A Very Sprouse Summer

Water Rapids (Chapter 9)

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Once the Sprouse and the Apa clans reunite at the ticket booth, we all settle into the park. Mom and Barbara make their way over to the sun chairs by the pool section, the dads and the boys walk over to the twisty rides which luckily no one brought up again to me once we arrived to the park, and us girls; Riley, Jess, Ariel, and myself, walked over to the Lazy River. The Lazy River is my absolute favorite ride even though people try to correct me and argue that it is not a ride. Technically, I believe it is. If it's an attraction in a water park that people are paying to go on, it's a ride in my book.

"This line is not too bad" Jess smiles at us three.

"Yeah, I thought it would be worse. Maybe because it's not really a ride." Ariel adds while tidying up her high pony tail.

I ignore this comment.

"[y/n], do you think that cutie from the kitchen is also here?" Ariel asks.

Unprepared for her to bring up Elliot, I feel myself begin to turn red. I quickly respond, "Nah, he probably is working"

"Oh so he works at the camp??" Ariel asks with a huge smile.

"Yeah, his family works at the camp in July so most of the time he is busy."

"Did you at least exchange numbers?" Jess asks.

"Yeah, they did!" Riley answers for me.

I'm starting to feel more comfortable talking about Elliot with the girls.

"Ooh!" Jess and Ariel sing.

I blush. "Yeah, so i'm hoping we can hang out when we get back."

"For sure! Go for it, girl!" Ariel adds hugging me.

Jess rolls her eyes at her sister. "[y/n] just continue to be your sweet self and Elliot should like you for who you are." Jess sincerely adds.

"That's the kindest thing I've ever heard you say" I respond feeling relaxed, and then suddenly realize that maybe that came out wrong.

I think Jess could tell what I was thinking so she said, "It's cool, I know what you mean. Now, who's ready for the lazy river!"

"Woohoo!" Ariel screams while we all manage to find floats next to one another and climb on board.

"Is everyone on?" Ariel asks while propping herself up on the float to make sure we are all together.

We are all on the floats and gliding along the lazy river as a team. I think to myself how relaxing it is, this is what summer is all about.

Titling her head back to get wet, Riley calls out "I wonder if I can twirl on this float?"

"You probably can" Ariel replies while struggling to do it herself.

I notice that Jess is now walking on the pool floor with the float tube hanging around her waist.

"Jess, what happened to you?" I laugh.

"Haha! I felt unstable , almost like I could fall back if I kept lying in this thing" she replies pointing to her clear blue float.

I begin to question if I should do the same, but am interrupted by the waterfall we are about to go through. Noticing this we all scream in unison.

It feels like this waterfall is never ending. I can't control my float too well, so it's hard to maneuver your own float.

Holding hands, Ariel and Riley try to extend their hands out to mine as well to pull me out of this crowded waterfall. We all can't stop laughing, and it feels like it truly has been an eternity getting out heads drenched with cold water. I can't take it anymore so I begin to struggle to get out of this inner tube. I must have lost my crib, because I now see nothing but blue among other people's floats.