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TWENTY-ONE
sky high
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Coating my lips the second time with my nude pink lipstick, I feel satisfied with my look. It was still 6:30 in the morning and the glass panels of my bedroom windows reflected the subtle light from the rising sun. It was best to start early so we could make the most of the day. I adjusted my turquoise cardigan, and inhale. It had been a long time since I have actually went out with a bunch of friends and in this case, I was extra nervous.
"Nessie, those heels won't provide much comfort, given the occasion." Audrey states as she spins the car key in her index finger, waiting for me at the front gate.
"Should I change?" I ask, frowning.
"Duh! Trust me, you don't wanna freak out in the middle of the road screaming that your toes hurt." She states in her ever so logical mom-tone.
"Alright, I'll just go put on my canvases" I sigh.
The floorboards creaked as I make my way up the stairs once again, annoyed because I always turn up late. The reason being fashion issues and it's a problem I particularly don't like to use as an excuse these days.
Every one was already cozing up inside the heat of the car when I finally made it. Audrey was on the wheels with Jae riding shotgun, Stefan and Hannah were half asleep in the backseat which left me with no choice but to squeeze between Iris and Ian in the middle.
"It took you donkey's years to get ready." Ian mutters as soon as I shut the door and Audrey starts the engine.
"Don't try to understand what you can't" I roll my eyes and turn aside to smile at Iris. I had figured out that I had really been a little mean to her, especially when she did nothing to deserve such sourness.
"I am so excited" she grins, her lavender blue eyes bright like a child.
"Same. Glad you joined." I say, mirroring her expression.
The roads were as dreamy as I had expected. Ninety two kilometers south of Adelaide, I couldn't wait to see the crystalline waters of Second Valley beach. It was altogether a good start to the winter break, hopefully.
Jae-hwa tunes on the radio, softly playing Indie pop and she hums along. I spare a glance at Hannah through the rearview mirror and catch her suppressing scowls. To add fuel to the fire, Stefan comments, "You have a magical voice, Jae."
Audrey passes me a knowing look and I snort.
"Hold your breaths, we are entering Second Valley." Ian's words make me shift my gaze instantly out the window. It indeed was breathtaking.
"I wish I had known of this place earlier" Iris says breezily, rolling down the window panes and letting the salty air gush in.
I immediately feel the warmth. It was so different back in the city, I thought as I stare in awe at the tall coral reefs and pristine blue waters splashing against the rocky shore. The cotton clouds sailing lazily across the sky, the smell of grilled fish in the shacks in a distance and the glee of tourists, I couldn't be happier.
"Honestly, Vanessa! We gotta thank you for convincing us to come here... I mean just look! How mesmerizing it is!" Jae-hwa grins, her rose blond strands falling to her face as she repeatedly tries to push them back.
"You guys wanna eat something? I'm ready to devour anything edible right now" Hannah interrupts, her small frame a contrast to her intimidating personality. Not that I am in any way afraid of the snitch.
"Me as well---what about some barbequed fish? There's a decent looking restaurant over there" Iris points to the far left and Hannah nods her head vigorously.
"Anyone else?" The red-head asks, glancing at her brother with a raised eyebrow.
"No. Umm, we'll go skydiving I guess" Audrey answers for him.
I watch as Hannah and Iris beeline through the crowd that has gathered in front of Barbeque Grills for fresh tuna and salmon.
"Let's go guys, what are we waiting for? There's probably a long line there" Stefan says, doing a short jump in the sand.
"Hold your horses, when did this skydiving come into the blueprint? I thought we were just snorkelling." I ask, looking at each of them with a question mark on my face.
"Oh---Didn't Jae mention it last night? It was Ian's plan. Since he never got a chance to go for skydiving back in Britain." Audrey explains.
"Why is that? I mean, why didn't you get a chance?" I inquire, meeting Ian's Chartreuse green eyes for the first time this day.
"Long story. It was school and my dad back then and now it's business. Luckily, there was no work load this weekend." he shrugs, his gaze piercing through me.
His words might sound like he was just being a super stressed teenager with too much life to handle but I knew a little deeper into the core.
"Whilst y'all were tied up in conversation, I bought the tickets! Yo ho!" Jae-hwa chirps as she joins us.
Together, we walk to the edge of the reef, the sun shining bright and warm against our skin. The instructor was already there with his crew and three other tourists, whom I figured out were from Philippines. The butterflies in my stomach were soaring as I felt Ian's hand brush against mine. He was right beside me, his eyes ahead, gazing in wonder and the ghost of a smile playing on his lips.
"Are you scared?" He asks me as he laces his heated fingers against my cold ones.
"No, just a little nervous. Never did this before." I say, laughing.
"Neither did I. So if we fall down, we're gonna do that together." he says, wiggling his eyebrows.
In a frenzy of fifteen minutes, we were boarded in the helicopter, ready for the dive. My mind was racing with thoughts, mostly : what if the parachute didn't open?
The grumpy-faced instructor tells us to relax our nerves and here was I, jittery and growing more terrified as one by one the Filipina family followed by Audrey and Jae-Hwa jump out into the open.
It was Stefan's turn next. We were allowed to jump together and I most willingly held his hand, gripping tight as I shut my eyes and leap!
I was floating.
5500 ft above ground level, the waters of Second Valley glittered beneath us as we flail our arms. People appeared like ants and I felt the roller coaster drop in my stomach. Not a minute had passed when I spot Ian in the vicinity. We were sailing smoothly, the three of us and Stefan's grip was strong enough to comfort me from the fear of falling down.
When we land on a patch of grass at the back of the reef, the moment was like finding a boat in the middle of the Pacific. Audrey and Jae-Hwa comes running up to us, smiling ear to ear.
"Now that was an adventure!" Stefan says, looping his arm around my neck and right at the moment, I stupidly lock eyes at Ian only to find him clench his jaws, turning away the next minute.
"Where you going, Eastwood?" Audrey asks, furrowing her eyebrows.
"Gonna freshen up a bit" he says wryly, not looking back.
In my guts, I had bad feeling and this time, I wasn't just reading too much into things.
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A/N: Okay, so I had to do some homework on skydiving before writing this chapter because yours faithfully doesn't have even a tiny amount of experience. Ha! Also, the new nickname for Vanessa Davenport i.e. Nessie has been invented by The_Glitzy_Girl_xoxo and I totally loved it! If you've enjoyed this chapter, do give it a vote :) Updating soon.
