Stormy Skies (On Hold)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Saturday, June 13th

Adrianna

            We (the Brooke’s and the Taylor’s) all went to this indoor rock-climbing place yesterday, and surprisingly, it was really fun. I learned a lot about Sophie. I’m starting to appreciate her.

            Sophie’s a really good rock climber. She can climb up a wall in thirty seconds flat. She can even go in those upside-down cave walls! 

            At the place, the instructor told us to pick climbing buddies. Ivy and Jane immediately clung on to each other, and Rena and Katie are already attached at the waist, so that left Sophie and me. I asked her if she wanted to be climbing buddies, and she said was there really any choice? So began our bonding session.

            Ivy and Jane took off to the intermediate walls, and Rena and Katie went to the little kiddie walls. Sophie started walking toward the really hard climbing walls, but then she stopped.

            “Do you want to stay here and practice on the intermediate walls first?”

            “Yeah, let’s stay with the intermediate now.” She nodded and led us off to intermediate with Jane and Ivy.

            We saw them whispering to each other quickly and quietly, but when we walked in, they started laughing hysterically. What a cliché moment. You know, when the popular clique of girls are all whispering about that poor new girl in school. They glanced at each other with a knowing look and turned away. Sophie peeked at me and rolled her eyes. I did the same.

            As I was clipping Sophie into her climbing harness, she leaned in close to me and whispered “We should play a joke on them.”

            I got confused and asked “Who?” Sophie looked at me like an insignificant rock and nodded her head towards Ivy and Jane, who were not climbing, but sitting on the ground braiding each other’s hair. And admiring their fingernails, and their toenails, and talking about boys. Actually, I didn’t know that, but that’s their usual topic. 

            I nodded in understanding and followed Sophie over to their wall.

            “Hey guys,” she said nonchalantly, “Why are you just sitting around? You should be climbing.” I stood silently next to her.

            “Why do you care? We’re doing more important stuff than you people,” Jane said rudely.

            “Really now? I bet I can beat you to the top of the wall,” Sophie said. I noticed Sophie casually fiddling with Jane’s climbing ropes behind her back.

            “Oh yeah? How much you wanna bet?” Jane asked competitively.

            “Your entire nail polish collection,” Sophie said arrogantly. Jane and Ivy gasped. I almost laughed but instead made a choking sound.

            “It’s on,” Jane said, changing her expression from one of shock to one of fierce rivalry.

            Sophie threw Jane’s rope to her and took Ivy’s rope next to it. They clipped on their belts, and Ivy counted down.

            “Three! Two! One! Goooo!” Off they went. I saw in Jane’s rope a barely discernible bobby pin near the belt loop, but it was just big enough to get caught in the pulley, keeping her stuck at times, and slowing her down.