I'm Comin' Home To You

Chapter Five

A Week Later

Hanna, Jane, Mark, James, Wyatt, Lucille and I sat around the campfire, this time lit. It was dark out, around 9:30. We had decided we needed to take a camping trip for Spring Break. After bribing James and Mark's mom to let them go, and combining our measly savings, we were able to buy enough supplies to last us a week. At least.

Lucille sat in front of me on the ground, between my legs, roasting a marshmallow for s'mores and I was running my fingers through her hair, an act I knew she loved.

Hanna shoved a half-burnt marshmallow into her mouth. Jane was sitting close to Mark and they were deep in conversation about not-well-known facts. I silently wished that the two of them would just get together already. They were perfect, her brunette air and his red, his height and her shortness, not to mention their personalities meshed perfectly, two gears always in sync.

“All right. I say we do a proper initiation for Lucille tonight.”

“A what?” She asked, her mouth full of chocolaty goodness.

“A proper initiation. We all did it.”

“And what is this proper initiation?” Lucille said.

I let a silent sigh slip though my lips. “You have to jump into the creek from the bridge.”

“Sounds easy enough.”

“Naked.” Wyatt winked.

Lucille smiled. “Okay.”

“Well, let me at least finish your hair!” I started to fishtail her beautiful hair.

§§§§§§

Lucille stood on the bridge at midnight, stark naked. Her pale skin glowed under the moonlight. She had her arms crossed over her chest and her teeth chattered in the cold night air.

“You don't have to do this!” I called up to her. We were standing on the rocks that were around the creek. The area under the bridge was about 10 feet deep, with no real rocks to speak of, however the shallower parts of the creek were lined with sharp daggers of stone, shiny with mica.

“Yes she does. It's tradition.” We had started the tradition when it was just Wyatt, Hanna, and myself. I had come up with the idea and we were freshman in high school, more than willing to do anything for an adrenaline rush. When Mark and James started hanging out with us, we made them do it too. Then there was Jane. And now Lucille.

I smiled up at her. Her face was aglow with excitement.

“C'm'on! Do it!” the group broke into a chorus of “Do it! Do it! Do it!” sounding like some Nike employees gone rouge. She looked at me, smiled, mouthed “I love you” then jumped in.

She seemed to fall in slow motion, arms flailing and a sharp scream emitting from her open mouth. She splashed into the water, spraying us all. We laughed and Wyatt and I ran into the shallow water to help pulled her out. Instead, she grabbed each of our arms and pulled us in.

§§§§§§

When I woke up, my clothes were stiff from the previous night's swim. Lucille and I had combined our sleeping bags, but I was the only one inside of it. The tent everyone was sharing was empty of humans, except for me. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, stretched out like a cat. I heard voices outside the tent, along with birds chirping and the creek rushing by. I stood to leave the tent, then froze when I heard Wyatt speak.

“C'm'on, Lucille. No one will ever know. Everyone else went on a hike, she's still asleep. All I'm asking for is a chance. One kiss? I love you, Lucille.”