A Drug that Changed My Life - Cashby

Chapter Six

Eventually, Austin finally asked me out on our first official date. He was really cute and awkward about it too, but of course I said yes. On a balmy Friday afternoon during the summer we walked to the bookstore downtown and poked through the shelves for a good hour. Every title looked interesting, but I had no money so I couldn’t buy any. Austin would repeatedly ask me what book I was looking at. I knew by the look on his face he was up to something but no matter.

After the bookstore, he started walking somewhere, me following close behind. “Where exactly are we going?” I questioned.

“It’s a surprise!” He said with a grin. I raised my eyebrows at him, and he just laughed, sticking his tongue out at me and holding out his hand, I immediately took it, grinning to myself. It felt nice to have someone who actually cared for a change. I had given in when my mum insisted on knowing why I was so smiley earlier, telling her I had a date. She automatically asked if it was ‘that Austin kid’ and I couldn’t help the look on my face, making it a dead giveaway. “What are you thinking about?” Austin looks at me, a soft smile on his face.

“Nothing, sorry, just drifted off in thought. No big deal,” I smiled at him, then looked around at our surroundings. “The park? Why?”

“I... I really don’t know, I thought it was cute?” He squeaks nervously, shrinking down in himself. “We... we can leave if you want?” I laugh at him, because honestly, he is adorable when he’s nervous.

“No, it’s cute you thought to do this,” I smile, pulling him closer and wrapping my arm around his waist. “What did yo -” A large smile spread across my face the moment I saw the swings, seeing two alongside each other with nobody on them. I let go of Austin’s waist and took off running towards the swings, leaving Austin standing confused for a few seconds until he ran after me, jumping on the swing beside me. “Highest swinger decides what we do next!” We’re immediately competing for that decision, swinging higher and higher. I hadn’t been on a swing in ages, but they were one of my favourite things as a child.

“I’m winning!” Austin calls out, throwing one fist in the air, clutching the swing’s chain in the other.

“Are not, it is totally me.”

I ended up letting Austin decide what we'd do, even though it was clearly me who won our little competition.

"Where are we off to then?" Austin didn't reply, only dragging me behind him to god-knows-where.

I stare at him, a curious look on my face.

"What are we doing here?"

"Swimming of course!" I just stare at him.

"Uhm... without swim trunks?"

"Yeah sure, no one comes here?” I look around, noticing there’s no one else nearby. The place doesn’t look like many people even know where it is, and honestly, I didn’t before Austin dragged me here. Then again, I didn’t know where a lot of places were, so you can’t base anything off of my knowledge. I looked back to Austin and he had already pulled off his shirt.

“You do this often?” I question, judging based off his eagerness. I start to slip out of my shirt, Austin slipping off his shoes by this time. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. What if he saw my cuts? What if he thought I was a freak after... him answering my question brought me out of my thoughts.

“Yeah, I come out here a lot... just to think I guess.” He said once he wrestled himself out of his skinny jeans. I watched him dive in, the arc of his lanky frame sending shivers down my spine.

“Get in, Ashby!” He said with a laugh. I smiled weakly and hesitated before pulling down my pants, careful to hide my cuts from Austin’s view. I quickly jumped in, and when I came up after jumping (more like flopping) in, he was laughing at me. “You looked like a dying walrus when you jumped.”