Too Cliché

Chapter 11: Arrival

Smooth, soft, clean. Ashton stood with his hands in his pockets. In his left pocket was a stone Luke had found back home, it had washed up on the river bank and he claimed it was his lucky stone.

The sun was reflecting off the crystal water right into his eyes. The tide pushing out and pulling in washing over Ashton’s feet.

“Wahoo!” Luke called swinging into the water from the twisted tree with limbs that hung over the water. He landed flat on his back making a tidal wave onto the shore.

Ashton broke out laughing as Luke bobbed in the water wailing. Luke whimpered as he walked up to Ashton. “You okay?” Ashton asked stifling a laugh.

Luke pouted and with a growl he responded, “I’m fine!”

This made Ashton break into another laughing fit. He rolled on the ground breathing in dry dirt onto his tongue. “Ew!” he exclaimed and sat up spitting dramatically.

This caused Luke to start laughing. “Serves you right!” Luke called to Ashton. Ashton charged Luke who dodge him just in time for Ashton to go flying into the river. Luke jumped in after him to make sure he was okay. Both boys came up with big toothy smiles. They were side by side.

They crawled out of the water and retreated to their towels. “This has been so much fun,” Luke said, picking up a flat rock and skipping it on the calm water. Ashton did the same with a smile stitched on his face.

“I’m glad you’ve had fun,” Ashton beamed at Luke who picked up a heart shaped stone. Luke thought about giving Ashton the stone so they would never forget that day, but blushed at the cheesy idea. This didn’t go unnoticed by Ashton though. “Whatcha got there?” Ashton motioned to Luke’s hands holding the stone.

Luke threw his hands behind his back as if that would erase Ashton’s image of his burnt cheeks. “N-nothing,” he stuttered.

“Oh, c’ mon! I wanna see!” Ashton said jumping up from his spot to tackle Luke.

“No!” Luke squealed. Ashton managed to wrestle the stone away from Luke’s sweaty grasp and smiled.

“This is cute,” Ashton said. “I’m gonna keep it.” They sat there, a tangled mess of arms and legs.

Luke’s face began to glow again, “I was hoping you would.”

“Oh?” Ashton’s eyebrows were raised. “Why’s that?” he prodded Luke who grew more red.

“I didn’t want you to forget today,” Luke whispered.

Ashton leaned into Luke. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you,” Ashton teased.