Lawrence Looks for Treasure

Part 2 - Chapter 18

18

Matty and I ran into the forest. Behind us, we heard Ema shouting. In front, we heard water splashing. Chris was submerged in a small swamp, something like a man-hole. I had no idea how he fell in, but I knew he was in trouble. Chris couldn't swim.

Matty knew it too, and I guess he was braver than me, because, as soon as he saw Chris flopping around the swamp, Matty dove in. Within seconds, they were both back on firm ground, Chris coughing, Matty doing something hero-y, like checking Chris's pulse or god knows what. Matty was a lifeguard. So he was prepared for this kind of thing, vocationally. I wasn't. I couldn't swim much better than Chris. Not to take anything from Matty. Diving in was pretty brave. I mean, it wasn't like Matty saved Chris from a pool. He saved him from a murky swamp in a dark forest with god knows what inside.

It was hard to see the sky for the trees, but it seemed the sun was setting. Chris wasn't in the mood to bike further so we set a fire, right there on the path. Matty disapproved. He thought it best to get out of the forest. Ema agreed and so did I.

We decided that Matty would stay with Chris, since Chris was still shaken, and Matty could keep his life-guarding eyes on him. I would go down the path to see if we could leave before nightfall. So I wouldn't go alone, Ema came with. I gave Chris the only food we had left—a bag of trail mix—and off we went.

I didn't want Ema with me. I'd been trying to avoid her all trip, as you may have noticed. She'd changed since we were friends. Besides, she was with Matty.

Nevertheless, some part of me—a deeper part, to be honest—was happy to be alone with Ema. I finally had a chance to be myself around her. Without Chris or Matty to judge. When I'm around girls I'm different than when I'm around guys. I think I'm more myself. So it'd be nice to see if me and Ema still had that same gravity that pulled us together when we were younger. Unfortunately, when she hopped on the back of my bike, and put her arms around my stomach, I became so aware of every part of my body that I couldn't think of much to say. Mostly, I was aware of, you know, that part.

I started biking, and didn't speak. I was just thinking about Ema. How I wanted to touch her all over. I stopped worrying about Chris entirely. It was hard to keep myself under control. I think Ema felt awkward in her own way, too.

We continued in silence, until I couldn't stand it anymore: 'So, why did you decide to come on our trip? Not that I . . . I'm really glad you came, just so you know.'

'Uhm, I don't know.' She shrugged. 'Mathew wanted me to come.'

'Are you glad you came?' I asked, laughing.

'I'm glad Chris is okay.'

Again, we rode silently. I tried to stay mute. I didn't want to seem eager to talk or uncomfortable in silence. I wanted to seem like I didn't care at all. But her presence excited me too much: 'So how's the new neighborhood?'

'It's good,' she said. 'My room's bigger. Plus, so many people live nearby, like Tessa and Amy, and Matty of course.'

'Do you remember when you lived near me?' I asked. 'When we used to go to the park and the corner store?'

'Yeah, that was fun!'

'And when we used to write together?'

'Of course.'

'Do you still write?'

'Not really. I'm too busy,' she said. 'That reminds me: I don't know if Matty or Chris told you, but I'm having people over next weekend. My parents are out of town. If you want to come. If we ever make it out of here.'

'Yeah, that sounds great.' I wouldn't go. I just didn't want to say so.

'Are you still writing?' She asked.

I didn't answer, though. The forest had finally ended. The path opened onto a tree-lined street.