Seven Minutes

Father's POV

I decided to drive to the top of the cliff today.

It's been a few years since I've been there and seeing Avery made me want to go there. She was, after all, there with me when I was there.

"Where are we going?"

I smile and answer, "One of my favorite places."

"Where is it?"

"Just up this hill."

She had loved this cliff. I remember her lying in the grass and staring up at stars. While she had laid there, I had leaned against an unusually large tree.

"Are you going to tell me your name or am I going to have to call you Choco forever?" She stared up at me with big eyes as she said this.

I shrug my shoulders and reply, "You can call me Darren."

She got a confused look and asked, "Why?"

"I like that name, it has the word dare in it. What should I call you?"

She thinks about it, then says, "Carson. I like that name, it has the word car in it."

I smirk as I say, "That's it? I'm dare, you're car." I lean in as I quietly say, "I think I beat you by a smig."

She had this way that made me happy to be around her. I'd never had that feeling before and it was a nice change.

Happiness. A really nice change.

I striped off my shirt as I stared at the water below, saying, "SoCarson, you ever jump off a cliff?"

She shakes her head and replies, "Nope. I don't plan on risking my life anytime soon, so don't try on getting me to do what's going through your head."

I smiled at her, "I dare you."

She put up a good fight and had came up with some valid points. The water was too cold, we could hit the rocks and pass out, it's dangerous. Eventually though, I got her in the water.

The water had been beautiful that night. Clear blue. Moonlight creating sparkles on every peak.

That thought is interrupted by my phone ringing. I answer it without checking the ID. "Hello?"

"Yo, dude! Where are you?"

"Drew, I don't think I'm gonna be able to make it."

"What? The party at my place tonight is gonna be huge. Everyone's going to be here."

I rolled my eyes and replied, "Fine. I'll probably be a little late, though."

"Whatever, just be here."

I hang up my phone and take one last look at the water.

"On the count of three. One. . .two. . .three!"

We run and jump off the cliff into the water, falling hand in hand. The air burst into my lungs and I suck it down, anticipating a deep plunge. As we're surrounded by water, our hands almost fall apart but they're clamped tight.

I opened my eyes and watched her. She opened her eyes too and we grinned at each other.

As I drive to Drew's house and think about that memory, I smile at the thought of knowing that she's not that far away.