Jump by Kruti Bhatt

JUMP

Jordan, a young man stood on top of an office building looking over the city. The sun was setting over the horizon changing the sky from blue to pink. Stars were just now being able to be seen, barley, but they were still there. The air was cool, making it the perfect time to be outside.

Jordan shoved his hands in his pockets as he heaved a heavy sigh. He looked up towards the sky and then looked to the side at the park trees as if he were ashamed to look up at the heavens. He closed his saddened green eyes and lowered his head letting his brown bangs cover his face.

Life was unfair, he knew. His mother had told him that when he was younger and had not gotten his way. It wasn't until he was older he realized she was talking about the whole world, more specific her own

"Why am I here? What am I doing?" He let out a dry laugh as he questioned himself. He knew why he was here and found it weird of him to be asking questions he already knew the answer to. Better questions were why his mother had to pass away and why his life had to fall apart? He sighed. Perhaps, he knew the answers to those as well.

Why did life have to be so hard? Sure, it keeps it interesting, but there were other ways to make life interesting and have people happy. He wondered about life after death and where his mother had gone, heaven or hell. He felt like a lost puppy.

He jumped slightly hearing the door to the roof open. He let go of a breath he purposely held when he saw a girl around the same age as him standing with her back to the door.

An angel, he thought, That was the first thought that crossed his mind as his eyes rested upon her. She looked, dare he think, adorable in faded ripped blue jeans and a baby blue tank top. Her blond hair was pulled back in a bun and her eyes...her baby blue eyes showed him what she really was.

A broken angel, Her eyes were filled with such sorrow as his was. His head tilted slightly as he realized the expression on her face. Her face showed sadness, yet shock and fear at the same time. She sighed almost silently looking away the shock and fear disappearing from her face leaving nothing but her sadness.

"Could you move?" She whispered the only emotion in her voice was the same as the one on her face. "I would like to..." She tried to say it as if she was not ashamed of what she wanted to do. Her head lowered even more showing him she was. Truth be told, she felt more shame in what she was doing now, then any other thing she done in her life.

"Jump," He finished for her. She looked up at him before quickly averted her eyes towards the trees behind him. She wondered if he was judging her. She soon realized it didn't matter and started walking towards the edge. He noticed she was only wearing socks and her toes were fidgeting in them. He wondered what had happened to her that would make her want to do this, something that made her seem so uncomfortable

"Are you going to stop me...?" She asked looking at the sun that was barley able to be seen. He looked at her and then at the sun. He thought about it for a moment. Would he stop her? He wasn't really sure. Did he have a right too? After all, he was up here ready to take his own life as she was hers.

"I don't see any reason to." He told her. He saw her lower her head form the corner of his eye and began to regret his words until she spoke.

"Good," Her voice cracked slightly as tears came to the corners of her eyes. He stared out staring, but not really seeing the colors of the sky. He thought of what his mother would want him to do. He turned to her, taking his hands out of his pockets. He took a step towards her making her take a step back and wrap her arms around herself in a protective way. Her eyes closed in fear as he reached his hand out slowly towards her only to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear that had escaped her bun. Finally, not being able to take it, she fell to her knees and let her long awaited tears fall.

Jordan found himself falling down on his knees as well. He watched her cry for a moment before wiping her tears away. She just stayed up at him in wonder.

"An angel, such as you, should not be crying." He told her. Her mouth opened slightly, confused by his words. Anger soon grasped and squeezed her heart. She drew her hand up and slapped him across his face.

"You don't know me," She said, "Don't call me an angel. I'm far from it." She said anger hanging on to every word.

"No," He told her making her anger subside, and her confusion come back, "You are an angel. Perhaps, a broken angel, but an angel nonetheless," Her eyes filled with tears once more as she clung tightly to his shirt and cried into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her even closer to him as his own tears began to fall.

"What is your name?" He whispered as their tears began to calm. She pulled back slightly and rubbed her eyes to get ride of any tears. She lowered her head ashamed of the answer.

"Angel," She whispered making him smile,

"You look like one," He told her, "And you should feel like one," Confusion covered her face again.

"An angel is supposed to help people. Make people feel better." She told him trying to force her new tears back. He let out a laugh, that was more alive then the rest.

"You did do that," He told her with a small smile. She smiled back as she tucked another strand of hair behind her ear.

What's yours?" She asked, realizing she didn't know his.

"Jordan," He told her,

"Jordan," She whispered setting her head back into his chest as the sun finally set completely, the last rays of the sun leaving them, but not before knowing they would be warm, in each others arms.

- By Kruti Bhatt