Cliff Jumping is Prescribed

04| Initiation

The months passed by quickly and before I knew it the end of the year was approaching. Time was ticking incredibly loudly in the back of my mind as the days passed.

Bennett has gone back to his crutches which meant he was easier to steal away and force to join me and Marty on all our adventures. I've adopted the kid into the friend group and although he still made googly eyes at my sister sometimes, I chose to ignore it because she seems to be returning them most of the time.

"Randall," Zelda's voice rang out and I turned quickly. She wasn't supposed to be in this lunch period. She shared one with Bennett and Iris, so her being here shocked me slightly. But then I saw the red rim around her eyes and the way she was hugging herself as she sniffled and I stood up quickly.

"I'll be right back," I told Franny and Marty who were practically eating each other's face anyways. I tugged on Zelda's arm until we were out of the view of the cafeteria before facing my upset sister.

"What's the matter Bugs?" I asked her softly as I pulled my sleeve up and wiped her tears away, trying to avoid smudging her mascara. She sniffled again as she handed me a piece of paper.

"They denied me to go on the trip," she whispered and I frowned as I looked at the paper for the Fords trip. The same one that she's been wanting to go on since her first day of high school.

She's one of the smartest people I know I don't know why they would deny her.

"Bugs," I said with a sad look on my own face as her lips wobbled and I pulled her into a hug.

"You're still a junior, Bugs. You still have time to sign up again, I'm sure they'll take you in next year."

"I was just really excited about it," she mumbled and I held her tight. This was the first year she was allowed to sign up and I knew it was killing her that they said no when she prepared for so long.

"Hey, you're the best candidate I can think of. Maybe they'll change their minds."

"They won't. It's super exclusive Randall I was hoping to go the whole year," she whispered and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and shook her a little.

"If they don't change their mind Bugs then we can figure out an internship you can do with a similar initiative. I can make some calls for you and we can go around and ask," I said and she rubbed her nose.

"You'd do that?"

"Hell yeah, I will. A whole summer with your brother internship hunting? What part of that doesn't sound amazing to you?" I had different plans for the summer, but I'll push them back easily.

She offered me a soft smile, "That sounds nice."

"Sounds like paradise," she shoved me and rolled her eyes.

I poked her cheek. "Now keep that smile on your face Bugs. No need to be sad," she pulled me into a quick hug as the bell rang.

"Thanks, Randy," she whispered "you always know how to cheer me up," and then ran off to class.

I watched as the chestnut-haired girl ran down the hall and shook my head in amusement. I don't know what I'm supposed to do when I'm away from her, Lynne, and Athena when school starts.

***

"I'm just so confused," Bennett whined while shutting the car door.

"Welcome to your initiation," I grinned at him and he shivered as we continued our course.

"This sounds like a cult," he mumbled as we stopped the car in front of Franny and Iris's house. The two came running out and Franny jumped in, shoving Zelda to the back row as Iris climbed in and moved to the back row as well. I turned and looked at Iris with a huge smile on my face that she mimicked whenever we saw each other.