A little thing called pocky
Chapter 1
There I was, at lunch sitting casually around my friends. That's when my friend, Kat, stood up and slammed her hands down on the table enthusiastically. Her eyes shining with excitement. Myself and my friends Ian, Tess, and Ricky turned our heads all in wonder.
"Oh my god guys! Guess what I found?" Kat shouted for the whole lunch room to hear, even though no one else in the cafiteria cared enough to listen. Before waiting for a response from us she reached down into her brown bag lunch bag and pulled out a small red box. "Pocky!"
Tess then clapped her hands together and smiled. She the one in our 'posse' who was often seen with a volume of manga or stick of pocky sticking out of the corner of her mouth. Tess held out her hand and said, "Pocky. Box. Now."
Kat playfully shook her head and handed her pocky stick. Tess's eyes thinned before she accepted the pocky stick. Ricky looked over at Kat, his expression confused, "I thought if anyone was going to bring whatever this pocky stuff it would be Tess. I mean look at her, her eyes are huge and she looks like a hamster eating a seed." Ricky said while motioning towards Tess.
Ian, Kat, and I couldn't help but smirk at the comment. Kat then handed the rest of us a pocky stick before devouring her own in seconds. Ian nibbled on the end with a peculiar look on his face. While Ricky bit of half of the stick with ease. I sat there and examined it closly. "Do I have to?" I asked.
"No, it tastes like shit. Basically it's a stick of nothing-ness covered in chocolate." Ian mumbled.
Tess's pocky stick nearly fell out her mouth. "What do you mean, 'Do I have too?'" She growled before turning to Ian beside me, "It's a stick of perfection. With it's perfect balance between chocolate and biscut." Kat was nodding vigorously while she sat down between Tess and Ricky.
I have a thing called food neophobia. It's a newly found condition that hasn't been classified as an officail phobia yet and doctors don't know how many people have it, but I know I'm one of it's victims. It's basically the fear of trying new food. As stupid as it is, if I try to eat something new I start shaking and if I do get the food to my mouth it tastes odd because everything's off.
I gently twirled the chocolate covered stick between my fingers. It didn't look like milk chocolate A.K.A the only chocolate I can highly tolerate. I looked over at Ian. He was the only who knew about my fear. He shurgged his shoulders before resuming nibbling on the stick. Ricky, Tess, and Kat were constantly reaching back into the red package with ease while I sat with the pocky still in my hands.
"Did you like it Lily? Want more?" Kat asked extending the box. I shook my head she seemed to get the message along with the others.
"You really don't like it?" Ricky asked shocked.
"There's something wrong with your tastebuds you two." Tess added.
I lifted the stick to my mouth; that's when the shaking started. I threw the stick down and tried faking a smile to cover but it didn't work. The sound of the stick hitting the floor was louder than I expected or at least more recognizable than I assumed. Tess looked up at me, "How could you?" she hissed.
Kat and Ricky looked at each other before shouting in unison, "Traitor!"
I slumped down in my chair, ashamed. Once again I failed to overcome my fear. I could tell Ian was giving me the "I thought this was it." look. Then I slowly reached into my lunch and pulled out some carrots. After several minutes of awkward silence at our table besides the sound of chewing the bell rang and off to class we went. As I was leaving the lunch room Ian ran up behind me and tapped my shoulder.
"You were so close. Lily, you're almost there, just keep trying." He whispered. Embarrassed I quickened my pace and ran to the next class.
Chapter 2
Finally the day was coming to an end after 9 periods of classes. Luckily for me, no one in our 'posse' was in any of my afternoon classes. Now all that was left to do was to pack up and board the bus. I quickly shoved my stuff into my bag before bolting out the door onto the bus. I had met the other members of our 'posse' through the bus ride to and from school. My friends and I had agreed earlier in the year that if one of us was working we weren't to bother them. Now all I had to do was to get on the bus before everyone else and to start working. Since none of them were in my afternoon class, none of them could say that the homework wasn't due until later. I quickly scurried onto the bus keeping my head down. Right as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief I looked up to see Ian happily sitting in the seat across from mine. He flashed me a boyish grin and waved.
"Great. Absolutly wonder." I mumbled to myself as I plopped myself down onto the old bus seat. Then I proceeded to get a notebook and pencil.
