Chase
It was blazing hot when we first got out here. My skin fried under the heat and sweat trickled from my cast. The only relief was the thin clouds that blocked the sun for a few minutes; now clouds fill the whole sky. Still, it’s one of the best days so far—Sophie sits next to me, splashing her feet in the ice-cold water.
Looking at her makes me nervous. I stare into the water instead. Clouds in the sky are reflected in the water below.
“Man, this is cold,” I say. “I can’t feel my feet anymore.” But I’m still hot.
Sophie laughs. “I’m freezing.”
I steal a quick glance at her and see goose bumps on her arms. It’s funny how you can be cold and hot at the same time.
A tall, grayish bird flies over the spring and settles in the cattails. He walks like a flamingo.
“Are you and your dad having a good vacation?” Sophie asks. She draws her feet up from the water and shivers. I picture myself wrapping my arms around her just to keep her warm.
Every night, Dad hunches over his typewriter, his notes strewn all over the desk. But then again, he has to work. He brought me here with him, and right now, at this very moment, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. “Definitely,” I say, staring straight at her because I can’t help it. “Definitely a good vacation.”
She smiles, bites her lip, and bends her head for a second. When she looks up, she goes, “I’m having a good vacation too.”
I feel that current again, like when two magnets pull to each other. My eyes sweep down her face, over her shoulders and arms, which are still covered with goose bumps. Without even thinking, I reach back and pull my shirt off, fumbling to get it over the cast.
Sophie’s mouth is an O.
I hand the shirt to her. “Put it on,” I say. “You’ll warm up.” I act nonchalant, but I feel good, like a guy who just threw his coat over a puddle so a lady could walk across.
She pulls the shirt on and it drops loosely over her head. Scooping her knees into it, she says, “Thanks.” A little smile crosses her lips and she looks down.
I look away. The sight of her with my shirt on makes me feel like a lion. My chest fills with pride. My heart turns to mush. I’ve never had this feeling before.
I steal a glance at her and she looks my way at the same time and we laugh.
Wisps of hair cover her eyes. I want so badly to reach over and smooth them away.
“Who’s your mom visiting?” she asks.
Something near my heart strikes up. “What?”
Sophie puts her hand near mine. “I heard she was visiting some other people.” Her voice is tender. “Is she coming back?”
I peer over the edge at my reflection wavering in the water. I see my face, which has Mom’s eyes and cheekbones, and I see the springs right through myself, depending on how I focus. Moss-covered pebbles line the bottom; it’s only a few feet deep right here.
Why not? I think. I jump in feetfirst, making sure to hold my broken parts up.
Sophie screams and shrinks back from the spray. “Aren’t you freezing?” she asks, laughing.
Freezing? I’m totally numb. I laugh and pretend to splash her. “It’s just right,” I say. “I can’t feel a thing.”