expired

Chapter 7, Part 2

"Well, this has to be the best place I've ever ended up for this game." Clay said, flipping the kickstand on his bike next to mine. He clicked the buckle on his helmet with one hand, admiring the view.

"You may want to slide your shoes off for this one," I said, nodding at my sandals that I'd already left beside my bike.

"Fair point," Clay agreed, surveying the length of the beach and nodding.

We looked at one another, unsure of what to do next.

"First one to the water wins," Clay said, suddenly taking off towards the lake. I chased after him, knowing I knew this place way better than he did. The way Clay was headed, I knew he was planning on running straight through the bushes. What he didn't know was that there were burrs and thorns that would stab him to hell and back, nor did he know about my alternate route. I fell behind him in hopes that he would assume I was following him, but darted to the left right before he got to the thorns. There I ran straight off a dock, hidden out of plain sight by the height of the plant growth around it.

Splash.

I heard Clay yell for me in frantic confusion after I jumped in. Laughing to myself underwater, I swam to the right until I was straight in front of him in the water. I popped up to the surface, unsticking my hair from my face as I laughed at Clay staring at me in bewilderment.

"How did you... what the..." Clay stuttered.

"Magic," I laughed. "Are you coming in or what?"

"I mean... ouch," Clay lifted his shirt above the bushes so I could see the burrs that had caught on.

I pointed to the left. "That way!" I yelled. Clay gave me a weird look but ventured out from the thorny vines and towards the dock. A minute later I heard a splash a few yards away. Apparently he found it.

It was getting darker outside; the sun was settling its way back into the horizon. I squinted, spinning around in search of Clay. Suddenly, I felt something lift me up and throw me back into the water a couple feet away, my back smacking against the water with a thwack.

"Hey, ow!" I yelped in protest, spitting water as I tried to keep my head above the water.

Clay just grinned, shaking his hair. Water flew from it and little strands stuck to his forehead, framing his face. The deep brown in his eyes brought out little flecks of all the colors that were pulled out as he faced the setting sun. In this light I could see freckles that formed across his nose and cheeks, a sign of a little too much sun but a whole lot of fun he'd had. And above his head I saw his clock ticking down, faster and faster every moment I stared at it. Before, the concern for me was that it was ticking down minutes at the rate of seconds, but now it was days. Days were flying by faster than I could count. My head was spinning. How was this possible? Was it my fault?

Let fate run its course. Tia's voice rang in my ears.

"Are you okay?" Clay asked. He was now right in front of me, looking really worried. He tucked my hair behind my ear, holding my face in his hand. I felt my cheeks instantly heat up, but there was no hiding from that.

"I'm-- I'm okay."

Clay's face didn't say that he believed me. "Maybe we should get out of the water, get you on land," he said, taking my hand and walking me up to shore.

We laid down on the beach, the stand sticking to our damp arms. Just laying in the silence, watching the sunset. Clay reached over, grabbing my hand and twisting his fingers between mine.

"My dad is getting really sick, Eva," Clay said, breaking the silence.

I turned to look at him. He had also turned to face me, looking straight into my eyes. For once, I couldn't see his clock, only the hurt in his eyes. And it was cut really deep.