We Can Have It All

Chapter Three

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---Chapter Three---

Cassidy stood hesitantly at the water’s edge. She looked into crystalline water, able to see the large rocks that lay on the river bed. She shook her head backing away from the bank sitting on the embankment of lush green grass. Daniel however had no fear of the water, and plunged straight in causing a tidal wave of water to wash up onto the embankment. He splashed the water playfully telling her that she should join him. She shook her head defiantly and he climbed out of the water and onto the bank. She barely had time to stand up

                Cassidy screamed as Daniel picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. She kicked him, and his hand muffled her screams. “It’s for your own good.” Was all that he said to her, as he threw her away from him. In that moment she was unable to find her voice to scream, and she came crashing down into the shallows. She wiped the water away from her eyes and looked at him with the most daring of glares.

Cassidy sat waist deep in the river, she was still near the edge as the other side was a good twenty meters away from her. She stood up, and it appeared that her clothes were clinging to her for dear life. She took the heavy material into her hands and wringed it back into the river. Well what now? Is all her brain could think of.

Cassidy realised that she needed to wash herself, she still stank of toilet. She sighed as she had no other option. She then cast her clothes off, leaving her in her underwear. She put them onto a nearby sunlit rock to dry. “Don’t get any ideas.” She murmured before returning to the shallows of the water, sitting on the river bed.

Daniel stood there dumbfound, as Cassidy bathed in the clear water. He sighed deeply as he picked up her sleeping bag and dunked it into the water. She watched amused as he washed out all off the filth that he had poured onto her earlier that morning. She sang triumphantly in her mind. He was tempted to dump it and walk away, and allow the river flow to take it away. But he knew that he would hear no end of it if he did.

Daniel wringed out the bag and hung it on a tree branch. Without hesitation he joined Cassidy, revelling in the coolness of the water. The sun beamed brightly down on them and they splashed each other in the water. “This is for dropping me into the water.” She announced at him as she pushed the water away from her splashing him. “And it was for this morning.” She laughed as he wiped his eyes clear.

“That was a terrible thing to do Cassidy.” Daniel said as he grabbed her hands and splashed her some more. “After all, I do have a well known reputation” He whispered into her ear and she recoiled at the thought. There was no need for her to even consider feelings. Her heart was elsewhere. She walked away from him, clambering out onto the grass. His heart fell a little, he was certain that he had her at that point. He was beginning to learn that she didn’t understand humour.

Cassidy went through her rucksack drawing out a clean towel. She dried herself off walking a little into the wood. Daniel didn’t see the need to follow her, he knew that she wouldn’t go far wearing so little.  She was feeling sick. She hated water, it terrified her to the core. Ever since she was a little girl she was afraid and never learned to swim. She was deathly afraid and would avoid it where possible. Though, never admits the basic fear to anyone.

                Cassidy looked down at her hands and saw that she was no longer shaking and she deemed it safe for her return. A breeze gushed through the forest and a chill set itself upon her. She made a hasty return with the towel draped around her. Returning to the rock she saw that her clothes were missing. She turned her eyes to Daniel who was drying himself off with a blue towel.

                “Seriously? You felt the need to hide my clothes!” Cassidy called out angrily out of her confused state. She looked around the forest searching for her missing clothes. Her other clothes were from that morning and stank of toilet, thanks to Daniel. She would be reluctant to wear them again; she was becoming desperate to find her clothes.

“They’re wherever you left them.” Daniel said not even facing her; he was too busy getting his own things out of his bag. His response didn’t help him. Anger flared up inside of Cassidy and her cheeks flamed up. She tried to cover herself up a little more with the towel. She turned back behind her seeing her clothes by a tree. She laughed at herself, she was just being stupid.

Cassidy walked over to where her tee-shirt and tracksuit lay, bending down to pick them up. Something flashed in front of her and she just screamed. When in doubt she screams. Daniel’s heart began to race and his face crumpled into worry. He put on his tee-shirt before he dashed towards her. His adrenaline was pumping and he was looking around the area for her. He already knew where she was.

Cassidy stood there squealing at a retreating black and white animal that had stolen her clothes. Daniel slumped a little letting out a small laugh. Cassidy glared at him and he began to laugh even more. “Those things are monsters! I swear it’s a skunk.” She started in her defence. “Haven’t you ever seen the size of its teeth and claws?” She backed away a little as it started to run back towards her. She tripped on a tree root and landed on her bum.

Daniel could no longer hold in his laugher as Cassidy began to stumble to her feet and flee the angry beaver. “It’s only a baby badger!” He called out after her as he watched the young thing chase her down. He laughed some more, and she came running towards him half dressed with a towel around her. She hid behind him. In his mind he thought that the badger was secretly on his side. She jumped onto his back it ran closer towards them and she started to squeal again.

Daniel walked over to a tree stump and stood Cassidy on it. He went back to the playful badger and laughed a little. It was covered in a thick layer of filth. He could tell why she thought it was a skunk, it was small and fluffy and seemed around the right size. He sat down onto the floor and the badger seemed to crawl into his lap playfully. Cassidy watched as her teased the baby badger however it refused to let go of her clothes.

“I don’t know why you were afraid... he seems so cute.” Daniel called over his shoulder as he waggled his finger in front of its nose. Cassidy laughed as the badger leapt forward biting his finger. In the process it had dropped her clothes but it picked them up and scampered away again.

“I told you so.” She smirked at him as he nursed his bitten finger.