When I charged out the door, I had never been so happy to see fresh air and sunshine in my life. I ran away from the school like it was on fire, wanted to get as far away from it, no, as far away from my messed up life, as fast as possible. I still can't believe he would do this to me! Tears streaming down my face and feet pounding on the sidewalk beneath me, I pulled out my phone, ready to call the person who had been there for me all summer. My finger hovered over his contact, ready to call him when I remembered. He wouldn't be there. He would never be there again.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYD9vWorO6
I quickly shook that thought out of my head. Knowing exactly what I needed to do, I scrolled through my contacts and dialed the number of the only other person I knew would always be there for me; the only person who knew what really happened over the summer. He would understand and he would come, no matter where he was or what he was doing. I lifted my phone to my ear and heard it ringing on the other end. Please pick up, please pick up, I thought. Then I heard a click. Without even bothering to say hello or make sure he was really there I whispered, “Jay, I need you.” Then I ran faster than I thought possible away from everything. He would know where to find me.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegOxRZpIHC
~*~
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9imb05kuT5
"El?" I heard my cousin Jayden call from the base of the large tree I was sitting in. Ever since we were little Jayden and I had climbed up to one of the highest branches in the tree, a branch that was perfectly concealed and made a perfect place to sit.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYiN40DwXR
"Up here," I said hoarsely, my throat sore after all that crying. Seconds later, I saw Jayden's jet black hair and tan skin coming through the branches to sit next to me, pulling me onto his lap.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTiqQ1yFhR
"What's wrong El? I haven't see you this upset since...oh god I'm going to kill him! What did he do this time?" I turned and began sobbing into Jayden's chest, blubbering the entire story out to him. "I am going to march into that school and kill that…ugh!! Anybody who dares to hurt you like this doesn't deserve to live!" Jayden fumed, and I didn't doubt that he would actually go and do that for me.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BWSfBNgTf
"Just stay with me Jay," I said in a barely audible voice, trying to wipe away the rest of my tears. "Stay with me until he leaves town. So he can't come near me."
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmnoXxiQ9M
"What about school?" he asked. "I'm sure since he's a 'special visitor' they're going to have him going around and making speeches and stuff."
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3n8ijAsQwb
"I'll stay home."
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jBntxCt93
"Why is he here anyway? What did he do that is so damn amazing that they just had to have him come and talk to people about it?"
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mjUdBI6Sz
"I don't know, but can we just forget about it?"
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5l7dUmtGZ
Noticing he was upsetting me, Jayden quickly changed the subject. "Do you remember when we found this spot?" he asked. I giggled. "You said that you were a much better tree climber than me.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTG39CMPJbZ
"And you had to go and prove me wrong. I just remember you falling right onto this branch from way up there," I said, pointing to a branch a good few feet above us.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn554eLUsIe
~*~
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1L1OVyx6l
There’s no way you can climb up to that branch like I did,” I laughed, playfully shoving Jayden. “We all know that I’m a better tree climber than you.”
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfd3bRkg02
Defending his ten year old pride, Jayden smirked and said, “Wanna bet?”
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVA8NJXsyf
Laughing, I told him, “If you can reach that branch way up there, I’ll buy you a chocolate bar. And if you can’t, you owe me a chocolate bar.” The branch I had pointed to was nearly at the top of the tree, higher than I had ever climbed before.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ghq63WEDt
Determined to prove me wrong, Jayden said, “Deal,” and, grabbing the lowest branch, began to climb with me right behind him.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYobunPk5RF
A good five minutes later I glanced down, only to see the we were what seemed like a mile above the ground. “Ja-“ I started to call out, but was interrupted by a thump and a loud groan. “Jayden!” I screamed, scrambling up to where he had fallen. When I reached the branch he was lying on I glanced up only to see the most beautiful scene I had ever set my eyes on. I gasped a little, completely forgetting the reason I was up there in the first place. From my perch in the tree I could see for miles. On one side of me was the suburban landscape; rows of houses each with its own yard, and the children playing on the streets. On my other side I could see a completely different scene. There was a large stretch of untamed forest, just waiting to be explored. The lush green treetops were just a few feet in front of me, and I could see the occasional person wandering the paths. It was the most spectacular thing I had ever seen. Ever better than Disney World.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBeyd0vziE
A good ten minutes later I heard another loud groan, breaking me out of my trance and reminding me of why I was there in the first place.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOxlbijjiv
~*~
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGr6DbGwCVT
"When I slipped I was sure I was going to die," Jayden laughed, reminiscing over our adventure.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbWp3ChWBo
"Then I came up to help you and I got so distracted by the view I forgot why I was up here."
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBeohWyGbA
"I was lying here in pain for a good ten minutes before you finally remembered me." We both started laughing at the memory, all our other problems forgotten.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVAxwfNcXY
Our parents were extremely mad that day, especially since Jayden had to wear a back brace for a month. They even banned us from seeing each other for the entire time Jayden had the brace, but we both agreed that it was worth it to discover our special spot. Now we always come up here if we have news, or if one of us is extremely upset. Like now. Somehow being up in that tree together always made us feel better. Up in the treetops it was us against the world, and nothing could come in our way.
791Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TtTkjtEFl
Alone with Jayden, everything was perfect. Nothing could harm us, or get in our way, there was only us. Just us, the birds, and the treetops. And with that thought, I fell asleep with my head in Jayden’s lap, just like old times.
ns 15.158.61.17da2