"Oh, homework." Ian started, "I suppose that's pretty important to get done. I'll talk to you once you're done."
Soon afer the bus started off on it's journey to bring all my fellow high school bus riders home.
During the bus ride I figured I might as well write poetry considering I had no homework I really wanted to do on the bus. Over the yeas I've learned that Math homework+bus=failed math homework.
This is what I wrote:
The delicate petals of a newly blossomed flowers are pure perfection
Their color is a healthy shade and their shape is spot on
Tens of these tiny things make a flower
A full complete functional piece of life
But as the hours pass the sun shows it's fun strength
Causing the flower to use it's remaining water for it's petals
After another week of tourching heat and little water
The once little perfect flower wilts
I wish I could say that there was a meaning behind this, buy there truly isn't. It's just a poem I created to prevent me from talking to Ian; who was still sitting across from me.
I put my pencil down for just a moment so I could look out the window to see how far away from home I was. Even though it was such a slight movement Ian could tell that I was done with my "homework."
"I know you're just avoiding a potential conversation by scribbling down a poem. I've always been able to see right through you Lily." Ian said with a hint of whimsy in his voice.
"Ian, of all people you know why I'm this way." I sighed, "I doubt I'm that transparent. If I was completely see through Ricky, Kat, and Tess would know everything. It just means you know too much. How much have a I told through all these years?"
Ian was right, I hoped that writing a poem would take up most of the bus ride home, but we were still another good thirty minutes away. Yes, we. We're really close neighbors; that's why he knows so much. For a while all I would do is run outside, hide, and cry. When I was seven year my world came crashing down on me. All I wanted to do was cry and be alone, outside seemed like the perfect place. My parents could have cared less about me, their actions were part of the reason I isolated myself. Weeks passed of the same routine, but one afternoon I ran to my usually spot behind some foliage but there was a boy there. He was about my age. He had had brown-ish blonde hair, brown eyes, and a kind face. Yup, that was Ian when he was just a mere slip of lad. After he interrogated me about my personal situation we took me house and his mother helped calm me down. Even though they had just moved in, she stopped what she was doing to help me. I still go to them when my world starts slowing slipping. Ian's with me most of the day so he puts up with most of my dilemmas, no matter how stupid and miniscule they seem. They're truly a pair that has helped me stay on this planet, even at age seven suicide had polluted my mind.
"So what's wrong? You have that same look on your face the day I met you?" Ian said looking at me.
I kept my eyes down on the piece of paper on my lap before I quietly repled, "Nothing."
"Liar." He shot back just a bit to quickly.
"You would know that I don't lie."
"Lily I know you all to well to know that what you just said was a lie."
"You're impossible and irksome. The only reason I keep talking to you is because you're helpful."
"Well that was hurtful Miss Lily." Ian said while faking a frown.
"I was kidding, except for that last part."
"I know." Ian said slighty conceitedly.
"I think I take back that "kidding" part now."
"Whether you take it back or not, I still know you truly think I'm irksome and impossible yet helpful. Now let's get way back to the main question, what's bothering you?"
"Nothing." I responded.
"Lily's a liar..." Ian whispered loud enough for me to hear.
"Ugh! Just leave me the hell alone Ian!" I shouted throwing a water bottle at him.
Ian proceeded to pick up the water bottle and then gave it back to me, smiling idiotically all the while. He then looked out the window before muttering, "The PMS sure is strong this month."
Chapter 3
Normally a comment of his like that wouldn't have set me off, but because of today's events this was the tip of the iceberg. Without even realizing it, I was baring my teeth like a dog and quietly cursing. That's when my arm thrust into his seat. Afte realizing what I just did, I looked over to see Ian, who was holding his hand up. My fist in his hand.
"I know you Lily." Ian said releasing my fist.
I drew back my hand slowly and apologized. I then sat back in my seat and sighed, "You really want to know what's happening, don't you?"
"Finally!" Ian cheered, "Now tell big brother Ian."
"First off you're younger than me, and second of all, never call yourself "Big brother Ian" again."
"So it's not going to catch on?"
"No."
"Then please, do share your problems."
"You're way too eager to hear all the bullshit happening in my life." I sighed.
