My Partner In Crime

Chapter 2

I got home about twenty minutes after Dodge and I finished our drinks. It was around noon the next day when I texted him.

Me: Hey, it's Clem. What time?
Dodge: Come by at 7:00, bring a swim-suit or something, it'll be at the lake.
Me: Got ittt,, you have a car right?
Dodge: I do, so I can drive.
Me: Sweet.

In the meantime, I sat around. Dad and Jesse were out camping, so I had the house to myself. I stress cleaned with showtunes and rock music blaring from a speaker.

At 6:30, I began getting ready, which meant changing into water suitable clothes and packing a small bag. I ended up changing into black gym shorts and a gray t-shirt. I put my red hair up into a ponytail and set on the short walk to the diner, where I agreed to meet Dodge.

When I got there, Dodge was already there.

"You're fifteen minutes early." He commented.

"So are you," I shrugged.

"I work here."

"I looked at the website, the diner closed an hour ago." I fired back.

"You're good." Dodge said with a smile. "You good to go now?" I nodded and we  went out and got into his car. He opened the door for me because manners, I guess. 

"What's your favorite color?" I asked after he had started driving.

"Why?" He asked without taking his eyes off the road.

"I'm gonna have to get to know you, since we're partners now." I said, looking at him, then the road.

"Okay, dark green." Dodge said. "Yours?"

"Red." I said, looking forward. 

"Solid." 

"Do you have any siblings?" I asked, now looking at him. I saw his jaw clench before answering.

"I have sisters." He replied. "You?"

"Uh, yeah, I have a little brother." I said. "His name is Jesse."

(I have no idea. I looked it up and it said that his sister died tragically prior to the show, but the show has both of his sisters (Dot and Dayna) PLEASE tell me if I'm wrong.)

"How old is he?" Dodge asked.

"He's fifteen."

The rest of the car drive was in silence. The sky was dark when we got there. When we both got out of his car, we could hear the teenagers' excitement. Dodge and I found a place to sit off to the side. The crowds went silent when Diggins began announcing. We learned that the first challenge was jumping into the lake and not hit any rocks.

"They have to award more points if you jump from higher," Dodge whispered to me.  "How about we jump from that midway point?"

"But we could jump from that really high bit." I said.

"The water will feel like concrete from that high." Dodge shook his head.

"Midway it is." I agreed. We then went to the number table, where we were given our numbers and flares. (I couldn't remember Dodge's number, so I'm going with twelve (Clem) and thirteen (Dodge).) 

"You want me to go before or after you?" He asked. I imagined having some stranger behind me for the jump. What if they push me before I jump? Then again, I didn't want anyone to push Dodge off either.

"I'll go last," I said.

"I'm gonna go last." Dodge said, shaking his head. "So that if you drown, I can save you."

"Are you serious?" I grinned

"Why wouldn't I be?" He shrugged, pulling his shirt off. He then nudged me to remind me to go up. I lit my flare and started on my way up the mountain. I felt people's eyes on me as I walked up and passed the regular jump. I felt my hands shaking with worry. "I'm right behind you!" Dodge called. I looked back and saw him giving me a thumbs up (like that one from Dragons 4) and I continued. I stopped when I got to the point that we had agreed upon.

"Number 12, state your name!" Diggins said through his speaker.

"Clem Wilcox!" I yelled. 

"Go ahead, Clem!" He shouted. I took a deep breath and a running start, sailing narrowly over the rocks and landing in the water with a loud splash. I had swum a short way before it was Dodge's turn. I turned around to see how he did.

"Number 13, state your name!" Diggins yelled again.

"Dodge Mason!" He shouted, jumping into the water. But he didn't come back up. I started on my way back when he resurfaced after a painfully long moment. He laughed with a childlike expression when he saw that I had come to 'rescue' him.

"What, you thought I was drowning?"

"You didn't come up!" I retorted. "You said that you'd make sure I didn't drown, so I did the same!"

"Let's go," he said, nodding to shore. It took a few long moments to swim back, take towels, and find our seats again.

"That's twenty-five extra points to both Clem and Dodge!" Diggins announced. Dodge and I exchanged a triumphant high-five and watched the other contestants.