Jump | Zach Mitchell

eleven

"YOUR Mom?" I repeat, trying to make sure that I heard right. It's kind of hard to tell; after all, there's screaming and dino-chomping going on. "Is that a bad thing?"

"I was supposed to call her when we landed." He runs a hand through his hair. "I really don't feel like getting bitched at right now."

"Then maybe you should've called her when you landed," I say teasingly.

Zach rolls his eyes. "I was a little preoccupied."

I nod sarcastically. "Checking out all the babes was definitely a priority." I look at his phone. "Well, are you gonna answer it or what?"

He flips me off but hits the accept button like a good boy. "Hey Mom." He cringes. I just smirk and cross my arms, satisfied with watching him suffer.

"H-Hold on, Mom. I can't hear you. Let me go outside." He motions to the exit doors, letting me know where he's going. I nod and wave him on. It's hard enough to hear each other in here. I can't imagine how it must be to try and make a phone call.

I lean against the wooden wall, sighing. I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

I still don't know what to do about Zach. I like him – that much I'm positive about. But enough to where I'd risk our friendship? Enough to try for a relationship with him?

No one knows me as well as Zach does. I don't want to lose our close connection, not for anything in the world.

But at the same time...

It's no secret that he's gorgeous. He never fails to make me laugh. Yeah, sometimes I get frustrated with him – okay, most of the time – but I think that's just me taking my anger about the confusing situation out on the stupid shit he does.

I care about him. A lot. I know he's a bit of a player and he currently has a 'girlfriend,' but that doesn't mean anything. Zach's told me that their relationship isn't serious. It's just a way to get off. Maybe if I told him how I feel, and he feels the same way, he'd break it off with Kelly once and for all.

But who is to say that he won't mess around with other girls behind my back? Who is to say that he won't just want me for hooking up purposes? Ever since I've known him, any romantic 'relationship' with a girl he's had has been messy due to one of those things.

If he truly did care about me, though, then maybe it wouldn't be that way.

There's no way of being certain about anything. Zach is unpredictable and impulsive.

More screaming. I grit my teeth and crack my eyes open, planning to glare at the little squirt responsible.

...but when I open my eyes, I can suddenly relate extremely well to the screamer.

The T-Rex has straightened after her little snack. Her teeth, long and jagged, are coated in blood. Her muzzle is splattered with red. Her eyes are dangerous slits. She stares at us, as if trying to figure out if we're really there.

No one moves. I doubt anyone even breathes.

She edges closer in two earth-shaking steps, hot breath fogging the glass.

Slowly, without even thinking, I pull my phone out of my shirt pocket.

The T-Rex isn't able to detect the small movement; her eyesight is too poor to pick it up.

With hands that won't stay perfectly still, I lift my phone and snap the picture: the T-Rex, looming over a dark crowd with murder on her mouth and curiosity in her eyes.

I suddenly feel incredibly small.

We become used to the idea of wild animals because of zoos. Because of Jurassic World, we've become used to the idea of dinosaurs being alive. We're desensitized to our true role in the world. We think that just because we're humans that we're the biggest and best.

On the contrary, we're not actually the biggest. Our egos, maybe. But not when it comes to this. Not when it comes to basic instinct, size, or innocence.

That's strange to think: the T-Rex is innocent even though she just killed a goat.

But she doesn't know any other way to be fed. These are what make her who she is, things that don't just go away – even after being extinct for however long.

Humans aren't innocent. We exploit things for our own profit. Just look at Jurassic World! It has manipulated science and gone against the basic laws of nature to bring something back to life, something that shouldn't be here, something that might come back to bite us.

As much as I hate to say it... look at Zach. He's using Kelly to get his jollies and that's all.

I send the picture to Mom with the caption 'so this just happened.' Then I forward the message to Dad, whose favorite dinosaur is the T-Rex. I tease him about being mainstream. He doesn't listen to me.

The T-Rex eventually gets bored of waiting for someone to move. She turns methodically, taking lumbering steps that I feel in my chest. Her skin, brown and heavily textured, looks warm in the sunshine. I wonder if she feels it. I wonder if she likes it.

I hear the door open. I don't dare to look away. The way she moves is mesmerizing. The way her skin ripples and stretches is simply fascinating. The way her tail lazily whips from side to side is disorienting.

"What did I miss?"

Zach is back.

The one person who can get me to look away from a dinosaur.

I smile up at him. "Just the most epic thing we'll probably see the entire vacation."

He groans. "You're joking."

"I'm not." I stick my tongue out. "You should've called your Mom when we landed. Then maybe you wouldn't have missed it."

He rolls his eyes. "Don't even."

"I have a picture. Do you want to see it?" I hold out my phone. When he inclines his head to view the image, I lock my phone, producing a black screen.

"Jonelle-" He huffs, glaring at his reflection.

"Terrifying, huh?"