Felicity Jumps

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Felicity stood atop the hill overlooking the large town below. She drew a deep breath; crisp, cool, morning air tingled her nose and infused her lungs with rejuvenating oxygen. It was the perfect elixir to assuage the residual lag from the red eye bus ride she took across the country the night before.Her eyes wide, she took in the picturesque scene like an angel overlooking the clouds below the heavens. She witnessed the sunrise about half an hour ago revealing the snow-covered tiled rooftops of the old town below. Further on was a sparkling, silver lake lined with thick evergreen trees. Beyond that, much further in the distance, were snow-capped mountains, ageless sentinels acting as the insurmountable gatekeepers of the region.It was beautiful. Beyond beautiful, Felicity thought. It was pure and pristine and it made her young heart swell so much that it almost leapt from her chest, ready to take on everything the world before her had to offer.She closed her eyes, smiling as the feeling of serenity swept around her. Moments later, as if on cue, a church bell rang out through the sleepy town.Perfection.She questioned why she had never travelled during the winter when everything seemed clean and fresh. Then again, she regretfully hadn't travelled much at all.Time to rectify that.?Okay,? she breathed with eyes wide open, ?let?s get started.?She removed her mittens and reached into her daypack to retrieve a map -- a paper map. She had to grin at the notion. After unfolding it gingerly --the creases were either tearing apart or barely holding together with yellowing scotch tape-- she examined it with twinges of intrigue and excitement. There were little circles all over and accompanying notes such as ?Must try!? and ?Fun!? and ?Oh, my!?This map was her aunt?s graduation gift to her along with a single plane ticket.Felicity had guessed correctly that the map was one of many her aunt used when she travelled, a worn out souvenir from one of her innumerable journeys. Many of them took place when she was Felicity's age. Her Aunt Kelly believed in the quest of life, always exploring, always discovering both places and herself.?These are the places you went?? Felicity had asked her, pointing to the circles.Her aunt nodded, her eyes wide as she gazed at the paper, a spark of some fond memories twinkling her pupils. ?That reminds me. You?d better check if your passport is still valid.??We?re really going there?? Felicity asked in giddy disbelief.?You are, yes.??Me? Alone?? Her excitement was immediately tempered by an anxious turn in her stomach.Felicity's Aunt Kelly had been her sole guardian and her role model since she was ten, through her teen and college years. Yet, just as fearless as her aunt's approach to life was, hers was just as apprehensive.?What am I supposed to do on my own??Aunt Kelly patted her arms and smiled. ?You're supposed to enjoy. Do what you want.? *?Okay,? Felicity said, sounding unconvincing to either of them. She joked, ?What do I want to do???Be bold, be confident,? her aunt assured her.Felicity rolled her eyes.?And if you can't do that, fake it,? Aunt Kelly added with a wink. ?You won't see any of the people in these places again, anyway!??Be bold,? Felicity sighed to herself as she stood on the hill, wisps of frozen breath spiralling into the air from her lips.She looked at the map of the country. The first couple of days had started fine. She arrived at the airport and enjoyed her time in the capital metropolis. It was visiting the smaller towns that she was looking forward to, although part of her also feared she may stand out too much as an outsider in the rural areas of the country.She flipped the larger map over. On the other side were maps of the smaller towns and villages, just like the one before her. Though her aunt had encouraged her to find her own path, she couldn't resist going to the places that were circled on the map. It had worked out well in the city, and the same little inn her aunt had stayed in this town was still there. When she checked in as soon as she arrived, Felicity found it to be so warm and quaint. It was the innkeeper who had suggested she go up to the top of the hill to see the sunrise.Totally worth the trek.She made her way down the same hillside trail she used to go up, the same route it seemed everyone else did, her boots crunching through the fresh powder of snow.