When Life Gives You Lennon

You Have Pretty Eyes

11. You Have Pretty Eyes

We didn't stop swimming until my calves were burning and my chest was heaving up and down. I hadn't felt this good in a while. 

Eva had warmed up to me a bit an hour into swimming; She even smiled at me once. I glanced over at her and Finn as she laid her head on his lap. The two were perched up on the dock, and he was running his fingers through her wet, dark red locks, a lazy smile on his face. Despite all their shit, he really loved her. 

The sun was still beating down on us, slowly creeping into evening and making the water a darker shade of blue. 

"You tired yet?" Austin said to me with a smirk on his face. 

"Nope," I replied, popping the 'P.' We were both treading water, trying to see which one of us would get tired and stop first. Even though my arms were starting to lose feeling, I wasn't going to lose. 

"You sure? I heard there are some nasty lake animals in here that love to bite girls with dark hair and weird purple-ish eyes."

I snorted a laugh; I was always getting shit for my eyes. They were a deep blue, almost violet, and adults loved to comment on them when I was a kid. Just then I felt a tickle on my foot and my eyes widened, making Austin crack up.

"That wasn't funny! I don't know what kind of shit there is in here!" I complained, my growing smile betraying my words. 

Austin swam closer to me, and I felt myself lower into the water so that it just reached the top of my lip below my nose. I couldn't let him see how much he affected me. He looked down at me with warm, chocolate eyes, and I felt myself flush. He reached out his hand and rubbed under my eye with his thumb. It came back stained with black from my eyeliner. I probably looked like a raccoon. 

"Why do you wear all this crap, Lennon?" He wondered out loud, looking down at me. "You have pretty eyes." 

"You have pretty eyes," he rasped as he climbed on top of me, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look at him. 

Without thinking, I gasped, inhaling about a pint of lake water as I did so. I started choking, my throat on fire as I clumsily swam to the dock as fast as I could. I climbed up on the faded wood and continued to cough on my hands and knees. 

"Shit, are you okay?" I felt Austin's hand on my back. How the fuck did he even get up here that fast?

I jerked away, and continued my coughing fit until the water was out of my system. I cradled my knees to my chest, as I heard Eva say something along the lines of "What's the matter with her?" But I didn't care. 

"Lennon," Austin said quietly. He was crouched inches away from me with pleading eyes and a tense jaw. I wanted to smooth his frown away, but I was shaking despite the immense heat. "What did I say? Let me help you," he tried to soothe me, "Let me help you."

I stared at the wood in front of me, trying to focus on the details of the scratches and edges. I couldn't look at him. I couldn't see the disappointment in his eyes. Eva and Finn couldn't hear us, but I was still mortified. I couldn't go one day without something like this happening. 

I felt hot tears glaze over my eyes. Damn it Lennon, don't cry. Don't you dare cry. Once I felt the tears subside and my trembling go away, I felt the courage to look up at Austin. His hair was pushed haphazardly out of his face, his eyes filled with worry and regret. He didn't say anything to pry, just looked at me. 

I grabbed my T-shirt and pulled it over my head, feeling safer in the familiar, soft fabric. "I need to go," I said, my voice shaking as I stood to my feet. I felt so dirty; I need to shower. I started to walk away, but Austin grabbed my hand, making me freeze in my tracks.

"Wait," he said. "You can't walk home, I'll take you back to Jensen's."

I shook my head. "I can't, I-," I wrestled my hand out of his hold. "I just can't."  

He threw me his keys. "Okay. But just drive my car, okay? It's going to get dark soon, you can't walk home." I stared at him blankly, holding his keys in my left hand. "I'll get a ride with Finn or something. Just take my car, okay?" 

I sighed and bit my lip in frustration. I mumbled incoherently, and he raised his eyebrow with a smirk. 

"What was that?" He rose to full height, holding his hand out for his keys. I could feel myself relax; this was the Austin I could handle. Joking, smirking, Austin. Not kind, flirtatious, prying into my past Austin. 

I mumbled again, and was followed with a "What?" from him as he held his hand up to his ear for dramatic effect. 

"I don't know how to drive, okay?" I screamed, making Finn and Eva turn their heads toward us. Finn started cracking up, holding his stomach and leaning his weight on Eva who squealed and pushed him off of her. 

"Aw, Lennon. You cute little New Yorker." Austin patted me on my soaking wet head. I threw his keys at him and crossed my arms. He laughed cheekily and grabbed his sunglasses. "Well, I guess I'll drive you home just this once. But starting tomorrow, I'll teach you how to drive. What do you say?" 

My dark hair was matted to the back of my grey T-shirt, making a dark wet spot appear on my back and a puddle of water drip onto the wooden dock.

"Are you certified to do that sort of thing?" I replied. Austin answered with a raise of his eyebrow. Right. "Okay, fine. At least then I'll have some independence in this town without you two driving me everywhere," I said louder so Finn could hear my response. 

"I'll always drive you around, Lemon! Mark my words!" Finn screamed and punched his fist into the air.

Austin threw his keys in the air and caught them in his fist. "Perfect. Then I better get you home so you can rest up. I don't mess around when it comes to driving." He winked at me and walked to his car, expecting me to follow him.

I gave Finn one last pleading look, and he cupped his hands around his mouth. "Y'all two crazy kids have fun!" he called, taking Eva into his long arms and throwing her into the lake, cannon balling in after her.