"What are neighbors for?"
That's when I realized that we were in our neighborhood. Quickly I shoved my poem into my bookbag and put the straps over my shoulders, "Tell you when we're off. Want to walk down to the pond after we put our stuff down?" I asked while standing up.
Ian nodded and then extended his arm out to the side. I nodded slightly, then walked down the tiny aisle to the door before hopping off.
"Ten minutes of so?" Ian asked while he walked up next to me.
"Sure, we'll meet at the corner."
Then we silently walked to our side-by-side houses. Once he turned to walk up the drive way of his small colonial house, I ran to my house next-door. I ran to the garage and pulled the key out of my pocket before I unlocked the door and ran upstairs to my room and shut the door. Behind my bedroom door my dull purple room decorated with posters of rabbits. As you may have guessed, my room hasn't changed in the past tweleve years or so. I know that up until I was three years old that my room was blue. Let's just say that me not having a penis was a surprise to the doctors, nurses, my older brother, and my parents.
I looked at the clock to see that I only had four minutes left to prepare myself. I could already tell that my tears would turn into waterfalls very soon. After running into the bathroom and removing what light amount make-up I had on I threw on a flimsy hat and then ran downstairs. After basically jumping down multiple stairs I grabbed a handful of tissues and stuck them into the tiny clutch I carried with me almost everywhere. Before closing the door, I checked my back pocket for my key-check! I didn't bother turning on the security system or locking the door from the garage to the house. The garage door was closed though. But if someone broke in, it wouldn't be my loss. I didn't really have anything to lose in there, I had my ipod and house key. If someone broke in, it would be my parents who would suffer. And I have no problem with seeing them suffer. Revenge I can't be blamed for, something I will always favor and support.
Chapter 4I quickened my pace and ran to the corner; for Ian was already waiting. When I had reached the corner he tooke me by surprise. During my short dash to the corner my hat managed to fall to the right. I thought he simply going to place my hat back in it's proper position. Being Ian it, seemed like something he would do, but boy was I wrong. He abruptly reached out, grabbed my hat, and ran off.
"You're angry-I can tell! At least this way you can take it out on me now!" Ian yelled while he ran full speed down our street.
"Now remember, you brought this upon yourself!" I hollered before I sprinted after him. We played cat-and-mouse for countless blocks, really, I lost count.
Even though though I wasn't sure which direction we were running in or for how long we were running in that direction I knew our exact location. On the horizon, the great pond of Anderson Village was just barely visible. With the pond insight I started coming up with my plan. I knew that Ian would be slowing down his surprisingly stable pace. That's when I would attack and get my beloved hat back. Beloved may be a too strong of an adjective here but...who am I kidding? I fucking loved that hat. It brought good memories back. My plan would be to do whatever it took to get my hat back. I figured a spur of the moment thing would be the best thing to do in a silly situation like this. Just as I though Ian stopped running right on the edge of the cliff that when you looked over was the rocky part of the great pond of Anderson Village. Ian was facing the horizon, watching the sun slowly sink down behind all the large wealthy houses on the other end of town visible from our cliff. I slowed down and stalked him like cat getting ready to pounce. When the timing felt just right I leaped out, pulled the hat out of his hands and tackled him all in one swift move. Spur of the moment plans go well about 20% of the time in movies but since this wasn't a movie I figured the odds of this ending well for the both of us would be higher. Well, I was wrong.
Chapter 5
Ian didn't expect me to tackle him over a hat. Or 'silly hat' according to him. When I tackled him he lost his footing and suddenly we were rolling (more like falling) down the edge of the cliff towards the rocky part of the pond. As you can imagine we were screaming all the while. It's times like these when your life flashes before your eyes. I remembered when brother used to actually live at home, when my parents actually liked me, when I met Ian and his mom, and the most dreadful moments hidden in the back of your mind you hope and try your best to forget but can't. The one thing that stood out the most was what had happened earlier today, the pocky incident...my food neophobia. It was at that moment I knew that I wasn't going to die without overcoming it. We were quickly coming towards the rocks (A.K.A. our deathbed) I then brought my knees to my chest and put my head down. Curling up into a ball and pluging my nose seemed like a good idea, but I wasn't turely sure.
