Along Came Danny

Chapter 7: Yo Gabba Gabba

what's this? two updates in two days? well since I'm in the writing mood you will be seeing more chapters. please give us a comment or vote if you enjoy it. tell me who your favourite character is, or what you think about the bucketlist!

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I looked dumbly towards the plane that took over the small runway.

“I’m not doing this,” I stated, my head shaking crazily. Danny and Jeremy had made me sit through an hour long safety lecture about the dangers of skydiving and how to safely land.

When Danny had first told me about what we were doing I was devastated. Heights had been something that had frightened me for ages.

“Come on Katie,” Jeremy urged. He looked ridiculous in his bright blue jumpsuit and orange parachute pack. He had strapped goggles onto his head to try and dull down the whole ridiculousness of his attire, however it just added to the look.

I couldn’t say that I looked any better; the look didn’t exactly flatter me either. I sighed and walked towards the plane, the people who were helping us walking both in front and behind us, sandwiching us as if they were making sure they wouldn’t escape.

 My hands were shaking so much as I etched towards the plane. Danny noticed my hands shaking and grabbed my hand, his larger hand swallowing my smaller one.  I looked into his eyes, hidden behind the glasses and he gave me a look that said

‘Don’t panic, you will enjoy it,’

I began to shake even harder, and had to stop for a moment to regain any confidence I had left.

“Come on Katie, you can do it,” Danny urged me, his smile never faltering.

“I don’t think I can do it,” my voice was shaking, a thin layer of sweat covering my forehead.

“You know, there is this quote I think can help you through this,” I looked up at Danny expectantly, waiting for the wisdom that would surely push me into jumping out of a plane in midair and fall to what could possibly be my death.

“Try it, you’ll like it,” Danny swallowed a laugh as my face contorted into a confused expression.

“Did you just quote ‘Yo Gabba Gabba?” I laughed as he nodded back at me, his hand never leaving my own.

“Doesn’t that apply for food?” I asked, the quote he had picked slightly relaxing me.

“Yeah, but it can apply to this as well. You can’t say you can’t do something or you don’t like something until you try it,”

I frowned at Danny, I knew he had a point. I kept quiet as we made our way into the plane, Danny’s hand still never leaving mine.

I sat in between Danny and Jeremy as they chatted excitedly over me.

After dinner last night Danny had told me what we were doing, and as much as I protested Dad had convinced me that I had to go, I made a promise to help Danny with his bucket list and you can’t break a promise. I had to stop myself from pointing out the small detail that some of the items on the list included sex, and if I’m not doing those then I shouldn’t have to jump out of a plane.

Danny and I hadn’t talked about our confessions in my bedroom, it was like he had just forgotten it had ever happened. I couldn’t forget though, and I wasn’t the type to just confront him about it. What would I say to him anyway? ‘We both really like each other, let’s get married and have many babies together?’ I don’t think so.

My breathing became shorter as we were hauled further into the sky, I dared to glance outside the window and shuttered at how high we now were. Danny removed his hand from mine and rubbed my back soothingly.

Jeremy had his video camera, that was attached to his helmet, on and pointing towards both Danny and I. Danny held a thumb up and smiled dorkily while I tried to smile for the camera but what I sensed would have looked like a grimace due to the fear that racked my body.

Soon enough it was time to jump. The helpers had strapped themselves to our backs and turned on Danny’s and my video cameras. Jeremy wanted to jump first and without any hesitation jumped as soon as the helper finished counting down. I could still hear the screaming from Jeremy when Danny was told to jump. Just like his brother he jumped with enthusiasm.

I hesitated standing at the door, watching the boys fall from the sky. The helper began to count down and I began to freak out more than I had done before. Why did people think this was fun? It was terrifying.

The helper yelled to go and I stood frozen, then suddenly the helper decided to jump and I let out an ear piercing scream. I fell for what seemed like a lifetime before the helper pulled the cord, stopping me from falling to my death.

I stopped screaming and opened my eyes that were previously squeezed shut, and gasped at the sight. I could see the sights of the Melbourne cityscape, and next to it I could see the beautiful green fields, the view was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.

I had caught up with Danny and Jeremy and caught their hands. We had joined hands so we were in a line, all aw struck over the most amazing scenery we had ever seen.

We were told to let go of our hands so we could land safely. I touched down to the ground and unattached myself from my helper, falling to the floor almost immediately.

Danny rushed over to me to see if I was alright but found me in a heap, laughing hysterically.

“That-that was the most fun I have ever had,” I gasped for breath between words, my laugher beginning to hurt my sides. Danny smiled brightly down at me, grabbing my hand to help pull me up.

The car ride was full of chatter, all of us talking at once about how magical how sky diving experience was.

“And you didn’t want to do it,” Jeremy teased from behind the steering wheel, his eyes never leaving the road.

“Shut up Jeremy,” I said back, poking my tongue out cheekily. Danny laughed along with me as the conversation continued, Danny’s hands moving frantically with each sentence, his eyes lighting up behind his glasses.

The boys dropped me off at my house and drove off into the afternoon sky.  I had spotted dad in the kitchen and sat on a stool that was hidden underneath the bench.

“Sky diving was good I take it?” Dad had been watching my features since I had walked into the room. I nodded and jumped off the stool, eyes directed towards the fridge. Pulling out a carrot I had steered myself back towards the stool I was originally sitting on.

“So,” Dad paused, his eyes removing themselves from the salad he was cutting up to look at me.

“You two dating yet?” I blushed at dads question, a high pitched “Dad!” escaped my lips as I tried to hide my face in my arms.

“Well it’s pretty obvious you guys like each other, and he is a nice boy. I approve and I know your mother would have,”

I took my face out from my arms, my eyes began to water. Dad had hardly mentioned mum since the accident, it was like he needed to pretend she wasn’t a part of our lives in the first place. Don’t get me wrong though, Dad loved Mum dearly, but loving your soul mate would have been a devastating shock, and I can completely understand why he had shut her out.

I removed myself from my seat once again and embraced my dad, I could feel a few droplets land on my head. Looking up I realized my dad was crying, with a few tears escaping my own eyes I embraced my father tighter, never wanting to let go.

A few moments passed before Dad sniffed and the hug ended, I looked up at my father and he placed his hands on my shoulders and looked directly into my eyes.

“Now Katie, I don’t know what is going on between you and Danny, but if you do like him, don’t let him slip through your fingers, and he might one day, so you need to take your chances, and make a risk. Taking a risk and failing is better than never trying at all, you understand me Katie?”

I nodded my face serious.

“Promise me Katie; promise me you will take that risk,”

“I promise Dad.”