All Chapters of Half Wild, Half Yours: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

I floated on my back in the cold lake water, arms stretched out like wings, eyes closed against the golden press of sun. The waterfall murmured nearby, but everything else—the trees, the birds, even Tyler’s happy barking in the distance—faded into the background. This moment was perfect. And I hated that it was. Because the boy who’d brought me here had the kind of eyes I could write a whole playlist about. And the way he looked at me? It made the idea of staying still—for once—feel dangerously tempting. But I couldn’t. I knew I couldn’t. Teddy was… something. Someone. The kind of someone you could fall for if you weren’t careful. And I wasn’t ready to fall. I wasn’t ready to stop moving. I’d spent the last year in motion. One road leading to the next. One sunrise at a time. Van life wasn’t just a phase—it was freedom. And at 25, I wasn’t done chasing it. I still had mountains to hike, cities to get lost in, strangers to meet, and corners of the world I hadn’t

Back in my van, the world felt quieter, but my mind was anything but. I sat cross-legged on the bed, Tyler curled up beside me, his steady breathing a stark contrast to the whirlwind of thoughts racing through my head. I picked up my phone, the screen lighting up with the last photo I took—a snapshot of the waterfall, sunlight dancing on the water’s surface. I stared at it, but all I could see was Teddy’s face, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, the feel of his lips on mine. What was that? I had kissed before—casual, fleeting moments that meant little in the grand scheme of things. But this… this was different. There was a depth to it, a connection that went beyond the physical. It was as if, in that moment, the world had narrowed down to just the two of us. But I couldn’t let myself get carried away. I had plans, dreams that didn’t include settling down—not yet. I was a wanderer, a free spirit. Tying myself to someone, no matter how intoxicating they were, wa

I sank into Ellie’s velvet couch, the deep teal fabric cool against my skin. Her apartment was sleek and modern, with clean lines and minimalist furniture, but it was far from sterile. Pops of color were everywhere—mustard-yellow throw pillows, a vibrant abstract painting above the fireplace, and a neon sign in the kitchen that read “Good Vibes Only.” It was so Ellie: polished with a playful twist. The day had flown by in a haze of earthy aromas and meticulous tasks. I spent hours carefully trimming buds, ensuring each one met quality standards, and meticulously weighing and labeling the harvest. The repetitive motions of bucking and sorting plant material were almost meditative. Now, as I relaxed in Ellie’s apartment, I felt a sense of contentment. I was with my two best friends: Ellie, always full of energy and laughter, and Tyler, my faithful companion, who was now sprawled out on the rug, his tail thumping lazily against the floor. He looked perfectly at home here, just lik

Two hours after stepping off stage, I was still buzzing—and not just from the beer. The karaoke bar was dim and crowded, cheap LED lights pulsing in time with some girl’s off-key rendition of “Before He Cheats.” Brody was holding court at our table with a ridiculous story about the last time he got blackout drunk in Austin. Thomas was arguing with the DJ about what counted as “karaoke safe.” And Blue—she was laughing. Full body, head-thrown-back kind of laughing. The sound cut straight through the noise. Like a melody only I could hear. She was sitting across from me in the booth, cheeks flushed, white crop top clinging in all the right places, her boots kicked off under the table. Her hair was wild from the show, her mascara smudged in a way that looked better than it had earlier. Effortless chaos. Ellie shoved her phone in front of Blue with a squeal. “Watch it again! You have to—look at your face when the chorus hits!” Blue groaned but leaned in anyway, and

Ellie had left for work just after lunch, stealing one of my scrunchies and humming No Name under her breath like she hadn’t just spent the night with their drummer. Meanwhile, I was as free as a bird with nowhere to be and no weed to trim. So I did the only thing that made sense—I laced up my boots, packed up Tyler, and headed out to a trail I’d saved on TikTok weeks ago. And for once, the internet didn’t lie. A winding path carved through the trees like a secret. Wildflowers nodded in the breeze. Tyler trotted ahead of me, tail waving like a golden flag. The sun filtered through the canopy, and I swear for a second, I forgot about everything—Teddy, Toronto, the way my stomach flipped every time I thought about that video of us on stage. I took a photo at the overlook—me with my back to the camera, arms out, the whole “nature goddess at golden hour” vibe in full effect. I added it to my feed with a caption that read: “Not lost. Just wild.” A few likes popped in instantly,