Drifting || A Short Story

Instructions

I dance around the playground, my best friend Carolyn’s hand stuck in my sweaty palm. She giggles as I pull her up the steps. The air is heavy with humid, and I wipe my sweaty brow withe the hand she isn’t holding. “Kaitlyn,” she gasps in between laughs. “What are you doing?” I’m suddenly zapped back to reality. We’re 13, not 7. And we’re growing apart. “I’m, uh,” I try to quickly come up with an answer. “Um, I guess I was, uh…” “Whatever,” Carolyn replies before I can respond. “Just… stop being so… weird. Sorry, but you’re really immature.” She pulls out her phone and starts scrolling on TikTok. I hold in the tears begging to come out. “Oh, my Mom said to be home by five thirty,” I explain. “It’s five fifteen, I better go.” I wave and dash out. As soon she’s out of earshot, I burst into tears. I still want to hold on to what we had, but lately Carolyn had been really rude. She called kids with glasses “four eyes” even though they clearly had only two. Or she called theater girls “drama queens” although Louise, who’s stared in 12 plays, rarely gossips. I shut my eyes tightly And rub my brow. I’m not “weird” or “immature”. But… what is Carolyn’s right? I hold on the tears. We’re drifting, and maybe I should find new friends. I hop onto my bike. The sun is beginning to set, turning the sky a beautiful blend of blue, red, purple, orange, and pink. I smile. Nature makes unexpected gifts. I begin to pedal, energy thrumming through my legs and into the bike. Carolyn can be rude, but I don’t care. She could dump me, but I’ll be happier. I’ll be healthier. Crawfish Creek looms in front of me, the water rippling over rocks. I pedal up to the bank, my bike showing because of the heavy sand. Crawfish Creek is actually really gross- mosquitoes fly along the muddy sides and the water is murky. A disturbing smell hangs in the air and I began to breathe through only my mouth. I bend down and touch the water with my ring finger. Immediately, something pulls at it. I fly into the water as a scream escapes from my mouth. My head is ducked under, and I suck in thick, slimy water. I try to reach the surface, but the current sucks me down. My lungs ache. I try to shriek, knowing it will only make things worse. My head hits something hard and black spots begin clouding my vision. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I blink and cough up water. Someone is standing over me, pushing my chest. I breathe in air- clear, fresh air. I grin. “Are you alright?” The person standing over me asks in a concerned voice. “Uh,” I cough in reply. Although I’m breathing air, water is clogging up my throat. “I think you just drifted,” the person grimaces. Once they say that, I know, it’s time to leave Carolyn behind.