Autumn

Chapter 1: Autumn

Autumn stood at the edge of the dock, her long red hair pulled back into a French braid. I carefully pulled my camera out of its waterproof bag, hooking the strap around my neck I took a picture. The sun was setting making Autumn backlit, I think they make the prettiest pictures. The sky lit up all pink, orange and red with the outline of trees all reflecting on the lake, and then Autumn. She stood at the end of the dock, her toes just over the edge looking like she was going to dive off, when I know for a fact that she can't, and she will just cannon ball into the lake.

"It's like we are the only people up here" She said taking a few steps back before running and jumping into the lake. She popped out above the water's surface looking like a mermaid, even with her hair in a braid.

"Kat get your ass in here, my mom's going to call us for dinner soon" I looked up from my camera and stuck my tongue out at her.

"You know how I feel about swimming in lakes!" I complained closing my camera case and standing up.

"I don't care, anyway nothing's going to touch you. Its over 12 feet deep way more than double your height, just get in." Autumn said splashing me. Now I was wet so I might as well. With a sigh I took off tank top I had over my bathing suit and jumped in after her.

As my momentum pushed me down deeper in the water, bubbles came from under me carrying my long hair up above me making me feel a bit like a mermaid as well. Finally I got to the surface and gasped for air

"Are you happy Autumn? I'm in the water, can we get out yet?" I asked complaining even though I actually love swimming.

"Yes I am happy Katherine," she started before going under the water, she came back up a few feet back from where she was originally, "but first you have to catch me!" Autumn yelled before diving back under the water

"No fair I'll never catch you!" I yelled when I saw her come up for air, she was already halfway to the floating dock.

"You have to try" she called submerging again. I tried to catch her I really did, I saw her behind the flooring dock, swimming under the water I made my way over there. I was just about to swim around the dock when I felt something touch my stomach, I stopped short gasping, inhaling some water. Coughing I came up from under the water to see Autumn siting on the edge of the dock.

"Don't die Kat!" She yelled through giggles since she knew I was fine

"When did you get over there?" I asked really, really confused.

"Well I swam silly Billy!" Autumn said laughing some more as I started swimming back to her "And I'm surprised you didn't realize sooner, my foot hit you!"

"Oh thank god that was you, I thought it was a fish or something that's why I was chocking!" I told her as I heaved myself up onto the dock.

"Girls! Dinners ready and don't forget you have the campfire tonight!" I heard Susan call from the cottage

"Coming mom!" Autumn called back before we raced up the small path of stones woven with roots and flowers.

I couldn't believe it was the end of summer already, just up the hill from us there was a bonfire, just for the teenagers of the area to hang out one last time before we had to go back to the real world.

There used to be an old guy who lived at the top of the hill, he was some rich company owner and his 'cottage' was huge, so huge we never called it a cottage, it was a mansion in the woods. It even has an indoor pool! He died when Autumn and I were about 7 and now his daughter has converted it into a social hub for everyone on the hill. Everyone will bring up snacks to help stock the kitchen and us teens go through and clean it every weekend.