Invisible String - Jake Kiszka

Dangling There, Golden And Fair

Josh lunged at her and she let out a squeal. She ran past her mom laughing down the hall and to the bathroom with Josh close behind.

Before she had the chance to grab the handle of the door, he wrapped his arms around her waist and yanked her away from it. He tackled her to the ground and sat down on her stomach, pinning her to the floor. She screamed and laughed as he tickled her sides relentlessly.

"Josh! Stop!" She yelled between laughing fits. Marjorie came around the corner. "Alright, alright," she laughed down at them. "I love it when you guys mess around like that, but Josh, you both have places to be. Why don't you head on home? I'm sure Jake is waiting for you by now."

Josh stopped tickling her and looked up at Marjorie. "Oh yeah, I guess. What time is it?" Gigi tried to push Josh off her stomach to no avail. "It's about 7:30 now." He heard Marjorie say, as he grinned down at Gigi struggling under his weight. "Oh, I didn't realize it was that late already." He grabbed Gigi's wrists and held them to the floor on either side of his knees.

"Your mom called just before I got you both. Said Ronnie and Sam were minutes away from walking here." She said giggling at her daughter, who was trying to lick one of Josh's hands to get him off.

"Okay I guess I'll get going then." He let go of Gigi's wrists. "You should probably get off the floor and get ready for school, Gigi." He grinned, earning a laugh from her mother.

"I would if you'd get your fat ass off of me and let me up!" She laughed loudly.

"Greta." Marjorie said with a warning tone. Josh got off and helped her up.

"Sorry, Ma..." she said sheepishly. Marjorie shook her head and started towards the stairs. "Just be down in five, please." Gigi heard a snicker come from her mother, causing her and Josh to laugh quietly at each other.

"See ya, Gigi." Josh pulled her into a hug. "I still hate school." She whined as she nuzzled her face into his chest.

"I'll see you tonight, okay?" Gigi just nodded, refusing to move from his arms. "Just be at rehearsal." She told him. "I promise I'll get there, if I have to steal a car."

"You would steal a car for that, wouldn't you?" She laughed, looking up at him. "You know I would!" He pulled away and rubbed both of her arms. "Okay, but I really have to go." He took hold of either side of her head and kissed her on the nose.

With that he turned and ran around the corner and down the stairs. "I love you!" She heard him yell halfway down. Smiling widely, she leaned against the wall until she heard him tell 'Aunty M', as he called her, thanks for letting him stay the night and he would see her at dinner, and the front door open and close.

Gigi heard the door open and close again as she came out of the bathroom. She ran down the stairs, her little blue backpack hung off one shoulder, and saw Sam and Ronnie standing by the door. "Gigi!" Sam yelled and tackled her into a hug. "Careful, Samuel" Marjorie laughed and placed a plate on the kitchen table. "Here, Gigi. Eat please."

On the plate was one of Gigi's most favorite breakfast food: rye toast with an egg and avocado spread. She picked up the whole thing and took a big bite.

"There's the bus!" Ronnie said looking out the window and picking up her bag once again. Gigi took and even bigger bite and held the whole piece of toast in her mouth. She swung her backpack on her shoulder and Sammy grabbed her hand.

"Bye, Ma!" She shouted through the food in her mouth. "Love you!" And with that, the trio ran out the door leaving a chuckling Marjorie in the kitchen.

They ran down the steps and the path, all the way to the road and waited for the bus to pull up next to them. Gigi looked to her left to see an old Ford truck coming towards them. Inside was Josh behind the wheel and Jake in the passenger seat.

Josh rolled down the window and stuck his head out, waving to them. Jake rolled his down as well, but climbed out and sat out the window, holding on to the inside. They both whooped and yelled, and Josh honked the horn a few times. Once they passed them, Jake slid back in and both the windows were rolled up. 

The bus came to a stop outside Gigi's house and the door opened to reveal the sound of a group of talking and laughing children.

Sam pulled Gigi inside by her hand, Ronnie close behind. They walked down the isle and Sam chose a place to sit by his friend about halfway down. "Hey Danny." Gigi smiled at him. "Hi..." He smiled shyly and looked down at his feet.

"You good?" She asked Sam. He nodded, giving her and Ronnie the okay to keep walking. Gigi saw Alyssa sat by a window about five rows from the very back. She picked up her pace and swung into the spot right next to her, Ronnie in the isle seat.

Alyssa greeted them both and the girls quickly struck up conversation about the upcoming spring formal, which Gigi had every intention not to go to, but indulged in the discussion of dresses and things of the sort, nonetheless.

"Oh!" Ronnie said in excitement. "I just remembered, I saw this one dress at a Macy's in Flint when I went there with mom, and it was so pretty. It was sparkly and really dark blue, kinda like the one you get to wear in the play, Gigi."

Suddenly, Alyssa gasped and put one of her hands over her mouth. "I almost forgot, Gigi." She said looking between both girls. "What happened, Al?" Ronnie asked, a look of concern growing on her face.

"You know how I live on the same street as Alex?" She asked slowly. The other two girls nodded, a pit growing in Gigi's stomach.

"Well he's got this big trampoline in his backyard, right? And one of his brothers came into town from Madison, Wisconsin. He lives over there with his wife. They've been married for two years, I think, but I'm not sure. Alison, that's his wife, just had a baby in November, a little girl, but I've forgotten what her name is. She's the cutest little th-"

"Alyssa, focus." Ronnie interrupted her. "What's wrong with Alex?"

"Right. Sorry." She apologized with a laugh. "Anyway, his brother Brandon, the one that's married to Alison who just had a baby girl, decided he wanted to jump on this trampoline. And this trampoline is big. Like... it belongs in a trampoline park, that's how big it is. Or was, I guess." She continued to ramble, the other two girls stifling giggles and holding in smiles.

"But he was jumping on this trampoline, that they've had forever, so it's really old, ya know? And he called Alex out to jump on it with him, and when they started bouncing.... the whole thing split. Right. Down. The middle." Ronnie gasped quietly and put a hand to her chest.

"They're okay though, right?" Gigi asked.

Alyssa slowly shook her head. "When it split Alex went through first, and his brother fell on top of him. They took him away in an ambulance and that was the last time I've seen him."

"Oh my gosh." Ronnie gaped. "How'd you find out that's what happened?"

"I came outside when I heard the sirens and I saw his mom standing outside, so I just asked her and that's what she told me." Alyssa shrugged.

"But the reason that's so bad for you, Gigi, is 'cause he broke both his legs and can't be in the play anymore."

Ronnie's jaw dropped and she slowly turned to look at Gigi, who had the exact same reaction as her.

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I hope y'all liked this chapter! I know it moves kinda slow but it gets REALLY good when Gigi gets to high school. 

Y'all have no clue how wild it gets. 

ILY<3

xoxo,

violet