24 Hours (Wattys 2016)

Hour 20

Hour 20

(2:00 AM EST)

We took picture of the hand prints and engraving in the cement before picking up the bucket of cement and walking back to the car. We grabbed water bottles from the trunk and rinsed our cement covered hands. Beckett and I got back in the car and started driving .

"Ready to defffffyyyyy gravvityyy?" I asked in a rumbling, shaky voice and flailing my arms around.

"Are you serious!?" Beckett's eyes widened with excitement. Defy Gravity was one of his favorite places to go.

"I've never been more serious in my life." I smiled. "I would never joke about Defy Gravity."

"Except for when-"

I cut him off, "Shhhhhhh......" I whispered. "I would never joke about Defy Gravity." I repeated.

"But one time you said-" I placed my hand over Beckett's mouth and he bit it.

"Ow!" I pulled my hand away, shaking it in pain.

"Oh. Sorry." Beckett said with a slight guilt in his voice. "I didn't think it would hurt." He took my bit hand and kissed it before lacing our fingers together and resting them in between us.

"It's okay." I replied. "I'm still crazy about you."

"The feeling's mutual." We glanced at each other, not able to control our smiled. For the rest of the drive we didn't talk and just enjoyed the faint sound of music from the radio and being together.

When we got to Defy Gravity Beckett handed the man behind the register desk his gift card he had gotten from his parents for Christmas. The man scanned the card and we made our way onto the trampolines. As soon as we got on Beckett did a backflip, making my stomach turn.

"I missed you Defy Gravity!" He shouted as he landed. "Do a trick." Beckett suggested to me.

"Okay.. But I haven't done this in a while." I nervously agreed. I took a few steps back before doing a roundoff. I wobbled for a second when I landed, trying to regain balance. When I finally was still I looked Beckett in the eye and said, "Ta-da." making jazz hands before jumping back over to Beckett.

"Wonderful." Beckett clapped. "Now my turn." He ran, jumped up into the air and did a front tuck.

"Magnificent." I cried.

"Thank you, thank you." He bowed. When he finally made his way back to where I was standing he said, "But do you know what's more magnificent?"

"What?" I raised my eyebrow.

"The foam pit."

"But do you know what's even more magnificent than both those things?"

"What could that thing be?" Beckett rubbed his chin, playing along.

"Jumping into the foam pit with different moves." I smiled.

"Now that, is magnificent." Beckett smirked and I nodded. "So, what do you say we you and me try out this so called magnificent thing."

"I say yes." Beckett and I linked arms and skipped our way towards the foam pit.

As soon as we got to the pit Beckett slurred out, "James bond, go!" We both struck our poses before jumping in. Beckett got out shortly after his body touched the foam blocks but I ended up getting stuck. 

"Beckett!" I yelled from the pit. "Help me." I squirmed around trying to losen the blocks around me.

"How does this happen every time?" Beckett laughed.

"I don't know." I laughed, still stuck. "Can you just please help get me out?"

"I can't go in without a pose."

"Patrick from Spongebob, go!" I yelled.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Beckett asked. He spread out his arms and legs, trying to look like a star and then jumped in. He swam through the foam blocks towards my direction and when he got to me he asked, "How was my Patrick?"

"A plus." I gave him a thumbs up and nodded my head.

"I try." He pretended to flick his hair over his shoulder.

"When you're done, can you maybe help me?" I said.

"Oh yeah." Beckett stopped pretending to flip his hair and pulled blocks away from me. After thirty seconds I was out of the pit.

"We should take a picture jumping into the pit!" I suggested. "I'll go grab the camera." I went an got the camera and made my way back to the foam pit.

"We have to make this pose really good." Beckett announced. "It's going to be documented."

"True. Very true." I agreed. "So, what should it be?"

"We should impersonate each other!" Beckett thought.

"Impersonation, go!" I dropped my center to my stomach and tried to put on a cool persona. As we flew in the air I snapped the picture. Once we got out I took a look at the polaroid and said, "That is not how I look."

"That's not how I look." Beckett mimicked. "I don't squint my eyes all the time."

"That's not even how you braid your hair." I giggled, looking at Becketts attempt. We walked over to some seats and sat down continuing to look at the picture and laugh. I rested my head on Beckett's shoulder and he laid his head slightly on top of mine.

"Four more hours." He sighed.

    "Four more hours." I repeated, dangling the polaroid in my hand.

    Four more hours until we're apart for the longest amount of time we've ever been apart. Four more hours until we're off to college. Four more hours till the airport. Four more hours until goodbye.