The water was rhythmic, gently lapping along the steep shoreline as my legs dangling from the ledge I was perched upon. The gentle breeze brushed over the water, sending ripples across the bayou and lifting tendrils of my brown, wavy hair.
I closed my eyes and laid back onto the ground, the warm grass under my fingers, the air full of life. The shade was cool and refreshing from the harsh sun beating down around me.
"Falling asleep on me?" said my best friend, Isabella Hancock, her voice piercing my relaxed state.
I opened my eyes and peered over at her sitting behind me, appearing upside down from my point of view. "No, just enjoying the view."
"With your eyes closed, Vera?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.
"I was just resting. Enjoying the fresh air."
"Well, come on," Isabella insisted, tapping her book with her finger, her medium-length blonde hair falling over her shoulders. "We came out here to get some work done. The history test is tomorrow."
"Alright, alright." I sat up and returned my focus to her.
"Name the main people involved in the murder and overthrow of Julius Caesar."
***
I came into my house through the back door. My father was upstairs, per usual, either watching TV or ignoring me. Either was fine with me. I grabbed a box of pasta noodles from the pantry. Pasta was an easy dinner to make since my father forgot to all the time. I finished my preparations then let the water boil. I clicked on the TV and turned it to a channel I liked.
After I finished eating, I cleaned the kitchen while listening to music, washing all the pots, placing bowls and utensils in the dishwasher, and running it for the night. I walked down the front hall of our house, turned left, and climbed up the stairs. At the end of the upstairs hall, I entered my room.
My bedroom has always had the same setup. From the doorway, the first thing you see is my bed, nestled into the back left corner, with my desk next to it, and my window and window seat across the room. On the same wall with my window on it, is a bookshelf, white wood and tall. Along the same wall as my door, are my walk-in closet and bathroom.
I turned into my closet and undressed for the night. My eyes drooping from tiredness, I slipped on a pair of soft cotton shorts and a worn-in t-shirt. I laid out my clothes for the next day: a pair of black jean shorts and a cream tank top. I draped them over my desk chair, ready for the morning.
I yawned as I clicked my light switch off. Then I slunk over to my bed. I pulled my covers up, slid underneath them, and rested my head on the pillow. Drifting off into sleep, I closed my dark green eyes, my hair fanning out around my pillow like a lion's mane.
***
My eyes shifted down the pages of the book for our reading assignment, which was a total bore. History was my favorite class, with English ranking only above Algebra II. I was in study hall, my last class of the day, and was trying to read at least a few chapters of The Scarlet Letter. I wanted to finish before the weekend, and, considering it was Friday, I wasn't doing a good job.
Then I felt a ping on my left shoulder. I looked down and saw a crumpled up piece of paper on the floor.
I reached down and uncrumpled it. It read: "Vera, Ask ur dad about the swimmin' hole. I heard Taylor will be there… ;) -Isabella"
At least it was addressed to me. I'd accidentally picked up a note that wasn't for me last year. It wasn't pretty.
I shook my head. Taylor was the kind of guy you would find kissing a girl one minute, then he'd suddenly check out on her. Since last year, he'd already dated Hope, a girl in a few of my classes, and these two other girls, Madison and Abby. And he dumped all three of them with the so annoying "it's not you, it's me" crap. Hope had moped around for weeks, and she was still angry whenever anyone brought him up, friends or not. He was definitely not my type.
Why Isabella would think that, I wouldn't know. We were best friends, and had been since forever.
I turned and looked over my left shoulder and made eye contact with Isabella. I gave her a small nod, in case the study hall teacher was watching, and then turned my head back around.
Returning to my book, I pushed my thick hair out of my face, cupping it behind my ear. Then the final bell of the day rang, Packing up my stuff, I hurried out of the classroom and out into the busy hallway. I stopped at my locker, spun the combination, pulled out my backpack, and headed out the door. I jogged around the school and down the pavement toward my house. I didn't need to take the bus home because I basically lived next door.
I lived in a small town in Louisiana, near the coast, with a population of a little more than five thousand people. Some people don't like the small town atmosphere, but I like it here. I know everybody in my grade, and they know me. And everybody in town knows everybody.