"Ian! Curl up into a ball and plug your nose!" I instructed.
I couldn't tell if he nodded or said anything; and I wasn't sure if he had listened or even heard me over the sound of his own screaming and the sound of falling down a cliff. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoped for the best, and embraced for the impact. But there wasn't a watery sharp impact. Rather a weird bouncy feeling. A second later I a large impact set me flying up into the air mulitple feet. When I landed aain I slowly opened my eyes. A net. We landed in a large mesh net. One of those nets for catching loose rocks off of a cliff or old bridge. Luckily for us, no large rocks.
I scanned the net for Ian, I felt him hit the net but it was fairly narrow and he could have easily fallen off. If Ian was gone I don't know what I would do. I was in a current state when he was alive, I'd be a total mess if he was gone. And that's an understatement. I heard an agonizing groan coming from my left and I flung myself in the direction. Ian slowly uncurled from his ball and looked up at me. His eyes grew big before he lunged forward and hugged me tight.
"Don't do anything stupid like that again." Ian scolded, but his voice sweet and slightly trembling.
I hugged him back and then we helped each other to our knees. We were both a little scratched up but nothing was broken. I looked back up the side of the cliff.
"We just survived a 15 foot drop off a cliff thanks to this net." I said astonished.
Ian nodded before turning to me looking as paniced as possible, "Now how do we get off? We climb up the cliff and we're surrounded by water." He then reached into his back pocket pulling out his cell phone, "Busted. Surprise surprise."
"Guess we're swimming." I queitly said.
"Were's you hat and phone?"
"I left my phone in my clutch and set that on the ground before I tackled you..."
"Did you plan this?"
"I planned tackling you but not almost falling to our death. Sorry..."
"No hard feelings." Ian said while leaning back, "Since we're hear and can't get off, you might as well spill everything."
"I guess, but isn't a moonlite swim for lovers?" I asked awkwardlky.
"Who said we're staying here for a long time. Who knows what's active in these waters."
I sighed, he had a point. I didn't want to be stranded here all night either. The sooner I said everything the sooner we could swim to shore and then make the long walk home in the dark. And to make things worse we would get home we would have homework.
There I was, at lunch sitting casually around my friends. That's when my friend, Kat, stood up and slammed her hands down on the table enthusiastically. Her eyes shining with excitement. Myself and my friends Ian, Tess, and Ricky turned our heads all in wonder.
"Oh my god guys! Guess what I found?" Kat shouted for the whole lunch room to hear, even though no one else in the cafiteria cared enough to listen. Before waiting for a response from us she reached down into her brown bag lunch bag and pulled out a small red box. "Pocky!"
Tess then clapped her hands together and smiled. She the one in our 'posse' who was often seen with a volume of manga or stick of pocky sticking out of the corner of her mouth. Tess held out her hand and said, "Pocky. Box. Now."
Kat playfully shook her head and handed her pocky stick. Tess's eyes thinned before she accepted the pocky stick. Ricky looked over at Kat, his expression confused, "I thought if anyone was going to bring whatever this pocky stuff it would be Tess. I mean look at her, her eyes are huge and she looks like a hamster eating a seed." Ricky said while motioning towards Tess.
Ian, Kat, and I couldn't help but smirk at the comment. Kat then handed the rest of us a pocky stick before devouring her own in seconds. Ian nibbled on the end with a peculiar look on his face. While Ricky bit of half of the stick with ease. I sat there and examined it closly. "Do I have to?" I asked.
"No, it tastes like shit. Basically it's a stick of nothing-ness covered in chocolate." Ian mumbled.
Tess's pocky stick nearly fell out her mouth. "What do you mean, 'Do I have too?'" She growled before turning to Ian beside me, "It's a stick of perfection. With it's perfect balance between chocolate and biscut." Kat was nodding vigorously while she sat down between Tess and Ricky.
I have a thing called food neophobia. It's a newly found condition that hasn't been classified as an officail phobia yet and doctors don't know how many people have it, but I know I'm one of it's victims. It's basically the fear of trying new food. As stupid as it is, if I try to eat something new I start shaking and if I do get the food to my mouth it tastes odd because everything's off.
