The weekend made an appearance before I knew it, and just as fast, Sunday manifested itself into existence - the last day before another crazy school week would have begun. I walked around the park all by myself, enjoying the silence, basking in the sun, and overall taking advantage of the pleasant weather while we still had it. I suppose it was just another way of saying goodbye to wearing my favourite floral summer dress and the matching sandals. A denim jacket hung over my arm, and although it was uncomfortable to carry around, I needed it later in the evening, after all, I had a date... with Adam...and Mara... and some friends. Could that even be considered a date?
Grateful for the peacefulness, I let my mind drift as I sat on one of the old, peeled benches by the lakeside. Who cared about the date anyway? I guess a normal answer would or should've been me, but I didn't really. Instead, I watched the sun setting on the other side, enjoying the pastels spreading across the sky, and taking in all the late summery warmth I could store in my cells, sighing at the thought of the cold winter months heading our way.
All was nice, peaceful, and...
...bloop...
Air bubbles rose to the surface of the water, breaking its surface and drawing my attention. I frowned and leaned closer, tilting my head ever so slightly, but nothing else happened, that until a white shadow swirled beneath its surface, like dancing.
At first, I believed it to be a fish. I had seen men fishing in the lake before, so it was only logical to find fish in it; however, my 'fish' didn't make itself unseen. Approaching the water surface and bank, it grew in size. Perhaps curiosity made me stay put as I pulled my feet up onto the bench. Perhaps I was so scared my brain refused to comprehend what was happening, freezing me into place. Part of me wanted to run away. Part of me wanted to see.
With my eyes widening by the second, and almost holding my breath, I refused to move or look elsewhere as the shadow shaped, swam towards dry land, and slowly became human. A big hand broke out of the lake's prison, grabbed the dirt; pulled itself out of the water and collapsed from exhaustion onto the grass.
A...boy.... not much older than me.
The water trickled from his black hair, down his cheeks, and his chin, and finally touched the ground. He was breathing heavily, taking in big gulps of air at uneven intervals, but he was not moving at all. Just laid on the grass, his feet still dipped in the cold water.
My feet found their way back to the ground cautiously, and I leaned in as far as I dared. When he didn't move, I found myself tilting even closer until my full weight was back on my feet and I was gradually inching towards him.
My heart pounded. My body tensed. I didn't know what to do. Should I call someone? Should I ring for an ambulance?
I squatted next to him and reached my hand, but before I could touch his wet shirt, he jumped to his feet. I fell on the grass, unbalanced by his sudden movement, and glared at him a bit annoyed as I stood up, but the feeling was short-lived. The last rays of sun perfectly contoured his athletic silhouette, plus the stuck-to-his-skin shirt, which left little to the imagination when it came to ... ahem... definition. His eyes were shadowed by the light beaming from behind, hiding their colour, but not the wildness within them. I was captivated. He looked at me as if he could see the deepest corner of my soul. My lips parted without knowing what to say, and before I could make the slightest sound, he passed by, ignoring me, walking away casually as if he had not even seen me.
What the heck happened?
Where did he come from?
Was he alright?
I wished I had the opportunity to ask him these questions, but I didn't. Oh, who the fuck was I kidding? I was too busy drolling; that's what happened.
I was astonished, gazing toward the hidden path where he had headed. He wore jeans and a shirt, and if I had learned anything in all the years I have spent around Mara, was to recognise expensive brands, and those were expensive. It was quite clear that he hadn't gone out for a swim; not that swimming was allowed. But he was dressed like he was ready to take on the mall, not a muddy lake - although you can never tell how unpredictable some people can be.
I made a beeline for the park exit, and straight home. For some strange reason, I felt the need to dress-up a bit; obviously not because I wanted some extra attention to deflect my mind from the ... situation... the situation...