The best part was how nice it always was here. I loved to rock climb anywhere I could outside. I loved finding a good cliff or tree in the woods where I could free-hand it.
School was pretty good. Our school encouraged after school activities and sports, so I had fencing lessons at our community center, where my friend Autumn Walker had her karate practice. Sakura Lazarov played guitar, and Isabella and Austin Hancock were both interested in movie-making, so they were in film studies at school. And last year, Isabella, Autumn, Sakura, and I all took an archery class.
Most of my school's junior and senior classes were in activities, and a guy I've spoken to on occasion, Shawn Grayson, was taking an advanced astronomy class as his science course.
I continued walking down the street, brushing my hair back, the wind blowing my hair around my face. I reached my house, and came around back, hearing wood being chopped. Turning the corner, I saw my father, his dark skin and even darker hair shining with sweat.
"Hey, Dad."
He turned his head, a small smile forming on his face. "Hey, Vera. How was school?"
I shrugged, slipping my hands in my pockets. "Math was boring. Isabella and I have plans to go to the lake tomorrow. Can I go? We really wanna study break, like everyone in our class is stressed out." I didn't have to mention it was technically a party, with the possibility of things getting a little out of hand.
"Oh, right. Exam week. As long as Isabella's mother says it's okay, I see no reason to argue."
I smiled, going through our giant back patio doors into the kitchen. I stopped and rummaged through the pantry for a couple minutes and pulled out a bag of pretzels, then jogged up the stairs to my room. I opened the door, tossing my school bag on the floor at the base of my desk, and placed the bag of pretzels on my desk.
I pulled my laptop out of my bag and set it on my desk. I powered it up and opened a new browser. I entered in a URL, but it froze and loaded for what felt like a small eternity. I groaned and shut the laptop a bit too hard.
I just wished they had better reception in this town. The internet at our house was terrible. I could barely access my school account to get work done. Even the TV glitched, which was a huge annoyance.
I collapsed onto my bed, tired after a long day at school. I felt so tired every day after school. I didn't tell my father, though, not wanting to worry him about me, as he often did.
A buzz brought me back down to earth; it was probably Isabella texting me. I pulled my phone out, reading the text: What did ur dad say about the swimming hole??
I quickly responded with the good news as drowsiness made the world fuzzy. I blinked, trying to shake it off.
My phone buzzed, Awesome! We'll have a blast!
Smiling, I put my phone away into my pocket. I usually didn't try to keep secrets from my father, but I obviously couldn't tell him we were going to a party in the middle of nowhere. I tugged off my boots and put them in my closet, retrieving my sneakers. Every day after school, I tried to get out of the house to walk around in the woods, usually picking a new direction every day, trying to find a new rock-climbing spot. Sometimes I ventured so far that I had actually left our town.
This time, I snuck past my father, which was easy since he was still chopping wood, covering any noise I might make, exiting through the garage door. I looped around the side of my house and darted into the woods, pushing brush away and swaying branches, leaves floating down like snowflakes. The sun filtered through the leaves above, warming me as its rays landed on me.
I made it past the undergrowth break and set off to the right, towards what I thought to be the biggest tree I'd ever seen; Isabella and I nicknamed it Big Boy. The name always made me snicker. I picked up my pace and jogged through the trees, the summery green of the leaves starting to tinge fall colors.
I made it to Big Boy, seeing the blue rope Isabella and I tied to it the last time we were here and almost got lost. Smiling at the memory, I started walking past it and towards a nearby small cliff, perfect for climbing, with dips and hand-holds weathered into the rock, with a great view at the top.
The base of the cliff neared my vision as I came closer, the gray rocks muted by the green moss growing in rivulets through the stone. I ascended the wall, a new burst of energy propelling me forward. About half way up, I paused and looked out behind me, my town visible in the distance.
It all looks so small, I thought. I sighed, then continued climbing.
