I undressed on the beach by the benches. Pulling off my shorts to reveal the crotch of my bathing suit underneath.
It wasn't really a beach, more like a plot of sand dumped from a truck onto the side of a lake.
I watched the other campers running half naked towards the water, pairing in twos for safety, then proudly traipsing down the dock hand and hand. Each pair got to the end, waited a moment for the lifeguard to blow the whistle and then took the plunge together.
I did not see him.
Yesterday, he had said we should be swim buddies today. It wasn't a question. More of a statement. But I had nodded vigorously.
T-shirt still on, I pulled my hair back into a ponytail. I wrapped the band once. Then twice. And then a third time. Slowly, I smoothed the bumps back into my hair with my finger tips. Then I peeled off my ankle socks. One. Then the other. I placed them neatly in my sneakers.
I did not see him.
"Come on!" shouted my counsellor, already halfway to the lake.
I pretended not to hear her. Tightened my ponytail. Decided to place my pile of clothing a little more to the left.
"COME ON!!!"
"One second!" I yelled back, a little too loudly, as my eyes flitted up and down the beach, scanning the bare-chested boys, ignoring the girls.
It had been over a week since the movie in the rec hall. We had sat in the back on the floor, behind even the counsellors. I hadn't been able to see an inch of the screen but our knees were touching and I dared not move. When no one was looking, he had turned to me. I let my eyes meet his just as his mouth met mine.
I did not see him.
I was wearing my favorite bathing suit— a black one-piece with a red cherry pattern. I had worn it a million times before but now, as I pulled my shirt off, I realized that there were two cherries placed perfectly over each of my breasts. Heat swelled in my cheeks. How had I never noticed?
"Are you coming?"
It was Kim. Her suit was purple, cut high on her legs with a racerback. I crossed my arms awkwardly over my chest, an attempt to cover the cherries.
"Let's go," she said.
I nodded without looking at her. Tried my best to let my arms swing casually as I ambled down the beach towards the lake.
Forever searching.
The dock felt abrupt underneath my feet. The whistle blared louder.
As Kim's hand reached for mine, I saw him. I couldn't tell if he was with another boy or another girl, but it didn't matter.
He was paired, had taken the plunge and was already in the water.
This post was written for the red writing hood based on the prompt "Water gives life. It also takes it away." It is my first fiction piece.
