"And I guess my favorite part of swimming is the part where you can go underwater..."
Casey was rambling again, but I didn't care. He could talk as long as he wanted to as long as it was with me. The way the hot air just embraced us and how the water smelled so cool. And how the sun was setting on the sand dune ridge.
WAIT.
Is the sun setting?
WHERE ARE WE!?!?!
Panic struck my face and I started tugging at Casey's shirt.
"What?! Is someone drowning already? I can't believe I get to actually try to save someone's life!" As he was yelling this he was tearing his clothes off. Wow he had a great body. Snap out of it Sam you need to get him to realize the only people possibly dying tonight is us. Not a someone sucking in water.
"NO!" I yelled. "We are lost! Nobody is drowning."
Too late. He was in the water asking if someone needed his assistance. This boy can be so thick headed I thought to myself.
I ran to the edge of the water and pretty screamed, "CASEY. NOBODY IS DROWNING. COME BACK."
As he swam back he yelled, "ALRIGHT."
The sun was just on the edge of the lake and how the water looked so warm with mist coming off it. How the colors just mixed in with his hair and how his body glistened with fresh lake water.
"Are you alright Sam?" he asked. "Because you look like you seen a ghost."
I did not see a ghost. I think I just met God himself. I mean. What the heck am I thinking?
"No, I'm alright I replied. I just can't believe you actually thought someone was drowning. I was trying to tell you we are lost and we need to get back."
"How about we go swimming instead? The water is really warm." he smiled.
So inviting I thought. "No we should head back because I'm getting hungry."
"I got food in my bags. I packed it just in case I got hungry when I went swimming late at night." Casey said grinning from ear to ear.
This kid is a piece of work. "Naahh I mean I don't have a swim trunks and ARE YOU WEARING ANY PANTS?!" As I was looking down. This kid was not wearing underwear. In fact his underwear was behing me and he was naked.
"CASEY!" I screamed while covering my eyes "PUT YOUR CLOTHES BACK ON NOW!"
"NO!" He replied matter of factly "I WILL NOT. AND YOU SIR WILL GO SWIMMING WITH ME."
He grabbed me by the waste and threw me in the water. He was laughing so loud and hard I swore the whole world could hear us. And I would be so embarressed if the staff came here and saw me swimming with a naked boy because it's wrong and icky. But somehow Casey worked his magic with his pearly white smile and I forgot all about it.
He lifted me up and threw me into the deep end and carried me underneath the water to this raft like diving board. And I sat there watching him dive into the now black water I was sitting in awe.
"Would you like to teach you how to dive?" He asked as he came up gasping for air.
"No, I'm good. I like watching you." I squeaked out. I was so cold now, but I didn't want to go back.
"I am so sorry. I got caught up in what I wanted to do I forgot you are wearing wet clothes. I am such a terrible friend lets get back to the cabins." He was turning red. I could see it and looked so frustrated.
"But I don't want to go." I said even though I wanted too. But I wanted watch him dive. How his body arched and his abs tensed. It was magical.
"No, we are leaving now." he ordered interrupting my thoughts. He grabbed me and said, "take a deep breath." and he dove. It was so fast and so amazing I felt like I was flying. I looked over to him and saw his face of determination. But before I knew it we were in the shallow and I stood up. We walked from the shallow to the beach holding hands.
Wait. We are holding hands. I quick pulled away and he looked at me quizzically.
"Get your clothes." I mustered through my chattering teeth.
"Take yours off." He said.
"NO! Are you crazy!" I cried.
"You are going to get sick if you don't put on dry clothes. I am holding mine and I only need my pants. You can wear my shirt." He said calmly.
"Oh. I knew that." Secretly I thought he just wanted to see me naked.
So I stripped out of my wet clothes and put on his shirt. It smelled like him. A honey bark kind of smell. Like my dog Sally after she ran through the patch of honeysuckle on a warm day. And sometimes when I ran with her we would sit in that patch eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches we made with my Mom. I missed my Mom and Dad already. I wonder how Shane is doing. Is he having this much crazy fun?
"What are you thinking about?" Casey asked. He still looked worried.
"I was just thinking about my home. I miss it already." I replied quietly.
"I'm so sorry your first day at camp was ruined. I shouldn't have made you swim." He looked so disappointed. I felt so bad because it wasn't his fault. He was trying to have fun.
"Casey, if anything you made my first day the best first day of camp like ever." I said as I reached for his face. He was so tall I could barely reach his ear.
"Thanks Sam." He said and smiled. "Now do you want a piggy back ride back?"
"Yes!" I exclaimed and climbed onto his back. "I love you Casey."
"I love you too." He replied. Little did I know there was more meaning to those little words than I thought. Little did I know I would find out the other aspects of love later that night.