My hand wrapped around the top of the cliff, the sharp edges digging into my palm. Using my momentum, I pushed myself up the rest of the way. With an exhale of exhaustion, I dangled my legs off the edge of the cliff and stared out above the trees, scanning the woods below. I leaned back and laid down on the ground below me, gazing up at the sky. I reached my hand toward the sky, imagining the thin clouds swirling and weaving in between my fingers. Blinking in a sunny daze, I wondered what it would be like to fly. I dropped my hand back to the hard ground, a reminder I'm stuck on earth, with clipped wings.
The wind skimmed across my body and sent cold shivers up my arms. The wind was one reason why I loved to run and climb; to feel it rush by me, like I was flying, disconnected me from the outside world. The only downside was having to come crashing down to the normal world.
For a while, I laid there, thinking, as the warm sun hit me from above. I must've been there for a while, because the next thing I knew, a hand came down on my shoulder. Standing straight up, I whipped my head around with a tiny yelp of alarm.
"Well, if I knew that's all it took to get your attention, I'd of thought of sneaking up on you years ago," said a familiar voice. Austin Hancock stood in front of me with a smile on his face and a teasing glint in his crystal-blue eyes.
"Austin! You almost gave me a heart attack!"
He laughed. "Sorry, Vera. I saw you and I thought, 'Hey, why not say hi.' Didn't mean to scare you."
I shook my head, letting my scared breath escape my lungs. "How did you even get up here?"
"The normal way, unlike you," Austin said, pointing in the opposite direction of the cliff. "The trail is steep, but the view is always worth it."
"Yeah," I murmured in agreement. "I know what you mean."
Our steps synced up as we walked down the trail and back towards town. "So what were you doing out here anyway?" I asked.
He shrugged. "Blowing off steam. Coach pushed us really hard this afternoon. It gets really hard not to hit him sometimes."
I grinned. "Did you do it this time?"
Austin grinned brightly. "I told Isabella, and she said that if I ever did hit him, she'd give me fifty bucks. Thinks I don't have the balls."
"Well, you don't."
He huffed. "I'll have you know I do too have the balls. I'm just a nice guy."
"True."
He laughed.
We continued walking and talking. Austin was Isabella's twin brother; though, they looked absolutely nothing alike. Sakura had once said that they had very similar expressions and tones of voice, but beyond that, there was nothing the same, at least in their appearance. Austin had raven-black hair cropped close to his head and crystal-blue eyes, while Isabella's were a dark grey, like silver mist.
They paired well with her pale blonde hair, giving her a chilled look, along with her pale skin. But that quickly changed when she laughed: her eyes would light up as her cheeks turned rosy. And even though Isabella was the older twin, at 6 foot 2 inches, Austin towered over both of us. I was 5' 5", and Isabella was around 5' 7".
We reached my house, seeing the crimson wood through the trees. "See you at the swimmin' hole tomorrow?" I asked, finger quoting our redneck version of a lake.
He smiled. "Sure."
I returned his grin. "Awesome. Tell Isabella I say hi."
He nodded, saluting me like a general, and backtracked his way home.
I laughed and headed home. A cold breeze blew through the trees, making me shiver. Ominous, I thought.
I came in through the garage door, kicking off my shoes, and walked into the hall, where I nearly got trampled by my father.
"Veronica! Where have you been? When I couldn't find you, I was so worried," he said frantically.
"I was in the forest, no big deal. I was just at the perimeter. I didn't go very deep, I swear. You could've texted me."
"Again?" He sighed.
"I'm sorry."
He shook his head. "I can never win with you, can I?"
"Nope. Is dinner done yet? I am starving." I walked farther into the kitchen.
Dinner was good. Stir-fry was one of my father's favorite meals, but the talk was strained. I had a feeling my father was keeping something from me. I knew better than to ask him, though. He wouldn't like me poking into his life, as I tried not to let him do to mine.
I was halfway through my second helping when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I fished it out and checked it.
Need to come over. Can u cover? Please?? -Isabella
I cleared my throat. "Can Isabella come over tonight? I know it's late, but we have this pre-calculus test we really should study for." The lie slipped out easily. They'd been that for a while now.
"Sure. Finish eating and then text her back," my father replied.
