Another Time

Chapter 1

5 Years Ago

I wobble nervously to the edge. The dark rocks under my bare feet are uncomfortable. I feel like my heart is about to explode in my chest.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he whispers. I don't answer because my brain is moving a mile a minute. I have never been so nervous and this is completely out of my comfort zone, but I promised myself that in college I would be more spontaneous and let myself have fun. I squeeze my eyes, take a deep breath, and jump.

I want to scream as I free fall. I think I hear cheering above me from where I just leaped but I can't say for sure. The rest of the world falls silent and I am flying. It feels as though minutes pass until I finally feel myself engulfed in water. The water is a slightly warm embrace and I try to push out the thought of what creatures might be nearby. I open my eyes and swim back up toward the light of the approaching sunset. When I breach the surface, I feel a wave of relief. Did I really just do that?

"You okay down there, Sierra?" Danny yells.

"I'm fine. I can't believe I did that!" I tread the murky lake water as I settle my heart rate. I try to control my breath as I start to paddle toward the bank about 20 feet away.

"I can't believe you did either!" Danny's laugh booms down at me. My eyes travel up to the top of the cliff to see him and our friends Joel and Lily clapping.

Before that cliff jump, the most daring thing I had ever done was ride the old, rickety tilt-a-whirl at the city fair. It takes over the downtown streets every year in the fall, and Danny always has to persuade me with funnel cakes to get me to ride it.

I walk up the bank and turn around to watch my crazy friends follow me. They have each jumped well over ten times today, but this is the first time I get to watch from below. It took all afternoon for me to get the courage to jump once. The sunset takes command of the sky now, turning the top of the water a vibrant hue. I notice that I am smiling to myself as I take in the moment.

Danny yells a crude word as his 6-foot frame comes crashing into the water to break me from my tranquility. When his head quickly pops up, he lets out a big "woohoo". I see Lily's pink leopard-print bikini come blurring into the water next, quickly followed by Joel's neon-green swim trunks. They are both dressed obnoxiously compared to my simple, white one-piece and Danny's solid black shorts. Typical them.

We all climb up the bank and start back toward the top of the cliff. It's my first time walking through the narrow path so I let the others walk ahead. I am looking intently for spiders as we fight through tree branches and wild plants. The thought of stepping barefoot on some kind of creature or insect is all that runs through my mind until we get to the clearing at the top. I don't know how they did this so many times.

"Ready to go?" Danny asks the group. We all nod, me a bit quicker than the others, and grab our shoes and towels before heading to the parking lot. We found this spot a few months ago when we all went exploring for a good cliff. We have never seen another person here so we like to think that nobody knows about it but us. The parking lot sits on the other side of the distant tree line so I am guessing nobody has ever bothered to see what is on the other side.

Lily and Joel walk ahead of us. Her arms are wrapped around his right arm and they are laughing about who knows what. I barely notice because I am too enthralled by the colorful sky. The difference ten minutes has made is unreal. It is painted a deep purple with small strokes of pink where the sun is still trying to peek past the horizon.

"You look hot when you cliff jump," Joel tells her with a smirk as he tosses his sandals into the back of his black Jeep. Lily smiles and kisses him. Danny and I look at each other and roll our eyes as we towel off. Joel and Lily have been dating since freshman year of high school, yet we are still grossed out by their PDA. As annoying as it is sometimes, I still think they are cute and I love them together. Lily and I always gossip over when we think he will propose. We don't know what he's waiting for but we both know it's inevitable. They haven't been as mushy tonight which has been a nice change, though.