Twenty-one
Sarah
Sun glistened off the beads of water resting on Peter’s shoulders. Our fingers entwined together as we climbed the back of the hill, our bare feet carefully treading across the sand, peppered with rocks and weeds. Peter’s excited breaths came fast, and a soft smile rested on his face.
When he sensed me looking at him, he glanced down and that perfect smile stretched, dumping butterflies into my stomach. His grip on my hand tightened, gently tugging me along.
I asked for the tenth time. “Where are you taking me?”
He just shook his head, knowing the silence killed me.
Admittedly, Peter seemed extra quiet today, and I wasn’t sure why. Even on the boat ride, he restlessly patted his thighs and couldn’t seem to get comfortable. Maybe he was nervous about this adventure—sometimes he worried.
My gaze flicked to the lake on the right side of the hill, now obscured by trees as the slope deepened and our elevation climbed. All at once, it dawned on me.
Jump from a rock into water.
I tugged Peter to a stop as adrenaline rushed through my body. “Wait a sec. Are we jumping?”
The brackets around his mouth that I loved so much twisted as he held back a smile. “Just wait and—”
“I’m right! We’re jumping!”
Biting my lip to keep from squealing, I followed him to the crest of the hill where, sure enough, a large rock hung over the blue lake below.
I squeaked with excitement as the view filled my soul all the way to my toes, and the sun scorched my skin through my purple long-sleeve UPF shirt.
Peter led me to the edge and I looked over, my stomach dipping when I gauged the distance.
As if reading my mind, he said, “It’s twenty-nine feet.”
My stomach hollowed again as fear niggled in my chest. But I didn’t have to ask if it was safe—Peter always made sure I was safe. Plus, with him, it hardly even mattered.
If he asked me to jump, I would jump—heart in his hands, zero regrets.
A putting motor pulled my attention to the water where the rest of the Thompson clan waited in an idling pontoon boat.
I waved like a maniac as a chorus of whoops and hollers reached us.
Looking back to Peter, I beamed. We were only two weeks into the summer, and already, it was the best one of my life.
Our freshmen year of college was behind us, and I’d spent nearly every day bumming around the Thompson’s house when I wasn’t at my part-time job, babysitting for Mrs. Lynn while she worked, and kissing Peter whenever we had a few minutes alone.
I let my eyes rake over the boy I loved, noting the life shimmering in his adventurous brown eyes.
He had grown so tall, towering over me now.
And it seemed like every day packed bulk on his shoulders that made him look very much like a man.
Each breath carted away the memories of his withering form on a hospital bed, making them feel like another dimension entirely.
Sometimes, I wondered how Peter emerged so strong and capable from those dark days. How he escaped the fire with a vitality most people could only hope they got lucky enough to experience one day. Even my own fervor for life and adventure—which was a force to be reckoned with—had to run to keep up.
Suddenly, he looked at me, his eyes squinting as he glanced toward the sun. “So, what do you think? Can you catch it?”
A laugh bubbled out of my chest and Peter laughed too—the husky deep laugh I adored—and his hand came to rest on my hip.
I raised my arms above my head and turned my face toward the sky.
Going to my tiptoes, I reached as far as I could before my feet gave out and I fell into his chest. I whispered. “I don’t think I’m high enough.”
He looked back into the bright sky and nodded, “You’re getting closer, I think.”
We said the same things everywhere we went.
On top of the farris wheel, on every hike, on the roof.
I giggled at the absurdity of our repetitive conversation, and pushed Peter away to inch out to the edge of the cliff. But Peter didn’t move as he gently tugged back on my hand. Wondering why he hesitated, I stopped and looked back.
“Come here a second.”
As if pulled by a giant magnet, my body slid to his until we were nearly chest to chest. I looked at his face, a beat of fear stumbling in my heart when I spotted the signature worry-crease forming between his brows. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” His hands came to my elbows. “I just—want to tell you something.” His voice was strangely breathless.
