The Space Between Us

Chapter 9

In a short bit of time, the group found our way to a large running body of water.  Our eyes widened, gleaming underneath the sun.  I gasped and failed to suppress a delighted laugh.

Octavia looked at me with her jaw dropped.  She smiled brightly then grabbed my hand, "Come on!  What're we waiting for?"  We giggled as we skipped playfully to the edge of the small slope that lead to the water.

"Guys wait!"  Wells called out to us.

The remaining boys laughed and made their way to the hill's edge behind us.  "A river"  Monty declared.  "I remember learning about them in Earth Skills with Pike."

"At least one of us paid attention"  Octavia joked.  I gave her a knowing look and tried to suppress my laughter.  I thought about all the jokes and memories we shared in that classroom.  It feels so far away yet so close at the same time.

"Hey!  I paid attention!"  Finn objected.

"Wells did, too"  I assured, to which Wells gave me an appreciative nod.

"Anyways... who's up for a swim?"  Octavia shrugged off her jacket and shoes simultaneously, then wasted no time to slip off her pants.

I smiled, admiring her bluntness.  "Count me in!"  I kicked off my shoes and jumped out of my clothes quickly, making sure to waste no time.

"Screw it... I'm in too!"  Jasper beamed, earning a excited round of applause from Octavia.

"I know there's no way we're going to stop you, so just—"  Wells began.

"Be careful, okay?"  Monty finished for him.

We looked at them seriously and nodded, understanding their genuine concern.  "Of course"  I assured them.

Octavia grabbed my hand, leading me down the small hillside to the water. Octavia was quick, yet graceful, as she skipped from rock to rock. Jasper followed far behind us, tripping and bumbling down the steep slope.

Soon enough, O had reached the surface of the water, turning to me with a huge smile. I nodded, encouraging her to take the plunge. She took one moment to eyeball its depth, but the river's murky color gave us no clear indication. Taking a bold risk, she jumped high, grabbing a hold of her knees.

Then, Octavia plunged into the water, her body slipping below its surface without problem. As I waited for an excited O to bob up, I quickly became nervous.

What if it was too deep, and she didn't quite know how to swim? What if it was a bit too shallow and she injured herself on the rocky floor?

Hesitantly, I turned to Jasper, my thoughts written clearly on my face. It was clear he shared the same perturbation. "Everything alright down there?" Finn called from just above the hillside.

There was a silence between us as we shared an uneasy look.

"Peachy!" Jasper called back, his voice begging to crack.

"Peachy?" I whisper-yelled.

"Sorry! It was the best I could think of!" he replied back in the same manner.

"Ugh!" I threw my hands up in distress, and they made their way to my hair, my fingers grabbing at it angrily.

Suddenly, a smiling Octavia shot up through the surface of the water, giggling uncontrollaby. "Well come on guys! What're you waiting for?"

Jasper and I stared at her with angry and anxious eyes, unsure if we were relieved or just plain mad that she had bursted up so unknowingly. "What the Hell, O?" I barked.

"What?" She ran her fingers through her now soaked hair.

"We thought you were— nevermind. Let's do it!" I inhaled quickly before plunging into the water ahead.

The sensation was unlike any other. I began to understand why Octavia had stayed under the water's surface for such a period of time. The initial temperature of the water was piercing and uninviting, shocking your system to life, yet as you submerged deeper into the unknown, the temperature became a far second to the experience your body enjoyed through the lack of gravity.

I wish I could stay here forever.

The world and all the problems that came with it disappeared. Your mind was closed to intrusive, unwanted thoughts as your body and soul took over. However, our bodies and our lungs need air, so I propelled myself up to the surface, taking in a huge breath.

As I opened my eyes once again, I noticed Jasper had found his way into the water, encountering in a playful splashing battle with Octavia. Soon enough, I was collateral damage, receiving a huge wave intended for Octavia.

"Oh you're so dead!" I laughed, wasting no time to splash Jasper back with an even larger wave.

In no time at all, the more responsible boys called us back up the hill. Quickly, we dried off, sharing a towel Monty had brought in his pack. Then, we slipped on our clothes to continue our adventure. Our minds and souls now forever changed in this new, exceptional destination.