Izzy, Not Isabelle

Making a Splash

"Jake! Izzy! Lemonade!" Ms. Roberts calls out. Jake immediately hops out of the pool, shakes his shaggy black hair out, and rushes towards his mom. His lean frame drips with water as he bounds toward the picnic table that's been near the pool for as long as I can remember. I guess it's considered odd, but Jake's my best friend. People always think we're together---like, romantically---but the truth is we're just really close. We grew up together.

From fighting over toy trains as toddlers to sharing snacks in preschool to catching frogs in the rain in third grade to now, in middle school, having two-person pool parties, Jacob Roberts has been a constant in my life. I don't see why some people think it's so unimaginable for a boy and a girl to be best friends instead of two boys or two girls. Sure, Jake isn't too bad looking, but so what? I've never liked him romantically at all.

"Izzy?" Ms. Roberts repeats. "Are you coming?"

"Don't waste your time, Mom," Jake scoffs. "She's probably counting the flies buzzing around in that empty head of hers. Takes a lot of effort." My best friend cackles as I glare at him.

"Donkey!" I shove him backward, throwing him off balance for a few seconds before he regains control.

"You'll pay for that!" He growls playfully, stalking towards me. I dodge his first attack, but his second has me flailing as I fall back into the pool.

"Jacob Allen Roberts!" Jake's mom shrieks. She isn't as used to our antics as my mom is. Mom wouldn't even bat an eye at this turn of events. Ms. Roberts, on the other hand- "you help that poor girl out of the pool this instant, young man!"

"But Ma!" Jake tries to protest, but Ms. Roberts pins him with a death glare that would send Arnold Schwarzenegger running for Mama with his tail between his legs.

"Fiiiiine." Jake drags out the word before reaching down to grab my hand. I, of course, pull him into the pool with me. He surfaces, splutters, and shakes his head.

"Shoulda seen that one coming." He rolls his eyes. I laugh and we both get out of the pool, shoving and teasing each other.

Ms. Roberts gives us each a blue plastic cup (we both love the color blue) and pours the lemonade. I always drink pink lemonade, and Jake drinks yellow. We take a sip at the same time and thank Jake's mom.

She works so hard. That might be part of why she's always so on edge. She's been under so much stress since Jake's dad left. He just packed up and ran. Jake and I had only been eight at the time.

A/N
Hey! I'm a romantic sap and I was working on this story a few years ago. It's not great, but I don't have much time to edit, so it stays like it is. Tell me what you think! Toodles!!