-o-Her morning started with a leisurely stroll along the quiet cobblestone walkways. She loved the idea that the builders and planners of the town obviously never believed in straight roads or paths. It was never a simple matter of getting from A to B. Often, she found herself at the end of a narrow alleyway, faced with a brick wall dead end. She didn?t really mind having ankara travesti (https://www.cambon.xyz) to double-back, though.She came upon the town square. At the centre of the wide-open plaza was a large, tiered fountain. Being winter, the water that should have been spouting from the top and pouring over the sides was off. Still, it was glazed with a shimmering layer of ice and snow, and there were long, crystalline icicles hanging off from it. The morning sun's rays hit the fountain just right, transforming it into an ice princess's giant, glistening birthday cake.Felicity pulled out her cellphone and took a picture. When she moved around to the other side for another angle, she spotted a man several metres away also snapping shots of the fountain with a DSLR camera. She watched him for a moment as he adjusted the lens and calibrated the settings before taking a few shots. It was kind of cool, to be honest, and the guy, while obviously serious about photography, looked like he was having fun.Felicity frowned, regarding her phone sheepishly. For some reason, she always felt self-conscious taking pictures with it when someone else was nearby using a proper camera.?Hello.?Felicity blinked and looked up and around. Did someone just greet her??Over here.? It was the man. Well, obviously it was; he and Felicity were the only one's there this early in the morning.Felicity offered him an anxious smile as he waved to her. She waved back.?Good morning!? he chimed, a white smile breaking through the dark stubble covering his chin and cheeks.??Morning,? she replied.?Beautiful, isn't it?? he said.Felicity looked at the frozen fountain. ?The fountain?? she said. ?Yeah, it's amazing.??The fountain. The morning,? he said looking all around before regarding her again, ?Everything.?It was brief, but the way he smiled and held his gaze on her momentarily set off a subtle blip of anxiety.?Would you like a picture?? he asked, nodding at her phone.?Hmm? Oh,? she said, looking down at her phone then back at him. ?No, no. It's okay,? she added waving her hand.He came over anyway, holding out his hand. ?I'll take one of you by the fountain,? he offered.Felicity took a half step back. ?It's okay,? she repeated quickly, ?thanks.?The guy smiled pleasantly. ?Come on. You'll look great,? he remarked, still beckoning for the phone. ?It will be my pleasure.?She grinned at him. His smile, not only stretching his lips but curling his blue eyes into cheery crescents, was infectious. Rolling her eyes, she sighed, ?Okay, thanks. But I've just got a dinky cellphone camera.?He took her phone. ?It's not about the camera. It's the subject. And besides,? he paused and winked at her, ?I'm a professional.?That earned a chuckle. The charming hint of some European accent in his voice also had a calming effect on her.He recommended a spot for her to stand by the fountain.As usual, when she found herself in front of a camera, Felicity struggled to affect a natural smile.The guy pointed her phone but then paused, looking around it towards her. ?Try to relax,? he said.Of course, him saying that made her more self-conscious and stiff. Felicity wished he would just take the photo already.?Do this,? he suggested, then gave his arms, hips and face --his entire body, actually-- an exaggerated shake.She giggled.?Perfect,? he said and took a picture. ?Another.?Felicity raised her eyes up, then shrugged and chuckled. She posed like a demonstration model, directing attention to the fountain with a flourishing wave of her hands. ?Ta dah!? she announced.?Great!? he said.She struck a few more poses, including a ballerina pirouette and a high kick.?Super!? he exclaimed. ?Now jump!??I'm not going to jump!? she laughed, looking around, blushing.?There?s no one else here!? he said. ?Besides, no one here knows who you are. Who will remember??She found his paraphrase of what her aunt told her somewhat befuddling. Still, after yet another conspicuous check of the surroundings, she flexed her knees and managed a jump.?Again,? he said, nodding, ?higher.?She jumped again, gaining some more clearance from the ground.?Again!? he cheered.She jumped higher. Her twin braids floated away from her shoulders.?Again!?She did as she was told.They repeated this a few more times before he said, ?Last one! Really go for it!?She jumped once more, kicking up her heels, and throwing her hands up, reaching for the majestic blue skies above.Felicity landed on her boots. She doubled over on her knees, laughing and winded, and gasped, ?No more!? She felt so hot in her winter jacket and toque.The man walked over, scrolling through the pictures. ?That's alright,? he said, ?I got it on the first take.??What?? she exclaimed, still flushed.?See?? he said, showing the first photo of her travesti ankara (https://www.cambon.xyz) jumping.Felicity frowned as she looked at