Page 78 of The Upside of Falling
Stryder nods. “Oh yeah, no shame in that bro-hug.” And just like that, I catch a glimpse of my best friend again, and I think for a second, maybe, just maybe, he’ll be okay. That he will get through this.
“And no one walked in on you two hugging it out?”
Winking, Stryder walks backward in front of us. “Now we never said that.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
RORY
This is crazy.
I’m crazy.
I’m about to jump out of an airplane and yet, the nerves I thought I’d feel when we took off—or when they opened the door and nothing separated me from the plane and the open air—are nowhere to be seen.
Instead I feel at peace.
How could I not with Colby strapped behind me, his arms wrapped around me, his voice whispering into my ear, soothing me?
“We’re up,” Colby says into my ear. We scoot forward, right next to Stryder, who’s jumping with us, camera in hand to take pictures.
The ground below us is scattered with hues of brown, broken up into geometric shapes. Civilization doesn’t make sense from the height we’re at, and it seems like it’s a little world we’re about to invade.
Moving to the opening, my pulse starting to quicken now, Stryder and Colby exchange a secret handshake and then grip the side of the plane . . . right before they bend back and throw their bodies out of the plane, taking me with them.
Despite the wind pummeling past us, I hear Colby and Stryder shout their excitement, but I can’t focus on anything else besides the intense euphoria consuming me.
Stryder and Colby have talked about what it’s like to fly through the sky—the freedom, the clarity you get, and the peace.
I feel like I’m catching a glimpse of that. For a split second, I’m in their shoes and feel what they feel.
To the side of us, Stryder does a few flips, looking like the weight he’s been wearing on his shoulders has been shelved as he lives in the moment.
Arms out to the side, Colby spins us but doesn’t do anything too rash—no acrobatic movements
like Stryder. He’s letting me enjoy the experience.
Letting me live it.
Feel it.
And there is nothing like this—floating through the sky, my man strapped to me, taking care of me, living in this experience with me. I don’t think I could have asked for a more perfect date.Or a more perfect man. He did this because he knew it was one of my dreams.
The ground looms closer, the view absolutely stunning with the Rocky Mountains to our west, the plains to the east, and my heart centered right under Colby’s, beating as one.
Shouting into my ear, he says, “I’m going to pull the ripcord. Hold on, Rory.”
And as soon as we stop falling, we’re lifted into the air, the navy blue parachute above us catching our fall, and sailing us peacefully down to the ground.
To the side, Stryder releases his parachute as well, sending him momentary up into the air only to glide down with us.
I take it all in: the views, the feel of Colby behind me, the knowledge that this man has given me so much more than I expected through his love. He’s given me experiences I never would have had without him. He’s helping me live my life, the life I’ve put on hold for so long.
And for that, I will always be grateful.
* * *
“Ialmost feel like we should all hug it out for minutes on end after that,” I joke once our feet hit the ground and we’re walking back to the hangar.
