Rising Shards

The freedom of letting go of all my stressors to swim around in the lake naked with Marmalade was one thing, realizing how far we had to swim was another.

”This lake is bigger than I thought,” I said. ”If you decide this was a really stupid idea or get too tired, let me know.”

”I feel great,” Marmalade said. ”We’re almost there, don’t worry.”

I at least had the excuse of some devil substance making my tiredness and energy come and go in weird waves, but Marms didn’t. I peeked over to her. She was great in beam chasers, so maybe it wasn’t that surprising that she could keep up swimming.

”Hey, Marms,”

”Yeah?”

Every few minutes, the light from the stars and moons cast onto the water in a way that let me see a bit past Marm’s shoulders, seeing her side as she swam, from her ribs to sometimes glimpsing her hips.

”You’re in really good shape,” I said.

”Thanks,” Marmalade said. ”You too, obviously.”

I kept staring, kept watching each glimpse of Marmalade’s skin. I dunno if she noticed, but it felt like she was swimming in a way that maybe showed off a bit more. Just a bit. Nothing too much.

When I realized I’d been staring for a while without saying anything, I almost blurted something out. I caught myself right before the words left my mouth.

”I was gonna say something else,” I said.

”Oh?”

”Maybe I shouldn’t though,” I said, unsure if I was trying to walk this back or if I was teasing actually saying it.

”I think we’re kind of in all bets are off territory,” Marmalade said.

”True, yeah,” I said.

I felt the waves brush between my outstretched hands as I glanced over at Marms again, seeing a bit more of her hips.

”So what else were you gonna say about me being in shape?” Marmalade asked.

”I was gonna say you have a nice ass, but I dunno if that’s too far,” I said. ”So maybe I shouldn’t say that.”

”Well, you did just say it now,” Marmalade said.

”I guess I did,” I said.

Marmalade stopped and dipped under the water, blowing some bubbles before rising with a wide grin. ”Thanks!” Even though it was dark out, the light from the moons and stars reflecting on the water gave me just enough to tell tell that she was blushing. ”Right back at ya.”

”I thought you didn’t see anything?” I said, leading to another splash fight.

”Hey!”

Before a flashlight could be on us, we rushed for a nearby dock. One of the chaperone parents was watching on the dock. I grabbed Marmalade’s shoulders, and the two of us had gazes locked onto each other as we tried to be as still and silent as possible.

”Maybe just a fish...”

We waited until the chaperone walked away, heavy footsteps stomping agonizingly slowly on the wooden planks, before we could breathe.

”Oh my god,” I whispered. ”That was scarier than P.D. at full devil mode.”

”Seriously!” Marmalade said. At some point in us hiding her arm snaked around to my lower back, and I felt this funny sense of longing when she let go.

”Maybe a weird time to ask,” Marmalade said as we kept pushing onward. ”You wanna go to the dance with me?”

”Where’s this coming from?” I asked.

”We’re in all bets are off territory, right?” Marmalade asked. ”Like, if dances aren’t your thing, we can just hang out and make fun of it.”

”I’ll think about it,” I said.

”You probably have a lot of people asking you, I know,” Marmalade said.

You’re the first, girlie.

We were a bit less giggly for the last leg of our swim, trying to not get caught. Marms put her hands on the side of her head like blinders when we got out of the water so she wouldn’t see me. I did my best not to look her way as well.

”You remember where our tent is?” I whispered.

”I better,” Marmalade said.

Running through tents naked was a lot less fun than swimming, but we managed, and burst out laughing as we rushed into sleeping bags, shivering but somehow safe and undetected. I didn’t catch any glimpses of her during that dash, but I didn’t blame her if she saw anything on me. And...maybe I didn’t really mind her seeing, either.

Exhaustion finally hit after we got into some dry clothes, and we were too beat to even have whispers about our little adventure. But we did say goodnight, still.

”Night, Marms,” I whispered.

”Goodnight, Kalei,”

As I drifted to sleep, I wondered. Did all of that really just happen? There were major problems I’d have to deal with; Chickadee knew my secret, as did P.D. and Caeda. They said they wouldn’t tell Octa, yet, but I doubted any of that. More importantly, did I seriously just skinny dip with a cute girl? And she asked me of all people to that dance? That was like, the coolest thing to happen to me in a long while.