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Funny Drama

Author’s Note: Mikka in this story is pronounced “Meeka”.


Hi. My name is Kasey Robertson, and my life is food and swimming. For now, let’s focus on ‘swimming’.


I love to swim. I’ve been swimming since I was 2–meaning 16 whole years of going to the public pool every day after school. I used to swim for fun, but at age 14, I quit school to do competitive swimming. My job: do what I love, and win money.


I was about to go train at the pool when my phone started vibrating in my pocket. I sighed, set down my towel, and picked up my phone. Then picked up the call. 


“Hi, Kasey!”


I sighed again. “Uh…hi. What, Mikka?”


“I haven’t seen you in so long!”


“Just a year, sister.”


“Exactly. Anywho, let’s have a family vacation! Kinda. Vara Beach, tomorrow at 8 am. You in?”


I groaned. My sister, younger than me by two years, was extremely enthusiastic. Pretty much the opposite of me—I loved to swim, but I didn’t think of life as ‘a playground’ like Mikka did. “No way. Sorry.”


“Yes way!” She exclaimed. “You’re too stubborn. You’re letting swimming take control of your life. Come on! Have fun! The world is your playground!”


“Not at all. Besides, we haven’t been to Vara Beach since we were little. Plus, I have more important things to do.”


“Like what? Train?” I could hear hints of sarcasm leaking into Mikka’s voice. “Come on. You can swim at the beach. Show me those moves!” 


“Salt water? No! Coach says that can slow me down.” I nodded to myself. My swim coach was a 60-year-old guy named Chad. He swam at the speed of squirrels being chased by a dog. Chad was wise. Real wise. He knew chocolate was better than gummies, dogs are the best species, and that bread and butter pickles are way better than regular ones.


“That’s cuckoo. It’ll be fun!”


I sighed. Sighed again. Sighed some more. Sighing was fun, going to the beach…not so fun. “Sorry, sister, but no.”


“I can tell your aura looks bland,” Mikka looked like she was grinning, “and you want a BRIGHT aura! I know you like rainbows. We’re doing this!”


So yeah. I gave in. This beach had better be fun….


*****


The sun was shining! The ocean was blue! Laughter was ringing through the air! Sounds great, right? But after the 4 hour drive to Vara beach, I was sore and kinda grumpy when I met up with Mikka.


My sister had black hair tied in a loose side ponytail. She had on a hot pink bathing suit and hot pink goggles. Between the hot pink bracelets, hot pink anklets, and hot pink necklace, it was a hot pink OVERLOAD.


“Mikka!” I ran and hugged her. I loved my sister, eeeeven though she was a bit annoying sometimes. “Hi!”


“I’m glad you came!” She grinned at me. “I can already see your aura getting pinker!”


“Auras are for old ladies,” I nodded solemnly at her. “who knit lumpy sweaters and bake cookies. You’re 16! No aura stuff! Besides, there’s no way my aura is pink. Maybe…blue?”


“You know nothing about auras,” Mikka smiled at me knowingly, “and it shows. Pop quiz! What’s a chakra?”


“A thing in Avatar: The Last Airbender.”


“Ummmm…I guess? But they actually exist. The 7 chakras are often paired with the 7 layers of your aura.”


“This is weird,” I said, “and I’m regretting coming.”


“You’re so grumpy!” She exclaimed. “Lighten up! Be happier! Besides, don’t regret coming. I have a feeling something big is gonna happen!” Mikka did a mini dance, complete with jazz hands. “Anyways…the world is your playground, Kasey! Stop acting like an adult!”


“But I am an adult!” I threw my hands up. “Buh-bye.”


I plopped down my 3 beach bags, because multiple trips are for maniacs (admit it. We’ve all carried an insane amount of stuff because we can’t stand to do the process 2 times). I flung off my dolphin flip-flops and raced towards the ocean.


*****


Ever had a coincidence that was so freakin’ coincidental that it should win the title Most Coincidentally Coincidence Ever? Well, coincidentally, that most-coincidental coincidence happened to me. 


The ocean was ice. It had to be 0° Fahrenheit—which teeeechnically wasn’t possible, but apparently, Vara Ocean defied science. As I waded into the sea, I chattered, shivered, and groaned.


Finally, I adjusted—as much as you can adjust to 0° water. I swam around until I was neck-deep, then decided to go Float.


Nope, that wasn’t a typo. Float, capital F. It was a thing Mikka and I did as kids, at Vara Beach—we laid on our bellies and surfed the smooth waves.


Mom let us go fairly far, because I was a super-strong swimmer, even at age 8, and Mikka was pretty good, too. Floating was fun and calming.


Except when the most coincidental coincidences happen.