“Yes?”
He dragged one hand over the back of my arm until it reached my shoulder then he cupped my neck, swiping his thumb over my cheek. “I love you, Sarah.”
I smiled, relief turning my heart to a puddle. “I love you, too.”
“Remember when I laid out that five-year plan?” He rolled his eyes and shook his head as if embarrassed to bring it up.
Oh no. Not this again. Last summer, Peter laid out his plan to go to college, get a good job, then do things like get married. We argued about it a little, because four years seemed like a really long time to wait when we’d already been exclusively dating since our sophomore year.
“Yes.” My annoyed sigh made Peter chuckle again and he laid a hand over my lips to stop the bratty response he could probably see coming from a mile away. Though bossy, the touch in his fingers was warm and kind. “I know what you’re going to say, but I need you to listen.”
He removed his hand and cupped both my cheeks, reverently turning my face toward his. “I changed my mind.”
Energy drained out of my body as Peter moved, letting go of my cheeks to drop to one knee.
Tears stormed my vision so fast I nearly lost my footing.
A choked cry came from my throat and I moved too, following him down until the hot stone pressed into my knees.
It wasn’t until we were face to face that I wondered if I should’ve kept standing, but I didn’t care.
Peter was about to propose to me and I wanted to be as close as possible.
As I blinked tears away, Peter grabbed my hands.
“Sarah Elizabeth Dunn.” He spoke my name like a precious treasure. “Will you marry me?”
Throwing myself against him, I squealed my high-pitched yes, and his arms instantly banded around my torso, hauling me into his chest so tightly we couldn’t even breathe.
Tucking his face into the crook of my neck, he swayed us as bubbles of laughter lifted from our lips and tears streamed from my eyes.
I couldn’t believe someone loved me this much.
When we finally broke apart, he swiped a curl off my forehead and lifted a tiny box I hadn’t even realized he was holding. The burgundy velvet cracked open to reveal the most beautiful little ring I could ever imagine. A gold band with a small circular diamond.
I gasped and ahhed as Peter took it from the box and slipped it onto my finger.
It was just snug enough we had to fuss a little to get it on.
But I didn’t stop to look at it—not really.
Not when the real prize was waiting to kiss me.
Threading my fingers into the back of his milk chocolate hair, I pulled his head down to mine and swept my thank you over his lips.
Peter’s mouth moved with mine, eager and hungry, and his hands traveled the length of my back to my neck then down again, like he couldn’t quite get enough. When we broke apart we were panting with laughter, tears, and elation.
Finally, he pressed a kiss to my forehead and whispered, “You ready to jump?”
I smiled. “I’ve never been more ready for anything in my entire life.”
Slipping his hand into mine, he tugged me up and forward until we came into view at the edge of the cliff. Down below, lots of Thompsons looked up at us, hands raised over eyes as they waited for the verdict. Peter raised our joined hands in a victory fist pump and yelled, “She said yes!”
Cheers and whistles lifted over the water as Peter and I exploded in a fit of giddy laughter.
I was engaged to my best friend. It didn’t seem real.
We walked to the edge until our toes were mere inches from the place where ground turned to air. I leaned forward, peeking at the water which looked so black and cold under the cliff’s shadow. But I felt no fear.
He shifted our hands, getting a tighter hold. “I won’t let go of you. And you won’t let go of me. We jump together, alright?”
“Okay,” I whispered.
“On three.”
I nodded and took a deep breath.
“One.”
The water twinkled beneath us.
“Two.”
He crouched and so did I.
“Three.”
My muscles tensed as I launched through the air and we were flying—hand in hand—toward the beauty, toward the sky. For a moment, my heart felt so high and so free I almost thought I could reach out and grab the sun this time.
But it was the last time we’d jump with hesitation.
A yell ripped from Peter’s mouth as we catapulted toward the waves, and the cool water rushed over my head as we plunged into the depths.