I gently twirled the chocolate covered stick between my fingers. It didn't look like milk chocolate A.K.A the only chocolate I can highly tolerate. I looked over at Ian. He was the only who knew about my fear. He shurgged his shoulders before resuming nibbling on the stick. Ricky, Tess, and Kat were constantly reaching back into the red package with ease while I sat with the pocky still in my hands.
"Did you like it Lily? Want more?" Kat asked extending the box. I shook my head she seemed to get the message along with the others.
"You really don't like it?" Ricky asked shocked.
"There's something wrong with your tastebuds you two." Tess added.
I lifted the stick to my mouth; that's when the shaking started. I threw the stick down and tried faking a smile to cover but it didn't work. The sound of the stick hitting the floor was louder than I expected or at least more recognizable than I assumed. Tess looked up at me, "How could you?" she hissed.
Kat and Ricky looked at each other before shouting in unison, "Traitor!"
I slumped down in my chair, ashamed. Once again I failed to overcome my fear. I could tell Ian was giving me the "I thought this was it." look. Then I slowly reached into my lunch and pulled out some carrots. After several minutes of awkward silence at our table besides the sound of chewing the bell rang and off to class we went. As I was leaving the lunch room Ian ran up behind me and tapped my shoulder.
"You were so close. Lily, you're almost there, just keep trying." He whispered. Embarrassed I quickened my pace and ran to the next class.
Chapter 2
Finally the day was coming to an end after 9 periods of classes. Luckily for me, no one in our 'posse' was in any of my afternoon classes. Now all that was left to do was to pack up and board the bus. I quickly shoved my stuff into my bag before bolting out the door onto the bus. I had met the other members of our 'posse' through the bus ride to and from school. My friends and I had agreed earlier in the year that if one of us was working we weren't to bother them. Now all I had to do was to get on the bus before everyone else and to start working. Since none of them were in my afternoon class, none of them could say that the homework wasn't due until later. I quickly scurried onto the bus keeping my head down. Right as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief I looked up to see Ian happily sitting in the seat across from mine. He flashed me a boyish grin and waved.
"Great. Absolutly wonder." I mumbled to myself as I plopped myself down onto the old bus seat. Then I proceeded to get a notebook and pencil.
"Oh, homework." Ian started, "I suppose that's pretty important to get done. I'll talk to you once you're done."
Soon afer the bus started off on it's journey to bring all my fellow high school bus riders home.
During the bus ride I figured I might as well write poetry considering I had no homework I really wanted to do on the bus. Over the yeas I've learned that Math homework+bus=failed math homework.
This is what I wrote:
The delicate petals of a newly blossomed flowers are pure perfection
Their color is a healthy shade and their shape is spot on
Tens of these tiny things make a flower
A full complete functional piece of life
But as the hours pass the sun shows it's fun strength
Causing the flower to use it's remaining water for it's petals
After another week of tourching heat and little water
The once little perfect flower wilts
I wish I could say that there was a meaning behind this, buy there truly isn't. It's just a poem I created to prevent me from talking to Ian; who was still sitting across from me.
I put my pencil down for just a moment so I could look out the window to see how far away from home I was. Even though it was such a slight movement Ian could tell that I was done with my "homework."
"I know you're just avoiding a potential conversation by scribbling down a poem. I've always been able to see right through you Lily." Ian said with a hint of whimsy in his voice.
"Ian, of all people you know why I'm this way." I sighed, "I doubt I'm that transparent. If I was completely see through Ricky, Kat, and Tess would know everything. It just means you know too much. How much have a I told through all these years?"
Ian was right, I hoped that writing a poem would take up most of the bus ride home, but we were still another good thirty minutes away. Yes, we. We're really close neighbors; that's why he knows so much. For a while all I would do is run outside, hide, and cry. When I was seven year my world came crashing down on me. All I wanted to do was cry and be alone, outside seemed like the perfect place. My parents could have cared less about me, their actions were part of the reason I isolated myself. Weeks passed of the same routine, but one afternoon I ran to my usually spot behind some foliage but there was a boy there. He was about my age. He had had brown-ish blonde hair, brown eyes, and a kind face. Yup, that was Ian when he was just a mere slip of lad. After he interrogated me about my personal situation we took me house and his mother helped calm me down. Even though they had just moved in, she stopped what she was doing to help me. I still go to them when my world starts slowing slipping. Ian's with me most of the day so he puts up with most of my dilemmas, no matter how stupid and miniscule they seem. They're truly a pair that has helped me stay on this planet, even at age seven suicide had polluted my mind.
