What Lies Beyond the Eyes

id to me as she leaned her head down over the railing for me to see her better, ”Its going to be fine. There is a slide up here that allows two people to go down it at the same time. Want to do that one instead of the individual one. ”

”S-sure. ” I responded, too nervous to fully understand the implications of that. Sandy probably thinks Im so lame, and I don want to even look at the jealous eyes of the teenagers behind us.

Sandy giggled a bit and said, ”So a person who is good with blood isn good with heights huh? Hehe! ”

I looked at her with wary eyes, and I told her with my right hand on the back of my neck, ”Thats different, and besides, there wasn that much blood anyway. It was just a cut, but blood is wayyy easier to deal with. Blood can kill me, but if I fall from here… ”

”It was too much blood for me to handle… and its fine! Everybody has irrational fears. I promise itll be fun though. I wouldn have dragged you up here if it wasn . If you don want to go again after this, I won force you, but I wanted to at least try it! ” She said before grabbing my arm saying, ”Now cmon! We
e up next! ”

She dragged me to the slide on the far right and then immediately plopped herself on the front end of a spare double inner tube the lifeguards had at the top. I watched her elated face look like a little kids as she waited for me to get on, so she could then embark on her joyous journey down the wide, red slide.

I didn get on right away though. I looked down the slide, and I began to have second thoughts again. ”Hey, are you going or not? ” The lifeguard in charge of the slide asked me.

”I…uhhh… ”

Before I could give an answer, Sandy grabbed my hand again and pulled me onto the back of the double inner tube saying, ”Yes, he is. ”

I felt a sliver of annoyance rise within me. I didn really appreciate her volunteering me for this. I don get what could be so amazing about this. She turned her head slightly to me, so only her right eye was looking at me. ”Now put your hands on the handles and put your legs around my waste tightly! ”

I followed her instructions to a T immediately. ”Yo, your legs are a lot more muscular than the rest of your body… ” She started to say, slightly blushing. She mustve just realized the consequences of her suggestion. I was kind of offended though. I mean sure Im not an absolute unit like my brother, but I kind of have a six pack (admittedly just because Im really skinny though). I defensively started to tell her, ”Hey I was really good at track okayyyyyy?! ” Before I could finish what I was saying to her, we were pushed off down that slide by the lifegaurd.

My body immediately lurched backwards from the momentum and Sandys flew back into my lap. My eyes were clamped shut, and I lowered as my body tensed up. I could hear Sandys ecstatic laugh as we zoomed down the red slide. I felt the wind go across my damp hair and face, pulling it back and around my head, and I felt the slight spray of water as we went around turns.

All of a sudden, Sandy stopped her joyous laugh for a moment, and I felt her hair suddenly stop hitting my body, ”Its okay. ” She sweetly said, ”Open your eyes! Itll be fun haha! Im right here! ”

I barely opened my eyes to catch a glimpse of Sandys beaming face looking at me. I could see her tan skin glowing in the afternoon light, and she laughed as she turned back around and said in a playful tone, ”There you go haha! Woohoo! ”

”Why does she care so much for me? Someone that she just met? ” I thought to myself. I couldn help but feel apprehension behind the motives of this. I wish I could go back to being a kid, so I could easily accept kindness without second thought, but maybe itll be fine… just for today. I gradually got used to the slide. It seemed a lot more stable than the top of the tower, and the closer and closer we got to the ground the more and more relaxed I felt.

I gradually opened my eyes to the glowing hue of the golden hour sun. I watched the blur of the red slide go by me, and I looked up and saw the clear-orange afternoon sunset. The hard turns of the slide whipped water onto my face, and I felt a slight smile crawl onto it. The rush of adrenaline along with the breeze blowing across me was exhilarating.

I looked upward, and I had to lean a little to the right so Sandys hair wouldn bombard my face and eyes. Right when I looked forward, I saw the end of the slide coming up fast, and I braced for impact.

Whooo, Splash!

I flew backwards off of the inner tube, and I was engulfed by the water. I bolted back out of the chest-deep water and shook my head off. ”See! It was fun Hahaha! ” Sandy exclaimed when she saw me bolt out of the water. She was right next to me holding the innertube and staring warmly into my eyes with a gleam on her face. I couldn help but smile back, ”Yeah, it was. Haha! ” I said in a surprised tone.

Sandys wet, black hair with one bleach streak covered her right eye, with her hair on her left side over her ear. I went out of my comfort zone, and I actually had a little fun! And as we both looked at each other before heading out of the water, I couldn help but think, even though I wanted to keep a distance,

”What a beautiful smile… ”