Old Pine Lake

Chapter 6

------------ Time: 12:05 P.M. ------------

"And this, is Old Pine Lake."

His words echo through my ears, and into a nonfunctioning brain. Nonfunctional brain because 1. His lips are basically touching my ear and 2. I am really focused on the majestic lake.

"Say what?" I ask.

"It's called Old Pine Lake," he repeats, a tiny bit annoyed.

"Right, right, why?" I turn to look at him.

"Really? Were you just zoned out that entire time?" he asks, offended.

I roll my eyes, "I was teasing. At least I was trying to tease, I am sorry if I offended you. That wasn't my intention."

My eyes grow wider as I realize how much I just offended him, he was telling me something probably very dear to him, and I just blew it off and didn't even listen.

"I'm super sorry, I didn't mean to offend you! I really didn't! I-"

"Woah, calm down, Dree. I was teasing too," he explains.

"Oh, you were?" He nods. "Well then, you must be very good actor."

I'm trying to cover up my tracks, of the obvious overreaction that just took place. When in my imagination, the only thing I want to cover up, is the hole that I currently want to be in right now.

"Thank you, I take great pride in my work," he says in a deep voice.

He gives me the smile that takes away the awkwardness, and I don't feel like I want to hide. How does he do that? Does he know he's doing that? Or does it just happen? So many questions, that I am too scared to ask. Mostly because if I do, it will be very awkward.

"Okay, so how did you find this place? I mean, it is in the middle of nowhere," I choose this question instead of my others.

"Well, I used to hike up here with my dad. Then we'd camp here for the night, and hunt the next morning, or fish in the lake," he replies with a shrug.

"You speak of your dad pretty fondly, you must love him a lot," I say quietly.

"Yeah, I do," his face reveals the small smile that I saw earlier.

"Where- oh, never mind," I decide to stop my question parade. I have asked so many questions already.

"Where is my dad?"

I look at the ground, "That's what I was going to ask, but I have been asking too many questions lately. So I just decided to stop."

"That's okay, I don't mind with these questions so much."

He lifts up my gaze with his fingertips under my chin. He tilts his head a little, like a confused puppy.

"My dad died a couple years ago, he was a firefighter. He was inside of a building, saving countless people, and managed to get everyone out safely, well everyone but himself."

I remember that fire, it was where my uncle worked, until it burned down. It was a huge corporate company that provided a lot of jobs for people who needed it. It was an awful fire, but only one casualty out of the entire six-hundred employees that worked there. The only casualty, was a local firefighter.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't realize-"

"No, it's fine. I like telling my dad's story. It gives me something to look up to, and I don't want his heroism to go unnoticed."

He smiles again, and I feel comforted. This adventure was definitely worth my time. I made a new friend. I really am starting to trust him, I didn't know how different he could be from my old friends. I thought everyone was the same. Only now do I realize, that this is my new beginning. I could be myself, I don't have to hide anymore. I can explore my abilities. I can do what I want to, not what I need to. This is the best decision I have ever made. I hope.