"So what's wrong? You have that same look on your face the day I met you?" Ian said looking at me.
I kept my eyes down on the piece of paper on my lap before I quietly repled, "Nothing."
"Liar." He shot back just a bit to quickly.
"You would know that I don't lie."
"Lily I know you all to well to know that what you just said was a lie."
"You're impossible and irksome. The only reason I keep talking to you is because you're helpful."
"Well that was hurtful Miss Lily." Ian said while faking a frown.
"I was kidding, except for that last part."
"I know." Ian said slighty conceitedly.
"I think I take back that "kidding" part now."
"Whether you take it back or not, I still know you truly think I'm irksome and impossible yet helpful. Now let's get way back to the main question, what's bothering you?"
"Nothing." I responded.
"Lily's a liar..." Ian whispered loud enough for me to hear.
"Ugh! Just leave me the hell alone Ian!" I shouted throwing a water bottle at him.
Ian proceeded to pick up the water bottle and then gave it back to me, smiling idiotically all the while. He then looked out the window before muttering, "The PMS sure is strong this month."
Chapter 3
Normally a comment of his like that wouldn't have set me off, but because of today's events this was the tip of the iceberg. Without even realizing it, I was baring my teeth like a dog and quietly cursing. That's when my arm thrust into his seat. Afte realizing what I just did, I looked over to see Ian, who was holding his hand up. My fist in his hand.
"I know you Lily." Ian said releasing my fist.
I drew back my hand slowly and apologized. I then sat back in my seat and sighed, "You really want to know what's happening, don't you?"
"Finally!" Ian cheered, "Now tell big brother Ian."
"First off you're younger than me, and second of all, never call yourself "Big brother Ian" again."
"So it's not going to catch on?"
"No."
"Then please, do share your problems."
"You're way too eager to hear all the bullshit happening in my life." I sighed.
"What are neighbors for?"
That's when I realized that we were in our neighborhood. Quickly I shoved my poem into my bookbag and put the straps over my shoulders, "Tell you when we're off. Want to walk down to the pond after we put our stuff down?" I asked while standing up.
Ian nodded and then extended his arm out to the side. I nodded slightly, then walked down the tiny aisle to the door before hopping off.
"Ten minutes of so?" Ian asked while he walked up next to me.
"Sure, we'll meet at the corner."
Then we silently walked to our side-by-side houses. Once he turned to walk up the drive way of his small colonial house, I ran to my house next-door. I ran to the garage and pulled the key out of my pocket before I unlocked the door and ran upstairs to my room and shut the door. Behind my bedroom door my dull purple room decorated with posters of rabbits. As you may have guessed, my room hasn't changed in the past tweleve years or so. I know that up until I was three years old that my room was blue. Let's just say that me not having a penis was a surprise to the doctors, nurses, my older brother, and my parents.
I looked at the clock to see that I only had four minutes left to prepare myself. I could already tell that my tears would turn into waterfalls very soon. After running into the bathroom and removing what light amount make-up I had on I threw on a flimsy hat and then ran downstairs. After basically jumping down multiple stairs I grabbed a handful of tissues and stuck them into the tiny clutch I carried with me almost everywhere. Before closing the door, I checked my back pocket for my key-check! I didn't bother turning on the security system or locking the door from the garage to the house. The garage door was closed though. But if someone broke in, it wouldn't be my loss. I didn't really have anything to lose in there, I had my ipod and house key. If someone broke in, it would be my parents who would suffer. And I have no problem with seeing them suffer. Revenge I can't be blamed for, something I will always favor and support.
Chapter 4I quickened my pace and ran to the corner; for Ian was already waiting. When I had reached the corner he tooke me by surprise. During my short dash to the corner my hat managed to fall to the right. I thought he simply going to place my hat back in it's proper position. Being Ian it, seemed like something he would do, but boy was I wrong. He abruptly reached out, grabbed my hat, and ran off.
"You're angry-I can tell! At least this way you can take it out on me now!" Ian yelled while he ran full speed down our street.
