Water's Edge ✔️

02 - Alysia

Alysia whistled as she made her way down the sun-warmed sidewalk.

It was a cheery whistle, if a bit loud; the kind of tune meant to fill the silence when you don't like just listening to the wind.

And as she whistled, she kicked a rock down the sidewalk, watching it bounce along the cement and stopping every so often to put it into motion again, nudging it, along with her, towards her destination.

She didn't think of Kathryn. Didn't think of Jules and Lyla and even Cayla.

We can't be friends any more, Aly-cat. I'm sorry.

Kathryn's voice, deceptively sweet.

Yeah, we've all been thinking about it.

Lyla.

Sorry, Alysia.

Jules.

And then Cayla-staying to the back, saying nothing.

Saying nothing was just as bad.

Alysia aimed at the rock again, but missed, her toe colliding with a bicycle rack instead.

She jerked her foot away, toes throbbing mildly. 

As if her day hadn't been bad enough already.

First her friends, at school, saying that Alysia couldn't hang out anymore. Then her mother, telling her that no, without adult supervision, she could not go to the river on her own. "Oh no, Alysia." Her exact words had been when Alysia shared her plan, barely blinking back the tears that threatened to spill after her "friends" rejections. "Remember the Drowned Girl?"

"But-" Alysia had begun.

Her mother had cut her off. "No buts. Why don't you go get ice cream with Kathryn or something? I have a spare dollar lying around somewhere-"

"No, it's fine." Alysia had turned her back and started for the door. "I'm good, thanks."

And then she'd just wandered, as she was doing now.

Toe still stinging and reminding her of her failure, Alysia found another rock to punish, but it was smaller and not as perfectly bouncy. Or so she told herself.

That stupid rock.

It danced away from her, as if it had a mind of its own, and plopped into a puddle.

A puddle. Without her permission.

She hated that rock.

Without really realizing it, she began to meander away, towards the river she'd been forbidden to visit.

Well, it wasn't like she could drown without actually getting into the water, Alysia reasoned. All she wanted was to look.

That was all.

Convinced now that she was breaking no rules, Alysia broke into a jog. Her sneakers pounded against the pavement, creating a rhythm of sorts, and for a moment Alysia was able to fully forget all about Kathryn and Lyla and Jules.

And then they were back again.

Step.

Hey, Alysia, right? Wanna play four-square?
Step.
Sure, why not?

Step.

Great. You can wait on the line, since the other squares are filled.

Step.

The line? Why?
Step.

Don't worry, someone will get out soon. Cayla- the girl with the ponytail- she's not good at the game at all.

Step.

Okay.
Step step step step step.

Soon she found she'd reached the river, and, a bit surprised at how fast the journey had passed, Alysia scampered down to the picnic rocks. Bits of gritty sand flew up as she ran and buried themselves into her shoes, and she stopped at her usual spot, sinking into a sitting position. She sighed and leaned back, pulling off one sneaker and dumping any dirt out.

Was that singing...?

Glancing up as she slipped the shoe back on, she realized was not alone here, as she had initially thought due to the lack of greeting and footsteps. There was another girl about her age dancing along the muddy, rock-lined shore, her hair wet and tangled.

Had she just come out of the river...? But she didn't have a swimsuit!

Nonetheless, it appeared to be so, for the girl's daffodil yellow party dress was soaked and clung to her legs every time she moved. Eyebrow raised and other shoe forgotten, Alysia crept down to watch her from behind a scraggly bush.

So she was acting stalker-ish. Who cared?

Now that she was closer, she realized that the girl was humming to herself, not singing, and that her dance was really more of a series of graceful leaps. Nonetheless, Alysia was frozen, transfixed, the entire time she listened to the simple tune.

But after watching her for a couple of minutes, Aly stood up from her hiding place and quickly ducked out of the foliage, not wanting whoever-it-was to realize she'd been spying on her. That would have been awkward.

"Hello!" Alysia called out after a brief hesitation. It'd be nice if the humming girl could help her forget about her backstabbing former friends. "I'm Aly!"

The girl did not turn.

"Aly as in Alysia. What's your name?" She quickly started forward. Still, the girl did not move. Did not give any indication that she'd heard.

Alysia frowned and tapped the girl's shoulder.

She didn't feel a thing.