10. Did I Break You?
10
DID I brEAK YOU?
SETH
When Kylie and Greta disappear through the open door, my heart feels like it’s about to jump out of my throat. She’d managed to keep her composure right up until the seconds before Greta propelled them forward, her face dropping when she stared down at the ground, and I’d felt the need to boost her back up.
But now that she’s gone, I’m pretty sure I’m about to wet myself. I have never been that concerned about heights in the past, but this is something else.
Why the hell did I let Kylie talk me into this?
“We’re up!” my guide, an American called Stefan, yells in my ear, and I have to fight the urge to vomit while he shuffles us towards the open door.
Linc flashes me a thumbs up, looking far too calm for someone who is moments away from plunging towards certain death.
I feel like my legs are made of lead, and I’m trying with all my might not to show just how terrified I am. I have experienced adrenaline surges multiple times in my life, but nothing like this, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to crash big time once my feet are back on solid ground.
If I survive.
Stefan braces his hands on either side of the door, and everything inside of me screams to push him backwards. Before I can do anything further, he’s propelled us forward, and we are free-falling towards the Austrian countryside beneath us.
“Are your eyes open?” Stefan’s voice echoes in my ear, and I nod my head vigorously, hesitant to open my mouth in case I scream too loudly.
I’m tempted to close my eyes, but the longer we are falling, I forget what I’m doing and am looking around at the view. I can see Kylie’s parachute far below, and I wonder how she’s feeling right now.
After what could have been hours but is most likely seconds, Stefan warns me to prepare myself and pulls the cord. When the parachute unfurls, we are jolted upwards, and I’m relieved to finally be free of the dropping sensation in my stomach.
A sense of calm washes over me, and I start to understand why people become addicted to this feeling. The Austrian Alps are all around us, and I can see various little towns dotted around.
“You doing okay?” Stefan asks, and I give him the thumbs up, unsure how to put into words the emotions that are running through me right now.
Seeing the world from above like this is a stark reminder of how insignificant our individual lives are. For every little town I can see, that’s thousands of people going about their everyday lives, each person dealing with their own issues. It gives me a perspective that I’ve never considered before, and the last of the stress that I’d been holding onto for the last few months begins to dissolve inside of me.
By the time we touch down in the large open field, I feel both energised and utterly drained. Once Stefan finally unhitches himself from my back, my hands are shaking with the adrenaline, and I need to sit down for a few minutes to regain my composure.
“Are you good?” he asks, and I nod, giving him another thumbs-up. “Good, because your girl is on her way.”
I look up and see Kylie racing towards me through the long grass.
“Oh my god!” She launches herself at me, and I fall backwards with my arms wrapped around her waist. “That was fucking incredible! Wasn’t it amazing? Are you okay? Did you enjoy it? Did I break you?”
“It was amazing,” I reply, finally able to speak through her excited onslaught of questions, and laugh when she peppers my face with kisses.
“I am so glad you did this with me!”
“Me too. I’m not sure I’ll be able to walk anytime soon, but that was the most surreal feeling.”
We eventually get to our feet, but Kylie is still so hopped up on adrenaline that as soon as I’m upright, she launches herself at me again, and I catch her, laughing when she wraps her legs around my waist.
“Hi,” she says before pressing her lips to mine, and I kiss her back hungrily, all the emotions racing through me while she grips me tightly with her thighs.
“Hi,” I finally reply, feeling breathless once she pulls away to grin down at me.
“I’m pretty sure I’m going to be buzzing for days.” She loosens her hold on me, and I grip her waist while she slides down and her feet hit the ground again.
“Oh my god, that was the most amazing thing I’ve ever done, and by the way, that PDA was intense.” Linc appears at my side, a grin stretched wide across his face.
“Whatever, you love it,” Kylie responds, wrapping her arms around my waist .
I slide my arms around her, holding her close for a moment, while my best friend watches us both with a sparkle in his eye.
“I do, actually. It’s good to see you both happy.”
We make our way towards the bus waiting to take us back to the accommodation, and I wonder when the high will wear off. The feeling reminds me of the intense adrenaline and excitement that surged through me when I skated onto the rink for the final game. I realise now that I’d become so wrapped up in everything that had happened since that I’d forgotten the joy in all the negativity that followed.
When we climb onto the bus, I vow to myself to keep striving for that feeling from now on and not to let the negativity get to me anymore. I have so much to be grateful for, and having this insane, beautiful and fun-loving woman crash into my life is number one on that list.
Early the next morning, Linc and I head downstairs and meet Kylie in the empty lobby. Except for the days in Rome, where the temperature was too hot, we’ve been up before the rest of the group, and the three of us have become running buddies every day. We’ve enjoyed running through new locations each time, and I’ve been impressed with how well Kylie has kept up with Linc and me.
We’re all still on a high after yesterday’s exploits, and Kylie hasn’t stopped smiling. Neither have I, for that matter.
“We should try to convince Tara to join us one morning,”Linc says while we warm up at a leisurely pace.
“Ha, that will never happen. Tara actively avoids exercise,” Kylie responds, while I slow to match her strides.
“She just hasn’t found an exercise that she likes. We’ll have to work on that. Besides, this has been the best way to explore each new city. Watching the locals go about their business, the crisp feeling in the early morning air… What more could you ask for?”
“According to Tara, sleep. Sleep is what more you could ask for.” Kylie shrugs. “I only got into running a few months ago, but I’ve always been the morning person between the two of us. Probably from growing up surfing, but Tara prefers to read a book in bed if she has time. I’ve given up on trying to convince her that exercise can actually be fun. She says the only time she will run is if someone is chasing her.”
“Come on you two, less chatting. Race you to the bridge,” I interject, pointing to the bridge a few hundred metres ahead of us.
It’s only a small one over a stream that’s more of a trickle, but the setting is breathtaking. Another reminder of how beautiful these small European towns are.
Kylie grins at me. “Oh, you’re on.” She takes off, sprinting ahead of us.
“Seriously, Seth. Marry that girl,” Linc says quietly before running after her.
I shake my head before lengthening my strides. I could easily outrun her, but I can see how proud she is to have taken the lead, and I love that she’s so competitive. She makes it to the bridge first and does a little dance in the middle of the bridge, raising her hands in the air in victory.
I race towards her, catching her around the middle and swinging her around. She shrieks, clinging to my neck before laughing. It’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. Her enthusiasm for life is infectious, and I realise that I could easily get addicted to the feeling of being with her. If only she didn’t live half a world away.