My Imagine

Chapter 21

You sprint after an excited Sawyer to the barn, getting drenched the entire way. Lightning and thunder echo all around you as Sawyer throws open the barn doors and you two fling yourselves inside the warm structure and onto a pile of hay. You hear laughing and you pick your head up. Aric and Skylar are hollering with amusement in the back of the barn, holding a lantern each. You can barely see them in the dim light, despite it being about noon. The clouds are so thick that they've now blocked out the sun completely.
"Welcome to our lair," Skylar says with an evil smile. "Are you ready for the first annual Fredericks Rain Games?"
Sawyer raises an eyebrow. "Am I ready for the what now?"
Aric smirks. "You heard us. The Fredericks Rain Games. A series of challenges to show who is the best Fredericks child of all." You subtly clear your throat.
"Or the best honorary Fredericks child." Aric adds quickly. You nod approvingly as Skylar continues with their speech.
"We have set up an obstacle course in the field consisting of three main events. First is the sprint through the storm to our designated field. The path is slippery, so be careful! The hay mountain is next: climb up it if you can! Lastly is the rope swing. You have to hang on to the freezing and slippery rope, swing into the pond, and the first to swim across the pond and get out on the other side wins."
Aric pipes up at the end. "Since Skylar and I only made the course, not tested it, I think it's fair game if we participate as well."
You shrug. "I guess so. When do we start?"
Skylar grins and checks his watch. "Oh, in about 4... 3..."
You and Sawyer immediately clamber of the hay and run to the barn doors. Skylar's grin gets wider. "2... 1... Go!"
All four of you begin sprinting to the nearest field. You may be the youngest and the shortest, but you're on the school track team, and you know your stuff. The older two boys are in front of you and Sawyer, but then Aric trips and falls on top of Skylar. They fall to the ground with a thud, and you run past them. You beat Sawyer by an inch, but the sight of the hay stack takes your breath away. How did they do this in only two hours? you wonder. It's massive, almost twelve feet tall and an almost vertical slope. With a heavy sigh, you start climbing. Sawyer got a head start, and he easily beats you over. You risk a peek back at the other boys. They're still untangling themselves on the ground grumpily. Sawyer pauses at the top of the huge mound to help you over the last peak. You smirk at him as you race him to the pond. "No thank you?" he says as he runs. You keep looking ahead. "Maybe later," you tell him.
He still beats you to the rope and he swings in the freezing water with grace. You grab the rope as it swings back to the shore, and you swing in too. As soon as you're airborne however, your hands slip off the rope and you plummet in unprepared. You go under and your lungs fill with water. Chest screaming for air, you break the surface and swim as fast as you can for the opposite shore. Sawyer's waiting there for you, unaware of your little slip. Gasping and coughing you haul yourself up the bank. Sawyer helps you stand up as you take deep breaths and lean against a tree.
"You okay?" he asks. His face is knitted into a look of concern. You smile at him weakly. "Thanks Soy Sauce," you whisper, your voice hoarse from coughing. He just laughs. "C'mon, lets go get warm inside." You stand there shivering in your sopping wet t-shirt and sweatpants, trying not to notice how Sawyer's cotton long sleeved shirt clings to his chest. The walk is silent for about thirty seconds, then the other two catch up. "What the heck were we drinking when we thought this was a good idea." grumbles Aric. You laugh shakily, your chest still aching.
Sawyer shoves him teasingly. "You're just mad because I won," he jokes. Aric growls and tackles Sawyer. As they wrestle on the ground you and Skylar keep walking. You cough again and Skylar frowns at you. "That doesn't sound good," he says. You brush off his concern. "It's fine. I slipped into the water and I got a lungful, but that's it. I'll be fine soon enough."
He doesn't buy your act. "Still, I want my mother to look at you. It sounds like you need some honey and tea. That usually helps."
You smile at your best friend's older brother. "Thanks Skylar." He grins. "No problem Tigress."
You shoot him a glare. "You too?" you whine. He just laughs and keeps walking.
Once the four of you reach the house you're ambushed by towels and blankets from Mrs. Fredericks. "I don't know what in heaven's sake you guys were thinking! You're all freezing and wet!" she scolds. Sawyer slips past her into the kitchen as she fusses over you. "Dear, are you okay? You look chilled to the bone!" You shake your head. "I'm fine, but thanks."
Sawyer interjects from the other room. "No she's not. She fell in the pond and got some water in her lungs. Who knows what's in that stuff."
Mrs. Fredericks's face twists in anger, and you run to the kitchen to escape her wrath at the boys. Sawyer's just finishing making a cup of tea with honey in it for you. You blush and accept it gratefully. "Thank you," you murmur as you sip at the sweet liquid. Sawyer smiles. "I'm going to go change. I'll be right back." he calls as he saunters out of the room. He's gone for about three minutes tops before he pokes his head back in. He's wearing Ray LaMontagne shirt and sweatpants. "You must feel like an ice cube. Go and put on some warm clothes on." he instructs you. Sighing, you go to the bathroom with your bag of clothes your mother dropped off for you. A sweater and a pair of jeans later, you go lazily back to the kitchen. Sawyer's standing there holding your tea and the blanket from earlier. "Shark Week is on in five," he suggests goofily. He knows it's your favorite TV show. You two watch TV on the couch until you eventually drift off to sleep with your head on his shoulder.