Page 36 of Five Things I Love About You

‘Honestly, Mirand, in a few minutes it will all be over with and you’ll be absolutely buzzing, I promise,’ she says. She puts her hands on my shoulders and looks into my eyes. ‘Would I lie to you?’

I shake my head stiffly.

We clamber into the plane and the door slams closed, and moments later we’re taxiing along the runway and lifting off and oh GOD, oh God, oh God I really don’t want to do this. I’m struggling to draw in air and I feel as though I might throw up, but a glance around me shows that everyone else looks just as terrified as I feel and that reassures me. I look at my instructor for any signs of fear but he’s cool as a cucumber, and I try to relax. We’re fine. This will be fine.

The roar of the engine fills my ears and I stare at the floor and breathe slowly. Before I know it we’ve levelled off, and all the instructors jump to their feet.

This is it. This is the moment.

My body feels numbs as my instructor attaches himself to me and holds his thumb up to check I’m okay. I give him a thumbs up back, and realise I haven’t taken a breath for several seconds. I feel a bit faint.

Kirstie is just ahead of me and even she looks pale as we shuffle towards the open doorway. The noise is overwhelming, filling my ears, and the wind whipping into the cabin makes my eyes water. I hold my breath as Kirstie tips herself effortlessly from the plane and disappears from sight, and then, before I’m ready, we’re there, at the entrance, and we’re leaning forward.

I can’t think about it, I need to just let myself go and – oh!

We’re in the air and I’m dropping, dropping, dropping, and the skin on my face flaps around as though it’s come loose from the bone and I’m hurtling towards the earth. The ground is getting closer and closer and my throat tightens and oh my God we’re going to hit the ground and crumble to dust. I’m going to die before I even get anywhere close to finding Jay and what about the kids and?—

Then the parachute is released, and we’ve slowed, and I feel as though I’m being suspended, held up by the clouds, like an angel. It’s magical, and my limbs relax and my mind floats away and it’s just like a dream.NowI understand why people enjoy this. I could stay here all day.

I’m lighter than air as we drift downwards, toward a tiny huddle of people no bigger than specks of dust.

And then, what feels like mere seconds later, I’m lifting my legs and coming to land on solid ground with a gentle bump.

It’s over. I did it.

‘Oh my God!’ I hear a screech and look up to see Sophie racing towards me, arms outstretched, her bag bouncing against her hip with every step. She throws her arms around me and all the air leaves my body, and I collapse against her, my heart racing.

When she pulls away, her arms are on my shoulders. ‘You did it!’ she says, a huge beam on her face. I feel my face crack into a smile too.

‘I bloody did, didn’t I?’

I look round for Kirstie and see she’s still disentangling herself from her instructor.

‘Give me a minute to sort myself, and we’ll go and see Kirstie,’ I say.

Everyone said I’d feel euphoric afterwards but I hadn’t believed them. Now, though, I truly understand what they mean.

I feel light, lighter than ever, as though my heart is still floating around somewhere in the atmosphere. I’m still shaking from the adrenaline, but I feel happy, and as if I can achieve anything.

Which is why, when the three of us make our way to a nearby bar afterwards, I feel, with absolutely certainty, that Sophie is going to have some good news about having found Jay.

Sadly, I’m brought back down to earth with a bump.

‘I’m sorry, M, but nobody knew who I was talking about, and I promise I tried. I spoke to the manager, and quite a few members of staff, but nobody knew a man called Jay, Jason, James or anything else like that who has a dog. Although I did get quite a few weird looks when they asked me to describe him and I said I wasn’t sure what he looked like. Jay, not the dog.’

‘Oh.’ I’m completely deflated, but I know it’s not Sophie’s fault so I don’t want to make her feel bad.

‘Sorry, Mirand,’ she says. ‘But I’ve left your number and they promised to ask the next shift of staff and let you know if they have any luck.’

‘Thank you. To be fair we knew it was a long shot.’ I take a gulp of my wine and my head spins. ‘Anyway, as you said, I need to enjoy myself while I’m looking, and I really did enjoy today, so I’m going to take that as a win.’

‘I knew you’d love it!’ Kirstie says, taking a huge gulp of her vodka. ‘I always say a bit of jeopardy is good for the soul.’

I nod. ‘It really is.’

‘If you two mad women say so.’ Sophie places her hands together. ‘So what’s next?’

‘Next?’ I look at her blankly.

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