“Oh yeah, this is much better,” she says after switching her footing.
The view out here at night is unlike anything else. There's a calming, almost delicate beauty to it, as if the darkness itself is soothing the world around us.
The resort doesn’t have enough employees currently to be supervising people while night riding. Otherwise, they would. Night riding is one of my favorite pastimes. It’s where I can clear my mind completely and just focus on the action I’m doing.
Nothing else.
I’m hoping Genevieve will like it as much as I do.
The cool, crisp breeze sweeps through her hair, sending it dancing in the wind. The sweet scent of coconuts fills the air, confirming what I’ve always known—Genevieve truly does smell like coconuts.
“You ready for what’s going to be one of the best rides of your life?”
“What makes this ride special?”
“Well, for one you’re with me,” I say, giving her a wink. “But also because it’s night time. Most resorts don’t let you ride at night, like this one. But riding at night is one of the best times to do so. It’s so freeing,” I tell her.
“Then yes, I’m ready!”
I catch her cue and guide her off the lift as it reaches the top. To my surprise, she nails the mini jump, a feat most people struggle with, and effortlessly follows me toward the mountain’s path.
I bend over and strap her in for her and I do the same for myself. Once I get up she says, “Thank you.”
“No problem, Snowflake. Now let’s ride!” I say jumping my board to face the drop off.
She follows me slowly now that she doesn’t have any momentum, so I reach towards her and grab her hand so she can use my force to get a head start. I push her off and she is doing it until she isn’t. She fell. She’s okay, but hopefully this won’t be the whole night so she can at least enjoy herself. I sort of forgot she was a beginner.
“That’s alright!” I tell her. “Just keep your knees bent, stay on your heels and hold my hand,” I tell her.
I help her up off the ground and we begin again.
“Don’t let go of my hand,” I tell her.
Then we’re off.
We make it half way down the mountain before Genevieve falls again. She did much better! She just needs to keep a hold of myhand. She gets right back up like a champ and makes it the other half of the way down.
Around again we get off the lift and do the same thing. This time, once we’re half way down Genevieve says, “I’m doing it! I’m doing it!”
“Hell yeah you are, Snowflake! Atta girl!” I shout. But I get a little too caught up in her smile, like trying to focus on the horizon while carving a sick line—one moment too long and boom. I slip. But Genevieve, she doesn’t break form—she holds my hand tight. So down we both go, tangled like a messy jump landing.
She lets out a loud laugh. A laugh I’ve never heard from her before. This one sounds like it’s coming from deep within. She’s practically in tears. Can I make the sound of her laugh my ringtone?
“I can’t believe we both slipped!” She says through laughter.
Her laughter is contagious because I’m laughing too.
“It’s okay! Didn’t hurt one bit,” I admit. It didn’t, I’m used to it. “Are you okay though?”
“I’m great!”
Neither of us are quick to get up, so instead we just stay down where we are with all limbs spread out like a starfish. I feel like a kid again. I take a look at the sky and see the stars shining their beautiful light.
I try to quiz myself over the constellations like I normally do. I see Orion and his belt. I see Aquarius and Taurus. I squint to see what else I see when Genevieve says, “Is that Cassiopeia?” With her hand pointing upwards. Then she lifts up her sweater and is bending her head down all funny to compare her freckles to the sky.
I try to see which direction she was pointing to. Once I make the connection, I see exactly what she saw, Cassiopeia.
“Yes, that is Cassiopeia, or what I now call, Genevieve,” I tell her.
