The Boy at the Lake

I've given up on love. Ever since my ex and I broke up a few years ago, I’ve lost all hope in finding ‘the one.’ I drown myself in work and hobbies, which include reading and spending time by the lake in the summer. I go to the lake a few times a week. I focus on the sounds of families having picnics and the rattle of bike tires over the wooden bridge. There’s this one rock that sits a few feet up the shore, a patch of grass in front of it before it dips off into the murky water. It’s just tall enough for me to lean against it. I lay a blanket down on the rocky dirt and prop my bag next to me before pulling out a book. I’m almost done with this one; I usually wait to finish a book until I’m at the lake. There aren’t many people today; it’s slightly overcast, and I think most decided to watch a movie or spend time inside. It’s at the point in the summer where the smell of fall hangs in the air. It’s a little chilly, but when the air is still, it is quite comfortable.

I open my book to where the corner of the page is bent over into a flap. Nose deep into the next chapter, I hear a bike go over the bridge, and another, and another. Suddenly, there’s a louder rattle followed by a splash. I whip my head around and see a young man flapping his arms in the water just under the bridge. The water can’t be more than six feet deep, but he seems to be struggling. I hop up and toss my book to the side, running over to the edge of the bridge and falling to my knees. “Oh, my goodness, grab my hand.” I reach one hand over the edge while the other holds the bridge for leverage. The bridge has barriers, but they’re low to the ground to prevent kids from falling in. The man gasps for air and throws his hand at mine, grazing my fingertips. He has dark brown hair that is now over his eyes and olive skin. He swings again at my hand, and I grasp onto his wrist. I pull as hard as I can to at least get his head above the water, and he swings his other hand onto the barrier. We both pull at the same time, and his upper body flops onto the bridge, forming a puddle beneath him.

His panting takes a few minutes as he tries to catch his breath. As I sit in silence, I analyze his features. Tall, slim but not built, smooth skin—at least it looked smooth. His face was against the wet wood, there wasn’t much to look at in the moment. Once his breathing slows, I find my words. “Hey, are you okay? Do you need me to get you anything?” He turns his head to put the other half of his face on the bridge and looks up at me. His piercing green eyes meet mine, and I audibly gasp. He’s so handsome. He has a strong jawline and light freckles over his nose and cheeks. I can feel my face turning red, and I clear my throat. “Hey, I’m sorry about that. Thank you so much for your help. This is an embarrassing first impression. I don’t know how to swim.” I see shyness sweep over his face, and I smile slightly. “It’s not embarrassing at all. I’m glad I was here to help.”

He starts to sit up and shakes his hair out, splashing me. I shut my eyes suddenly at the feeling and went to wipe the water away. “Gosh, I apologize. I should’ve thought about that beforehand,” he says as I feel his soft touch against my eyes and cheeks. I open my eyes and meet his once again. “I don’t have a towel to dry you off, but you can use my blanket. It’s just over there.” I point to where my setup is. “That would be great, thank you. I don’t live too far, so I’ll dry off quickly then start my walk home.” He wants to walk all the way home soaking wet? “I insist you dry off and sit with me until you’re dry enough, and then I can drive you home. Deal?” He smiles as he wipes more water off his face. “Deal.”

He stands up quickly and moves his bike off the bridge and rolls it onto the grass patch in front of my blanket. I didn’t even realize I hadn’t gotten up yet until he walked back towards me and offered his hand to help me up. I was so intrigued by him and how he looked; I got distracted. “Come on, I’ll help you.” I feel myself get red again and take his hand. He pulls me up without moving a muscle. I walk in front of him and lead him to the blanket. “Sit down towards the front of the blanket, and I’ll pick up the back to wrap you in it.” He plops down and wraps his arms around himself. “You poor thing, you must be freezing.” He giggles as I wrap him with the blanket, almost like tucking a child into bed.

“I’m alright, thank you. Just a little nervous. I haven’t been around a girl as pretty as you before.” Now sitting in front of him, I smile. That’s the nicest thing someone has said to me in a long time. I wouldn’t say I’m actively looking for someone, but I’m not against it either. Here I am, in my safe place, with a handsome man telling me I’m pretty. “Thank you, you’re sweet.” I can feel the biggest blush coming onto my face, but my social anxiety switches the subject. “I hope that’s warm enough. I didn’t think I would have to save a handsome man from drowning today.” He laughs a little harder than I expected him to.

