Jump

"Ready, and, jump!" The rope tangled at the boy's ankles and died. I handed my end of the rope off to one of the girls watching and joined the boy at the center of the rope. "You've got to get the timing and commit." I led him out away from the rope. The two girls holding either end of the rope started swinging it until it arced up in a steady rhythm.

"Alright, ready? Go!" I ran in and jumped over the rope and started hopping to the rhythm of the rope beating the asphalt. And suddenly I noticed the boy beside me. He was jumping in unison with me but he was studying the rope as it swung around and around, his face scrunched up in concentration. I started laughing and my last jump was just a second too late and the rope grazed the bottom of my foot, sending a shiver up either side of the rope and the upward arc fell short and landed on our shoulders. The boy looked at me with wide eyes. I started laughing harder.

"You're laughing at me." His tone was more statement than accusation.

I shook my head. "No, no. I'm not." I stopped for a second, my face stilled. "Okay, I guess I kind of am." The laughing racked through my body again. "But it's a good thing, I promise."

He looked at my apprehensively. He looked as though he were going to say something but the bell marking the end of recess reverberated through the yard. The girl I handed the rope off to started winding it back up and the masses of students started shifting their direction towards the classrooms.

"My name's May," I said as I fell into step beside him as we headed back towards class.

"I'm Kalen." He looked at me and smiled, then let out a fluid laugh. "I think we can be friends."

I shrugged. "Sounds good to me."