Hope We Meet Again

09 - Walking on a Tightrope

The chatter of early risers broke the silence as I entered the welcoming gates of hell. Term 4, the final quarter of the year. My eyes watered as the sun drained the moisture out of them. It took an eternity to fix the messed-up sleep schedule; waking up at 5 am for 5 days in a week surely made me sleep on the train for another 27 minutes. I barely survived the first two weeks, but here I am battling the third. Everything seems to be notching up a level, as murmurs and excited chatting in the library continue to rise steadily. "Are you excited for the upcoming camp?" someone said. I turned around and faced Isa and Olive. "Yeah, I can't wait!" I replied with a smile.

I knew Isa for the majority of my time in high school and a snippet in primary, while Olive and I knew each other through her. They chattered excitedly as I stood there with them quietly. Camp was tomorrow, lasting for 3 days and 2 nights, which was pretty exciting. It was cancelled in Term 1 due to torrential rain that occurred throughout the week my year was supposed to go. The teachers were kind enough to allow us to choose a partner for the cabins. I obviously chose Charlie.

~

The chatter died down as everyone took a climb up the stairs to the hall. Like bodies that are being dragged into the pit, we seated ourselves in the middle of the hall. I looked around as heads were aligned facing the front. Slowly turning to my left, he was sitting next to me. I glanced at him before his gaze rested on me; his eyes softened while mine lit up. I turned my head, staring at the front. I felt my ears turning red.

The teacher opened the presentation with information about my year's embarkation at the camp. I stared at the screen, nodding my head in response, as we were signalling to open our laptops to enter the name of the person we wanted to be in a cabin with. I typed "Charlie" while she typed my name. I glanced at my side as I saw him pondering, having a list of all his friends on a single line.

As soon as he submitted it, the teacher asked everyone to enter only one person. He entered more than five. My hand raised to my mouth as I tried hard not to make a reaction. My eyes smiled at him as he reacted in defeat. His eyes cowered behind his ebony hair as his ears turned red.

~

The waver of a smile escaped my face as I looked down. It was the day of the camp, and I'm at the venue with all the gear on top of the clothes that were like a blank canvas with no style at all. I looked ridiculous, and now without my mask covering my face, the emotions on my face are fully expressed. I preferred to have my mask on because, most of the time, I'm unheard of by my year group and seem to develop some sort of communication with the sense of a demure atmosphere in my eyes. The blur of words was concealed by the harsh, cold breeze. Spring was slowly welcoming the summer heat, but it seemed so distant. I looked up as I saw the activity we were doing. I gulped the lump in my throat as my gaze rested at the top. I was about to go through a tightrope of an activity with my fear of heights.

I shook my head, signalling for me to snap out of it. Before arriving at the venue, Isa was offered to go to Olive's class, and she agreed, not knowing that I couldn't join them. Charlie was in Class 3, and I was in Class 2. I was basically alone, but that burning sensation behind my neck travelling to my ears told me it was okay.

My gaze lowered as the instructor told us to do a practice run with the locks and our gear. Fumbling, I managed to go through the intricate locks that took an eternity to figure out. By then, we had escalated to the first level of the course. I was sceptical; the course looked foolproof enough for anyone to go on, which, in fact, most of us did.

The first level was not bad; I first walked onto a wired tightrope with the only support being the rope attached to the harness that I was wearing securely to the point I could amputate my entire leg with it. After completing the first course and dealing with the locks at each station, I went through the next system. I looked behind me as I saw other students in my class proceed to follow through. It was a sight; some were hanging for dear life on the first station, while others were brave enough to go to the third level.