High Wire from the High Dive (Matt)

[Jonathan & Jacob Bishop]

"Come on, it's totally safe," John called to his brother from across the pool. Since Xavier and Jaxon had dropped a bomb on them, telling them about the dark side of their ability, the twins had been hesitant to do much of anything related to stunts or even slightly physical activity.

But it had been like an itch that needed to be scratched and though both twins were a tad nervous, they couldn't help but plan wild ideas in the late hours of the night. And finally John had convinced his brother that it was time to hop back on the saddle.

So that day after classes, the brothers had set up their idea. They ran to the pool, shoving each other playfully along the way. Somehow the idea of doing something dangerous was actually helping them to forget their worries about getting hurt. Because...yeah...logic?

Glad that no one was there, most importantly no staff the twins got to work. They set up a slack line going from the high dive on one end of the pool to the lifeguard stand on the other end. John hardly paused after they set it up before testing it out. Even with this weight on it, the flattened nylon webbing was still well above the water. But even if he fell it would be there to 'catch' him. Perfectly safe.

"Come on," he repeated. Just as someone opened the door to the pool startling him. Startled, he fell into the pool, but came up for air laughing.

"You scared us, man," Jake said, laughing along with his brother. "Thought you were a teacher."

[Matt Davis]

People gave swimming a bad rep, but honestly it was fantastic. It gave a great all body work out, it was relaxing, and ironically the indoor pool was one of the warmest places in all of Vermont. Which itself was unnaturally cold for some reason. He had already gotten dressed down and got into his swimsuit. Red and blue trunks that matched the blue towel slung over his bare shoulder.

When he walked inside of the pool his eyes were quickly drawn to the abnormal wobble over the pool, and then the loud splash inside of the pool. Matt started to rush towards the pool in case someone was hurt, but when the laughter erupted as quickly as the kid in the pool erupted from the water, his face twisted into a wide smile. He moved to the edge of the pool and reached a hand down to help the treading boy back onto the edge of the pool.

“What? Nah, but I can see why! And if you keep on laughing too hard, they’re gonna come in here! Teachers hear laughter miles away… like fun-eatin’ sharks.”

Matt looked from the brother in the water up to the one perched on the diving board. “What the heck are you two even doing!?... Especially without even lockin’ the doors?!”

[Jonathan & Jacob Bishop]

John reached out to accept the boy's help. Once at the edge the he pulled himself out. He was still laughing as he shook some of the water out of his hair.

"Man, I knew we forgot something," Jake said as his brother ran to lock the door.

"Thanks man," John said returning to the edge to sit with his legs in the water and patting the spot beside him if the boy felt like sitting. "It's totally safe," he answered, giving his twin a meaningful look at the repetition of his earlier statement.

"Fine, fine," Jake said, rolling his eyes. "My brother's a big fan of pee pressure," he added to the boy who'd walked in. Then, laughing a bit, he took a step out onto the slack line. He made it a bit farther than John had before he too went tumbling into the water.

"You new around here?" John asked as his twin swam over to join them. The twins lived at home so they didn't know everyone at Hammel but they were pretty sure they'd never seen the blonde boy before now.

"I'm John." "I'm Jake." they said at the same time as Jake pulled himself out of the pool.

"Wanna try?" "Wanna try?"

[Matt Davis]

Matt looked down to the boy who sat down beside of the pool. He decided to join the boy and sat on the offered spot. He kicked his leg out into the water and circled with his feet. The boys...talked strange. Together, and as if they knew what the other was going to say. It was just a very strange conversation. Matt couldn’t help but think it was a little bit funny though.

Matt laughed as the two introduced themselves at the exact same time, pulling the respective names out of the muddled answer. “John, Jake… I’m Matt.” He offered a hand to the boy beside of him before looking up to the wire.

“...Y’think that thing could hold me?... Sure, heck, why not! It’s all above the water, right?” Matt tossed his towel to the side and stood up, letting the boys lead on.

[Jonathan & Jacob Bishop]

The brothers grinned at Matt, then each other, then back at Matt. It was so amazing to find someone who actually seemed interested in joining them instead of lecturing them or worse running to tell the teachers.

"Sure it'll hold ya," John said.

"It held us after all," Jake added.

They continued to grin as Matt stood up, jumping to their feet in unison as well. "Right!" "Right!" They lead the way up the ladder of the high dive, but paused at the top to give room for Matt to go by them.

"Go ahead," "You first," they said, gesturing for Matt to take the lead. After all, while they were sure the webbing would hold Matt just find, holding all three of them at once might be a bit much to ask. They stood to the side of the high dive, watching the boy and grinning. This was the best. Not only were they finally having some fun doing stupid stunts again, but they'd also found someone to join in the fun. 

"See if you can" "beat our distance." they added.

[Matt Davis]

Matt looked over the wire from the high dive. When he peered down into the water it suddenly seemed to be much, much higher than it looked from where the boys had fallen in. He looked at the twins as they moved around him, as if about to shove him into certain death. Instead they simply waited for him to start off.

