It's Always Sunny in Autumn

Chapter 6: Trapped Part 2

Autum was away at camp. Autum felt trapped. It felt like school all over again. Autum was a nervous wreck. Autum just wanted to go home.

Autum bunched up in her chair as Felix swam towards her. Autum was in a one piece swimsuit and a life jacket sitting next to the pond.

"You're not gonna get in?" Felix asked with a smile that had fun written all over it. He had his fake leg laying on the side of the pond. He was swimming so well. He rested his head in his arms that laid on the edge under Autum. Autum just shook her head no.

"But you can't drown. I'll make sure you don't." He had this way about him that made Autum want to go with him. Autum started to lift out of her chair. She almost stood up as the chair tipped forward and she fell into the water. Autum pulled herself up struggling to not drink murky water.

"You gotta relax, quit flailing around." Autum relaxed as Felix grabbed her, laying her on her back in the water. She floated there in silence. Autum blocked out all sound. She just looked at Felix as he kept her a float. "See you just gotta relax." Felix was close. So close if Autum wanted to she could kiss him. Autum rolled off of his hands and floated there as her feet dangled.

"I think I can do it," Autum said holding on tight to her life jacket. Felix floated there with such grace. He swirled around Autum as she floated in place. It was like everybody else disappeared. Felix came in close right behind her as he swam. Autum's thoughts started to go crazy but what made it worse is when she opened her eyes they felt like they were actually happening. "Alright I'm done I want out," Autum said flopping around in the water until Jean pulled her out and wrapped her in a towel in her chair. Autum was breathing heavily.

"Yo Chris come get in the water!" Melissa shouted, swimming up to him.

"Ya com gat in," Shary said, doing a backstroke. Chris just looked away from them saying nothing. Autum wondered why he didn't want to swim. Chris caught her staring a bit.

"I'm not in the mood," Chris said, not looking at Autum. It seemed Chris had a lot on his mind. He didn't ask why Autum wanted to be pulled from the water. He didn't ask Autum anything. Chris had his own things to worry about.

"Come on, don't you want to swim with me," Melissa asked in a cute voice. It almost looked like built up anger on Chris's face.

"No! I don't so leave me alone!" Chris yelled as he backed away from the pond. Autum didn't know what he was going through but understood the space he needed. Autum looked back towards the pond as Felix climbed out. Felix pulled himself onto the dirt and put on his leg. Felix stood up right in front of Autum. He was standing there shirtless. Autum's heart started to pound a bit faster. Felix just smiled at her as she nervously rolled backwards.

The rest of the girls swam up talking to him as Autum rolled away. Autum noticed Newp playing with a bug on the ground. Autum just watched as Newp laid on the floor and stared at a beetle. Chris was by a tree staring up at the sun coming through the leaves. The pattern being made on the ground by the sun was quite nice.

"You know there's someone back home I want to say I'm sorry to. I think I can do that now." Chris never moved his eyes. His words just made Autum think. Autum said nothing and just tried to get a look at what he was staring at. "Always listen to the people around you, you know what they're really saying," Chris said, giving Autum a big smile. Autum did not know what he meant. Chris was hard to read almost more than Newp or Alex.

The rest of the day consisted of Autum trying to avoid people. When they were all heading back to the cabin after dinner Melissa was pushing Autum and talking.

"You know I tried to talk to Felix at the water today," Melissa said to an Autum that wasn't listening. "But he was watching you roll away." Autum blushed and looked down at her lap. Autum felt that Felix liked her but she could not bring herself to let anything happen. She was close to her birthday. She was gonna tell Sunny how she felt. All the signals were mixed in Autum's head.