I Promise

Chapter 6

September came and went in a blur. I spent my days with Kay, listening to her talk about her past, present and future. She explained her favorite movies, quoted her favorite books and let me in on a world I never knew. I told her my secrets too, but kept the most sacred ones guarded. No matter how she made me feel, I couldn't tell her everything.

As the days went on, so did our relationship. It grew into something I'd never experienced before. I can't say it was love, considering the short amount of time we had known each other. But it definitely was growing into that. I tried my hardest to keep her happy, and show her that I could be different. But no matter how much I gave, she always was there, slipping through my fingers.

"What do you do besides play sports?" Kay asks, her feet dangling over the edge of the porch swing, barely able to touch the ground. I run my free hand-the one not around Kay-through my tousled hair. Nobody knows what I like to do besides sports, not even Spencer. I keep it to myself, mostly because nobody would understand. Im supposed to keep up this jock image, an unalterable facade that stands like the Berlin Wall, before it was tore down of course.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." I whisper in her ear, kissing the corner of her eye. She smiles brightly and turns to face me, her eyes lit with laughter.

"Keeping secrets are we, Reese?" Her smoothe voice rings through my ears. I laugh lightly.

"For now." I brush a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear. Her perfect pink lips pucker out, her eyes growing sad. "You'll trip on that," I say, pushing her bottom lip back in line with her top lip. She rolls her eyes and I pull her in close to me, kissing the top of her head.

"It's getting dark," Kay observes as I gently run my hand down the length of her back.

I nod, "I know."

She sits up abruptly, a beautiful smile playing on her lips. "I have an idea." She grabs my hand and tugs me to my feet. She pulls me down the porch and across my giant backyard.

"Kay, where are we going?" I ask, easily keeping up with her.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." She replies, glancing in my direction. I shake my head and try to hide my growing smile.

We stop about 100 yards later at the pond behind my house. Its secluded and heavily guarded by huge oak trees and ferns. You can't tell theres a pond here, even if your looking from my house. For a pond, its pretty big. The water is turquoise in color, surounded by stones and pebbles of different shapes and sizes. A small stone path leads you right to the edge of the water. There isnt any fish in it, mom just wanted it for looks. A lot of times I have parties out here in the summer, or bonfires in the fall. Up at the house, you can't hear the noise of the party goers.

I turn to look at Kay and notice she's already stripped down to her bra and panties. Even though it's the beginning of October, it's seventy degrees and sunny here in California. Kay takes a running start and jumps effortlessly into the water.

"Well, what are you staring at? Get in!" She shouts up at me, wading in the magestic water. I shake my head and smile broadly, pulling my white t-shirt over my head. Kay eyes me appreciatively as I slip off my loose black shorts. I stand there in nothing but grey boxer-briefs before soaring through the air and into the cold water.

I come up for air and push my hair out of my face. Kay smiles widely and swims over to me, wrapping her arms and long legs around me. "Why'd you wanna come here?" I ask, looking into her emerald eyes.

"I love swimming," she says, kissing me softly. I've never seen Kay in her bra and underwear. The closest Ive gotten is her swimsuit. Unlike any other girl before Kay, I've not had sex with her. Spencer and the guys would give me shit, seeing as we've been together a month, but it doesn't bother me. I love just being around her.

"Then go swim!" I grab her waist and gently toss her, throwing her into the air and ultimately under the water. I laugh comically, waiting for her to rise to the top and start a splashing war. Seconds tick by, and she still hasn't resurfaced.

"Kay!" I shout, beginning to worry. "Kay, that's not funny!" No reponse, not even a giggle. I plunge under the water and retrieve her still body from the shallow bottom. I pull her up with me onto the bank, laying her flat on her back.

"Kay! Kay, look at me, open your eyes!" I gently push on her chest, trying desperately to remember those CPR classes I took over the summer. I pinch her nose and breathe into her mouth like I've seen done a thousand times on T.V. Minutes tick by, and not even a sound from her unmoving body. After one more push on her chest, her eyes fly open and she begins to cough, throwing water out of her lungs.

I pull her into my chest and stroke her hair. "Kay are you okay? I was so scared. What happend?" She pulls back gently.

"I-I don't know. When you threw me in the air, it made me dizzy. Once I hit the water, my head was spinning, I didn't know which way was up." Her testimony brings me sadness, and I can't help but feel responsible for her near-death experience. I pull her closer.

"Let's get dressed and head up to the house." I suggest calmly, letting go of her slowly. She silently nods her head and begins to collect every article of clothing that she had torn from her body moments ago. I don't hesitate as I slip my slightly grass stained white shirt over my head, pulling my shorts on after.

I look over to watch as Kay slips her pink summer dress over her wet hair, allowing it to glide down the length of her tan body. It stops mid thigh, exposing most of her legs. The spagehtti straps cross in the back, forming a perfect X. She slips on her white sandles and takes my hand as we head up to the house.

"I'm sorry," Kay whispers as we make our way around the back of the enormous house and up towards the front. I stop abruptly.

"Sorry? Sorry for what Kay?" I ask, slightly annoyed.

"Sorry for ruining our fun." She bows her head to look down at the moss colored grass, kicking a rock with the toe of her shoe.

I grip her chin in between my thumb and forefinger, jerking her head up to look at me. "Kay, that was not your fault. We can do something tomorrow baby." She nods slightly, her emerald eyes gleaming with sadness. I shake my head and gently kiss her lips before pulling her along side me in a steady stride.

"I should probably get home, it's dark." She says as we stop at her car.

"If that's what you want," I reply, dropping her hand. She smiles up at me calmly before rising to her tippy toes and planting a soft kiss on the corner of my up-turned mouth.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Lover Boy." I smile helplessly as she climbs in the driver side of her Mitsubishi and puts it in drive. Her hand enters the air, waving slowly back and forth as she exits my drive way.

I rub  the back of my neck as I head up my stone driveway, the days events running through my mind. Kay, almost drowning sufaces to the front, a never faultering image. I shouldn't of let go over her, shouldn't of put her in that kind of danger. I step through my front door, heading up to my room.

I guess looking back now I should have known. From the moment Kay reported her symptoms I should have known something was wrong. But it never occured to me until months, maybe even a year later.