Float

Original Edition: Chapter Six

"What happened out there, Waverly?"

Alissa might've been talking to me, but her eyes were locked on Blake's hand, which was still resting on the lower part of my ribcage. I tried not to blush.

"Nothing," I said quickly.

"Can you swim?" Blake's deep voice seemed to vibrate down his arm, through his hand and right into my body.

"Of course!" I blurted.

I couldn't let them know. If Blake, Lena, Alissa, Jesse and Ethan found out I couldn't swim, they'd all reject me. I wouldn't be Rachel Lyon's friendly niece anymore. I'd be that weird girl from Alaska who couldn't swim.

Blake's eyes narrowed.

I felt my heart start pounding against my ribcage. Could he feel that? Did he know I was lying? He looked like he didn't believe me. His lips twitched like he was about to open his mouth and call me out for my lie, but instead, he remained silent.

"Was there a riptide?" Jesse asked.

"Dude," Ethan interjected, "The riptides on this beach are killer. I got caught in one once while I was trying to chase this sea turtle. I swear, I almost drowned."

Alissa let out a sigh of admiration at Ethan's heroic tale.

I felt like rolling my eyes.

Then I realized that this was the only hope I had.

"There was a riptide," Iconfirmed solemnly. "I got caught in it."

I didn't even know what a riptide was, but if Ethan could almost drown in one, so could I. And blaming my near death on some imaginary riptide would totally distract everyone from the fact that I couldn't swim.

"Wow," Lena said, "you're pretty tough, Waverly."

"I'm so sorry!" Jesse cried, slapping his hands over his face.

"It's okay, Jesse, seriously," I said.

"I'm an idiot!" 

"Jesse?"

He peeked at me through his fingers.

I smiled and said, "You know, I think I could use some ice cream."

"Double chocolate fudge?"

"With sprinkles, please."

"I'm on it!" Jesse declared, racing up the sand dunes. Ethan rolled his eyes and jogged after Jesse, and Alissa giggled and trailed after them. That left me lying in the sand with Blake kneeling beside me and Lena standing over us.

"Was it scary?" Lena asked me quietly.

"Not too scary," I lied, my voice cracking.

Then I made the mistake of glancing over at Blake, who was still looking at me like he saw straight through me. I gulped and turned back to Lena. I opened my mouth to ask her some trivial question about the chances of Ethan and Alissa getting back together, just to change the subject, but Blake spoke before I could.

"Lena, why don't you go help with the ice cream," he suggested. "Tell everyone Waverly and I will be up there in a minute or two. I just have to make sure she's reoriented."

I wanted to protest, but that would only make Lena suspicious.

So instead, I watched her until she disappeared over the dunes. My stomach started doing back flips. I wasn't sure whether it was because I was alone with Blake, or if I'd just swallowed too much saltwater.

"I've been in a riptide before," Blake's voice was low, almost mocking me.

I made the mistake of turning to look at him.