Damsel In Distress

Chapter One

The sun beats down on my skin as I stretch myself across my raggedy towel. I dig my toes into the scorching sand and fling my arm across my face dramatically, "it's too hot."

"What?" Jared's voice calls from somewhere above me.

"AJ's just complaining about the weather," Vic answered for me, "again."

Vic and I have been best friends since the womb. Her mom and my mom had been best friends since pre-k, when Vic's mom's family moved here from down south. Ever since then they had been inseparable, which in turn forced us to become inseparable. But I believe even without our mothers assertion into our friendship, we would've found a way to each other. Despite our very different views on certain topics, like the weather, we are one in the same.

"What's wrong with the weather? It's beautiful out," Jared asked skeptically like I knew some secret he wasn't privy to.

I grouched and pushed myself up so I could glare at him, "it's too hot," I repeated for the tenth time today.

Despite living in a place where the phrase, 'it's too hot,' can only be used a couple times a year, it still bothers me everytime the weather is above 80. Maybe it's just my genetics not being used to warmer temperatures or maybe it's just me, but I cannot stand the heat. I prefer fall, when there's not yet snow but the temperature at any given time doesn't go higher than 50.

Jared laughed, "come on, pretty soon it's going to be cold and shitty. Let us enjoy this rare, sunny, cloudless, windless day."

"Also it's the last weekend before school starts up again," Vic chimed in, "and we aren't going to waste it sitting inside watching Gilmore Girls."

"I didn't say I wanted to be inside," I grumbled feeling slightly defensive, "I'd just prefer not getting third degree burns."

"Then go take a dip in the lake," Jared suggested.

When I didn't respond to Jared's suggestion, Vic took it upon herself to help me with my heat problem, "maybe she needs a little more assertive convincing to get into the lake," she paused and glanced over my shoulder at Jared, "don't you think?"

"I completely agree," I heard Jared reply as I stared daggers at Vic.

I was about to protest when suddenly I was yanked up from my towel and carelessly thrown over Jared's shoulder, "Put me down!" I yelled as I felt him slowly make his way down the beach towards the lake. I lift my head and see Vic laughing her ass off as I'm being towed away. I can't help but laugh as I banged my fists against Jared's back trying to get him to release me.

"Jared," I choked out between my laughs, "please don't-"

My plea was cut short when I felt myself being flung in the air, I barely had time to scream before I'm submerged in freezing cold water. Just as quickly as I was thrown in, I'm suddenly being pulled out. I'm now standing face to face with Jared in waist high freezing water, his face looks apologetic but that didn't stop me from what I did next. I called upon my very limited experience with acting and stuck out my bottom lip in a pout at the same time I forced my eyes to well up with tears.

"Oh my god, AJ, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Jared let his guard down and immediately bent down to give me a hug, but before his arms were able to wrap around me I snuck my leg behind his and pulled while simultaneously pushing his chest with all I had in me. Completely blindsided by my attack he fell backwards into the lake.

It was almost worth being thrown in myself to see the look on his face when he regained his balance and stood back up. I couldn't help but laugh as his big brown eyes stared at me in shock. Although he should be used to it by now, I've used the fake cry on him at least three times this past month alone.