Freefalling

15

They sat in silence except for the radio. His fingers kept tapping the steering wheel as he drove. She was leaning against the door and watching the world zoom past.

"So, did you bring your best camera?"

"Oh, no. I forgot it. I'll just use my eyes as a camera."

As the car kept a constant speed of 65 miles per hour, the trees looked as if they were being passed at a speed three times greater. Each tree fused to another to be a seemingly endless rectangle of tree by the side of the road.

In his head he kept thinking about what he was going to say to her, how he would ask, what her reply would be, and what his response would be. Most of his scenarios ended in a kiss. He simply couldn't imagine her turning him down.

On the other hand, she was trying to imagine what falling to her death would feel like. Would it feel liberating? Or maybe scary? She concluded with never knowing until she tried. With this conclusion came a desire to stretch her legs and get out of the car. She poked his arm and nodded to the side of the road.

She got out and looked at the trees. Some were tall and full, some were tall and dead, some were short and full, and some were somewhere in between. They reminded her of people. People, like trees, come in all different sizes and shapes.

He got out and drew pictures in the dirt with his foot. First it was a heart, then it was a tear, then it was a banana, then it was a couple kissing. She was watching him draw the last picture in awe. Her shadow covered his canvas. He looked up and pointed at the car and they went back to their journey.

When they reached the turn-off to the cliff, they faced a gate. A small sign indicated that trespassers weren't wanted. He got out and noticed there was no lock, so he opened the gate. He got back into the car and drove in.

He stopped right next to an old looking bridge. They both got out and walked over to the bridge. He admired the view. She admired the fact that the railings were an ideal height for her to climb over. And they stood there, both amused with the bridge.

In the silence, his stomach grumbled. She looked at him and smiled. He patted his belly and said, "I'll grab the food."

She watched him as he walked back to his Subaru. She felt bad knowing he wasn't going to have her around anymore. Deep inside, she was confident that he would be able to find friends and be happy without her.

He unlocked the back and began to rummage through the contents. The basket containing their meal was right on top, but the blanket was buried somewhere in there. He moved everything everywhere. He glanced back at her and she was leaning over the rail.

She was determining how high up she was. She'd never been good with estimating and forgot about it. A quick look at him and she clambered up on top of the railing. He was still ransacking the back when she called out, "Hey!"

He turned around. "What's up?"

"I love you." She pushed off of the rail.