviously trying to somehow ease the tension and she was grateful.

"Of course."

"Good," Logan nodded and addressed Jack, "We're going to get pizza. Either you're going to apologize to all of us here, right now, then hop on the back of that truck to come with us or you're gonna stay right here, continue being an arrogant asshole, and find your way back home."

Reagan watched as Jack chewed on his bottom lip and stared straight ahead, not looking or paying attention to anyone. When Logan got the cue that Jack wasn't going to respond, he sighed.

"Fine, Arrogant Asshole. Everyone else, let's go."

Everyone turned around and hesitantly headed for the truck, all of them torn about what to do. But they do seem to know that Jack wasn't willing to be approached at that moment and Logan, who seemed like their designated guardian, wasn't going to have negotiations right now, so they all followed Logan to the truck.

But Reagan stayed back. She just stood where she was and watched as Jack continued to chew on his lip and wait for the car to drive off and leave him. He made the mistake of glancing at her direction, probably thinking that everyone left where she stood, and he looked away quickly.

Not quick enough, though. Reagan saw the tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

It may have been out of frustration or anger but Reagan thought it was more plausible that it was because of guilt or embarrassment. She gave him the benefit of the doubt. She did walk towards the truck afterwards but she sent him a smile she hoped was reassuring.

Jack didn't see it.

+++

The car ride was silent. Reagan softly drummed her fingers across the steering wheel, somewhat proud that she was still great driver after more than a year of never sitting on the driver's seat. But that wasn't the matter at hand.

"He'll make it to the valley okay, right?" Logan asked after a few tense minutes and Reagan looked at him, startled. He didn't look at her in return but Reagan saw the worry.

"Y-Yeah," She coughed, "He'll be fine. It's a short walk."

"Good," Logan visibly relaxed, "I just. I don't understand why he's being such a little twerp. Someone had to put him in his place and I know none of his friends would do it, so."

"I get it," Reagan shrugged, "All of us knew you meant well. Jack too, I bet."

"Oh, he better," Logan let out a small, somewhat forced laugh and Reagan was relieved by humor's return in their conversation, "Don't wanna have 'em thinking I'm the bad guy here. I adore that kid. But keeping him in check's sorta my responsibility."

Reagan heard the sincerity in his voice and she smiled.