Lakeside

[3] The Tire Swing

I was dreaming, I definitely was. Since I was little, I always knew the difference between dreams and reality. I'm not sure how I can,  but in all my dreams I knew I was dreaming. There was some aura to it that always made me feel... Different.

Before I wake up, it sounds like someone is knocking on my door. But as the noises pull me out of unconsciousness, I realize that rocks were dinging against my window. I moaned, rubbing me eyes while yawning and getting out of bed. The bright moonlight streamed through the dusty window pane, and beside the large white circle, the stars twinkled in the dark blue sky.

I opened the window with a grunt. Who in the world would be trying to wake me up at this hour? More importantly, who in the world would dare wake me up at all?

Looking down, I saw a black figure, but as they adjusted their stance I could make out features from the dim lighting of the moon. Ash always looked well put together, even when his hair was out of place. But standing under the moonlight, I could tell he hadn't been sleeping and his hair was messy in the way that it didn't look good. From where I was standing, I could point out at least three calics.

"What are you doing?!" I whispered loudly in frustration.

"I have to show you something!" He replied at the same volume, but cupping his hands around his mouth.

"This couldn't wait 'til morning?!"

"No! You need to see this!"

"Can't you just show me from down there?"

"It's all the way in my room. And it's about Brooke."

That definitely perked my interest. I went silent for a minute, and he began talking again.

"If you walk outside your door, you'll wake your parents. These doors creak like elephants!"

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Jump. I'll catch you!"

"Oh, no way! Are you insane?!"

"Don't worry! I won't let you fall, not in a million years. Why do you think I caught you on the roof the other day?"

I crawled out my window, taking a look at the risks. Hm, lets see. I could trust this boy with my life, who seems to be one of the most untrustworthy people I've ever met with the possibility that I might plummet to my death. Or, I could sneak out and potentially get in loads of trouble. It was okay to sneak out with Brooke but if my parents ever caught me with a boy, they'd flip.

"Do you promise?" I asked him with a tremble in my voice.

"Pinky promise." And even in the dark night, I saw him wink at me.

I slowly started to descend to the edge, feeling myself lose balance here and there as my feet almost slipped from their grip on the shingles. I squatted down at the edge, and turned myself around while holding the gutter. I let myself dangle, and I immediately felt adrenaline rushing. What if I slip and fall and die? What if it's just a joke for Ash to get me to embarrass myself? What if─

"A-ah!" The gutters felt loose and on impulse, I weaken my grip on the roof which turned out to be a terrible mistake. "Catch me, catch me!" I quickly rambled, feeling my hands slipping on the rigid edge of the gutter.

"I got you!" He shouts at me, and just in time because I started to fall. The feeling in my stomach is the one you get on roller coasters; something I was deathly afraid of.

His arms clench around my body before I can hit the ground. I'm panting, and I wrap my arms around his neck in reaction. I look directly into his cloud-like eyes, but his wandered around my face, as if to check if I were okay.