I Was First

Chapter 21

We laughed, we catched our breaths, we ran away from Lily, we enjoyed everything this place could offer, and soon after, we reached the emerald watered lake.

The sun was beautifully reflecting on the water, the canoe was swaying along with the small waves of the lake, and this day just couldn't get any more perfect.

Beside the small wooden bridge where the canoe was tied in, there was a small house where the owner of the canoe was staying at to watch over.

The owner who is a close friend of grandma, they are of the same age, and we are close to him too. We always ride his canoe everytime we get to visit this place.

"Good afternoon Uncle Frank!", Me and Joshua greeted.

"Why do you two have to leave me behind?", Lily complained the moment she got to where we were. She was deeply catching her breath, and I could just chuckle by how miserable she was.

"Hello Uncle Frank.", Lily breathily greeted. "Hiah and Joshua left me behind.", Uncle Frank just snickered at her. I reckoned he was used to it too since he got to witness how I always mess with my little sister along with Joshua.

"You should just get yourself a partner too.", Uncle Frank said in a joking tone, and Lily just pouted, failing to not have anyone on her side. "I'm so glad you three came here again. The whole place missed your liveliness.", Uncle Frank stood up from his rocking chair and walked infront of us.

"How have you been, Uncle?", Joshua asked.

Uncle nodded his head with a smile. "This lake gives me so much strength that I'm still strong and alive right now."

We all chuckled by his answer. Everytime, he would tell us how a great help this lake that he has been watching over for almost all his life. Aside from his wife and family, he dearly loves the lake and his canoe.

"Did you kids came here to ride the canoe?", Uncle eyed us with an I-know-you-all-too-well look. He knows how much we love his canoe too. And he has always been so considerate about it to us. He was that nice.

"Yes!!", Lily excitedly exclaimed. And Joshua and I just nodded our heads with a mischievous smile, basically asking him to nicely lend us his precious canoe.

"Come on. I'll watch after you three."

"Yey!!", We instantly cheered. Even though we knew that he would always lend it to us, we were still ecstatic that he agreed.

We three ran to the wooden bridge, even though it has been minutes since we went here, I still got in awe by how aesthetic the whole place was. Everything was a mixture of blue and green, nature and this is one of the reason why I came here for.

"Climb aboard!", We all laughed by how Uncle's tone of voice change, sounding more like a ship captain. He untied the rope that was holding the canoe for it to not be swayed by the water.

I took a glimpse of Joshua but it became a stare when I couldn't help myself but to be astonished by how smiley his face was, his nose scrunching and his eyes turning crescent. So looking away, I had to try my best to calm down when literally, my insides were jumping all around.

I took a deep breath and diverted my focus on the canoe instead.

"I'm so excited!!", Lily then again exclaimed as Uncle Frank helped her get on the canoe. She kept stomping her feet when she took a seat there that I became a bit anxious if ever the canoe will turn upside down.

I quickened my pace on getting on too and immediately held her lap, preventing her legs to move. She looked at me confused but I just raised my brows at her, making myself look confused as well.