“...Man that…. This doesn’ look secured very well… Y’sure this’ll hold?” He looked back over his shoulder at the boys. When they gave their confirmation he looked back along the thin wire. It was...much more thin than he recalled from down there, as well. It was amazing how some things, like the fall, looked much larger but others, like the wire, were dwarfed. Still he had agreed to do it, and it would be fun if he didn’t die!

Matt started to step out onto the wire. His large feet bent as he sat it against the chord and he started to shimmy across. Matt was a very athletic guy, as one looking at him could read from his toned muscles. One thing he did lack, however, was his balance. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t very well trained. After four steps he started to sway. His arms moved liked windmills trying to keep him steady before he hopped off to the side to keep from falling completely.

He splashed into the water and went deep enough to kick off of the ground and break the surface. He tossed his head back, throwing the damp golden locks with a loud “Woot! Okay! That was intense!”

[Jonathan & Jacob Bishop]

The boys nodded and smiled at Matt's question. Really they were at least 80% sure it would hold him. And even if it didn't, it wasn't like he could get hurt, right?

Still, a moment before Matt stepped out onto the slackline, the brothers had a moment of anxiety and shared a worried look. But by that time, there wasn't anything they could really do about it.

"You got this!" John said as Matt took a second step.

"You can do it!" Jake added on the third step.

When the other boy did start to loose his balance and fall, the twins started laughing. It was just so great to see someone flailing his arms around in the air and then fall with a huge splash in the pool. Almost as fun as doing it themselves.

The brothers started shoving and laughing harder as they fought over which of them would get to go next. In struggle, they knocked each other off the diving board and into the pool.

"You nutball!" Jake yelled as he sputtered to the surface.

"Repect your elders!" John yelled back, though with all the grinning and playful shoving it was obvious neither twin was actually mad. They wouldn't have been mad if Matt joined them either.

"You got any annoying brothers?" "You got any annoying brothers?" they asked together while trying to dunk each other under the water. Though annoying was often a term of endearment in the Bishop household, or at least John and Jake liked to think so.

[Matt Davis]

Matt looked a bit like a wet dog with his straight, golden hair trying to cover over his eyes. He brushed the hair from his eyes off and to one side just before the twins came careening into the water after him. The large splash washed water over him and caused him to sputter out and redo the slick back of his hair.

He watched the two squabble on and he couldn’t help but laugh. Elders? Yeah, likely. The two couldn’t be seconds apart. “Hell ya’ll said that rope was made for walkin’! I’ve flossed m’teeth with bigger pieces a’ string!” He sported his own smile as well. Matt seldom had a hint of malice on him, especially when sopping wet after an admittedly fun fall into the pool.

“Any annoyin’ brothers? Well hell, maybe. I’ve got PJ. Older brother, but he’d probably say I’m th’annoyin’ one…” A small hit of sadness came over the boy, but he shook his head and wiped away some water. He was able to push aside any sadness while in the pool making friends. “But he an’ I used t’do crazy stuff like that all th’time… We once ricked his truck out and turned th’bed into a pool...drove aroun’ like that for a while till the sheriff had words.”

[Jonathan & Jacob Bishop]

Like Matt, the twins rarely had any malice at all in them. The one or two exceptions being when someone messed with their family or friends. Or Rain. They might seriously consider hurting anyone who messed with their girlfriend. True, the brothers ‘fought’ amongst themselves almost daily, but even those skirmishes were rarely serious. These days John and Jake hardly ever got seriously angry at each other, whether they were actually maturing or more like likely because their ability drew them closer to each other daily.

“Floss for giant’s teeth maybe,” John teased, splashing some water at Matt while grinning.

“Don’t drown the new kid,” Jake protested, dunking his brother. Though he was sure Matt could handle a little splash and stand up for himself.

The brothers stopped messing around long enough to listen to Matt’s answer. And by the looks on their faces, they were obviously impressed.

“A pool in the back of a truck? Awesome!” “A pool in the back of a truck? Awesome!” The brothers yelled before exchanging a meaningful look. They were each planning ways to use and improve this idea.

“Sounds like you got some great ideas,” John said, making his way toward the edge of the pool.

“How ya liking Hammel so far?” Jake asked, following his brother.

[Matt Davis]

When the wave of water hit him he turned his head away, but laughed when it had passed. He took a quick peek to make sure they wouldn’t splash him again before turning around completely and put up his hair the way he had slicked it before.

“Bah, don’ worry… I aint no witch or nothin’, aint gona get hurt by a little water.”

The fact that they both seemed impressed and pleased with his talk about the Truck-uzzi was a good sign and a new smile spread across his face. He stood up some in the water and nodded while looking over them. Maybe they could come up with something to do sometime. At the question, though, he looked rather surprised.

“Uhh...How I like it? It’s… y’know, different. Tryin’ t’figure it out, y’know but… the campus is...alright. The room’s bigger than mine, an’ I made a few friends, so...y’know, it is what it is. Hate the fact that I can’t ride my motor bike here, though. Stupid...laws an’ people keepin’ track…”