We stopped by my house first to get my swimsuit and Violet was amazed at my house. I had to admit, it was pretty big: a manor on the countryside with thirty acres of wood and a couple of acres of just field. It wasn't far from the town so we walked it. She even marveled at my swimsuit and said her momma'd never buy her one of those because they wouldn't be able to eat dinner for months at the cost of it. It had just been a gift from my dad, I told her.
I slipped my suit on at Violet's as did she. Her swimsuit was printed with cherries, somewhat babyish, and mine was baby blue with white stripes.
"Thank you so much," Violet said as we lied on her hot porch.
I looked at her and took off my sunglasses. "What?"
"For inviting Brendan," she explained. "I've always wanted to hang around him, but you saw how I was when he asked me a simple question."
"Just don't care," I told her simply. "Don't care what he thinks and you'll be perfectly fine."
"But I do care."
"Act like you don't."
Violet shrugged and hugged her knees to her chest as she watched the road. Her curled hair was pulled back in a curly ponytail while mine was wild around my face. Violet's mother had been hesitant to let us go, for reasons she wouldn't tell us, but she finally gave in. She said we'd have to, in exchange, take showers almost immediately when we got back. Of course we agreed.
"There they are," she said, standing up. She smiled and leaned against a post on her porch.
There were six total boys including Brendan riding their bikes, already shirtless and ready to go. Brendan was heaving a RadioFlyer behind his bike filled with towels, pop, and sandwiches.
They pulled up onto the lawn and parked their bikes. With bare feet, they all came onto the porch. Brendan hauled his RadioFlyer onto the porch.
"My mom made us sandwiches," he pointed out.
I shrugged. "Cool."
"Go ahead and grab what you want. I ain't haulin' this thing deep into the woods." Brendan grabbed some orange pop and two sandwiches. The boys took a lot of food and just one bottle, while Violet and I shared one sandwich and got our own soda. We had eaten right after we got our swimsuits on.
"Let's go ahead and go," I said and started walking around the front of the house.
Violet stuck to my side and lead me while I lead everyone else. She didn't speak, just watched me gratefully as I took conversation casually. Her quietness led to shyness where she didn't even look at the boys. There were five others that I learned to be Petey, Ryan, Danny, Adrian, and Bo. They were all just normal boys but they all seemed to have a place in the friendship.
Petey was Brendan's second-in-command and went along with everything he said. He was a rough and dirty boy, always had mud in his blonde hair and on his overalls.
Ryan was a jock but quiet. He was more built than Brendan and seemed to only be involved in conversations that had a ball in it. He was the "sporty" one.
Danny was a heavier boy and by that, I mean he was fat. His shirt hugged his rolls and he took almost four sandwiches when we were eating.
Adrian was the nerdy one, always giving us facts. Eventually, we all just started moaning and groaning when he was getting all smart. He had thick glasses and bushy black hair.
Bo was the country one, with a thick accent and lots of freckles. He seemed to really like Violet and offered to help her over fallen trees or whenever he could. The "flirter."
The pond came up in a clearing and it wasn't too small, but it wasn't huge. I could see turtles at the water's top and frogs at the edge. There was a wooden dock with a canoe strapped to it and a wooden bench by the water's edge.
The boys immediately started stripping off their t-shirts and jumping in. Violet and I hesitated at the dock's end. She dipped her toe into the water and squealed.
"That's freezing!" She wailed. Noticing that she spoke, she instantly went red and looked dumbly at the murky water.
"Let's just jump," I suggested.
Violet was hesitant. "Oh my..."
Brendan swam over and grabbed her ankle. "Jump or I'm pulling you in," he said playfully.
She smiled shyly and inched closer to the edge. I ran to where the dock met the grass and then ran as fast as I could, throwing myself at the water. I landed almost in the middle. The water swallowed me, freezing cold, goosebumps biting at my skin.
I swam to the bottom and touched the mud below, then pushed myself up with my feet. My hair slick and pulled back by the water, I looked at Violet who was still shivering on the dock.
"Come on, Vi!" I hollered and doused my head under again.
Violet smiled and then jumped ever so slightly in and she was right next to Brendan when she came to the top. He smiled back at her and then splashed her. They got in a splash fight, some boys joining in, but most just talking around.
"Hey," Petey said, "I forgot your name."
"Raven," I replied.
