He let go without much preamble, splashing loudly into the blue water below.
Chris let out a loud boo as he surfaced. “No creativity!” She cried, lifting her drink in protest.
Derek ran a hand through his hair, swimming over to her on the tube.
“What? Were you expecting some daredevil shit?” He wrapped an arm around the float, slowly kicking to pull them back to the middle.
“Of course! No one wants to watch people just dropping off the rope like a dead body.” She shifted up, the rubber of the tube squeaking loudly as she attempted to prop herself in a different position. “If you don’t risk paralysis, did you even go off the rope?” She exclaimed.
Derek laughed, shaking his head hard, sending a spray of water all over her. She squawked, using the arm with her drink in it to shield her face.
I sat in the shallows, watching the exchange with a huge grin on my face. There was something about seeing the two of them get along that filled my chest. Chris was my best friend—the person I trusted the most in my life outside of my family.
And Derek? Derek was… Well, I didn’t know yet. I wasn’t sure where things between us would go, but he so effortlessly blended into my life that I was struggling to keep my brain from running away with possibilities for the future.
“Colton, show him!” Chris called out to me. Her high ponytail swished as she whipped her head toward me.
“Yeah, Colton, show me!” Derek called too, sarcasm lacing his voice. He wore a smirk on his face that told me he didn’t really think I could do better.
I raised an eyebrow, pressing my tongue into my cheek. “You do remember I grew up playing in this river, right?”
“So then show me.” He shot his arm out toward the rope swing with a teasing grin.
Oh, it was like that, huh? Well, who was I to deny himexactly what he wanted? I maintained eye contact with Derek as I took a slow swig from my drink. Then I stood to pull my shirt over the back of my head.
Chris let out a loud whoop, but the grin had fallen from Derek’s face. His eyes seemed trained on my chest and I flexed a little as I pulled my hair into a ponytail.
Wading into the water, I sent a significant look at Derek as I passed them on my way to the opposite bank. Once there, I snagged the shredded ends of the blue rope and dragged it with me up the slope. When the tension wouldn’t let me go any higher, I tested the branch with a few sharp tugs. It seemed pretty sturdy so I jumped, pulling myself higher by a few knots as the wind whooshed by me.
I could hear Chris cheering loudly as the momentum swung me out over the water. Just before I reached the highest peak in the arc, I tucked my knees in while tipping my body backward as I let go. The world around me rolled as I flipped over twice just before I hit the water with a loud splash.
It enveloped my senses, biting and cold. The surface above me sparkled with rays of sunlight. I could hear the muffled sounds of exuberant yelling but I let myself bask in the reprieve from the heat.
After a moment, I kicked my way up, taking in a large lungful of air when I broke free. Derek was still holding onto the tube, a stunned look on his face as Chris pumped her fist in the air, chanting my name.
I couldn’t help sputtering out a laugh at his dumbfounded expression. I swam over to them and looped my arm around a free section next to Derek.
“Now, see! That’s how it’s done!” Chris exclaimed, looking over the side of the tube at Derek with a decidedly smug expression.
“I don’t see you doing any insane tricks!” He shot back, our shoulders brushing lightly as I settled myself.
She scoffed, setting a delicate hand on her chest. “I don’t needto prove my worthiness to you, thank you very much.” She turned her head up, faux-haughtiness in her voice.
“What she isn’t telling you is she’s scared of heights.” I winked at Derek.
His face was tinged with a pale red tone, and up close it was obvious he’d gotten too much sun. He shot me a conspiratorial grin, Chris guffawing above us.
She started going off about how she coulddefinitelydo a cooler trick than me while I pulled the tie from my hair and dipped my head back to smooth out the strands.
“No, I’m serious! Just watch me!” She placed her drink into the cupholder of the tube before slipping into the water under it.
I laughed, turning my body to watch her go. Derek turned in a similar motion but eyed me slightly.
“I didn’t think you were going to join us.” He said.
“Why?”
He shrugged a little, kicking his legs to drift us into a position that gave us a better view of Chris struggling with the rope.
