Just Live

Chapter 5

"Matt, I can't. Hindi ko kaya. I can't do it. I just can't."

"What? You climbed all the way up here oh, kaya mo yan! Come on, I'll go first and then you can jump after me."

They were both standing on top of a cliff and Matteo was about to take a dive when Sarah started having second thoughts.

"Matt, wait! Dito ka lang! Don't leave me."

Matteo turned to Sarah with a sneaky smile on his face. "What did you say?"

"Ayan ka na naman eh!" Sarah replied with a smack on the arm.

"Why are you so violent??" Matteo asked while he laughed and guarded his arm in case she smacked him again.

"Eh, kasi natatakot na nga ako tapos yang itsura mo. . ."

"What about it? I just asked you kung ano sabi mo."

"You know what I said! And I don't mean it in a romantic way. Feeling neto," Sarah said as she rolled her eyes at him.

"Wala naman ako sinabi ah," Matteo laughed again. "Sige na, see ya down there!" He got into position and was about to jump off the cliff into the water when he felt Sarah hug his middle.

"Wait!! I said don't leave meeee. Matt naman eh," Sarah whined, still hugging him.

Matteo laughed and took a peak behind his arm to see her face right up against his flank. "Okay, let's jump together. Sabay tayo, how about that?"

"But . . . isn't that more dangerous?" Sarah looked at him as she let go of his trunk.

"So, una na ako?"

"No! I need you!"

"You what?" Matteo teased again.

"Tsk! Wag ka nga, Matt!" Sarah whined again which made him giggle. "I meant I need you. I mean, I need you para makatalon ako from this cliff. Like, I don't need need you, but I need you."

Matteo looked at her and laughed out loud, "You were saying?"

Sarah shot him a look and whined again. "You know what I mean! Toh naman eh."

"Okay, fine," Matteo said as he wrapped his arms around her. "Just put your arms around me too and count with me. On the count of three, we jump off. If you don't jump on three, I swear Sarah Geronimo we're not gonna have a good landing."

"Okay! Hindi mo naman kailangan manakot. I'm ready," she said as she tried to calm down. "Wait, no, hindi pala."

"Yes, you are," Matteo said as he put her arms around his body and he wrapped his around hers. "On the count of three . . . "

Matteo hasn't started counting yet but Sarah already shoved her face in his chest and hugged him tight as if her life depended on it. As soon as their feet were off the rocks, all he heard was Sarah screaming her lungs out until they hit the water.

He surfaced before Sarah and when she did, he saw how wide her eyes went and how big her smile was.

"I did it!!" Sarah said as she wiped the water off her face. "I did it, Matt!"

Matteo laughed and smiled at her, "You did! See, I told you you can do it."

"Thank youuuu," she said while she swam to him, surprising him with a hug.

Her hug came as a surprise to him, but he willingly accepted and reciprocated it. "You are very welcome," Matteo replied as he hugged her back. He gave her a gentle rub on the back while listening to her mumble to herself. With what he was hearing, he knew she was really happy she didn't chicken out of their cliff diving experience.