“See, nothing bad happened,” she mutters. “You’re insufferable sometimes.”
“Just sometimes?”
“All the time, then, satisfied?” She goes quiet.
“What does it say?” I assume she’s reading the next clue.
“Five is your first number. To find two, please do not blunder. Up high is where you’ll find it, up and up and away. Can you reach it?”
“Look up, Sapphire, what can you see?” I tilt my head even though I can’t see anything but darkness.
“A hot air balloon.” Her voice rises by two octaves in excitement. “I’ve got no hope, but there’s no way you’ll reach it either.”
“You’re going to have to get on my shoulders,” I suggest.
Then she’s clambering onto my shoulders and I give in to the madness of the weekend, let go and allow Sapphire to take the lead until we finally find the last clue.
Sapphire and I are both lying on the floor, our legs working fast, cycling upside down to pump water into a bottle that has a tiny ball at the bottom with the last number hiding inside of it. Squealing that we’ve done it, she helps me off the floor and tells me to wait.
Running across the room, she tells me what she’s doing, like she’s done at every step; her guidance and reassurance are just the perfect amount. “I need to punch the numbers into this panel on the wall.”
Half out of breath from exertion and half flushed from the need to get this blindfold off and leave the room, she lets out a whoop of victory, runs back to me, and whips my blindfold off.
I blink and blink, my spotty vision returning as I cast my eyes around the dimly lit space that looks like a mad professor’s library, old cameras, journals, and scientific equipment lining one of the walls.
“We didn’t die, Eli.”
I didn’t think we would, and I didn’t think I would make it through the first minute, but it’s a miracle we did.
“Eli and Sapphire, you’re the first ones out.” A cheerful voice travels into the room from the doorway, and I have to squint as the bright lights from outside pour through the door.
“Teamwork.” Sapphire breathes out, looking flushed and as pleased as punch.
“Is it teamwork if you’re forced to do something?” I tease, joking with her because I know how much she likes it. I know her, know her better than I know myself.
“I think you secretly enjoy me pushing you beyond what you think you’re capable of.” She pulls me in for a kiss.
I hate it, but I hate it even more that I would let her do it to me all over again.
35
ELI
As we wait for the last session of the day to start, Sapphire joins me on the foam yoga mat, sits down beside me, and then rests her head on my shoulder. I kiss the top of her head, breathing in her floral fragrance that smells like fresh lavender fields. The woody and powdery undertone is something I can never get enough of, so I pull her closer into my side and lay my temple on top of hers.
If anything, this weekend has taught me that being vulnerable doesn’t make me weak; it makes me stronger.
It’s been a weekend full of first experiences.
Yesterday, when we arrived, I first got eaten alive by a gang of mosquitoes who thought I was the all-you-can-eat buffet. Then I had to piss outside in a urinal, and for the first time in my life, I now have a mosquito bite on my balls that’s insanely itchy and feels hotter than Satan’s asshole.
Speaking of assholes, I had a communal shower with someone named Patrick who asked me dozens of questions about how I stay in shape as he bent over and blatantly washed his hairy ass crack in front of me like it was completely natural when it’s not. Not even close. At least I can now add seeing another man’s asshole to a list of things I never want to experience again.
Since that unexpected encounter, I’ve avoided making eye contact with Patrick all day, for fear he’ll arrange for us to meet up tomorrow at the same time.
I’m already considering checking us into the hotel that’s only a mile away for the night, just in case he might ask, as there’s still time left this evening.
It’s not all been bad; in fact, it’s been great, and spending time with Sapphire, diving deeper into our personalities, mainly mine, has made me feel even safer with her.
