The New Me

Chapter One, Two Years Later

Chapter One

Two years later

            “So, you are going to jump or not!?” I hear him call behind me.

            I turn around and find my best friend Blythe watching me, a cocky smile on his face.

            “Would I be standing here if I wasn’t?” I call back before turning back around, my hands holding a loose grip on the bridge’s rail. The wind blows the summer air through my hair and I smile as it pushes it behind me.

            Soon I let my hands slip and I bend my knees before letting my body fall over the ledge. I close my eyes before letting out a joyful scream while falling. The water beneath me get nearer, I know this for I can hear the waves and the ripples. Soon the warm summer water engulfs me, swallowing me up until I am totally under the water.

            I let myself sink to the bottom, my feet hitting the muddy bottom, then I kick myself off the bottom and swim to the surface. When I have reach the top I wipe the hair from my face and look up to the bridge.

            “You have guts!” I hear someone call from above, then someone clambers carefully over the rails and to the ledge. More and more people do the same, some hesitating to jump but then doing it. I can hear their fearful screams as they fall and then their loud splashes.

            “Took you long enough to actually jump.” He say behind me.

            With a smile already placed on my face I tread my legs, making me turn around in the water, and find Blythe swimming behind me. Even in the dark night, I can see his white teeth shinning with the stars.

            “Hey, I did it.” I say and he laughs.

            He looks over my shoulder and I turn, watching as more and more people jump over, but some also clamber up the rocks to reach the top of the bridge.

            “Hey, guess what?” he says, making me turn to look at him clueless.

            “What?”

            “Race ya!” he calls before threading forward, his body racing ahead of me.

            I laugh and push myself after him, smiling big when I have drove myself past him. just as I think I am far enough ahead I feel his fingers wrap around my ankle and jerk me back behind him while he continues to swim.

            “Cheater!” I yell.

            I swim the rest of the way, then climbing up the rocks to the solid fixture of the bridge. When I have reached the top I find Blythe and a couple more people standing in a group. Blythe’s eyes land on me and a smile blooms on his face.

            “It’s about time you got here.” he remarks and some of the group chuckles.

            “At least I know I could have won without cheating.” I say back and everyone erupts in laughter.

            *

            We ride home in silence. It wasn’t a awkward silence, nothing between me and Blythe was awkward.

            You see, me and Blythe were just friends, I won’t lie, we have dated but when that didn’t work, he tried being friends.

            Best mistake of my life.