Willow

Chapter 2

I could feel the wind hissing in my ears as I reached closer and closer to the water below. It felt like I had been falling for so long yet it must only be seconds. I refused to look down, clamping my eyes shut and holding on to my nose, preparing to break the surface of the water. I hit with a loud crash, my body sunk deep into the water and I felt my toes just barely tap the bottom before I finally opened my eyes and looked around. It was dark, I shook my head to get back to reality before beginning to push myself up and up until I finally reached the top. I took a huge breath of air and could hear Willow clapping somewhere near me. I looked frantically around until I finally saw her, sitting on a rock with the light hitting her in all the right places, she looked like an angel, the smile she wore suited her like no other. I quickly made my way over to her and sat on her left, catching my breath and trying to reel in my thoughts of what just happened.

"I'll be honest, I didn't think you had it in you," she stated without looking at me. I glanced in her direction. She had a soft smile on her face and her eyes looked less bloodshot than before. She looked tired, and distant, like she was off somewhere far away even though she was sitting right next to me.

"I didn't think I did either." I'm still trying to figure out what possessed me to make the jump, maybe it was the way her eyes shined when she came up for air and pleaded for me to jump too. I kept those thoughts to myself, I still couldn't believe I was sitting with her right now, I had always noticed her but she had never seen me, not until tonight.

I waited for her to speak again but she never did. It was a peaceful quiet, not uncomfortable or awkward like one may have thought.

We sat until it became dark, I soon began to think about how we were supposed to get back up to the top, and I wondered how mad my mother would be when I returned home. I thought about how she has probably called me 10 times by now, worried sick, but when I looked at Willow, she didn't seem worried about anything. I envied it just as much as I felt guilt and sadness for her. She didn't have someone worried about her at home wondering when she would be home, they didn't even want her home. Finally I spoke.

"Willow-" She blinked, almost in acknowledgement that she had heard me. "I think I need to get home." It was the wrong thing to say. Her features suddenly turned darker, the small smile that made her seem carefree and happy was gone and replaced with a straight line and empty eyes.

Without speaking she stood and began to walk away, I first worried that she didn't want me to follow, but quickly realized she was leading us back to the top. We had to climb along a jagged rocky wall and I nearly fell on more than one account. I may be slightly athletic but you could count on me to be the clumsiest person in the room.

Once we reached the top I made my move to speak. "Did I- say something to upset you?" She almost winced as I asked, but regained composure quickly.

"No, you said you wanted to go, so we're going." Her words weren't kind, and they made me feel selfish.

"Where are you staying tonight?" I couldn't stand the thought of her being out on her own all night.

"What do you care? I'll figure it out, I always do." She put her legs through her jeans and pulled them up, followed by her shirt which she put on inside out but didn't seem to notice, she left her shoes off and held them in her hands before she started to walk away. I gripped her arm lightly to make her stop walking and she flinched before facing me slowly.

"I care. I- do you want to stay at my house?" I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth, what kind of dumb question is that? Of course she doesn't want to sleep in your house, she barely knows you. I know her, though. I thought to myself. She looked surprised at my question before saying,