Chapter 1 prologue Aug.30
I stood there, not for the first time, feeling the wind blow around my neck. I've stood at the edge of this cliff multiple times, never quite being able to accomplish my fear of heights. The ten foot deep water lapped lazily at the side of the cliff. 'come on.' I told myself. 'Amisa already jumped.' I caught my breath, and plunged, the water coming at me fast.
Chapter 2 June 12 I stood with my two best friends, Anda and Crissie, on the edge of Yuiop cliff. The three of us kept threatening to push each other off, when finally Anda, always the daring one, jumped, followed by Crissie who followed her twin everywhere. They immediately set a trend saying anyone who could jump (it wasn't so far down you could die) would join this little club. I never had the guts, I never joined, never faced my fears. And now I regret that near-fatal mistake.
Chapter 3 June 15 I watched my friends with the tons of other people that I never met, ones who have jumped off of Yuiop cliff, ones who were brave enough, strong enough to jump. A girl I met once at Anda's house, Amisa, ran over calling my name. " Cleavon! CLEAVON!" I stopped walking and turned. I had only met Amisa once prior to this meeting, and wasn't sure what to expect. "Cleavon," she panted, having run to me. "Walk with me? The meeting's over." I nodded. What did this girl want from me? She was quite pretty, with red hair and brown eyes, but her clothes were crazy. She wore a striped shirt, plaid shorts, and yellow flip-flops. On her face was glasses and a stern expression, one that a librarian might give you if you talked too loud. She led me to a coffee place, just down the road. I hate coffee.
Chapter 4 June 30 I had started to meet with Amisa after every meeting she had. Today, she pulled me along with her to go clothes shopping. She told me I had good taste in clothes. I guess that's because for all my life I'd had twin girls ask me about clothes, so it rubbed off, and now I appreciated clothes more than the average guy. What we talked about then changed the way I looked at her forever. As we were looking through a rack of clothes, I asked her how she managed to jump. And she told me. "I... I didn't. None of us did. Well, of course, Anda and Crissie did, but the other 20 of us didn't." She took a deep breath. "I have sworn not to tell anyone this, bur here I go. The 'club' is horrible. I don't know what it looks like from the outside, but it's a twisted group. I don't belong. This club is for the daring. I just got pulled in from my sister, but..." Her voice caught in her throat, as a single tear fell from her eye. I shushed her, and pushed her toward the changing room. When she emerged, she was dressed in mid-calf boots (black, of course), mid-length black leggings, and a flowery green tank top. Her hair was down,wavy, and she was grinning ear to ear. She took off her glasses, looked at me, and asked how she looked in one word. The word I used? "Wow."
Chapter 5 July 1 I had never thought a girl to be beautiful, but I realized now that the girl that I had so recently come to know was. And as hard as I was trying to find a way to ambush the club, my mind wandered to Amisa. I was daydreaming about a scene where the two of us had our faces closer than needed..."Cleavon?" Amisa startled me. I didn't answer, but I could have sworn she was edging towards me, then suddenly she was in my arms, asking me what was wrong, and I was kissing her. I had never kissed any one before, yet the way ahead was lit before me. I put my hand in he sweet, lemon-scented hair-- and my door burst open. "Sorry." Crissie said pointedly. And that was how the best moment of this point in my life ended.
Chapter 6 July 30 Amisa was telling me stories for the last few weeks, about the club. As it turns out, my two former best friends were bullies. The two of us (Amisa and me) had a plan; next month, we were going to jump. The meeting was going to be called off for the day, Amisa said. I also had Amisa talk to Crissie outside of the meeting, and Amisa somehow got her to spill; neither of the twins had jumped. I was ready. We were going to be the first two jumpers; I was ready.
Chapter 7 Aug. 30 Amisa was as scared as I was, yet she jumped as I recorded it. The plan was we would film each other jump, to prove we did, with waterproof video recorders. She called up, that I could jump, when I was ready. I stood there, not for the first time, feeling the wind blow around my neck. I've stood at the edge of this cliff multiple times, never quite being able to accomplish my fear of heights. The ten foot deep water lapped lazily at the side of the cliff. 'come on.' I told myself. 'Amisa already jumped.' I caught my breath and plunged, the water coming at me fast.
