𝙴𝚕𝚢𝚜𝚒𝚊𝚗 ~ 𝙴𝚕𝚖𝚊𝚡

《𝟽》

August 23, 1985
1:45 PM

Max was pedaling towards the cabin as fast as she could. She was feeling that certain kind of excitement that also makes you feel anxiety every time you think of what's about to happen. Right now, she got off her bike and propped it up against a tree near the cabin befor walking up the steps and knocking on the wooden door.

~ "Ellie?! You ready to go?" She called, still waiting outside. There was silence for a while before a quiet voice of the brunette came from inside the cabin.

~ "I...no- uh...I don't know how to do this..." El said from the other side of the door, her voice sounding a bit ashamed. Max frowned.

~ "What? Do what? Can I come in?" She asked. Currently, El was standing in her room in front of a mirror, reaching behind herself for the straps and struggling to tie the top of her bikini on her back. She's never gone swimming with anyone before so...yeah she needed help.

~ "I...could you please?" The brunette said, her voice even quieter as she hid behind the wall of her room. Max opened the door with her eyebrows slightly scrunched. She was kinda worried that something bad happened.

~ "El? Are you okay?" She asked with concern.

~ "I'm okay I just...I can't tie it..."

~ "Tie? Tie what?" Max was confused. El sighed and thought for a while, not knowing how to say it.

~ "Uhm...the- the underwear I'm supposed to swim in." She answered and Max's eyes widened a bit.

~ "...Oh! That- that's okay. Do you...want me to help?" She asked, wanting to slap herself right after. Of course she needed help. She just thought it would be good to ask because she wasn't sure if her and El were that close.

~ "...If you don't mind...please..." El spoke from behind the corner, her arms crossed on her chest to hold the fabric close.

~ "O-okay." Max nodded, walking towards El's room and peeking in, seeing El standing with her back turned to her. Max's face reddened a bit at the sight. She didn't want to make El more uncomfortable so she walked closer behind her and took the first two straps in her hands, tying them behind the girl's neck.

~ "It's okay Ellie...once when I was younger and still in California, we were on the beach and while I was swimming, my bikini top somehow untied itself. I swam after it for like...10 minutes 'till I got it back. It was so embarassing." Max chuckled, trying to make the girl feel better. "My dad teased me about it for the rest of the day back then." She added with a laugh. Finally, El chuckled a bit, her tensed shoulders going up and down as she did so.

~ "I hope that doesn't happen to me at the quarry." The brunette smiled.

~ "Don't worry. If it does, I'll be there to tease you about it too." Max joked and this time, they laughed together.

~ "Thank you. I feel so much better now." El chuckled as Max finished tying the two straps on her back. She then let her hands fall to her sides again, turning around and looking at the girl with a smile before putting her shirt and shorts on.

~ "So? Ready to go now?" Max asked, the light dusting of pink still present on her cheeks. She's never been so close to any other girl before. In fact, El is her first girl-friend.

~ "Yeah...I think I'm ready...um...Max?" El asked and looked at the other girl with a hint of worry in her eyes. Max looked at her back and hummed to let her know she's listening. "...do I have to go into the water?"

~ "What? Of course you don't have to. But there's nothing to worry about. I'll be there." Max said with a smile, running a comforting hand up and down El's forearm before she realised how weird that sounded. "Uhh...I mean...I'd make sure you're okay. That you won't fall in or something. I also said I'd teach you how to swim." El now had a small smile on her face. Max was rambling. But it was funny to the brunette. She smiled a bit more and wrapped her arms around the girl for a brief moment. Max didn't expect that and her face turned red all over again.