Ryan swam over and listened in on our conversation. His brown hair was standing straight up and his bulging muscles we gleaming wet. He was hard not to look at.
We talked for a while and swam until it started getting dark. I eventually swam over to the dock and hauled myself up on it, watching Violet talking to Brendan. Ryan came and sat with me and so did Bo, who was watching Brendan with angry eyes. Eventually, everyone came and sat on the dock, watching the dark water get darker.
"Nice night," Bo said, his country accent drawling.
"You guys hear 'bout those murders?" Petey asked, a creepy smile forming on his face.
Brendan scoffed. "Don't even try, Petey."
Petey laughed. "He could be in these very woods, you know. They aren't owned. He could be watching us. And you know what he'd be thinking? That new girl seems mighty fine..."
Shivers ran down my spine. "Petey!" I wailed.
He laughed hysterically and I pushed him into the pond. That earned a laugh from everybody else, even Ryan. Petey came to the surface. "Raven!" He cried, shivering. "I'm gonna get Dnemonia!" I laughed as he hauled his wet self back onto the dock.
"I'm kind of scared to walk back to the house," Brendan admitted.
Everyone nodded. "Thanks a lot, Petey," Danny said, his chubby cheeks jiggling.
Petey looked into the woods. "Do you guys hear that?"
I shivered. "Petey, just stop," Violet said.
I leaned forward. "No, really, I hear it, too."
Petey stood on the dock. "I'm running back to the house guys," he announced and darted off into the dark woods. We all watched him disappear into the dark night, leaves sticking to his wet feet. We were all too scared to move.
Ryan shifts next to me. Silence stretches out over us, but I still hear that noise.
"What is it?" Danny asked.
"Breathing," I whispered.
"Raven, did Petey put you in on this?" Violet asked, crossing her arms. I could see her goosebumps in the moonlight. It had gotten real dark real fast. Violet's momma would not be too happy with us coming back at dark.
I snook my head and shushed her. "It's over there. I don't think it's an animal."
"Raven, quit," Adrian commanded. "Whenever the body is scared—" I shushed him.
"I'm gonna go check it out," I said. Moans and groans of disapproval erupted from the crowd. I turned around and pointed a crooked finger at Brendan. "Don't tell me what to do."
"Meow," Danny mocked.
Ryan stood up. "I'll go with you."
My knight in shining armor! At least he can pull a punch!
I nodded and the group of kids watched as Ryan and I crept around the pond. I kept my eyes on the spot I heard the noise and Ryan stuck close to my side. When we got close, I heard some leaves crunch and I knew it wasn't us because we were walking on the muddy side of the pond.
Then, whatever it was darted away. I ran after it, Ryan running at my side. I followed the noise and now I could hear it breathing more clearly, taking hitching breaths. Whatever it was though, it was quick. Ryan could've easily caught up with it, but he chose to stay by my side.
After we had ran what seemed like long enough, I slowed to a stop. I hunched over, trying to catch my breath. Ryan wasn't even tired.
"Dang!" I growled.
Ryan made me stand up straight. "You're cutting off your airway by bending over," he explained.
I smiled at him and he returned a grin. We started walking back. "Thanks for running with me, anyways," I said.
Ryan shrugged. "No problem."
"Danny said you don't talk much," I told him.
He shrugged. "I only say what I really need to say."
"Boys are usually loud and obnoxious," I add.
"And girls are usually docile and in-athletic."
I shrug and smile. "Fair enough."
"I don't know you really well," Ryan says shyly watching the leaves pass beneath our feet. He's trying not to look me in the eyes. I suddenly realize how close we are. Inches. I almost feel as if I can feel the heat and nervousness radiating off of him. It suddenly warms me and gives me confidence.
I run my fingers into his and link our hands together. "Do you need to?"
"You know how I said I only say things I need to?" I nod. "Well here's one: I haven't really talked to you much and I don't know much about you, but I know you're beautiful and I like you and I'd like to ask you on a date sometime."
"Ellaborate."
"On what?"
"By 'I'd like to ask you on a date sometime,' do you mean you're asking me out now and saying the date is sometime or that you'll ask me out sometime."
"There's one thing I know about you: you're confusingly smart."
I smile, suddenly shy. "But seriously, which is it?"
Ryan stops walking and turns to face me. "Meet me at the pond tomorrow at noon. Alone." He leans down and presses his lips to mine.