herself. ?Why did you make me jump so much??The man shrugged. ?It was funny.?Her mouth ajar, she motioned to slap the stranger on the arm, but caught herself and awkwardly tucked her hand away. She took the phone from him and scrolled through the pictures.?Told you, I'm a professional,? he chuckled. He leaned in beside her to look at the screen. ?Pretty good with a dinky cell phone, huh??She nodded and sighed, ?Too bad I don't have a better camera.??I can use my camera,? he offered. ?I?m always happy to take a picture of a beautiful woman.?Felicity shifted her eyes aside to look up at him. She noticed how his arm was brushing up against hers, then suddenly was completely aware of him -- his musky scent, his height, his smiling, handsome face. *She stepped aside. ?It's alright,? she said, feeling apprehensive, ?these are fine. Thanks.??I can send them to you by email,? he said.?No,? she said a little more firmly than maybe she wanted to as she continued to put some distance between herself and the guy. For some reason, the idea that he was after her email set off her alarms, justified or not.?Are you sure? It's not a problem,? he said as he watched her move away.Felicity was already turning her back to him. ?It?s okay, thanks,? she said. ?Have a nice day.??Good travels,? he called to her.She walked away briskly and only looked back when she was about to turn a corner. The guy was crouched down with his back to her, tending to his backpack he had set on the ground.With a sigh, she turned the corner, her eyes cast towards the cobblestones as she walked, reflecting on how uncomfortable her beating heart felt at the moment.They never even exchanged names.**-o-For the rest of the morning, Felicity visited various places her Aunt Kelly had circled in the map. She spent a peaceful hour in a cosy coffee shop watching families walk by the window as they headed to church while she enjoyed a silky, eye-opening espresso and delicious, buttery ?Must Try? pastries.Later, she lost herself in the most amazing bookshop, with leather bound editions of every classic she could think of lining every shelf, from dark hardwood floor to soaring ceiling, from the front door to the back.She strolled along a winding artisan alley where she peeked in on an array of painters, pottery makers, glass blowers, and blacksmiths proudly working on their crafts. She purchased a few small souvenirs before she had reached the end of that stretch of path.She visited the two-hundred-year-old church and then the town's local history museum nearby. Although tiny, she still spent a good amount of time in the museum. The curator cornered her and seemed determined to bestow upon her every story, secret and bit of town intrigue his head had stored over the years. She didn't mind; the elderly gentleman's enthusiasm to speak to someone, anyone, about what he knew was palpable. It kind of broke her heart to see him waving forlornly at her by the door when she finally left.While she was certainly enjoying her leisurely tour of the town, she still hadn't resolved that nagging knot in her gut from earlier that morning. Blowing the guy off like that? it just didn't sit well. Meeting new people, interacting, being social was all part of the trip, she told herself.But perhaps what she wasn't telling herself was how much of her unease was due to wondering if she'd run into him again.At lunchtime, she found herself at the busy pub her aunt had circled. A line from the circle led to underlined words: ?Game he appeared delighted by them.They chatted more over coffee on a bench in a small parkette overlooking the crystal lake, talking as if they were friends who were meeting up for the day. *Whenever Kristjan laughed, Felicity took the opportunity to observe how easy going and relaxed the man was. It really warmed her spirits whenever he broke out in a good chuckle.As the afternoon wore on, they seemed to move faster and faster throughout the town, caught up in the ?traveller?s rush?. *They soon found themselves on the outskirts, walking along a wintry trail, following a tranquil, silvery creek. They stopped at a snow-covered, wooden bridge that crossed the water.?Wow,? Felicity exclaimed with a satisfied breath of air as she listened to the babbling creek flowing through the frosty bank, and took in the picturesque scene, ?it?s so pretty here!??Here,? Kristjan said, pulling out his camera and handing it to her, ?you can take a few pictures with this.?With his help, Felicity quickly learned the basic settings for the camera and how to adjust the lens. Kristjan framed some shots for her with his hands, and ankara travestiler (https://www.cambon.xyz) when she became more comfortable, he stepped back behind her to freestyle her pictures.He pointed up to the hills. ?There,? he said, ?that?s where I