Jump

Parachute jumping.

This has got to be the most stupid thing I've ever done. Why? 'Cause my friend dragged me into this. Beside me sat said friend; possibly the most twitchy, paranoid, over-caffeinated teen in Colorado, maybe the whole U.S.

It was probably the most agonising, tease-full week that he had ever faced. He approached me near my locker, stuttering and twitching as crystal tears ran over his pale cheeks. 'I'll s-show them who's b-b-brave… I'll show t-them.'

'Show who what Tweek?' He jumped almost a foot in the air but calmed as soon as he saw it was only me who caused his distress.

'Th-them! A-all of them! Aagh!'

I wince as I recall his anger later on at his house. Grabbing at his coffee all the time, he ranted and raved and twitched. He started to make angry ambitions as he paced, I barley listened to the frenzied, stuttering boy. I knew he would never do anything he proposed.

After at least an hour of frantic pacing he settled on something. Parachute jumping. He could see it then and there. Our amazed classmates listening avidly as he would re-count the time he jumped out of an aeroplane… and left all his quirks behind him. He forgot his paranoia…

The plane roared as we left the ground and my eyes squeezed shut. Tweek did what he does best and tweaked out. Screaming out the many ways we could die, he rolled around in his seat and frightened the instructor next to us. He should be used to it by now. It took six hours to get through the training when it should've taken 10.

Minutes, I mean.

My heart accelerated and my breathing quickened. I tried to relax and return to my icy, indifferent exterior. Tweek continued with his seventh nervous breakdown within the hour and I got increasingly frantic.

I couldn't let this show.

Not now, not ever.

I never showed emotion. Never, not once have I been seen to laugh, cry or give way to my fiery temper. Actually, the only person or thing that has seen me convey emotion is my pet guinea-pig Stripe. My face has always been seen as deadpan. Why would I change this now? Tweek would have a heart attack. I'm surprised he hasn't had one. Yet.

Okay, I admit. I am emotional. No one sees it though. And the one emotion I would never show if I could?

Fear.

A fear so great I am on the verge of crying right here and now. The common fear of… Heights.

Speaking of heights, the plane reached its peak and the instructor arose and told us to prepare.

Oh… Fuck.

'You'll be fine Tweek!' I yelled over the wind and at the same time tried to convince myself that I'd been fine. 'I know you will!' I then lowered my voice so only I could hear. 'Come on Craig. You'll be fine. You're Craig Flipping Tucker after all.'

Tweek was shoved out of the plane hatch by the annoyed instructor and I felt faint as I stood in front of the open hatch. My hair whipped around my face and the wind stung my face like bullets. I tugged on my old blue aviator hat and willed it to bring me comfort like it did so many years ago. Memories buzzed around my head and the fear escalated and…

I jumped.

'Craig!'

Tweek screamed running towards his unconscious friend. He didn't move. 'Craig?' His head moved slightly, looking towards the other teen.

'Tweek.' His voice was weak and quiet; nothing like the Craig Tweek knew and loved.

'Shh. What happened? You just…'

'No. Hear me out. You never knew I was t-terrified of hei-heights did you?' Tweek shook his head ferociously. 'I-I did this f-for you. If you could face your para-paranoia, I wou-would face my fears. I… I-I… I love you Tweekers.'

He went limp and Tweek cried as the Ambulance approached… Too late… Too late.

He recalled landing on the field, laughing as his jump finished. Tweek had looked up to see Craig frozen in fear. There was nothing he could do. Craig had plummeted, unable to pull the parachute cord as he fell.

'I love you too Craig.'