The Summer Before he Left

Chapter 25: Drew

          "It's cold!" Blair yelled at me from the water. Her head was hidden by the skis in front of her.

           "Man up! I told you that you were going to learn to ski, now here we are!" I yelled back.

           "But it's cold!" was that the only excuse she had? I went and started the boat. "Wait! Wait! I can't ski!" 

        "Yes you can!" I yelled over the motor. "Just pulled yourself up and get your balance! It's easy!"

           "You lie to me Drew Adams!" Even when she is yelling my name it still sounds sweet.

            I rev up the engine like I'm in a sports car. "Ready?" I yell.

           "No!"

             "Too bad!" I start to move forward and then faster and faster to pull her out of the water. I look back and she was fighting to get herself up but fell backwards and let go of the rope.

           After a series of about 6 tries to get up on the seventh try she got up. You could tell by the look on her face that she was a bit confused as to how she got up, but she was excited. I steer the boat to the right making sure she didn't go outside the wake. I had to watch for waves and make sure we didn't hit any big ones. That is why we were here at eight o'clock in the morning because hardly any boats are out yet.

          She went for about three minutes with out stopping. She was pleased with herself, it was pretty noticeable, even from the boat. She gave me the motion to stop and I slowed down, then she sank into the water.

         "You done?" I yelled to her.

          She shook her head yes and started swimming in with the skis still on, carrying the rope. I got her on the boat. I wasn't going to ski because I was pretty sure she didn't know the right speed to pull someone skiing.

       "That was good." She said which wasn't exactly the correct words someone would usually use.

        "It wasn't fun? It was just good?" I asked.

         "Yeah just good." She was still kind of out of breath from swimming back.

        For the rest of the time we just cruised around the lake. She was all wrapped up in a towel sitting at the top of the boat looking out with her hair all wet and tangled flying back in the wind. This would be the last boat ride we would have this summer. Maybe even ever who knows. I stopped the boat and just let it float for awhile. I walked up to the front to sit with Blair.

        We didn't say anything. We just sat there and looked at the lake. We both knew that everything we had worked for was ending. It would be gone in just a day. I don't know how she will take this. I know it won't go over well for me. She became my best friend. My freaking best friend. The silence between us said a lot. I put my arm around her and she leaned into me. We sat there for awhile just watching the sun rise over the water. Sooner or later I had started the boat back up and we were cruising around the lake again.

 ~~~~~

         At around 11 I took her to Papa Chubby's for lunch and to say goodbye to Chubby, Matt and everyone. Matt and I talked for a little bit because we hadn't talked to each other in over a week. I would be returning to work the next day after Blair leaves, I talked to Chubby about it.

          After lunch I took the boat back to my house and we sat on the dock and I made us some Margaritas for day drinking; even though I'm under aged I have my resources of where I get my booze. Her brown hair was still ratted and tangles from the boat, and her eye liner had smeared under her eyes. Out legs dangled over the side of the dock as we took sips of our Margaritas.