Ch. 28: Bubbles

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT:

"We'll see what you have to say after you eat my bubble's dust!" I yelled back, making him laugh. It was deeper than I had ever heard before, like there was a very pleased beast in his chest.

The girl signaled and we were off. I ran straight and first then tried slamming right into Jake who had had the same idea and ran right at me too. We bounced off each other like strong bumper cars and I heard the guys yelling in the background. We were both off course and I saw him correcting his angle. Screw this I thought, and instead of doing the same thing, I ran straight towards him, hopefully sending him flying back perpendicular to the pins. But as soon as I made contact I realized my mistake. He is still so much bigger than me and instead of sending him flying, I bounced against his bubble and went flying back, back, back. I screamed in surprise and the next thing I knew I was upside down by the hay bales.

"Rach!" Jake was yelling above me still in his own bubble, "What the hell were you thinking?" He was laughing so hard he was bent over. The deep laugh peeking through his normal laugh. It made me wonder if he had phlegm or something in his chest?

The girl came running over and let us out without asking to walk the bubbles back, she was worried about me. She let us out and Jake jogged the little distance between us. I was scowling, upset I lost. He held my shoulder and turned my face to his with his other hand looking me over. With his hand on my chin, our skin contact was completely distracting. Electricity bubbled around my chin and spread to my neck and spine.

"Did you hurt yourself, killer?" he asked me, still smiling, slowing down his words in time with the world which also seemed to slow to a tortuous crawl. I couldn't gauge how serious he was, but the depth of it scared me.

After too many seconds I remembered that I was still grumpy, my plan had failed and I yanked myself out of his grasp. I couldn't think when he was that close.

"I nearly had you! I'm not that helpless you know - I just should've run at you differently!" I crossed my arms and said to him, head held high, looking straight up at him.

"I'm going to take that as a sign that you're just fine," he resumed, like he hadn't heard a word I said. "And look," he continued motioning back to where the girl was resetting the cones, "you knocked all those down! So you won anyways, alright?"

I twisted my mouth to the side.

"Don't pout Rachel, you are very fierce. I know that," he got serious at the last words, smiling with some sort of pride.

"You're d**n straight," I said back, grinning widely, raising my chin higher. I would take my victory.

We walked back over to the line to watch Nick and Evan have their turn. They both were absolutely ridiculous. Evan had turned his bubble around and tried to run backwards but started moving so quickly that he lost his footing and ended up spinning out of control.

Jake pointed at Evan and told me, "That's pretty much what you did after you ran to me," and he laughed again lightly. It was hard to stay irritated with him when he smiled and laughed like that. Ally and Joey confirmed that I had, in fact, looked just like that and I got pink with embarrassment.

"Oh don't get all shy and cute like that," Jake said in a low tone. The words went right down my spine and gave me small shivers. I couldn't look at him and instead tried to focus on Nick who was trying to 'swim' in his bubble making everyone around yell because it was taking forever. Ally and Joey were bent over laughing, trying to hold themselves up.

Once Evan and Nick were out we reenacted what they looked like, which had us laughing so much I started to wheeze. Nick's facial expressions as he did an impersonation of Evan had me in stitches. Seeing his impression, Evan tackled Nick and they play-wrestled like puppies while Jake crossed his arms trying to look displeased. If you didn't know him you might have missed the smile breaking through. I fell down to the floor, bottom on the grass, tears in my eyes. Everyone else was falling apart, even Jake at this point, and I looked through my teary eyes to see just joy from everyone. It was so great to feel this dang happy, letting everything go like we were little kids again.

After a minute or so we all started getting our composure back and we decided as a group to get in line for the super jumper. They had this trampoline next to the giant bowling where you were strapped in bungee cords so you could bounce higher and do flips and such. I was never into this one as much as my sister but it could be fun - it could be hard for me to let go and put myself out there sometimes. Happiness radiated in my bones.

We watched as Joey went first and he had such a blast watching him spin and do all these crazy high blackflips that the excitement for my turn bubbled up. Joey was unclipping with Ally to go next when I heard Jake saying bye to the guys. I turned, not expecting him to head out so early.

"Bye Rach, I'll see you," he said, eye contact lingering. He stepped back and I felt sad at his leaving.

"Where are you going?" I asked, words leaving my mouth before I could stop them. I sounded terribly let down. I nearly winced at the way I had let my feelings through - it was so glaringly obvious.

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you - family birthday thing. I was only allowed to come here for a bit but my mom's waiting," he gestured toward an SUV a block or so out. "See you soon?" he seemed to ask just me and before he fully turned he looked at his friends around me like he had really been speaking to everyone.

I didn't trust my words, too electrified and giddy from being so close to him for so long, so I just raised my hand in a small wave and watched him head away for a second before looking back to see Ally strapped in, ready to jump.

"We saw that, you know," Evan nudged my arm. He was standing there all smug.

Nick elbowed him in the side, "Dude, not cool." He looked at him, eyes large with meaning.

"Yeah, yeah," he responded, rolling her eyes. "Hard not to comment on all the tension fogging up my air - so thick I could cut out an air-donut like the fog on Scooby Doo…"

A laugh escaped Nick's mouth and I looked away, heart racing, feeling totally exposed. I had a great guy already in Sean. What was I doing going around putting myself in these situations? Why did Jake still make me feel like this? Do you just never really get over your first love? Is unrequited feelings from the past the problem? I was feeling weighed down with Jake's absence. My head spun as I saw Ally jump up and start her flips. Her extreme, erratic movements felt like a visual metaphor for the thoughts plaguing my head. I let Evan go next, feeling far too dizzy as it was with my feet on the ground. They barely let him pass (his height was at the very top of their safe height measuring stick) and he had to charm them into letting it slide. I stood off to the side, a few steps away from Ally and Joey who were animatedly rehashing their experience jumping and spinning like that.

Evan's jumping was crazy skilled, he must do some martial arts or something that he doesn't talk about. I tried to sort myself out quietly while still in line. My phone buzzed. It was Sean. I was happy at that realization, but also a whole boatload of other feelings were still swimming around in me. Not the best time but at least I could have an excuse to separate from Jake's friends. Their presence was a constant reminder that he wasn't here.

<< Sean to Rachel >>: hey, I'm here. by the huge pine tree.

I swallowed. It didn't seem to help me push any of my buzzing feelings down. But I didn't have the luxury of time. So I texted him that I was on my way, waved at Ally, and started walking quickly there.

I greeted Sean when I saw him, still stricken each time I saw him by his sharp, handsome features. He greeted me with his trademark charismatic smile and we weaved our way through the park towards the giant jumper as I pointed out some of my favorite booths.

"That over there is a definite next stop after we find them, cotton candy is a necessity at these things," I said animatedly, pointing to the side. "And I usually end the day over there just doodling because all the walking wipes me out - and before you say anything, yes I am really that out of shape."

He chuckled at my comment. I started to feel myself again after chatting like this with Sean. He was always easy to talk with.

He suddenly stopped in his tracks and I noticed after a second or two that he wasn't behind me anymore.

I backtracked to him asking, "What's up? See something you want to check out?"

"Well, I just don't see what I'm looking for…" he said, still looking around.

"Well tell me, maybe I can help? I've been coming to this thing for years," I suggested.

"Well I was hoping to see a kissing booth?" He responded in a question.

I panic-laughed once, "What?"

"Oh you know, a kissing booth. I could just sneak you back there and get in line," he grinned like a cat.

I giggled. Like for real, giggled.

"Eh, maybe next time," he said and started walking again towards the giant jumper, reaching his hand out to mine.

I took his hand and followed, all shades of pink in the face.