The gloomy sky mourns, but that’s

okay because we make our

own sun. The jump rope swings and

we race through it; our worries

abandoned on the other side. My

hands clutch my heaving stomach, my

friends grinning. Our laughter is

uncontrollable. I charge

again through the rope-

but it catches me. Giggling,

I trade places with the holder;

the plastic still warm from

their touch. The red-and-white tubes

on the rope click as it

flirtatiously slaps against the

wizened green grass.  All around us:

joy. joy. joy.

The teacher yells. The fun has

ended. I stagger dizzily

towards the line, but I stumble

and fall, gasping. A fresh set

of giggles burst from my lips.

The sharp blades of grass poke my

spine, but I just can’t. Stop. Laughing.

My friend chuckles as I stand

unsteadily. We rush back to

reality together, the

rope left behind

curved in a sad smile.