Under Your Influence (GANG Series)

Chapter 12

Arias POV

      I was sitting on a rock letting the sun rays make me warmer and dryer. It was gonna take a while for my damp hair to dry. I saw Jacob putting his shirt back on as I looked behind me. I'm just wearing his grey shirt and the sun feels great. Jacob sat next to me on the rock. I just heard him let out a breath.

"Jacob that can't happen again ever." The words just spill out of my mouth even though I barely mean them.

"You seemed to enjoy it." He says harshly. "Sorry." He said seconds later. I hug my knees.

"I still have one more surprise, that is if you're still up for it." He says.

"Yeah I am, because I'm your friend Jacob." I state. He sighs slowly.

"I know, Aria, I know." He looks at me then looks at the ground and back at me. These are one of the times where I wish I knew what he was thinking. He stands up and I follow. Our hands accidentally brush against each other.

"On the other side of this tree, there is a ladder climb up it." He says suddenly.

"Okay." I respond.

The tree is a little tall. The ground keeps getting further away and that makes me very nervous. I get up onto a wooden platform with helmets on the floor. I look ahead and there's a zipline. Oh heck no. Am I gonna go on this thing?

I hear Jacob walking on the platform. He grabs a helmet and hands it to me. I attempt to put it on but I struggle so Jacob helps me. He places the helmet on my head and buckles it. His thumb smoothing across my cheek as his hands went down the buckle straps. Then he stops.

"Jacob how old is this thing?" I say anxiously.

"I don't know. I built it with Aaron when we were thirteen, so about seven years old. Jace then got us professional people because he didn't trust our handiwork. " He says.

"Oh." I say nervously.

"Aria, nothing's gonna happen to you. Nothing or anyone can hurt you as long as I'm around. I've already told you this." He states. I know and I believe him. I turn away and look down. That fall seems pretty far. I suddenly feel Jacobs body heat radiating. He's now right behind me.

"Aria, Aaron is waiting for you on the other side. You're gonna be ok. I need you to trust me. Do you trust me?" He whispers into my ear. I don't know what to say to that.

"Do you trust me?" He repeats himself.

"Yes." I say truthfully. A seven year old zip line built by thirteen year olds. No danger here. I mean they did get professional help, which is the only thing convincing me to get into this.

"Okay." He says. He steps back and I let go of a breath that I didn't know I was holding in. He hooks me up to the zip line. I expect it to snap, but it's sturdy. Before I know it, I'm flying. I open my eyes. Everything feels incredible. The air feels amazing. I'm in awe as I look at the trees, passing by in a beautiful, green blur. I smile as I see a little brown bird fly past me. I feel free. I haven't felt like this in a long time. Then I panic as I see the other side and I don't know how to stop this thing. Aaron is nowhere in sight.

Trust. Trust. Trust Jacob. I'm gonna be fine.

I kept repeating that to myself. When I get to the platform I feel myself stop. Aaron was right there stopping me from crashing into anything.

"Hey you actually made it. How was it?" He asks.

"It was . . . fun." I breathe.

"There comes Jacob." He nods his head toward Jacob on the zip line, but he's not wearing a helmet. Does he not know about safety? He lands perfectly without any help. Woah, how do these men do this?