Young Lather

The Girls

"He just leaves?"

"Yes," Dara confirmed. She didn't seem too upset. "I mean, he said 'sorry' about twenty times. About how he forgot he had to be home and some other things I couldn't really hear, and he sort of limps out. I can't explain it," she finished, though her mind had been working, including remembering what Lather had told her about what happened at Big Bend on the day or the end-of-school party. She wasn't going to mention that, though. Plus, it didn't seem quite right.

"Well that's lame," Kara said.

There wasn't much more to say about it.

Celeste changed the subject, saying to Kara, "So did you talk to him yet?" Meaning, talk to Track.

Kara rolled onto her back. It was Friday, about 11 a.m., and hot as hell. But that meant it was also a perfect day to swim at The Twisty and lay out in the sun in the little meadow. Kara knew it was Lather's main spot, but she also was sure he worked Fridays and wouldn't show up. She was totally comfortable skinny dipping with Celeste and Dara, even though she was starting to feel a little weird about doing it with the boys. It kind of all depended on who was there. All of them was mostly fine, and just the girls, but maybe not other combinations anymore.

"No."

"You have to, K." Celeste and been on Kara about it since that thing the week before. That hadn't ended well. After the big cry fest, they had just gotten up and gone home without talking it through — which was probably fine, then, but Celeste was worried the friendships might break up, which would suck. "You have to."

Kara didn't see it the same way. "I don't 'have to,'" she returned. "What would we say? I already said sorry. He already said it was his fault for bringing it up."

"They're avoiding us," Celeste said in reply. "Now even Archie is avoiding Dara."

"I'm not worried about Archie," Dara said, smiling. "It's really kind of fun. He's having so much trouble."

"Trouble what?" Kara replied.

All three girls chose that moment to roll over in the meadow, resetting themselves on the towels they'd wisely brought, two face up and one face down now. The sun scorched, and they loved it.

"Well... Getting older I think," came the answer. "Yeah. He just doesn't know what's going on. It's like he missed the last three years or something, and now he's sixteen and he's shocked."

"It's because he spends every day playing that game," Celeste observed.

"Minecraft?" Kara.

"No. Yes, but no. He plays that, but there's some other one," Celeste said.

"That's it exactly," Dara agreed. "When we talk, sometimes it's the only thing he can talk about, because it's the only thing he's ever done."

"Boring."

"But he listens too," Dara shot back. "He listens — to me. And not like boys. Like... you. Like you do. He listens to me."

Celeste turned her head to see Dara. Kara lifted up on her elbows to see. "You are so lucky," Kara said at last. A weight seemed to settle on all of them. Celeste wondered if she hadn't already wrecked her future somehow, like maybe she had missed whatever it was that had made Dara and Archie like they were, and she'd never get the chance to be like them. Kara felt similar — like she was asleep and couldn't wake up, or she was blind somehow. Dara had a moment of near panic, realizing that her relationship with Archie was fragile, because Archie was fragile.

But it passed. The sun did its work. They lay basking, turning occasionally, broiling with ease. After a quick dip, they were fully restored, laying out again for further grilling and more minutes of happy high school small talk. Naked by the stream. Heaven.

"What if a drone with a camera flew over," Kara said at one point. They laughed. None did. They felt well and truly alone in the wonderful woods.

But they weren't alone.

* * *

I stared at the girls from the trees. No way they see me. This is crazy. I'm totally confused. They're lying on their backs in the sun, looking so hot — hot in every way. Celeste, long, those muscles, looking like she might jump up at any second and race through the woods, like a deer. And sweet Dara. She's the shortest, but her body just seems to want to get hugged and squeezed and... Her hair is curly and brownish, but the ends are kind of red, and the sun is just making it like little flames. And...

And Kara. Oh man. She's somewhere right between the other two in every way. Her size. Her sizes. She's got her glasses off — she never takes them off. She looks different. Still smart — always smart — but... but not so old I guess. And her hair... oh man. I always liked her hair, sort of sandy color, thick and wavy, but now it's around her head like a pillow.

...Her body.

Oh god.

And they're in my spot! They never come here. Did they think I was working or something? I almost ran here for a swim, and I want it. I did run! I'm fucking totally sweaty. I so want to dive in, feel the water, get that sweat off of me, cool off. Cool down. But now I'm trying to hold real still, and the sweat is slicking me up like oil or something. It's dripping all over me. Running. Itching.

Oh god.

I should just walk in and be with them! They're just my woods friends. My friends! Triple double. We've seen each other plenty, right? Easy. But I can't move — I don't move. ...Shit, and now something's pressing at the inside of my shorts, hard. Shit. Why can't I move? I just watch, mouth open, confused, sweaty, slippery, breathing heavy, hot, my eyes wandering... They are so beautiful. Sooo beautiful. In the sun. My eyes looking at all of them, but mostly Kara... Kara. Naked on her back in the hot, hot sun, looking peaceful. Loose. Open. Warm. Looking somehow different than I'd ever noticed.

Oh god.

Sweat's rolling into my eyes, dammit. Oh, and now I'm fucking drooling. I've never felt like this. I want... I want... I gotta...

Oh god.

My shorts slip down onto my shoes.

Oh god.

My hand.

Oh.

Aaahhh...

* * *

A couple of minutes later...

"Did you hear something?" Celeste.