"Thanks." I quickly finished and about halfway through my text, a knock sounded from the back patio.
I looked up, and saw Isabella, bag in hand, waving at me through the glass, her pale hair tied up in a messy ponytail. I pulled one of the glass double doors open and let her inside. "Hey Isabella, what's up? I was in the middle of texting you."
She rubbed her shoulder. "I just assumed your dad would be cool with it, so I just headed out early."
"Did you go through the forest?"
She shrugged.
We headed upstairs to talk in private. I closed the door behind us, the universal sign that we wanted to be left alone, and I hoped my father wouldn't listen in.
"What is it?" I asked bluntly.
She shook out her hands, clapping them on her legs. "My dad was out working late, my mom passed out upstairs. Did you know she has to take a sleeping pill now, just to fall asleep? Work's been stressful lately. Anyway, so Austin decided to invite a couple buddies over. No big deal. Austin's usually responsible, but���" She trailed off.
"But what?"
Isabella huffed. "He invited Taylor."
I tried to cover up my shock, but failed.
Isabella looked at me. "Yeah, I know. He's probably the reason that not twenty minutes after he showed up, the whole football team was at our house. Then the basketball team!" She breathed.
"He's not even on the basketball team!" She blew all this out, frustrated.
"Austin tried to get people to not make a mess, and to leave, but Taylor just kept the party going, and my mom slept through it all. I thought her sleeping pill would wear off, but she wouldn't wake up."
"I'm sorry. I know it sucks. Is your dad home yet?" I asked.
"No, I left before he got there. I really didn't wanna be there when my dad comes home and finds out his house got turned into a frat party. Then his temper would really kick in."
I laughed, making Isabella crack a small smile. I was trying to make her feel better, and my heart lightened when I got her to grin. Even if it was a small one.
Isabella growled in frustration. "I wish I could ensure that Taylor won't be at the lake, but there's no way he wouldn't make an appearance." She sighed.
"At least you get to yell at him tomorrow," I pointed out, half-giggling as I said it.
Isabella smiled. "True."
With the mood lightened, we laughed and joked all night long, falling asleep with the light still on.
I woke up, nearly falling out of my bed, the bright light of day hitting me in the face. Isabella was sleeping on my bedroom rug and my bed blanket. Lifting my arm to my head, I saw the time on my watch: it was 1:30! I jumped out of bed and grabbed a pair of dark jean shorts and my favorite short-sleeved shirt, a light, pale green color. I went in the bathroom and quickly got dressed.
Opening the door, I saw Isabella rummaging through her bag, and I was guessing she was looking for her clothes. "Hey, Isabella."
She turned around. "Don't ask me."
"I have to."
"Well, I still think I can handle going to the swimming hole."
"I knew you'd say that." I said, exasperated.
Stubbornly, Isabella replied, "I can."
I held my hands up. "Alright. Is your brother still coming?"
She shrugged. "Depends. I don't really know what my dad said, and I'm not sure I want to. He can be pretty hard on us."
"I feel bad for Austin. It's not his fault Taylor's an ass-hat."
Isabella laughed.
We finished up and headed downstairs, where my father had pancakes sizzling on the stove, toast fresh out the toaster, burned, like he always does. "Hey," I called out from the stairs.
"The buffet's the menu. What would you like?" my father asked.
We both shrugged simultaneously, making my father laugh. "The whole menu then."
Sitting down, we quickly filled our plates and inhaled our food, barely containing our excitement.
By five o'clock, after Isabella and I had had a full day of laughter, we were ready for the swimming hole. All we needed was permission.
"Can we go to the swimming hole now?" I asked my father from the couch in the den, barely five feet away from the kitchen, where my father was wiping the counter.
Looking up, he said, "Sure, just stop by Isabella's house so she can get her stuff."
"Thanks," I replied.
We scampered away, chatting our way back up the stairs, so I could grab my favorite red bikini and throw it on under my clothes, and so Isabella could grab her bag.
