Chapter 14 - Analise

    "Hurry up. Go faster!"

 I inwardly groaned, running faster, pushing my feet as hard as they could go. Will was helping me push myself, though he thought it was so I could try out for track. I was actually trying to build up my stigma for when the time came I had to run from something in the gang.

I wiped the beads of sweat off my forehead, cursing myself for being so athletically challenged. I was skinny, but I never did any running or anything of the sort. Usually, I'd say if I was running, you better run too because something was chasing me. And something was this time, my friend Will, but it wasn't a cause for concern. I knew I could trust Will.

I came through a clearing of trees I recognized instantly, relishing in the familiarity of it. We were currently running towards the lake Drew and I always went to as kids. It was the one thing our family could agree on doing together before they died.

We came to the crystal clear blue lake and instead of stopping I stripped off my shirt and t-shirt and jumped in. Will soon followed, his laughter filling the silence. When I jumped in I went underwater and the coldness enveloped me like a blanket. It was a shock, but I welcomed it after the hour I'd been running.

"Annie," Will mumbled, panting slightly. "You're doing better."

I smiled to myself. "Thanks Rando."

"Tell me again why you want to try out for track?"

I avoided his eyes and brushed it off. "Just want to. Don't bug me about it."

"I'm not," he told me sincerely, ducking under the water again. I felt my leg being pulled and struggled against it until I realized it was Will. He pulled me underwater with him and I opened my eyes, ignoring the stinging. I looked at Will and he looked back at me, smirking to himself. I pushed his shoulder before a laugh escaped and I swallowed water. I resurfaced coughing and laughing.

A splash fight ensued, and I was definitely winning, until he cheated and grabbed me around the waist and dunked me again. Once I came back up spluttering we just kept laughing - about my misfortune or his cheating abilities, I wasn't sure.

Once our laughter died down, we realized how close we were. I stared into his baby blue's, unmoving, not blinking. He stared right back at me, his breathing labored. I saw his eyes drift to my lips, and I subconsciously did the same thing.

"You're so beautiful..." Will whispered to himself, brushing a piece of wet hair off my forehead. I shivered at his touch.

"Will, I-"

"I know, not the relationship type, right?"

I nodded to myself sadly, looking down at the water before meeting his gaze again. "I'm sorry."

He waved his hand, dismissing me. "You're fine. I understand. But just know, no matter if you're the friendship type or the relationship type or not, you're my type."

I felt my cheeks redden, looking down and saying in a small voice, "Thank you."

"I'm glad we're friends," Will told me before looking up to the sky in thought.

I bit my lip thoughtfully. I felt so bad, but I couldn't help how my life was. There was no way I could juggle a relationship on top of everything I was going through right now. It was a big step for me to even agree to be friends with him, he had to give me credit there. Still though, I felt like I owed him.

I smiled to myself, grabbing his hand. "Want another adventure?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "Yes!"

When we got to our destination we were only kind of damp but I had timed it perfectly. The sun was about to set, so I ran towards the water tower. Will looked confused, but wordlessly followed me. I started climbing the ladder of the water tower, and his eyes widened. "Isn't this illegal?"

"Only if we get caught."

Together Will and I ascended the stairs, and soon we were on the first level of the water tower. I checked my phone, cursing silently to myself. "Hurry up to the third level, I'm right behind you!"

Will started climbing the second set of stairs and I started off after him, trying not to look at his behind. But it was pretty nice...

Focus, Analise!

Soon we were on the third level of the water tower which was the top, and I took a deep breath. "Now hang your feet off, sit down, and enjoy the view."

He sat down next to me, looking at me questioningly. "What are we-"

Will cut himself off as he followed my line of view and took a sharp breath. As if someone was listening to us, the entirety of the Chicago skyline lit up at once. The buildings twinkled against the sky that was darkening as the sun went down. A mix of yellows, oranges and blues danced across the sky. The buildings contrasted them well, and it was a beautiful scene. The river in front of us was as calm as I'd ever seen it.

"Wow," Will whispered, crossing his legs and leaning against the bulk of the tower. "This is..."

"Amazing?" I offered. He nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty great. You have to hit it just right."

"Everything you do surprises me," he admitted quietly. "I mean your life is like a movie."

"Life is what you make it," I started, staring ahead at the tall skyscrapers. "You can live a mundane life of books and mediocrity, or you can live it and live it up."

Will nodded thoughtfully to himself, hanging onto my every word. That's the way I saw life; you had to live it up because you only got one. I could sit at home watching movies and eating food, or I could really enjoy life. I wasn't scared of the impossible. To me, nothing was impossible. I wasn't scared of death, that was the whole point of doing death defying activities - Doing something so dangerous and surviving was truly thrilling. There was no feeling like it.

I leaned my head on Will's shoulder, smiling to myself as we watched the sun go down. He wrapped his arm around me, putting his head on mine and we just sat like that until the sun was completely gone and the buildings twinkling lights were the only thing against the dark sky.

"Hey! You kids get down!" A deep voice shouted from below, interrupting our silence. I looked down and there were three police cars, lightly blazing, and a police officer shining a flashlight up at us.

I looked at Will, who looked a mix of terrified and exhilarated, and grinned. "We've been caught, Rando."

"But it was so worth it," he admitted, grinning back at me.