{1} 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 | 𝙻𝚞𝚔𝚎 𝙲𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚗

16.

Ψ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐤 Ψ

𝐌𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐤, the lake was so peaceful at the moment, it was calming and soothing. I sat and kicked my legs with my hands holding me up behind me. I heard footsteps behind me as I turned my head and saw Luke as he sat beside me.

A small frown appeared on my face as we both looked forward and not at one another, I asked him "what's up?"

I heard him say "Chris and I talked it over. We're sorry for not reacting the way you had hoped for, it's just...you have no clue what you will get yourself into. You're basically risking everything. Are you up for that?"

Those words began to echo in my head, I had my hands on my lap as I told him "All I want...is an answer, answers. I deserve that, my mom deserves that. How is that fair, we can be treated like complete trash while they just stay up there all high and mighty as if...nothing is happening."

He stared at me asking "so you would go against the gods? Risk it all?"

I thought about it for a moment but nodded rather quickly "just to get an answer. I would do it in a heartbeat. For 17 years I have been lied to. By someone I don't even know. I have seen my mom cry herself to sleep. When I was 7 all she would do at nights is hold me and repeat the words I'm sorry, over and over again."

I automatically went ahead and played with my bracelet, feeling all the nerves bunch up inside my stomach as I spoke.

I turned my head to look at him as he looked back at me "my mom...she was homeless the first 2 years she had me. Nowhere to go...all she could do was try her best, thankfully we made it out alive unlike others would in our situation. I owe everything to my mom...for letting me become the person I want to be. For loving me and never giving up on me. I can't say the same about my dad."

He looked my way and rubbed my back as I heard him apologize "it must've been difficult to go through all of that. Your mom sounds like a god all on her own."

Luke smiled at me as I smiled back telling him "She's my own superhero, couldn't have survived without her. Which is why I adore her so much. Believe me if you met her, she would already be wanting to make as much food as possible to impress a whole state."

We both laughed together but as we did, I suddenly snorted while laughing all at once. I quickly held my mouth with my eyes widening, I didn't think that would happen, but it did. I panicked slightly and turned my head to look at him, he just smiled at me, like he was going to forget it happened, but it was clear that I became a pig.

"You know, as long as you stop calling me 'Smirky' I won't give you a name."

I scoffed out "you wouldn't dare!"

He shrugged, turning away as I got up and pushed him off the dock and he fell into the lake. I laughed and threw my head back in losing my breath seeing him come up to the surface shocked and confused.

"Ha-ha" I continued laughing while holding my stomach until suddenly I felt a hand on my ankle.

I panicked seeing Luke with a big smirk across face as I yelped, and he pulled me in.

I gasped coming to the surface and grabbing him and heard his laughter as I grabbed him tightly "what the hell!" I splashed water on him as he scoffed back "you started this!"

Holding onto his arm I moved my wet hair from my face and said, "I'm sorry."

We looked at each other as I held onto his arm in the water and frowned "I'm sorry if I've made you feel some way...I just...hate my father."

He chuckled at my words shaking his head "I understand. Don't worry about it."

Once again, we stared at each other, almost like all the thin layers of the thin layers of ice were slowly being broken between us.

But for some reason I couldn't look at him the same. On one hand, I saw him as a good friend. A friend that I will be able to count on trust during my time here at camp, but then I felt another emotion buried deep inside of me. Almost like boiling water when it's ready to be used.

We stayed there in the water just inches apart from one another, his curls had clustered up from the water soaking in them. I slowly ran my hand through his hair and fixed them up as I felt him grab my hand more in a gentle and helping way rather than to stop.

My eyes met him once again, for some odd reason even after only knowing him for a short period, looking into his eyes is like...looking into my mom's. Not in a gross way, that would be weird.

But it felt safe, easy, caring and kind, but when I looked into my mom's eyes it was a mother of course. A mother's special love for their child because they will do whatever it takes to protect them. But with Luke as I looked into his brown eyes it was filled with fear, concern.

The one emotion I was clueless about was attraction.

I smiled at him and hugged him; I wrapped my arms around his neck as I sighed out in relief.

"Thanks for teaching me some moves...and for being my friend." I felt him rub my back as I quickly pulled away feeling a weird sensation when he did that.

He nodded and swam over and lifted himself onto the dock and pulled himself out and he was soaked. I sighed and swam back as I saw him turn around looking at me as he reached for my hand.

I smiled looking up at him as I reached for his hand and pulled myself up as he grabbed me tightly.

But as I got onto the dock, I missed a step and gasped and he let out a panicked shout grabbing me as we both fell back onto the dock, but he got the worst of it being underneath me...

I lifted myself off his body and looked below me seeing him look right at me, the tension between us was certainly there.

Of course, nothing would happen though...at least not now.

"WOAH!" We heard and we both looked in front of us seeing Chris as he pointed at us, and I got off Luke quickly as he sat up.

"Do you guys need privacy; I've been looking practically everywhere for one of you." We were confused as he crossed his arms.

"Kinda figured if one were missing, the other was with them."

We stayed silent at his words but just got up and walked off the dock as he asked us "what happened between you two?"

We both stopped and looked at Chris as nodded slowly "that's...fine. Don't tell me it's alright."

Luke and I both found relief and continued leaving the dock. 

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Seems like the 2 grow closer by the minute.

Young Love.