Short story for a writing project I'm doing with GayMultifandomChild Lee_13_ and WriterBat
I stared down at the dark water and shivered slightly. There was a cool breeze blowing over the bay and my cotton dress didn't protect me much from its bitter bite. I ran through all the risks in my head, weighing up each option. Were there any rocks below here? A quick scan of the waves decided that no, no there weren't. Could I get hypothermia from this? I thought for a moment. It was more than possible considering that this was the North sea which wasn't exactly a sauna at the best of times and it had been an unusually cold morning for april that day.
I shook my head determinedly. It would be fine, I was worrying too much. Anna had brought me here for this precious reason. "You think too much Fern," she had laughed, "what you need is an intense, mildly dangerous experience that reminds you what it means to be alive."
"I really don't think I do, I'm quite happy with reading this." I had held up my copy of pride and prejudice defiantly and pushed my round glasses back up my nose.
"Reading Jane Austin is not exactly the most thrilling experience! Come on, I know the perfect thing for you."
"I don't like the sound of this Love."
"Oh come off it. It'll be good for you."
"Reading is good for me, I am expanding my intellectual horizons. Plus, it is pleasantly safe and warm, two things that I am willing to bet that, whatever your idea is, it wont involve." I hmmphed and pulled my blanket closer around my thin shoulders, snuggling further into my green beanbag.
"Nope, I have an idea and you are going to do it with me because you love me." I blushed slightly and scrunched up my nose. It was true, I did love her, even if she was a pain.
"Urgh, fine... Where are we going exactly?" I allowed myself to be dragged up from my comfortable position.
"You'll see." She smiled, grabbing the car keys from the hook in the hall.
"That sounds ominous. Why did I agree to this again?"
"Becuase i am your favourite person in the whole world and you would do anything to make me happy."
"You're lucky you're so gorgeous you know." She flicked her long red hair back from her face and winked.
"I know, now come on: Adventure awaits!"
That was all very well and all but why did adventure have to be quite so cold? I shivered again and glanced down at the water. Anna suddenly appeared, wet from jumping in a few minutes ago and out of breath from running.
"I can't believe you thickened out at the last minute you spoon!" She pouted and poked me gently.
"Sorry, but it's just so.... big." I muttered, looking down at the expansive ocean again.
"Well duh, it is the big blue sea after all." She laughed.
"Come on darling, it will only take a second, for me?"
"I'm really not sure about this Anna." I looked at her again with wide eyes.
"Those baby blues arent going to get you out of it this time. Come on, give me your hand and we will do it together." I took at deep breath and acquiesced, feeling instantly better as the warmth of her hand enveloped mine, it was still damp from the ocean but it was more comforting than anything else could ever be.
"Ready?"
"Ready, I love you tigger"
"I love you too, piglet. 3, 2, 1"
We jumped forward together and the cold air whistled past our faces. I filled my lungs with it and held my breath, ready for the freezing ocean that was going to envelop me at any second. When it came, its cold waves knocked all the air from my lungs and my body felt like a thousand tiny pins were pricking everywhere at once. I managed to open my scrunched up eyes and they widened at the beauty of the thousands of tiny silver bubbles floating up through the blue water around me. Anna's face was inches from mine and her grin was so wide, her red hair fanned out like a halo around her. I pushed forward slightly so that our noses touched and kissed her gently.
We broke through the water suddenly then, holding each other tightly. My ears rang and chest exploded as I took in a deep breath of freezing air. It was quite possible that my toes would fall off they were so cold and my thick hair clung to my hair easily, it would almost certainly be intensely frizzy later. But none of that mattered because Anna was right, I did feel more alive than I had in a long time. Every cell in my body screamed with a liquid flame and my head felt dizzy with the joy of it. My heart felt like a firework in my chest and the air in my lungs felt fresher than any I had ever breathed before. I felt more awake and more aware.
We were both laughing and screaming with the exhilaration of it and Anna's eyes sparkled with life and happiness.
"I told you it would be amazing." She shouted.
"You were right but it was only the second most amazing thing."
"Oh yeah, and what's the first?" She laughed as we bobbed up and down in the waves.
"You."
"You are such a sap, come on, we'd better get out before we really do develop that hypothermia you were so worried about."
Together, we kicked off towards the shore and spent the test of the day laughing and running about on the beach, encased in our perfect world of happiness.
