Fading Read Free Page A

agree and this time, I do laugh. “He loved any excuse to do stuff like that.”
    “We had some parties with him, didn’t we?” Nate shakes his head. “He was so sensible until you put some alcohol in him, then he was the centre of the party.”
    “You both were.” Cal smiles at me.
    “Remember that time you both jumped off that bridge?” Lexi asks and starts laughing as she tells the story.
    “I’m not doing it.” I shake my head even as we climb up on to the edge.
    “Oh come on, Lilith. It was your idea.” Gavin grabs my hand and laces our fingers together.
    I squeeze it once. Hard. “I know but I forgot that I’m afraid of heights and this is high.”
    “You forgot?” He throws his head back and the sound of his laughter fills the air, calming me.
    “Do you think it’ll hurt?” I ask as I peak down at the crashing waves. Why am I asking such a stupid question?
    “I think you’re going to want to do it again right away.”
    “You won’t leave my side, right?”
    “Never.”
    “Okay, I’m ready.”
    “You’re ready?”
    “Yes.”
    He leans over and kisses me hard and then without a countdown or any prompt what so ever, we both step off the ledge.
    The wind blows my hair into my hair, blocking my vision, Gavin’s hand lets go of mine and we both get lost in gravity and before I can even think about what is coming, I manage just at the very last second to squeeze my nose with my right hand as I hit the water and get pulled under.
    Coming up for air and swimming back to shore does nothing to dull the thrill that jumping gave me. It’s a rush like nothing I’ve ever felt before and he was right; I want to do it again.
    “See, it was fun, right baby?” Gavin calls from a few feet away.
     
    “That was a good night,” I recall with a smile. “We probably should have done it when we were sober though.”
    “Well, yeah…” Nate says with enough dryness to cure the aftermath of a tsunami.
     
    Several hours later, I’m searching for my coat with the rest of them. These once a year meetings are the only time we’re all together, we don’t hang out much anymore, which I suppose is just a part of growing up, friends spend less time together but it doesn’t mean they’re less of a friend for it.
    “How did you get here, Lil?” Nate asks as we all huddle together outside and wait for Cal to lock up.
    “Taxi. Oh! I haven’t rung one to take me home, will one of you wait with me please?” I ask and search my bag for my phone which is definitely in there but where it is, is anyone’s guess.
    “We’ll wait with you.” Lexi assures me.
    “I’ll take you.” Jason says at the exact same time.
    “Thank you,” I smile at Lexi and turn to Jason. “There’s no need, I’ll get a taxi.”
    “You live next door to me.” He says as if there can be no argument against it.
    I have one, of course; like, I’d rather travel there in the belly of a snake than sit in a car with you. Or, but I don’t want to be alone with you because I’m afraid I may actually succeed at killing you with my mind and if you’re driving, I don’t want to crash.
    But I don’t say those things, mainly because Lexi and Nate start agreeing that Jason taking me home makes more sense than getting a taxi when we live right by each other, so, ‘it’s not like he will have to go out of his way.’
    “You’re not going straight home though, are you?” I ask unnecessarily and hope he takes the hint that I just don’t want to go with him.
    “Of course I am, why else would I have offered?” He answers, completely ignoring the elephant sized hint I threw at him. 
    “Right, kids,” Cal finally joins us on the side of the road. “Let’s go home.”
    As one we all walk to the car park and say our goodbyes. I spend a little longer than necessary wishing Lexi a goodnight, prolonging the inevitable as long as possible. Okay, so I’m hoping Jason will pissed off with waiting and leave without me. But when I turn