Chapter 21 - Depth, Height, Speed

                                    

                                          
Before December 31st
                          
AIDEN
                          
Cleo's face breaks into a big smile. "You are?" she almost shrieks.
                          
I nod. "Well, yeah. I mean, I think I am...I want to be. But I don't know if I did it properly?"
                          
"Did you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of your life and acknowledge that He is the Son of God?" she asks, her words tumbling out over each other, excitement bubbling up in each one.
                          
"Yes," I say.
                          
"Then we're now brother and sister in Christ!" Cleo exclaims. "Oh, Aiden, this is wonderful!"
                          
I find myself grinning at her. "I feel so different."
                          
"That's because you are! Hey, would you like to come to church with me sometime?"
                          
I think about it for a moment. Yes, I would. "If that's okay with you."
                          
She nods exuberantly. "Of course."
                          
I feel eagerness rising up from deep inside of me. My whole life is altering, and I just know it's in a good way.
 I can't wait to tell Emma. It's new to me, but I'm already praying that she will hear what I have to say and that I will be able to convince her.
                          
But first, I have a question I want to ask her.
                          
~ ~ ~
                          
EMMA
                          
"Aiden, this is getting ridiculous." I squirm underneath his large hands that are placed over my eyes. "Where. Are. You taking me?"
                          
"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, now would it?" he taunts. I can tell he's grinning at my impatience even though I can't see him.
                          
"You won't have to worry about that. You never cease to surprise me." I say. I smile as well and we carry on walking on what seems to be gravel.
                          
Blaze was full of surprises. Bad surprises. But this is different. I am only surprised in good ways when it comes to Aiden.
                          
We come to a stop and Aiden puts his mouth close to my ear. "You can open your eyes," he says in a whisper that blows a strand of my hair forward.
                          
"If you move your hands I might," I huff, pretending to be irritated, when in reality I'm tingling with anticipation.
                          
"Okay, okay. One, two...three." 
                          
He removes his hands from my face and I blink. In front of me sits Mount Mansfield in all of its autumn glory. The sky is a bold purple-ish blue today and provides the perfectly aesthetic backdrop for the mountain that flaunts a thick covering of powdery white snow across its peaks.
 The wind whistles past me and raises goose bumps on my skin. It really is a beautiful day, even if it's been getting colder and colder lately.
                          
I turn to Aiden. "It's gorgeous," I breathe.
                          
His eyes sparkle. "Isn't it just? I love this place." 
                          
We stand a moment longer, taking in the rosy fall colours covering the mountain and the tall, proud trees. I move closer to Aiden for warmth in the crisp breeze and he puts an arm around me. 
                          
"Let's go," I say, excitement replacing wonder. "I can't wait to be at the top."
                          
"Neither can I. But since I don't want you getting hurt again, I took the liberty of booking a cable car ride up."
                          
I fold my arms and frown. "That was just once. I will be perfectly fine, Aiden."
                          
He laughs. "Yeah, I'm sure you will, frowny face. But it's already kind of late, so if we want to get to the top and down again before it's dark, we should take the cable car."