Making Her Fall

Chapter 30

     "Jayden." I feel fingers firmly push against me trying to shake me. "Jayden wake up." The same fingers push hard this time and I can only grumble a response.  Wood creaks with almost silent steps as the person goes away.  I shift a little laying on my back and try to doze off again when cold water splatters all over me making me jump up coming face to face with Amber.

     "What the hell was that for?" I try to glare at her with unfocused eyes while she just laughs.

     "I tried waking you up nicely, but you wouldn't get up." She tosses the cup to me and stares at my shirtless body. She reaches out with her fingers while they trail down my chest heading towards my abs reminding me of the way she did it at the Christmas party. "You may want to throw a shirt on so you don't distract all the girls on the lake today. We are heading out on the boat in about twenty minutes so be ready."

     With that she turns on her heel and takes the stairs two at a time laughing the whole way up. I fall back to the couch touching the same spot she did. It felt like a spreading fire when she did it and the heat still lingered. I am supposed to be her friend, but how am I going to be able to just be a friend when she can do this to me with just a touch. I am so screwed.

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     "Come on Captain Jay. You can do better than that. Amber and Bethany look like they can stay on that stupid tube for days." Alex's words carry over the roar of the boat and I just wave him off when I look back at the tube I am pulling. They look way too comfortable so I guess it is up to me to dunk them in the water. I adjust my sunglasses turning back to the wheel.

     I kick up the throttle urging the boat to go faster. At first I start drifting the wheel left and right building small waves to hit the tube running behind us. It creates a few good jumps making the girls scream and laugh. I look back seeing they have slightly lost some grip and I cut the wheel sharply left before flipping it back hard to the right making a big swell behind the boat. I look over my shoulder just in time to see the tube hit the wave like a ramp launching the pair of girls high in the air and then crashing down in the water.

     "Keep an eye on them while I swing around." I have to shout to Alex and Melanie while I cut back on the throttle to turn around. I spur the boat to go dead slow as we crawl back to the two girls that are still laughing in the water. I make sure to kill the engine when we get close and meet Andrew at the back of the boat where the girls are waiting to be pulled up.

     Bethany squeals, "Holy shit! That was amazing!" Her smile spreads from ear to ear as Andrew reaches over and pulls her up into his arms. I do the same for Amber, but her foot catches the rail for a moment making us stumble back when it lets go. I fall backwards onto the seat making sure she lands on top of me. We stay there for a long second with her hands pressed firmly against my chest and mine gripping her hips.

     My eyes flick down to her lips that are only centimeters from mine and I feel the deep urge to close the gap. She flinches back when Bethany erupts with laughter. "Can you get any more graceful sissy?" Amber's face begins to turn bright red and she fumbles to climb off of me and I jump up with her.

     Bethany's hands cup Andrews face as she pulls him into a deep kiss. I fake a gag that makes everyone else burst out laughing. "Alright lover boy. You get to ride with Alex this time. I plan on making the two of you catch more air before y'all crash into the water." They pull the floating tub close to the boat and quickly jump in it as I get ready behind the wheel. "You guys all set?"

     "Bring it on!" Alex's confidence makes me laugh and I push the throttle making the boat lurch slightly heading towards the middle of the lake. I let the boat pick up speed and make a few laps letting the two guys get comfy on the tube and have a little fun. Melanie starts to cheer behind me calling for me to put them in the water.

     I kick the boat's throttle up gaining speed and begin to weave the boat left and right to make the tube hit the waves. The two stay locked in so I start to become a little more erratic making bigger waves behind the boat. The tube flies up a couple times making them lose their grips, but they manage to hold on. I was going to have to try harder.

     My eyes land on a boat speeding off in the distance causing an idea to form in my head. I turn the wheel heading towards where the other boat started and a wave was already forming. I cut right towards the wave and ripped the wheel back left sending the tub towards the building swell. The tube hits it like it was a ramp.

     Andrew looses his grip quickly and flies into the water. Alex manages to hold on, but without the extra weight on the other side the tube starts to turn upside down in the air until it crashes down. The tube bounces up without Alex in it and my stomach drops. I spin the wheel to whip the boat around and see Andrew swimming to where Alex is floating.

     I kill the motor again when me get close and jump back to the boat. Alex's eyes are closed as Andrew tries to hold him up to me. I yank him up laying him in the boat and let Andrew climb up on his own. I lean down only to find him not breathing.  "Mel quick. He needs you." I watch her jump down to him getting ready to do CPR. She had to know CPR for when she was a lifeguard one summer in high school.

     I stare down at Alex trying to hide my panic when I catch a quick movement. His nose flared just slightly like he was inhaling an extra breath. He wouldn't would he? I tap Mel's shoulder and point at his nose. "Jay what the..." It happens again as she tries to talk. Her worried look turns almost murderous. Her had slams down on his stomach jolting his eyes opening and he quits holding his breath. "You son of a bitch! Why would you scare me like that!?"

     Tears start to prickle in her eyes and she tries to fight him off from holding her. "Oh babe. It was a joke. I was trying to do that thing from the movie The Sandlot." He doesn't even flinch when she hits his chest again.

     "You wanted to do what?" Her voice cracks slightly as he finally pulls her against his chest.

     "You know how Squints faked drowning to be able to kiss the lifeguard? You were going to be my Wendy." He tries to sound so cool saying it and make her lighten up. "I'm sorry baby. Let me make it up to you."

     "If you wanted a kiss all you had to do was say something. You didn't have to scare me like that." The rest of us share an awkward glance and I shuffle awkwardly to my seat. "The only way you are making it up to me is with ice cream and you do the thing."

     "Do I really have...." Her death glare stops him mid-sentence. "Okay okay. I will do the thing if it will make you happy again. Jay do you mind dropping us off back at the dock and the rest of you can come back out." I only nod before turning the motor back on. My two friends may be going back to the house, but at least I get to come back out to watch Amber sunbathe.