Loving Kinnick (Rewritten)

Terrorizing The Town Of Derry

The blacktops roads were slick and wet. Every rainfall made our small town look more beautiful than it ever had before. When the leaves started to turn orange, it felt like starting over, even when everything in my life kept repeating itself. My forehead leaned against the chilling glass as I watched the trees get more colorful as we drove down the roads.

As the truck turned onto a bumpy road, I found myself growing with curiosity. I watched the oak trees sway in the wind as we pulled into a dirt parking spot. My eyes looked over the lake in front of me, wondering what we were doing here. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion as small waves rolled over the water, making everything look less inviting.

"What are you doing here?"

Kinnick threw his truck into park before patting my thigh. "We are going fishing."

"Fishing? It is freezing outside!"

"Come on, pretty girl," he chuckled. "Get out of the truck."

I followed him around the truck, where he pulled a sleek black tackle box from the back. "Well, you should be thankful that you wore over-the-knee boots."

"Why?"

"We are getting in," he cocked a brow.

My head moved back and forth rapidly. "Who fishes in the water during fall? We will die of hypothermia!"

His head fell backward as laughter left his lips. "You are so cute."

"I've never been fishing."

He stopped in his tracks. "What?"

"I never had anyone to teach me," I kicked a rock on our way down to the water. "I didn't like leaving my house."

"I think we met for a reason," he grinned. "I am your guide to all of the great things in life."

He lent out his hand for me to take as he stepped into the water. My fingers slipped into his, letting him guide me toward the water. I tip-toed into the water, gripping his fingers tightly as I braced myself for the coldness. Kinnick held our fishing poles and tackle box in his other hand while holding my hand with the other.

"So It, the book you're reading, tell me about it."

"Weren't you reading my copy?"

"I tried."

"It's about a clown, Pennywise, terrorizing the town of Derry, in Wisconsin. He takes little kids and eats them. People don't understand why so many kids are going missing. Unfortunately, adults can't see him."

"Seriously?"

"Yes," I chuckled. "What's wrong with that?"

"I've never heard of it."

"There are three movies out," I stop him. "How have you not heard of Pennywise the Dancing Clown?"

"Pennywise the Dancing Clown?" He snorted. "How scary."

His tone was sarcastic, and it made me smile. To me, it is scary; Stephen King is a brilliant author. He takes you on a journey where chilling adventures unfold. Reading them made me giddy but left my body breaking out with goosebumps.

"Have you been living under a rock?"

"Are you book shaming me right now?" He asks, kicking water my way.

"Hey! Hey!" I protest. "I'm wearing leggings!"

"Get over here, pretty girl, I am going to teach you how to fish," he says, beckoning me to take the fishing pole.

"How do I hold it, exactly?"

Kinnick flipped the pole around, helping me place my fingers on the right button. They met over a week ago, but it felt like we were best friends. Knowing him felt like starting over as a fresh breath of air on a cool morning.

"Now pull it back like this," he says, guiding the bait to hover behind us. "Then flick and release."

He pressed his chest firmly against my back as he held not only the pole but me. His chin brushed the top of my head when we released the trigger. The bait went at least fifteen feet.

"We did it!" I let go, clapping my hands.

"Yeah," he nodded, clearing his throat. "Now try it by yourself."

The water swished around his feet when he stepped away from me. I mimicked everything he did. The bobber hung behind me, my hand gripping the pole in my hand. When I swung the pole and released the trigger, the pole slipped from my hands. It lunged for the water, smacking it harshly before slowly sinking.

"Oh my god," he was bent over, laughing at my horrified face.

I couldn't tell if my body temperature rose because of the cold weather or embarrassment. I pushed through the water to grab the pole. I'm determined not to throw it again. Instead, I will cast it super far and catch the biggest fish he's ever seen - just to shove it in the laughing boy's cute face. A wave of water crashed over the edge of my boots, leaking down my legs.

"You're a jerk!" I kicked water at him.

"You little shit!"

I knew at that moment I messed up. My curls dripped down my shirt after he sent a splash of water in my direction. I smacked the water, huffing as I charged at him. My body caught hold of his, tackling him into the water. Gasps left our mouths when our bodies fell into the water. The piercing water felt like shards of glass pricking my skin.

I quickly sat up, sitting in the water as I sucked in deep breaths. My eyes looked up to see Kinnick next to me with laughter leaving his lips. I felt frozen in my spot, sitting in the sand as water rushed through my clothes, stabbing me with icy needles. When a wave came up, smacking him in the face, I felt my stomach hurt from the amount of laughing I did.

He spat out a large mouthful of water. "Oh, you think that's funny?"

I yelped as he splashed me with a large wave. "Kinnick!"

Just as I pushed onto my knees to get him back, another wave smacked me in the back, pushing me onto him. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I love hearing you laugh."

"Now we are freezing," my teeth chattered.

"Well, someone couldn't take a joke," he stood up, grabbing my hands.

"You're the one who put us in this peculiar predicament."

"Only you would use complex words in this kind of situation." He chuckled. "Plus, you splashed me first."

"You were making fun of me!"

"Drama queen," he rolled his eyes as he swept me into his arms.

My body bounced against his side as he ran me toward the truck. "Don't let me fall!"

"Never," he chuckled.

He sat me onto the ground. "Buckle up, sweetheart! Holy fuck, it's freezing!"

"So much for fishing," I joke.

"We weren't there for even twenty minutes," he checked his phone. "What's the plan now?"

"Whatever prevents me from going home."

Heat blasted through the vents as he started his truck. "If you wanted to go to my place, all you had to do was ask."