Chapter 21
"Is it okay if I step outside for a breath of fresh air?" I asked, seeing that Matt was still looking around with uneasiness.
"Sure, step out on the back porch as long as you need." Gilbert said.
I stood, "Matt, care to join me?"
"Yes." He looked incredibly relieved to escape for a few minutes.
The two of us walked to the back door and let ourselves out into the mid August heat. The crickets chirped and the lighting bugs flickered around the yard as we stood in the dimness.
"Thank you soo much for saving me in there, I felt like I was trapped in a prison cell." He sighed, calming himself.
"I saw that you needed a break, so I took the first opportunity to speak ." I said, as we lingered outside on the back patio.
"Hey, want to go for a walk?" Matt asked suddenly.
"Sure. I need to stretch my legs anyway, I've been sitting in there way too long." I told him.
"So what's first on the grand tour?" I asked after Matt had been silent for a few moments.
"Ah, the trampoline. It's back here somewhere amongst all these overgrown weeds." Matt said, looking at his feet as he walked.
"What's the story behind that?" I asked, trying to make as much conversation as possible.
"Jeff and I used to pretend to be wrestlers and we used it as our ring. We built ropes around it and charged our friends to come see us dress up as our favorite wrestlers and put on a show." Matt explained, looking back on fond memories.
"Wow, very creative, I must say. It was probably a lot of fun, wasn't it?" I asked.
We both suddenly looked into each other's eyes. My heart started to race just at that little look.
"Yeah it was fun, but I think being in the real WWF is better, plus I'm getting paid to bash up my body." He laughed.
I smiled at him.
"Where did the trampoline get to, I know its dark, but its pretty large, you can't miss it." Matt said, pushing the weeds aside to look for it.
I on the other hand hadn't been paying attention to where I had been walking and suddenly ran into it with my waist. I yelped, not expecting it and tumbled backward unto the hidden trampoline. In the process of falling, I grabbed onto Matt, who then lost his balance and landed full force on top of me. When the dust cleared, he had pinned me down, holding onto my wrists. It was dim outside, but his chocolate eyes could still be seen, gleaming like black stones in the moonlight.
"I think we found it." I laughed uncontrollably.
To me this had been the funniest thing. I was almost giddy.
"Yup, I think we did." He replied, joining in my fit of laughter.
The laugher suddenly stopped between us, and without warning he placed his lips upon mine. He pulled away after a moment. My eyes were wide in surprise. Matt hesitated and quickly kissed me again. The crash must have made a louder noise then we had thought because everyone is the household came running with flashlights to see what had happened to us. Gilbert got to us first, the two dogs on his heels. The two of us broke apart instantly at the all the noise they were making.
"Everything's okay, they're fine." Gilbert called back to Jeff and Amy who were still hurrying out the door.
"What happened out here?" Gilbert asked us, surveying the damage with his flashlight.
"I think the trampoline has seen better days." Matt cracked up, lying in the wreckage next to me.
"Whoa, what were you two doing?" Jeff came up behind his father just then, peaking over his shoulder and seeing that we were almost lying on top of each other.
"Nothing, taking a walk, until Maria tripped in the dark over the trampoline, and pulled me down with her. Then all of a sudden we were on the ground laughing hysterically." Matt grinned, flashing a killer smile.
"Are you guys okay?" Amy asked, just then looking over Jeff's shoulder shining yet another flashlight into our eyes.
"Yeah, we're fine, just a little messy." I replied, sitting up and dusting myself off. Matt also stood and helped me to my own feet.
The others headed back to the house arm in arm, leaving us to talk.
"Matt, I'm so sorry I broke your trampoline." I said, feeling awful that I had just help wreck one of his childhood memories.
"Maria, don't worry about it, that thing was old anyway." He said, looking back on the squashed pieces of the trampoline.
"Are you sure, because I will buy you a knew one, if you'd like?" I asked again.
"Maria, really its okay, I promise, I'm not heartbroken over it." He replied with a soft voice and a pat on the shoulder.
"Come, on, lets go back into the house. We have to leave anyway and head back to our motel in Raleigh."
"Okay." I replied, not knowing what else to say.
Chapter 22
Chapter 20