The Stupidest Thing I've Ever Done

Part 6

On the count of three we dug the tips of our shoes into the fence, crawling like spider monkeys to reach the bar at the top. The exhaustion I had been feeling through the last stretch of the movie left me as soon as the night air smacked me in the face. The cold rusty metal bit at my fingers, but I was too happy to care. I was where I was supposed to be; laughing next to my best friend about something stupid. Doing something I wasn't supposed to, and having the time of my life.

I thought about how I only had two years left in this town. Two more years and hopefully I'd be out of Sutton and on to fulfill my dreams at college. Two more summers didn't feel like enough to spend with Cass. There was only two summers left of getting ice cream at Snowy's. Only two summers left to go to the lake and get sunburned so bad you can't walk, and then snap each others bra straps because that's what best friends do. Only two summers left to pull all nighters, to ride our bikes by the glow of the street lamps, and to sit on my bed and cry about how "boys are so stupid."

Two years just wasn't long enough.

Cass got to the top first, sitting on the bar with her back facing me and her feet dangling towards the earth. She jumped with cat-like ease, hardly even stumbling as she straightened herself up to present herself to me.

"I'll be taking a vanilla bean with extra sprinkles please!" she announced.

I was just getting to the bar now, pretending to glare at her. I swung one leg over the side like I was riding a horse, clasping onto the bar with both hands.

I blew a raspberry down at her.

She laughed at me, scooping up the lawn chairs and slinging the straps over her shoulders. "Don't be such a sore loser."

I went to swing my other leg around the bar, but found my leg being jerked back into place. I muttered a curse.

"What's wrong?"

"My leg is stuck."

Cass just busted out laughing. It was the only appropriate reaction to have when your best friend is in jeopardy.

I tried moving my leg again, the small hole I had in the seam caught on a loose piece of wire. I felt a sharpness jabbing at my skin, and continued swearing as I brought my hand down to unlatch myself.

"Hey!"   

The voice startled both of us.

I cracked my neck around to look where the voice was coming from, seeing a dark but large figure in the close distance. The movie screens weren't on yet, and we were too far away for any other light to reach us. But the man was slightly illuminated by the light of the concession stand. He was dressed in those dorky red and white striped polos that was apart of the uniform, but the greasy comb-over he was wearing over his bald spot told me: MANGER.