"Now remember, you brought this upon yourself!" I hollered before I sprinted after him. We played cat-and-mouse for countless blocks, really, I lost count.
Even though though I wasn't sure which direction we were running in or for how long we were running in that direction I knew our exact location. On the horizon, the great pond of Anderson Village was just barely visible. With the pond insight I started coming up with my plan. I knew that Ian would be slowing down his surprisingly stable pace. That's when I would attack and get my beloved hat back. Beloved may be a too strong of an adjective here but...who am I kidding? I fucking loved that hat. It brought good memories back. My plan would be to do whatever it took to get my hat back. I figured a spur of the moment thing would be the best thing to do in a silly situation like this. Just as I though Ian stopped running right on the edge of the cliff that when you looked over was the rocky part of the great pond of Anderson Village. Ian was facing the horizon, watching the sun slowly sink down behind all the large wealthy houses on the other end of town visible from our cliff. I slowed down and stalked him like cat getting ready to pounce. When the timing felt just right I leaped out, pulled the hat out of his hands and tackled him all in one swift move. Spur of the moment plans go well about 20% of the time in movies but since this wasn't a movie I figured the odds of this ending well for the both of us would be higher. Well, I was wrong.
Chapter 5
Ian didn't expect me to tackle him over a hat. Or 'silly hat' according to him. When I tackled him he lost his footing and suddenly we were rolling (more like falling) down the edge of the cliff towards the rocky part of the pond. As you can imagine we were screaming all the while. It's times like these when your life flashes before your eyes. I remembered when brother used to actually live at home, when my parents actually liked me, when I met Ian and his mom, and the most dreadful moments hidden in the back of your mind you hope and try your best to forget but can't. The one thing that stood out the most was what had happened earlier today, the pocky incident...my food neophobia. It was at that moment I knew that I wasn't going to die without overcoming it. We were quickly coming towards the rocks (A.K.A. our deathbed) I then brought my knees to my chest and put my head down. Curling up into a ball and pluging my nose seemed like a good idea, but I wasn't turely sure.
"Ian! Curl up into a ball and plug your nose!" I instructed.
I couldn't tell if he nodded or said anything; and I wasn't sure if he had listened or even heard me over the sound of his own screaming and the sound of falling down a cliff. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoped for the best, and embraced for the impact. But there wasn't a watery sharp impact. Rather a weird bouncy feeling. A second later I a large impact set me flying up into the air mulitple feet. When I landed aain I slowly opened my eyes. A net. We landed in a large mesh net. One of those nets for catching loose rocks off of a cliff or old bridge. Luckily for us, no large rocks.
I scanned the net for Ian, I felt him hit the net but it was fairly narrow and he could have easily fallen off. If Ian was gone I don't know what I would do. I was in a current state when he was alive, I'd be a total mess if he was gone. And that's an understatement. I heard an agonizing groan coming from my left and I flung myself in the direction. Ian slowly uncurled from his ball and looked up at me. His eyes grew big before he lunged forward and hugged me tight.
"Don't do anything stupid like that again." Ian scolded, but his voice sweet and slightly trembling.
I hugged him back and then we helped each other to our knees. We were both a little scratched up but nothing was broken. I looked back up the side of the cliff.
"We just survived a 15 foot drop off a cliff thanks to this net." I said astonished.
Ian nodded before turning to me looking as paniced as possible, "Now how do we get off? We climb up the cliff and we're surrounded by water." He then reached into his back pocket pulling out his cell phone, "Busted. Surprise surprise."
"Guess we're swimming." I queitly said.
"Were's you hat and phone?"
"I left my phone in my clutch and set that on the ground before I tackled you..."
"Did you plan this?"
"I planned tackling you but not almost falling to our death. Sorry..."
"No hard feelings." Ian said while leaning back, "Since we're hear and can't get off, you might as well spill everything."
"I guess, but isn't a moonlite swim for lovers?" I asked awkwardlky.
"Who said we're staying here for a long time. Who knows what's active in these waters."
I sighed, he had a point. I didn't want to be stranded here all night either. The sooner I said everything the sooner we could swim to shore and then make the long walk home in the dark. And to make things worse we would get home we would have homework.