From Me to You [Complete]

19

My head throbs and I have a weird lake taste in my mouth. I cough and feel a burn in the back of my throat. I open my eyes as my sensations return. I hear splashing and movement and realize I am being carried. My vision is spotty, and I feel disoriented and sweaty.

"Just a second," says a voice I know.

I am set down on something soft, but two arms hold me up in a seated position. My head feels pretty light as my eyes focus on the person in front of me. "Michael...?"

"The one and only." He's staring into my face, his eyes intense. "Are you okay?" he asks seriously.

I blink and try to look around. "Did I faint? Don't think I've ever done that before." I try to smile.

"I dunno. I think so." He pauses. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry," I say, still feeling confused.

He sighs, then gives me a weird look, kind of disapproving. "Why did you swim over your head if you couldn't?"

I feel silly. "I don't know. It was stupid. I thought..." I trail off. "I thought I could meet you halfway. I couldn't see you anymore..."

He sighs again. "I know how to swim well," he says, "There's no need to think you have to swim over your head if you can't. Maybe you should take some lessons or something."

I silently agree, feeling small. I look down, rub the towel underneath me. "Hey," I blurt out, realizing where I am.

He picks up my hand with one of his. "Hey what?"

I look up at him, and then around us, seeing the sand castle, the empty chairs under the umbrellas and nobody from our group in sight. Seeing my look, Michael explains, "I think they went for ice cream or something. Not really sure."

"Okay." I take a deep breath, swallowing more lake water taste. "Drink?" I ask.

"Just a second," he replies, getting up and going to the cooler. Really shows how safe this beach is that no one has raided that cooler by now.

He returns with a can of juice, opened and cold. I sip at it, feeling my energy and awareness return. "Oh man, I can't believe I fainted," I mutter. Michael doesn't say anything, and for once I think I've actually made him at a loss for words, instead of the other way around. "Can we please not tell the others about this?" I ask.

"Well," he hesitates, "It's up to you, I guess."

"It'll just ruin everything. My mom will make a really big deal. And I'll get in trouble..." I trail off. Michael watches me as I take a big sip of the juice.

"Why don't you just sit for a little while and see how you feel in a few minutes?" he asks.

I nod. I sip the juice, feeling more energized and aware.

"I'm gonna get my towel," Michael says, watching me carefully still.

I nod again. He stares at me for a second, before going to get his towel, which is currently hanging off of the umbrella –dually drying in the wind and giving shade. I watch him rub himself down to get the water off. He comes back to me and offers the towel.

"Thanks," I say. I hand him the juice and rub myself with his towel, doing the best I can from a sitting position. We exchange the juice for the towel once more. Michael sits down next to me.

"You missed out on some sweet ice cream," says a voice from my left. I jump, turning to see Robert approaching with wide eyes. "No pun intended," he adds, and then quirks an eyebrow at me.

I stare over at him, wondering what I look like, and trying to relax my face a little bit. Michael releases my hand and moves a bit father from me. I watch him out of the corner of my eye as the rest of our group, including Ann and Jean walk up. A couple of them, like Robert, are still finishing cones of ice cream. My head seems better after drinking the juice, and I start to hope I don't look too pale or confused.

"Maybe we'll get some later," Michael replies. He glances at me as everyone settles back into their places. I don't say anything. "I think we might go back to the cottage, now. Is that okay?" His question is directed at our parents.

Alice, who seems to have had more to drink since earlier, doesn't seem to mind, smiling at us. Marc eyes her for a minute with concern and then chuckles softly. "Sounds good to me. I suppose the Franklins aren't as accustomed to the swimming and sunshine." Maybe I look a little more dishevelled than I thought.

"We'll head back soon too," my mom says. Although she doesn't know what happened the words are still comforting to me –mothers always know what to say. She watches me carefully. "Have some water when you get back to the cottage."

Michaelnods and our parents' conversation moves into a discussion about some sort ofneighbourly dispute at the Lyons' family home. Michael pulls me to my feet,making sure I don't fall over, and scoops up our towels. I grab my cover-upfrom my mom's chair, slip on my flip flops and head toward the path. I quicklydown the rest of my juice and toss it in the recycling as we pass it. Pullingmy cover-up on, I enter the shade of the path with relief. Michael squeezes myhand.