Good grief this is
cold! My mind screams as the water hits my legs.
“You guys are crazy. This water’s freezing,” I say, wrapping
my arms around my torso.
“It’s not so bad once you’re all the way in. It feels
wonderful!” Jade says, falling back into the water.
I creep closer to where Ethan and Jade are sitting. The
water gets deeper the farther out I get and is to my knees once I’m in the
center. The cold rushes over me in waves and I’m shaking when I reach them.
Slowly, I sit myself down in the water, but hesitate as it
splashes up onto my upper leg. I’m starting to straighten when hands wrap
themselves around my waist and pull me down. A small squeal escapes my lips.
Ethan pulls me down next to him in the arctic water, keeping
his arms wrapped around my waist, thwarting my escape.
“Let go, let go! You evil person! This water is freezing!” I
scream at him through chattering teeth.
He laughs at me, but doesn’t let go. “Oh, quit whining you
big baby. You’re fine.”
I turn and glare at him, but his eyes are laughing at me.
That’s probably the happiest I’ve seen him since I met him. I smile and instead
of continuing to fight him I splash a handful of water into his face.
He lets go instinctively and I move just out of his reach.
“You’re so mean,” I say, my teeth starting to chatter less
now that I’m getting used to the water around me.
Jade’s watching us, a smile growing on her face. When she
sees me staring at her she immediately looks away.
I chuckle. “See, this isn’t so bad now is it?” he says.
“It’s still cold,” I reply, but with less frustration than
before.
“But it is water
and that right there trumps the cold.” He lies back again and lets the water
run across his face.
The sun light dances off his wet hair. He notices me staring
and starts to grin. I immediately turn away, my face growing hot.
Nice going, Bianca.
Keep staring at the boy because that’s not freaky at all.
I scrub the dried blood off my body with a vengeance, trying
my best to look everywhere but at Ethan. Chase and Arianna help each other wash
off before getting into a splash fight with Jade and Joanna.
I manage to get my legs and arms fairly clean and start
working on my face. Ethan moves up next to me and I freeze. He whispers, “You
know, it’s easier to wash the blood off your face if you just stick your head
in the water.”
I resume scrubbing. “Not happening. I like my face to not be numb, thank you very much.”
“It was just a suggestion. You missed a spot by the way.”
I glance up at him and there’s a mischievous gleam in his
eye. “Don’t you dare!” I squeal.
“What?” he says, faking innocence.
“Oh no you don’t. You stay away from me,” I say, using my
hands to propel myself backwards through the water.
He comes closer and manages to grab me around the waist
again. “Ethan!” I scream before holding my breath as he dunks me under the
water.
“That… was… so… mean…” I say, my body shaking from the onset
of cold.
“But now you’re clean.” He winks at me, his eyes sparkling.
“So not fair,” I say, shaking the water from my hair.
~A Fighting Chance~
Coming this June
