Exhale

Chapter 7 - Jealous

After miles and miles of endless green, I caught a grip of myself. Feeling came back to my body and I began to feel the weighted gravel toss beneath my shoes. My vision refocused and I was soon able to see everything in color—back to how it was before, to how it normally was. Squinting, I gazed up at the sky and saw familiar blinding streaks of white and grey. There was not one worry in the world. Yet, in my heart, it felt like everything was crashing down on me.

Tossing my head back, I glanced at the duo that was struggling, trying to carry me back by hanging me around their shoulders. But to their defense, they were doing rather well, considering the heavy bags that were weighing down on their otherwise empty shoulders. Then again, they are rather fit.

"You know, I can walk myself," I stated.

Phillip didn't respond. However, Dani turned her head. Her brows—like before—were furrowed and her smile was curt and pursued.

"I don't believe you," she blatantly retorted, "if you could, we wouldn't be doing this."

I remarked back, "I didn't choose this."

"Yeah, 'cause you couldn't—we had to choose for you." Under her breath, she murmured, "It's not like you were in any situation to agree or disagree, anyway."

Not wanting to argue with her, I turned my attention to the other player, who was still silent. "Hey, Phillip." He glanced back. "Let me go." He turned away.

Can I ever win with these two?

Sighing, I decided to accept my fate and let myself continue to be dragged along—it's not like I could do anything about it.

Anyway, it wasn't as if it lasted much longer. After less than a mile or two of being dragged, a familiar picket fence came into view and with it a rugged rut of a house, which contained more glass than wood. It was isolated, surrounded by no intricate art except a small, makeshift garden, as well as small in size. However, despite all that, the familiar tiny house appeared homey in spite of its desolated appearance.

Dani chanted a little countdown and soon, I felt the Earth leave my feet as the two pulled me up. Wobbling, I moved until my feet became firmly planted on the ground. I wiggled my toes and enjoyed the feeling of security beneath them. Walking before them, I eventually turned around and cheekily commented, "Thanks—it took you two long enough."

Dani rolled her eyes. "Well, it took you long enough to get on your feet." Yet there were signs of fragments of a smile evident on her face.

The corners of my mouth slightly turned and I decided to not make any side comment. Instead, I paced towards the entrance of our door and performed the "magical knock of happiness and warmth"—at least, that's what Phil sometimes calls it.

Knock knocky knock-knock. Knockity-knockity knock-knock.

But in truth, it was just a generic knock that's being used for the sake of having a 'secret' knocking pattern. So really, it's not much of a clandestine knock.

Shuffling was heard behind the door and by looking through the small gap, I saw the little latch above the door slightly shift, barely revealing a pair of little green irises. Once our gazes met, they formed crescents and began to shine. Locks were unlocked, latches were unlatched—more shuffling occurred. But within time, the door flung open, and the open of the evergreen eyes came forth—or rather, flung forth.

"Welcome back!" Fawn cried, tightly clutching the back of my shirt, wrapping me within her tight grip. Backing away, she asked excitedly, "So, what did all of you learn at school today?"

We looked at Dani. Her eyes darted to Phil. "I dunno, ask the nerd."

His eyes darted to me. "I don't know, ask the genius."