That's Not Me

Will it Save Me From The Fall?

Flashback 

Y/n's P.O.V 

"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9...10" I shout, removing my hands from my eyes. I scan past the tree trunk I was standing behind and try to see if I could spot my friend. There was no one. The play ground was empty, the wind slowly pushed the swings, and the leaves rolled past my feet. And besides the rustling of the leaves in the trees, everything was quiet. 

Moving away from the tree I began to run towards the jungle gym. Searching the slides, under the bridge, under the merry go road, by the swings, by the small brick wall dividing the grass area and playground. But nothing. I thought for a minute and ran towards the bathroom, checking both the mens and woman's trying to see if my friend was being sneaky and hiding somewhere I wouldn't think to find them. But once more, there was nothing. 

I let out a sigh, and looked around. I could feel a wave of emotions crash onto me. I was alone, and I couldn't find my friend anywhere. 

Then before I had time to shout their name I felt arms wrap around me, the force of their body pushed me to the side just a tiny bit.

"Gotcha" I hear hailee softly let out a laugh, hugging me tightly. "I hid really well huh" she said proudly, removing herself from me. Quickly I began to wipe my tears making sure she didn't see me almost cry that I couldn't find her, then turn towards her giving her a wide smile. 

"Yeah, I couldn't find you" I told her. "I even checked everywhere. Where were you hiding?" I asked. 

Hailee only shook her head. "It's a secret" she says.

I roll my eyes at her cockiness and with a small scoff I told her, "then how am I supposed to find you if I don't know where you are?" 

As a little kid I thought that was the most logical thing. Being able to find them, just by knowing exactly where they are. But in a game of hide and seek it took a while to grasp the rules of the game. Someone has to hide and the other person had to find them. And when you do, you tag them and they are now it. And when they are it... then they have to find you. 

But it's how you win the game that makes it a challenge.

To win the game one must hide really well that no one finds them. Or you find them. You look for them and don't give up until you find them, chase them when they try to get away, and tag them. A game where you win by hiding, and when found you run away until you hide again, and they try to find you again. 

But what happens when both parties simply give up. If a person hides so well and the person seeking gives up, what happens? 

If the person hiding just doesn't want to be found, what happens?

Does the game simply stop? Do the people hiding and the person seeking just stop playing without telling the other, and walk away. Go off and do something else and leave the person continuing the game by them selves.  

"Don't worry, I'll always find you" Hailee told me, giving a wink before running off towards the play ground. I chase after her, trying hard to catch up, but it felt like she was running faster and faster quickly moving further from my grasp. 

That's when I stopped. When I didn't want to chase her anymore and just stood there. Hailee noticed and also stopped running. Looking at me, her smile dropped for a moment, then walked towards me. 

"Whats wrong? Are you feeling sick" she asked me. She always asked me that when I was quiet. When I stopped playing for a moment. I shook my head. I didn't know how tired I was from running, from chasing after her. I felt my chest raise and fall quickly and a burning feeling in my throat. "Come one lets get you some water." Taking my hand hailee dragged me to the water fountain.