The Consequences of Cliff Diving

A Brutal Wake Up Call

Chapter 8: A Brutal Wake Up Call

"What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean, this is chemistry."

"This is biology."

"No, I'm pretty sure it's chemistry." I roll my eyes, not appreciating his joke and decide to ignore him.

"Mr Woods." Mr Sanders says, looking in our direction. "I don't think this is where you're meant to be." Luke leans forwards on the desk next to me.

"Actually, I transferred." He smirks at my unimpressed expression. Mr Sanders double checks his class attendance and eyes Luke again.

"Well there must be a mistake in the system then. Very well." What?! How could anyone believe this guy? Annoyed, I turn to face him.

"Legacy I'd like you a lot more if you just left me alone." He shrugs.

"Where's the fun in that?" I sigh and listen to the lesson as Luke sits restlessly next to me. Unfortunately, he doesn't get bored and go away. Quite the opposite actually. "Princess." He whispers, nudging my arm. "Watch this." He reaches in his pocket and pulls out a small cylinder shaped container. Examining it suspiciously, I figure out what it is and look at him.

"Luke don't." I warn, leaning away. "I'm serious." He smiles and wiggles the container in his hand while I continue to shake my head. No not today. Please. Detention after school is not an option. I have way too much to do tonight. Of course Luke doesn't listen and before I can stop him, there's a loud bang! Quickly, I feel his hand grab my wrist and I'm dragged out of the room, coughing at the now polluted air. "A smoke bomb?" I hiss once we're out of the classroom. "Really?" He laughs and motions for me to follow him. "Where are we going?" I ask as I'm pulled around the corner. Luke ignores me and stops abruptly in the middle of the hall, causing me to slam into his back. To my confusion, he walks to the left and pulls open a janitor's closet. "Legacy am I about to get mugged?" I question, hesitant to go with him.

"Stop asking so many questions." Luke makes a beeline for the back of the closet and moves a rolling cart to reveal a skinny ladder mounted on the wall.

"No way." I whisper under my breath. I wouldn't necessarily consider myself obedient, but this... Even I didn't think that this was a very good idea. He looks back over his shoulder at me and smiles.

"You coming Princess?" I follow him and climb up the metal ladder carefully, letting Luke pull me out by the hand. Bits of eroded gravel crunch under my feet as we walk and the wind blows my hair around. Spinning slowly, I look out at the world around us. It's nothing I haven't seen before, but looks completely different from my point of view. For some reason, I've always liked heights. There's just something about being on top of the world I guess. I notice Luke watching me. "What?" I ask, laughing.

"Like the view?"

"Yeah, when you're not in it Legacy, move out of the way." Brushing past him, I creep as close to the edge of the roof as I dare, peering down at the ground below. A small part of me wishes that I could stay up here forever, only having to worry about not falling off. Life would be so easy on top of the school roof. Maybe something about the Thailand mountains makes my mother feel safe and protected too. Suddenly I feel two hands on my shoulders, pushing me forwards. My foot slides off of the roof as I teeter on the edge, and I yelp before being pulled back again. Whipping around, I slap Luke on the arm.

"That was not funny." I spit, trying to calm my heart down. "You almost just

killed me." Luke takes a break from laughing so that he could breathe himself. I stand and cross my arms.