Hybrid: The Awakening

Chapter 20-Tesha

"It wasn't the aliens," he interrupted. "Like I said, I just needed some fresh air. Is that really so hard to believe?"

"Yes," me, Diana, and Tristen all said in unison.

"Well, it's true." Using his stick for balance, Asher sat down on the boat. "So, are you guys coming or not?"

With a sigh, I moved next to the boat and stepped in, using the dock for balance. Asher held out his arm and I gripped it while sitting down next to him. Diana followed afterwards and jumped into the boat, which caused it to nearly flip over.

"Diana, please be more careful," I scolded her and I grasped the side of the boat tightly. She smirked but didn't respond as she propped her feet up.

"You coming, Unicorn Boy?" Diana called out. Tristen stood on the dock, looking at the boat hesitantly.

"Sure it won't sink?" he asked.

"What, are you afraid to get wet?"

Tristen rolled his eyes and stepped into the boat. There was a loud creaking noise and he flinched. Slowly, he sat down to the right of Diana.

She groaned. "Why do I have to sit next to him?" Diana complained.

"Because it's fun watching you suffer," Asher said with a smirk plastered on his face. Diana growled.

"I can switch," Tristen suggested.

Asher shook his head. "Nope. It's time for some Tristen and Diana bonding time!"

"Tesha?" Tristen looked at me pleadingly.

I chuckled. "Sorry Tristen, but I'm comfortable sitting where I am."

Diana muttered some colorful words and grabbed one of the oars. "Whatever. Let's go and kill whatever this monster is."

Smiling at her confidence, I picked up an oar as well.

I stuck it into the water and bumped it on the ground, the lake being much shallower than I was expecting. Using that to my advantage, I pressed the rower against the bottom and pushed the boat deeper into the water. Asher and Tristen helped as well, and together we moved it off the shallow banks.

"Where are we heading first, since we have no idea where this thing is?" Asher asked.

"Or that it even exists," I heard Diana mutter quietly.

"We should start by heading forward," I said. "A monster large enough to eat humans would most likely dwell in deeper waters."

"Probably should've asked Teddy where the attacks usually happen," Tristen said as an afterthought. I resisted the urge to smack my forehead. Why hadn't I thought of that? Was I really so unqualified to not even think about something so simple?

"Hey, don't worry," Asher reassured me, noticing my frustration. "None of us thought of it. Don't beat yourself up."

"Yeah, Unicorn Boy has a habit of saying helpful things after the fact," Diana said snarkily.

Tristen gave her a side-eye. "You sure you don't want me to move? 'Cause I will."

"None of that," I told them before it could get any more heated. "For the rest of the ride, I do not want to hear either of you argue, or I'll purposefully make us stay out here longer. Understood?"

Diana groaned. "You mean I have to tolerate him for that long?"

"I don't-"

I held my hand up, stopping Tristen mid-sentence. "I mean it." With a final glare, I paddled with the oar, turning the boat around to allow us to move forward.