“This is boring,” I muttered to myself. I got some seawater in my mouth and spent around 5 minutes spitting and gagging. Yuck. I had probably just drunken fish pee, crab pee, and—more ew—human pee.


“Real boring,” I added.


“Boy, is this boring.”


“Why am I talking to myself?”


“I should stop.”


I zipped my lips and Floated for a little while longer. Nothing was happening and I was bored. Okay, Mikka? I said it. For the 3rd time. I was B-O-R-E-D.


I ducked my head underwater and opened my eyes. My goggles protected my eyes from the cloudy, green-blue water that made up the dirty sea. I glanced around. I saw a fish, another fish, and whoopee, 3 more fish.


Nothing exciting is happening! I thought as I raised my head above the water.


Now, this is when the huge coincidence happens.


As I poked my head above the water, a tiny waved ripples into my mouth. “BLECK!” I hollered. *Cue more spitting and gagging*.


Then I heard something: yelling.


More tiny waved splashed me in my face, but I didn’t lose my focus with what I was looking at: a small boy, maybe 6 or 7. I only saw his head. No, his forehead. No, his nose—


I realized that the kid was going under.


He was kicking and screaming, but couldn’t stay afloat. Some small duckie floaties bobbed in the difference. Yeah, real helpful, I thought sarcastically.


Then I remembered I had more important things to do: saving the kid.


I swam over, going faster than I had ever gone before. A cloud moved over the sun as I frantically swam the 10 yards across the choppy ocean to the boy.


I reached him just as his nose disappeared. “NO!” I shouted. “YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DROWN TODAY!” I grabbed him and hauled the boy up.


Just as fast as his body broke the water, it floated back down.


“UGH!” I hollered. “STOP GOING UNDER!”


I dunked my whole body underwater and grabbed the child. I hauled him over my shoulder and kicked to the surface of the salty sea, breathing hard. 


The kid tried to clamber out of my grasp. He tried to get to the surface, smacking me in the process. I choked as a foot pressed down on my face. 


I couldn’t talk.


Couldn’t think.


Couldn’t breathe.


I grabbed at nothing, at the surface of the water. My hands clamped around something. I pulled up to the surface then realized the boy was back under.


Everything was happening so fast. I was choking and trying to breathe, but the boy wasn’t breathing at all. What to do, what to do?


I coughed out a mouthful of water and plunged back under. The boy was floating. His body looked timeless as it hung there, suspended in the water. He had stopped moving and I was about to, too.


I grabbed him and channeled all my energy into one goal: breathe. I kicked and kicked and kicked, and after what seemed like a million years, we reached the surface.


I pounded the boys back and I struggled to take in air. After 10 seconds, my breathing was heavy but I was alive. I focused on the kid.


He did respond to anything I tried. A total of 20 seconds had passed since I had last seen him breathe. 


21… 


25… 


30… 


Finally, finally, finally, when I was about to give up hope, the kid’s eyes fluttered open. He stuttered and gasped, finally turning on his side in my arms, coughing and hacking. I pounded his back more and finally, his breathing calmed down. “Th…” The kid tried to catch his breath. “Thanks.”


I flashed a smile like us both nearly dying had never happened. “No—” I coughed and smacked my own back with the hand that wasn’t cradling the young boy. “—problem.”


The boy smiled at me. “Who’re you?”


“I’m Kasey,” I said, although I felt like I was in a trance, “and I’m 18.”


My mind was still struggling to process the last minute. I was swimming. A boy was drowning, a hundred yards from the lifeguards who were supposed to keep this stuff from happening. I had tried to save him. He accidentally kicked me under. I nearly died. He nearly died. But…we both lived.


“I’m Jordan. And I’m 6!” He grinned at me and held up his fingers.


I smiled weakly. I wasn’t good with little kids. “That’s a wonderful name, buddy. Now…let’s get back to shore.”


*****


“Don’t say ‘I told you so’,” I groaned.


Mikka thought for a second then burst out, “I TOLD YOU SO!”


“And there it is.”


My little sister bounced up and down on the balls of her feet once I was done explaining the recent events. “Wow! You’re a hero! You saved Jordan’s life!”


“Nearly died doing it, too,” I snorted.


“And if you weren’t here,” Mikka continued. Her face paled. “Well, let’s just be glad you were here. Anyways…”


“Not again.”


“I TOLD YOU SO!” She pumped a fist in the air and hugged me. “This was meant to happen! It was destiny! Woooo!” She beamed at me for almost a minute straight before frowning and fanning herself. “Not to be a downer, but boy is it hot.”


I smiled and held up the $50 rewards money Jordan’s parents had kindly gifted to me in a hurry, then pointed to a nearby ice cream truck. “Ice cream?”


“Ice cream,” Mikka confirmed, grinning. 