We went out the back door and then we ran through the trees, taking a shortcut to Isabella's house. Both of our yards backed up to the forest, as did every person's yard in this small town. We took the shortcut, which had many more obstacles than the longer way, taking a path worn down as path through the trees. Isabella snuck inside her backdoor, and both of her parents weren't home, so we were able to grab her suit in no time.
By the time we got to the swimming hole, almost everyone was there, except for a handful of people, including Shawn, and I didn't think he would show up.
We took Isabella's car from her house, and while I drove, Isabella put her swimsuit on under her clothes in the back seat.
They walked along the pebbly shore and up to our friend, Autumn Walker. "Hey, how's it going?" I asked.
She turned around, smiling, her dark auburn hair, done up in a french braid, swinging behind her back. She often wore it tied up, as her curly hair often frizzed out in the humid summer. "Hey. Have you guys seen Sakura around here yet?"
"Right here."
We turned around and Sakura Lazarov, Autumn's best friend and beauty queen, was walking our way.
"Hey, I wasn't sure if you were coming," Isabella said.
"I decided studying could wait for a couple hours."
"Still cramming for exam week?" I asked.
Sakura shrugged, her light brown eyes crinkling at the edges. "I wanna get the best possible grade."
We giggled.
"You guys ready to have some fun?" Autumn asked, smiling excitedly.
"Sure, but have you seen my brother?" Isabella asked.
Sakura nodded, her glossy black ponytail bobbing. "I think I saw him over on the side of the shore."
She pointed over to the left side of the lake.
"Thanks." Isabella headed out.
Autumn, Sakura, and I continued talking for awhile, but I got a feeling in the pit of my stomach that Isabella might need me, so I stepped away, scanning the shore for her. I looped around the edge, distracted, when someone popped out in front of me.
"Haven't seen you in a while."
Oh crap. "Hey, Austin. Where's Isabella? She went out to look for you awhile ago, and I haven't seen her since."
His face fell. "No, I just assumed she was with you, after last night." he paused. "Did she tell you?"
I took a deep breath. "Yeah, she did."
He ran his hands through his hair. "I didn't mean for it go that far. Just to watch some football with the guys, and I didn't mean to invite Taylor, but I couldn't leave him out. He's part of the team too."
"I get it, but you should've tried harder. Now help me find Isabella."
He nodded, and we took off.
***
We finally found her around the edge of the treeline, scanning the area for her brother.
"There you are. We've been worried sick." Austin said, turning on her.
"Where was I? I was looking for you!" she exclaimed, outraged.
"Ever heard of texting?" he questioned, his voice getting louder by the second.
She huffed, her expression growing angrier and angrier. "What if you didn't have your phone? Ever think of that?"
They kept going, battling insults, until I had had enough. "Guys!" I yelled over them. "Just chill out!
This isn't helping!"
Isabella took a deep breath. "I know." She looked at Austin. "Sorry."
"Me too."
"Good. now just calm down. Go back to the party, and just act normal."
Austin nodded.
I looked at Isabella.
She sighed and nodded too.
We walked back, and Austin went off to find Matt, one of his friends, while Isabella and I reconnected with Autumn and Sakura.
"Hey guys. Where've you been?" Sakura asked, tugging at the ends of her elbow-length black hair.
Isabella shrugged. "Sibling drama."
Autumn nodded her head. "I feel that. My older sister acts like Austin does from time to time. But we can't let our siblings bring us down." her hazel eyes sparkled humorously as she spoke.
Isabella smiled. "You're right."
I pulled my shirt and shorts off, down to nothing but my swimsuit, and Isabella followed suit.
"Nice bikini," Autumn said, Sakura nodding along.
I smiled. "Thanks, it's new. I think Isabella's is cuter, though."
Isabella blushed. She was wearing a strapless blue and white striped suit. "No way. Red is totally your color."
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Totally," Sakura said. "Compliments your skin tone."
I thanked her. My skin was a shade lighter than my dark brown hair, but seemed lighter in comparison to my eyes, at least to me. They were an unusual shade of dark green, a genetic upside I was stuck with. But I didn't mind it, except when I got asked if I wore color-changing contacts, and being called a liar when I swore I didn't.