am.?Felicity took a picture around the top of the hill where he was pointing then looked at him. ?What do you mean???My camp.??You?re camping?? she asked. ?You?re not staying in town??He shrugged. ?Not my style.?She grinned and frowned. ?It?s not freezing up there???Actually, no,? he said. ?The trees block the wind and I keep a fire going.??And wild animals?? she asked, warily.?Maybe not as wild as me.? He offered a cartoonish bounce of his brows.It was her turn to say, ?Impressive.? *She took a few more shots of the bridge, the town, the hills, and then they huddled together to review them on the display. This time, as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder, Felicity didn?t feel the urge to move away, enjoying the warmth of his arm along hers and his scent wafting around her nose. She did try to hide her blushing smile, though.Before they packed up the camera to head back to town, Kristjan said, ?Wait. I want to take a few more pictures of you. Maybe on the bridge.?Felicity gave him a wary eye and replied, ?Of me??He nodded. ?I don?t often have the opportunity to take pictures of pretty young women such as yourself.??I thought you were a professional photographer?? she said, eyeing him mockingly.?Yes, well, commissions in Iceland usually mean I?m taking pictures of either volcanoes, glaciers or little horses, so if you could indulge me this pleasure.? He motioned towards the bridge.Felicity laughed then started for the bridge.?Wait,? he said again and pulled her back by the hand. She stood looking up at him with a cocked brow as he adjusted her hat and rainbow knit scarf.?So I won?t look like a little horse?? she asked.While he carefully arranged her blonde braids and bangs, he said, ?I like the little horses.?Felicity smiled. He paused momentarily to smile back at her.When he was done, she made her way to the bridge. She called back to him, ?Are you going to make me jump again??He shrugged. ?Do whatever you want,? he said, ?the camera will love you, anyway.?Felicity decided not to jump, lest Kristjan started spreading rumours around the town that a woman jumped from the bridge.*-o-By the time they made it back to town, it was already early evening and dark. They found a quaint, candlelit restaurant and dined on seared fish and cups of creamy potato soup. They lingered there, chatting as they leaned on the small table separating them. Both of them took their time to down mugs of rich, brown lager while dipping dried fruit into a Toblerone fondue.They took a stroll through town after dinner, leading themselves back to the fountain square where they had met in the morning. Strings of white lights were strewn all across the plaza, brightening the night. There were a few other people walking about, not many, mainly couples. *A man was selling roasted nuts from a cart while another couple of men played the violin and accordion on the steps of the government hall.Felicity stopped and smiled, taking in the moment, reminding herself of the word she used when overlooking the town at dawn.Perfection.Kristjan removed his backpack and set it on a bench. ?Care to dance??Felicity froze with*her mouth ajar. Her eyes skittered around the plaza. ?Here?? she asked. She felt her heart race.?Why not?? he said, shrugging. He nodded towards the musicians. ?Look at these two. Don?t they look so sad without people dancing to their music??She shifted her eyes to the accordion player and the violinist. They beamed robust, hearty smiles back at her. She crossed her arms and smirked at Kristjan. ?They don?t look so sad to me.??I?m speaking figuratively. Inside, their hearts are breaking,? he explained, then looked towards the musicians. ?Help me out, guys.??Beautiful music requires a beautiful woman to dance to it,? the accordion player concurred wholeheartedly.Felicity rolled her eyes and sighed, ?Alright.?Even as the word escaped her mouth, Kristjan was already reaching for her daypack and setting it down beside his. He quickly took hold of her mitten-covered hands, and soon they were moving around the square, shifting their feet side-to-side, swaying leisurely in front of the fountain.At first, Felicity kept her head low, looking at the cobblestones.Kristjan leaned down to whisper in her ear, ?No one is watching.?She looked up and around. Everyone was watching them and smiling.?No one knows who we are, and we?ll never see them again,? he assured her. *There were those words again?Felicity slowly relaxed, especially when she saw other couples join them dancing in the square. *Soon, she was looking up into Kristjan?s eyes again, enjoying their own little space in the world.?So what?s next for you?? she asked. ?I mean where?s your next destination after this town??A big chunk of her kind of hoped he would say something like, ?Wherever you?re headed.?