*****


Like usual, Mikka got lemon. I got ‘rainbow surprise’, a tie-dye, sour flavor that made my tongue pucker.


“I’m proud of you.”


I squinted. Mikka’s comment came out of nowhere. “Huh?”


“You know, I’m impressed and happy with your actions today. You saved a boy’s life, so it definitely wasn’t ‘same old, same old’. That’s cool,” she mused. “Real cool.”


I hugged her. “Thanks.”


“The world is your playground!” Mikka exclaimed.


I hesitated. Then, instead of shutting the phrase down like I usually did, I shrugged. “You do you, sister.” We sat in silence for a couple moments, licking our ice cream. I glanced down at the swirling, bright color of the sour dessert. “Mikka?”


“Yeah?”


“Do you, uh…do you think my aura is rainbow?”


She stared at my ice cream, then studied my face. Finally, her expression melted into a smile, much like my ice cream was melting into a puddle. “Yes, Kasey. Yes it is.”


Author’s Note #2: For everybody who wants to kill me—don’t worry, I’m not actually on Team Bread-and-Butter for pickles. Peace. 😁

July 22, 2020 01:01

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64 comments

Cheesy drama for the win! And yeah, guys, it turns out chakras actual exist—not just in a TV show. Seriously, look it up. Weird, right?

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Rhondalise Mitza
01:11 Jul 22, 2020

Kind of weird indeed, but I love your story! So many rainbows! 💖

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Thanks!

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Solstice Moon
20:59 Jul 27, 2020

Weird yes, but I totally buy it! :)

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Thanks!

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Cam Croz
01:57 Oct 08, 2020

I really do love this story! Cheesy drama and all. ;) And I can literally relate to Kasey on so many levels. I swim ay too often, have been doing so for quite some time. I tend to avoid most outings. I too love rainbows... Oh, And had no idea Chakkras werent just from ATLA... (until I read this amazing story of course! XD)

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Haha, thanks! Noiceeeeee! I domt swim much but I’m a rainbow-obsessed introvert 😂 Yeah, I was shocked! But nope, turns it it’s a real thing. Thanks!

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Ty loll

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Deleted Account
15:18 Aug 14, 2020

Is the answer to the riddle leg/legs?? Thanks!!

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Yesssss, hehe!

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Deleted Account
16:16 Aug 14, 2020

😂😄

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A. S.
15:41 Jul 28, 2020

Such a cute story! There were a few times that you could’ve used a little more imagery, but good job. Being a young writer myself I can relate to the struggles of making older characters feel genuine, and you did a really good job with Kasey.

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Thank you! 😊😊😊

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𝔸. Triangle
02:12 Jul 27, 2020

This story was very sweet! You know how to get in the reader's feelings and make them feel for your characters! Great job! -A.

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Thank you!!!

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Imane Sah.
10:10 Jul 26, 2020

Beautiful story. Keep going..... 🎉🎉🎉

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Thank youuu!

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Imane Sah.
10:22 Jul 26, 2020

No problem 🤗🤗🤗

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Audrey Winter
18:39 Jul 22, 2020

Such a sweet story! I get the feeling you are a young writer- you have great potential! Don't be afraid to let your work speak for itself, it really shouldn't need any authors notes. More mysterious that way, I feel. Keep up the good work!

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Yep, I’m a young writer! I usually write younger characters, mainly tweens, because I know their voice, so I hope I did okay with Kasey. Her age was the youngest classification as an adult, so I could follow the prompt and still try to get a voice I can write well. Thanks! I actually wrote an authors note then deleted it pretty much for that reason. I usually don’t do pronunciations for names, but I did Mikka because I feel like “Meeka” fits her characters way better than ‘Mikea’. Yeah, I’m weird with names. Thank you so much, Audrey!...

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TJ Squared
01:00 Jul 07, 2021

The title was strangely captivating. rainbowssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss ofc, ofc XD this was kinda sweet, ngl. But I can always count on you for some action (at last, someone else who writes action!!!), so that's great, just like this story is :DDD I like the characters for some reason XD and yesh, Cheesy Drama for the win! XDDD

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ACK FIRST OFF, MEANS A LOT YOU’RE LOOKING BACK AT THESE OLD STORIESSS, BUT SECOND OFF, EEEK EEEK EEEK EVEN IF I KINDA LIKE REBEL PRINCE THIS ONE IS A MESS, A MESS I TELL YA, DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM but anyways yus rainbowwwwwssss eep thanks sis <3 Yayy tyyyyyyyy :DDD Thanks! XD YUPPPP

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TJ Squared
01:15 Jul 07, 2021

XDD ofc lol yusssss ofc, ofc ofc XDDD lol

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Felicity Anne
18:11 Oct 26, 2020

Hello! I saw on All Poetry that you have published a book!! Would you mind telling me the title? I'd LOVE to check it out!

