The Secret of the Water

Chapter 5: Fishing

"Hi, I'm Liam," the boy said, reaching out his hand.

"I'm Chloe," I reached out my hand and shook it with his. "George told us a little about you. Mostly that you love fishing."

"Sure do!" he replied. "have you ever been fishing?"

"I did go fishing one time at summer camp when I was nine, but I got impatient after only about five minutes and left with a friend to go eat some ice cream. So not really," I said with a laugh. Liam laughed, too.

"Well let me teach you, then. Come on!" Liam motioned towards the dock and I followed. We walked about fifty feet towards the end of the dock until Liam sat down facing the water, feet dangling off the edge of the dock. I took a seat right next to him.

"So are you from around here?" he asked me.

"I live in Florida, but I was born here in Seattle. My family moved to Florida when I was three, but I have no idea why. This place is amazing."

"Really? Your parents never told you why? And I think Florida would be a lot better than Seattle anyways. Warm, fishing weather all year round would be awesome!"

I smiled. "Well I've asked my parents many times, but they always change the subject. I think something happened here when I was little that they're not telling me. Me and my friend Leah over there are gonna go to my old house later to see what it looks like and maybe ask whoever lives there a few questions."

"Woah, that's awesome. But wait, so you are telling me that you and your friend came all the way over here from Florida by yourselves just to see your old house?"

I laughed. "We came here with our moms. It's a birthday trip. We both turned sixteen yesterday."

"Oh! Happy birthday!"

"Thanks!"

"Well I hope you figure out what you wanna figure out," he said with a smile.

I smiled back. He stared at me for another minute before either of us spoke again.

"Well, aren't you going to teach me to fish?" I asked, batting my eye lashes. What would it hurt to flirt with him? It seems like he likes me, and he's really nice.

"Right! Sorry," said Liam, looking away to grab his fishing pole. He reeled it in all the way then grabbed something out of a small tin. I couldn't see what it was until he held it up.

"Gross!" I said. "We have to use live worms? Can we just use the fake ones?"

Liam laughed. "No! You will catch more fish faster with real worms. Don't worry, you don't have to touch them."

I looked away as he put the worm on the hook. He pulled back the fishing pole and cast it out into the water. He showed me a couple more times and then handed it over to me. I did exactly what I saw him do but the pole went no more than five feet out into the water. Liam laughed and grabbed the pole.

"Let's do it together," he suggested.

I put my hands on the pole under his and then he took his hands and put them in top of mine. I was gripping the pole tightly, just as he was gripping my hands. My heart beat faster as he held the pole up then cast it far out into the water. He let go of the fishing pole then smiled at me.

"See, you just needed a little starting push. You'll get the hang of it."

He grabbed another fishing pole that was laying beside him on the dock and prepared it for fishing the same way he had prepared mine. He cast his pole a little ways out from mine so they didn't get tangled up- and probably so I don't "steal his fish" or anything. I stared out at the bobber on the water, and then looked down at my reflection. I stared down for a while until my eyes focused past my reflection and into the deep, murky water. Suddenly I felt queasy.