Book One: (The Rat) "One Hot July"

Chapter Eight: Flying Without Wings

Chapter Eight

Flying Without Wings

[Azusa Meyer - July 22nd, 2335 - East Concert Hall]

I can see him sitting in the crowd.

And I can feel the gaze of the entire crowd.

He's smiling, seemingly carefree, but I can see the glimmer behind his eyes as he sits back. I know Mark and his family are watching on TV, I know that both my parents are, Harley and Hannah, too.

My preformace has ended. The judges are calling it now.

Whispering, looking back and forth. The announcer is standing in their circle, his microphone switched off. My fists are clinched, and so are everyone elses standing around me.

I miss the first half of his announcment. All I hear is the last part before the crowd bursts like a ballon into yelling in different languages. "FOR THE FIFTH TIME IN A ROW! AZUSA MEYER TAKES HOME THE GOLD CHAMPIONSHIP MEDAL!"

I let out a too long held breath and Im suddenlt bombarded by my teamates, and right behind them, smiling and waiting for his turn is Aubrey. I make my way through, smiling, but behind it I can feel the loosening of the bond. Im loosing Mahannas attachement.

This is my last championship.

"Are you sure you want to quit?" He asks.

"Im sure." I lean back into his arms as the medals are given out. "Im going to give up gymnastics, in truth I only did them for Mahanna's memory."

"She liked to watch you do gymnastics, too, huh?"

"What do you mean by 'too'?" I asked.

"You never noticed me?" He snickered. "Damn your dense. I used to watch you practice in the gym after school. I sat in the bleachers. I even talked to you and Mahanna a few times."

"You did?"

"Like a lily blooming." He muttered, kissing my ear.

"You said that to me?"

"Yeah, in high school when you won your first championsip medal." He said, squeezing me tighter. "You ignored me almost completely. But apparently you remember me saying that."

"I remembered the words, just not you." I smiled.

"Geeze, and I thought all the girls from high school remembered me." I pinched him.

"Get over yourself."

He rubbed his arm, smiling down at me. "Already have. I just have to get down to you."

[Azusa Meyer - July 23rd, 2335 - Appartment Building Five]

My lungs inflate as I suck in a huge gasp of air and let it out a second later.

Aubrey is standing behind me, smiling holding a flower bouquet filled with warm colored flowers; red, orange and yellow roses. I grab Mahanna's teddy bear of the headboard and hug it to my chest. I've bought a plastic see through box to put him in. Im going to visit Mahanna today, but Im so nervous I can barley breath.

Behind his smile I can see a twinge of distress, like someone secretly being coerced.

"Are you alright?" I slide Mahanna's bear into the box and lock the lid. He's sitting there, smiling with his brown fur and red nose, and his tummy stitching.

"Im fine." He puts his arm around my waist. "Just a little um...nervous? I guess thats what it is."

He opens the door for me, locking it behind him, and holds onto my hand as we make our way to his car. He opens the door and I slide in, holding onto the bear and the flowers.

He shuts the door then gets in on the driver side, cranking the car, and pulling out into the road.

In thirty minutes I'll be standing before Mahanna's grave.