The Boy Who Danced on Water

"Bonding" with Bell

The next morning I woke up on a comfortable surface. A heavy, warm, mass was dropped across my shoulders. I opened one eye at a time, in hopes of figuring out what was holding me so tight. I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and noticed Cyrus' arm thrown across my shoulders.

I smiled and shifted uncomfortably, the couch we were on was so lumpy. Cyrus moved his hand into a vice grip. I tried to push his arm off, but he wouldn't let go! I shifted, pressing my back into Cyrus' stomach, and fell back into a soft sleep.

A few minutes later I felt someone tugging me to my feet. I swayed gently trying to steady myself.

"Mhm..." I groaned, still tired.

Bell threw a pair of clothes at me and snapped, "get ready. You are coming out with me."

I left the pants on I had yesterday, but pulled on the oversized hoodie she threw. It hung way past my hands, and almost down to my knees.

We stepped out of the tree and into the brisk fall morning. The sun was barley poking out from behind the mountains. We trekked down a dirt path-one that had clearly been walked many times before.

My heart skipped when I heard the steady flow of water. It pulled me closer and I want from a tired hike to a run.

Bell called after me, but the whistle of wind muted her. I kept running the dewy grass squelching under my feet. I smiled when the river greeted me.

There was a small pounding, right next to my heart. Like the river and I had a special connection. The waves soothed me.

Bell finally caught up to me. She kept scolding, "You are so careless! What if you got lost, how would I find you. I wouldn't! You would die."

I dipped my head and muttered my apology. But looking back to the water, all that guilt washed away. I plopped down on a big rock and watched the water.

The waves licked up and then folded down. I smiled at the river, and it almost smiled back at me. The joy built up inside me, wanting to come out.

"Can I go swimming, Bell. Pleeease?" I begged her. The water was calling my name.

Bell rubbed her temples, "no."

I didn't listen and jumped off the stone and into the water. Bell gasped and ran toward the flowing water. "Hey!" She sounded panicked.

The cold water wrapped around me, then parted, leaving me on a soft bed of sand. I could see Bell on the shore. She looked unsurprised. The water moved around me, leaving me dry in a circle.

"Come back here now," Bell growled.

I bowed my head and made my way through the river, it parting as I walked. Bell rolled her eyes and waited impatiently.

"Sorry Bell. The water was just-" she cut me off.

"I wake up and am trying to teach you an important life skill. The least you could do is pay attention," she snapped.

I sat quietly back down on my rock. Bell was by a patch of cat-tails stringing a metal box to a tree. She demanded I came to her. And I was too nervous to disagree.

"This" She shook the box, "is used to catch fish." I grinned at her, I loved catch and release fishing.

She smirked at my excitement, and tossed the box into the river. I hurried over to a tall tree, one of its thick beaches dangled over the water. I got myself situated on the branch and waited.

Bell sat on the grass by the box. The rope that was tied to the tree was tossing and moving.

Bell jumped to her feet and I slowly made my way down the tree. The pulsing in my chest, the one that felt like waves, felt more like a small pain.

"We caught a fish!" Bell was extremely excited when she pulled out a large, flopping, bass.

My heart twinged to seen it gasping for help. The water is in pain.

I tired to take the fish out of the cage and throw it back into the river, but Bell shoved me away.

"Bell! It's going to die!" I pleaded, tears pooled in my eyes.

Bell snickered, "its just a fish. How else are we meant to eat." She raised a knife into the air and swung. Killing the poor, innocent fishy.

I could feel the pain in the water at the loss of one of it's inhabitants. I sniffled and tried not to look at the fish.

"Bell...you shouldn't kill the fish." I could feel the small anger inside me, and I could hear the flow of the water start to pick up.

She laughed and shoved past me, "its dinner be thankful."

I don't know where the extra strength came from but I ran at Bell. Knocking her back a little.

She was fuming. Bell grabbed a chunk of my hair and told me a simple statement, "Go home, baby. Mother Nature should have never picked you."

She let go of my hair, causing me to fall off my feet. And the tears began to slide down my cheeks. First slowly, then they picked up.

Bell almost looked sorry, but quickly replaced it with a grimace. I jumped onto my feet and began running back to the tree.

All the way up the dirt path, the tears still coming down my cheeks. "C-Cyrus!"

He pushed the door open and I collapsed into his hug. He scooped me up no problem and sat us both on the couch.

"What happened buddy?"

I looked at him with tear filled eyes and began talking, "bell killed a fish."

I wrapped my arms around him and buried my head into his chest. I sobbed and shook. Cyrus was rubbing small circles into my back.

"Hey-hey it's ok."

I shook my head, causing the mess of curls on my head, to fall over my eyes. "She w-was mean..." I chocked out.

Cyrus agreed and pulled me closer. He promised to talk to Bell for me, and that the fish wouldn't be eaten for dinner that night.

I nodded into his chest and fell back asleep, crying really takes a lot of me.

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I'm sorry but I really love the relationship between Cyrus and lil' Coda. Ughh it's so cute and pure. I hope you all loved this chapter, and if you want to give me feedback. The comments are always open

Hugs and love