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Hiiii, Felicity! Oh, yup!!! Last month, I published my first novel (and the first in a series), ‘Color Quest’!!!! The paperback is currently taken down for formatting fixes, but the ebook is still up. Lol, there are a zillion COLORING BOOKS called CQ, so here’s the link if you wanna see the page: https://www.amazon.com/Color-Quest-Aerin-Bernstein-ebook/dp/B08HY78TLF Anyways, thanks for stopping by! I’m bored. Have a great day! Aerinnnn

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Felicity Anne
00:06 Oct 27, 2020

Heyyyy! That's so incredibly awesome!!! I cannot believe you're published!!!!! Also, are you on NaNoWriMo? - Felicityyyy

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Thanks!!!! Yep! I’ve actually buddied you...hehehehehehehehehehehehe. You’ve talked to me, I think, but under a different name (just to temporarily bamboozle peeps). Soooo now I’m back to my name! Lol.

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Felicity Anne
13:14 Oct 27, 2020

Ohhh okay thank you! :D

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B. W.
15:26 Aug 29, 2020

Oh i don't think i've ever actually read this one or at least commented on this one so here i go. This story like all your other ones ive read is really great and amazing, i also really like the names you choose in this story and the other ones. how do you always come up with these strange names in some of your stories? the name's are always kinda cute and i don't think i've ever actually seen anyone use the names in any other story before, so congrats to you with the names. I still don't really have a lot of stuff to say because i don't thi...

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As always, thank you, B.W.! Hmm...I dunno. But you’re the author, I’m sure you’ll come up with something. Besides, YOU should come up with the plot, hehe! Don’t turn to me! You’re the wriiiiter! I’m sure it’ll be great!

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B. W.
02:24 Aug 30, 2020

Hey, not sure if you have or not but go check out "her arrival" as i just made it a bit ago and i'd love to see what ya have to say for that one

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C.J Dunstall
00:56 Aug 10, 2020

great story Aerin riddle answer you take off the s

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Thanks! Yeah! 👏👏👏

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Mackenzie Meetz
04:14 Aug 08, 2020

This was so cute! I enjoyed reading it, and it was interesting to see how the sister's personalities collided. Nice work. My only suggestion would be to watch your exclamation points. Someone told me once that your words alone should be enthusiastic enough without punctuation. Your's were! You don't need the extra stuff!

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Thank you, Mackenzie!

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Anna K Firth
18:10 Jul 29, 2020

It feels kind of over-enthusiast; you want to watch those exclamation marks. On the other hand, your happiness comes through in your writing. 🙂

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Thanks!

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Solstice Moon
20:53 Jul 27, 2020

This was such a happy read! Kasey and Mikka ❤ Lovely story :)

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Thank youuu!

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Roshna Rusiniya
14:57 Jul 27, 2020

This is a lovely story! Really enjoyed reading it.

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Thank you!

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Roshna Rusiniya
18:42 Jul 27, 2020

You are welcome. Would you have a look at mine too if you have time? Thanks.

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18:54 Jul 27, 2020

Sure!

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Saron Mengistu
18:10 Jul 26, 2020

Well done! Very well done! It was subtle without trying too hard to ensue themes and emotions, had a consistent plot, and the characters had depth ad personality. You have a lot of potential, and should continue to write and work with other aspects of writing, like originality, language, etc. Don't stop writing, I think you're an amazing, prodigious author and person!!

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Thank you SO MUCH!!!

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Hallie Blatz
15:50 Jul 26, 2020

So it’s really funny that you asked me to read this because I’m actually a lifeguard. I guard at a pool and not a beach thankfully. I liked your characters inner dialogue, it made the story funnier. I have to admit that I did judge the rescue a little, but the boy going into shock and freaking out was realistic.

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Thanks!

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Avery G.
15:33 Jul 22, 2020

I really liked this story! I love all the rainbows! Great job!

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Thank you!!!

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Kathleen March
14:04 Jul 22, 2020

Very interesting, although maybe the ending could have been tighter. The $50 was a little bit of a jolt. Not much for saving their son's life. A couple of typos, like tiny move, and once I think you meant 'didn't' instead of did. The rainbow aura at the end is a nice touch. Funny how the older sister (narrator) doesn't care so much for the younger one.

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Thanks! Yeah, but it was kind of a random scenario. It wasn’t super huge and the parents didn’t even know what was going on. So they were probably really surprised and were just like, “Uhh...thanks, here’s $50“ then went off to console their son. Uh-huh. Kasey is a bit of a downer. She loves her sister but doesn’t show is that much, besides two hugs in this short story. Thanks for all the feedback! I’ll make sure to fix the typos!

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