Don't Worry || Chris Chambers x Reader

A Wavering Tempo

(A/N I have cried several times reading the comments from the previous chapter. You all who have been consistently motivating me are the reason I chose to continue writing. My lovelies, I am so sorry for the wait. As a sincere thank you, this chapter has a good bit of excitement, and the next chapter will be out very soon :) ) 

The waves of the river crashed high upon the rocks jutting out from its surface. The wind chilled as we stood, wind lightly blowing through the trees. Looking from left to right, the river goes on as far as the eye can see-- and in front of us sat a bridge. The train tracks ran directly across it. 

As we reached the precipice, we stopped in front of the ledge. 

Vern paused, "Any of you guys know when the next train is due?" 

There was silence that pierced the air after the rest of us solemnly shrugged. We looked from each others faces to look for an answer. 

It's not like trains come through often-- I had learned that there would be maybe three or four in a day, but never any more than that. The chances were low we'd encounter a train, but if we happened to, there was nowhere to go but down. Not to mention I have a terrible fear of heights.

"We could go down to the Route 136 bridge." Chris offers. 

Teddy-- who was already edging his way out on the bridge, stepping on boards between the rails --sighed heavily. "Come on, gimme a break! That's five miles down the river and five miles back. You know that could take til dark. We could get to the same place in ten minutes." 

He turned to face us and was now walking backwards on the boards in a show of brash cockiness. 

Nervously, Vern pipes up and voices the concern stained across all our minds, "Yeah. But if a train comes, there's nowhere to go," He looks over the ledge "..'cept down."

Duchamp smiles, still walking backwards. "Fuck there isn't! Just jump."

I step my foot forwards to Teddy, "Teddy that's gotta be at least a hundred feet."

His face softens seeing my concern, possibly remembering my fear of jumping down from the junkyard fence not long before. His pace slows, and when he opens his mouth to speak, he stumbles and messes up his footing, a single leg falling through the crack between the tracks. He lets out a small yelp, and without thinking I run the short distance across the bridge he had made it to help him up. 

I look at him as I take his arm and pull his leg up, "You dumbass that's exactly why you should be paying attention to where you're going. You could've gone all the way off if you were any more careless!" 

Vern helplessly calls out, "Maybe we should just go around. Seems lots safer." 

Teddy sighs, turning to the boy, "Okay. You guys can go round if you want. I'm crossing here. And while you guys are dragging your candy-asses halfway across the state and back I'll be waiting for you on the other side, relaxing with my thoughts."

Chris's face lights up as a smile creeps across his face, "You use your right hand or left for that?" 

"Oh you wish Chambers, you wish." 

But Vern's worry was still plastered on his face. You could practically read his thoughts straight out of his mind. He was less of a risk taker, but was easily susceptible to pressure despite his displeasure. "I don't know.."

"Hell no, we ain't no pussies." Teddy yells back, dusting off the shock from the fall and standing up. 

"Are you a pussy?" He asks Chris, pointing at him with an outstretched finger.