White Christmas lights were strung on the trees in front of the house. Music could be heard blaring from inside. Sean lived more on the outskirts of town, where there were some farms and your chances of running over a group of chickens increased by 80%. They had a small lake in their backyard, and some people were either swimming in it or mingling by. Though Sean’s parents weren’t there, they still hadn’t invited a crazy amount of kids. Half of them I knew from school.
As me and Sean walked around I heard a loud squeak followed by “Oh my God, Dallas, I haven’t seen you in forever.” Chantel, Sean’s sister, rushed up from behind me and gave me a hug. She graduated two years ago from my school, and she used to hang around me and Sean a lot.
She handed me a cold bottle from a cooler and I eagerly took it. I imagined Mama throwing a fit and I laughed it off. Honestly, and I know no one will believe me, but I rarely drank ever. It only happened if I was out and someone offered me one. Because of that, I tended to overdo it. Sort of. A lot. I’d drink like it would be the last one I’d have for a long time (which it always was).
As the minutes dragged into hours, everything that happened earlier that day slipped away. I felt looser, a bit carefree, but not enough to agree to skinny dipping in the lake when Chantel asked me. She shrugged and said, “Your lose,” before running toward the lake. A group of people followed her, their hands unbuttoning jeans and blouses.
Someone tugged on my arm, and I thought I might’ve said I’d go but my underwear was staying on.
“I don’t think I want to see you or anyone here naked. No offense.” I blinked confusingly before looking at the person who said that. At first I figured it was an alcohol-induced illusion, and then I wondered how I hadn’t noticed her there before.
It was that purple-haired, Asian girl from Tea Falls. I cracked a smile as she pointed toward the lake. I glanced over and caught a glimpse of bare flesh before it disappeared under the water. My vision shook and suddenly the people were replaced with Josee and it was a hot, July morning at the local swimming pool. I was 8 and Josee was trying to teach me how to swim. I remember her having her hands under me as I tried to move my limbs the right way. I cried at some point that I was gonna drown, and Josee told me she wasn’t that type of mermaid that let people drowned.
There weren’t many people at the pool that day, and the part of the pool we had was vacant. The memory dimmed to a dull gray and all I could see now was how dark Josee’s face was as she said, “You know not to say anything, right? Remember when I told you only you and me can know?” Then it fast forwarded to us sitting in Dad’s van going home. I could remember feeling like I didn’t want to be around Josee right then.
I blinked several times, trying to figure out what made Josee said those words, what happened between me crying I was going to drown and us going home. The more I tried the sicker I felt, and I leaned over ready to puke.
“Oh – hey, you okay? You need water?” the girl asked. She touched my shoulder and I noticed how drastically warm my skin felt compared to her cool hand.
“Nah, it’s fine. Just . . . nothing,” I said, straightening up. Maybe I shouldn’t drink anymore tonight.
YOU ARE READING
What You Know Is True
Novela Juvenil"There's a truth to everything." That's what Dallas Medina would tell you. He may be kind of abrasive and a jerk sometimes, but he wasn't a liar. So when he tells you a "should've been" so-called dumb "magic" book ruined his life, you have to believ...
