Jaidlynn stared blankly down before her. The tips of her shoes peaked over the side and she smiled as she dropped her hands that had been spread out at her sides. She laughed with pure euphoria until she began to cry.
   Hearing the door bang open behind her, she listened for the crackling of gravel as someone walked out onto the roof.
   Smiling to herself, she tilted her head slightly but didn’t turn around. She would wait for this person.
   “Whatcha doin’, Jai?”
   She turned halfway, and waved an arm out to encompass the city below. “It’s beautiful tonight, isn’t it?”
   Sonya nodded carelessly, “It’s always beautiful. Now what are you doing up here?”
   Jaidlynn smiled slightly, “It’s just…” she took in a deep breath. “It’s amazing standing right here. Right like this.” She lifted her arms and spread them wide. “I wish that I could fly.”
   Glad she wasn’t facing her Sonya rolled her eyes. “Yeah, gravity’s a bitch, sweetie.”
   Jaidlynn solemnly agreed then lifted her face and sniffed the fresh air. “It’s going to rain soon.”
   Slowly, Sonya started inching her way towards her wayward sister. “Come on, Jai. You know I hate heights.”
   “You hate looking over the edge,” Jaidlynn corrected sagely, her eyes fixated on the fascinating site of the city lights. She stared so hard and so long that they were starting to blur, making her dizzy.
   “Yeah, I hate the edge.” Sonya looked up when she felt something wet land on her outstretched arm. She looked at her sister and growled, “Ok, it’s starting to rain. Now you know I hate getting wet, and mom wants you inside. And right now, so do I. Cause when you’re inside, that means I’ll be inside.”
   Jaidlynn laughed and feeling Sonya’s uneasiness, she sat down on the ledge. “Feel better now?”
   Sonya shook her head, “Not really. But at least, I feel as if I can breathe easier.”
   “I’ve wasted so much time, Sonya…” Jaidlynn murmured warily. “I can’t believe how much I wasted.”    Sonya bit her lip in thought before asking; “What are you talking about, Jai?”
   “All that time I spent on the ground… and it was all for nothing. I didn’t accomplish anything major.”
   Feeling the beginnings of a light rain, Sonya clenched her teeth for a second before forcing herself to relax. “Can’t we go in and talk about this, Jai? I got a date tonight. You can tell me all about it when I get back and we’ll figure something out together, ok? Is that all right?”
   “He lied, Sonya…”
   Cautiously looking around Sonya asked, “Who did?”
   “Ike lied… he has a girlfriend... said that he didn’t. I saw her at a concert. I wanted to be her so badly, Sonya. I never wanted to be someone so badly in all my life.”
   Feeling sorry for her, Sonya moved forward and gently put her hand on her shoulder. “Anything I can do for you?”
   Jaidlynn shook her head; “It doesn’t matter. He’s gone now.” She felt her eyes tear up again. “He’s gone,” she whispered.
   “Well… where’d he go? Do I know him? Maybe I could call him and see what’s happened,” Sonya suggested helpfully. “Maybe by now, him and his girlfriend already broke up.”
   Not likely. Not with that rock on her ring finger, she thought bitterly. Shrugging her shoulders, Jaidlynn blinked several times before turning around to look at her older sister. “Go on, Sonya. I’ll be down soon.”
   “You sure?” Sonya questioned, torn between wanting to go and staying with her kid sister.
   Jaidlynn smiled, “Yeah, I’m sure.”
   Taking the offer before it was taken back, Sonya rushed back inside and rushed down the stairs. “Jai’s just behind me, Ma,” she shouted as she grabbed her purse. “I’m going out now. Seth is probably waiting for me downstairs.”
   Not waiting around long enough to hear a response from her mother, Sonya raced out the door and down the last flight of stairs. The elevator would have taken too long, and she was eager to see Seth again.
   Just thinking of him made her smile. Pushing on the stairwell doors, she saw Seth standing in the doorway of the apartment building looking on something that was causing quite a stir.
   Hurrying forward to try and surprise him, Sonya wrapped her arms around his waist before leaning out the door a little as well to catch what the commotion was about and why so many were looking down and others were pointing up.
   When people were bustled and jostled about enough, she saw a booted foot at an awkward angle. It took long seconds for the boot to make a connection in her brain, and when it did Sonya wrenched away from Seth and shoved people aside.
   Breaking the circle of onlookers, she knelt down to cradle her sister’s head in her lap. She ignored the rain that was falling sharply, stinging her exposed skin.