“It’s more than enough, thank you again. Handsome, huh? Not the most attractive boy you’ve ever seen? I don’t make you fall to your knees from butterflies?” He’s got jokes too; he’s starting to grow on me. “You keep it up, and I’ll get there.” We laugh it off, and I move to sit next to him. He glances down at my book and picks it up. The blanket falls off his shoulder as he flips it over to read the back of it. “You like to read?” he asks as he glances at me. I nod. “My name is Dylan, by the way; I haven’t properly introduced myself.” He places the book to the side and puts his hand out. “My name is Katie, nice to meet you, Dylan.” I place my hand in his and give him a firm handshake. It feels a little formal shaking someone’s hand whose life I just saved. Something about this entire thing feels odd. I’ve been blocking people out for months, trying to figure my feelings out, but now everything feels like it was lifted off my shoulders.

“You’ll have to let me repay you for everything. If you weren’t here, I don’t know what would have happened.” I turn my body to face him. His hair is slowly drying, and his lips are turning back to their normal color. I glance at them before meeting his eyes again. “You can repay me with a date.” I don’t know what came over me. Suddenly, I was feeling bold and shooting my shot. It has been a while, and something about him felt right and not forced. He smiled at me, and his eyes lit up a bit. “I would love to take you out on a date. I’ll give you my number, and you tell me when, where, and what you would like to do.” He didn’t have to tell me twice. I turned around to fish my phone out of my bag. I opened my contacts and handed it to him to put his number in. Once he handed it back to me, I realized he wrote his name with a smiley face next to it. “There. You can even call me to check if it’s real, but I promise it is.” I laughed and put my phone back into my bag. “I believe you, but thank you for the reassurance. I can bring you home whenever you please. Your bike will fit in my trunk, and I’m sure your house is more comfortable than this dirt.” I say as I readjust myself because there are rocks poking at my bare skin.

“I don’t quite want to leave you yet. Something about you intrigues me, and I want to learn more.” I smile again and scooch towards him. “Well, that’s what our date is for.” I say as I lean towards his face, mocking his original offer. A silence falls; it isn’t awkward, it’s quite peaceful. Staring into each other’s eyes, studying each other’s features. I catch his eyes glancing at my lips, but I know mine are doing the same. I feel both of us lean closer; his warm breath falls on mine. Our lips meet in a small kiss. I pull back and look down. “I’m sorry, I got caught in the moment. I usually wait until at least the first date.” I said as I twiddled my thumbs in my lap. I feel his fingers under my chin and lift it up so my eyes are forced to meet his. “If it’s a crime to kiss before that, then I’m guilty as charged.” He said as he smiled and pressed his lips to mine once again. This man will be trouble; I can feel the butterflies start to move in my stomach. We’re both smiling hard as we pull away. “Let me bring you home.” I say before I get too carried away.

Once I stand, I offer my hands to help him up. The blanket is still wrapped around his shoulders as I reach down to grab my bag. He looks cute bundled up, the blanket not quite big enough to wrap around his legs poking out beneath. “I’ll grab the bike; keep yourself warm.” I pick up the bike from the grass and roll it to the bridge. “You’re such a sweetheart. What would I do without you?” I make my way to the car, Dylan following close behind me. I turn around and smirk at him, “Let’s hope we never find out.” He smiles and looks at the ground, kicking a rock all the way to the car. I unlocked it, and he placed the blanket onto my passenger seat and helped me load the bike into the trunk. Once we’re both in the car, there’s a pause and another silence. He wraps the blanket around himself and buckles his seatbelt. “May I have your address, please?” He jumps slightly at the sound of my voice. “Oh right. It’s 164 Birch Ave; it’s only a five-minute drive.” I nodded at him and started the car.

Once I pulled into his driveway, I put the car in park and looked at him. He looks back at me and sighs. “Please don’t do that thing where girls play hard to get and take a week to reach out.” I laugh at the slight desperation and place my hand on his thigh. “I promise I will not. I’m too impatient to wait that long. I’m sure you’ll receive one as soon as you walk through the door.” He places his hand on top of mine and leans forward to kiss my forehead. “Thank you, Katie, for saving me, comforting me, and being different than the rest. My expectations are high for you.” I place my hand on my chest and scoff. “Oh, no pressure or anything.” He laughs and reaches for my hand again. “You know what I mean, come on,” I squeezed his hand slightly. “I know, I know; I’m just teasing. I would like to thank you for risking your life and falling into mine. Something about you is different. I haven’t felt like this in a while.”

He takes the blanket off him and folds it, “I can’t wait to see you again. Until next time, Katie.” I take the blanket from him and lay my hand against his face, “Until next time, Dylan.” He gets out of the car and makes his way to the front door. He gives a slight wave before disappearing inside. I let out a huge sigh and lay my head against the steering wheel. What the heck have I gotten myself into?