They walked along the edge of the lake to a clearing with a long wooden dock. It was obviously old and not up to par for launching boats, but was probably perfect for kids to jump off. The glass finish of the lake rippled as the water sloshed around the edges of the dock when they walked down to the end of it.

Corey immediately kicked off her canvas shoes and sat at the edge, letting her feet dangle into the lake up to her calves. Aden stayed standing, resisting the natural pull to the water he always felt, looking out over it instead to appreciate it from a safe distance.

“It’s so quiet here… it’s not even late yet.” Aden looked out onto the horizon. The sun was still above the trees, although it’s blazing color had began its stretch across the sky in fiery oranges and reds.

“I hear that from people. There must be a lot of background noise in the city. Is it loud in Santa Monica?”

Aden chuckled. “Yeah. It feels like people hardly sleep. And there’s the waves too. Even when it’s quiet, it’s never this quiet.”

She hummed, dreamily. “I’d love to see the ocean. It must be amazing. Never ending water like that.”

“It’s kind of scary. When there’s a storm, the sky is the same color as the ocean and you can hardly tell where one starts and the other stops.” His tone had been a little more somber than he intended, remembering things he didn’t want to remember.

It seemed as if Corey caught that, trying to combat his negativity a bit. “Some of the best things in life are always a little scary.” She raised an eyebrow when he rolled his eyes a little, then waved him over. “What are you doing? Come sit.”

Aden hesitated, but was unable to come up with a decent excuse for lingering on his feet. While sitting down to take his own shoes off, he said, “Can I ask you something?”

Corey considered. “If I can ask you something.”

That was dangerous. She had to remember his reaction to being asked a too personal question previously. Hopefully she knew better than to pry so close so soon again. “Why does your mom and Mannie call you Deelee?”

She hummed, smirking. “I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you.” It was obvious that she thought about leaving it there, but couldn’t help explaining. “I hate my full name. No one is allowed to use it. Very few people even know it and I like it that way. Cuz of that though, I’m Corey, and Deelee. No other names accepted. If you were really clever, you might be able to figure out, but I wouldn’t try if I were you.”

“The kill me thing?”

“Mhm.”

Aden chuckled, shoving his jeans up to his knees. “It’s a good thing I like Corey then, I guess.”

“Smart,” she praised.

He moved over to sit on the edge of the dock with her, trying his best to not reveal his hesitation. He knew it would be strange, weird, awkward if he didn’t, so he pushed the nerves out of his head and let his feet hang into the lake with hers.

The water was warmer than he was used to it being this time of year. The ocean stayed cold until later in the summer, so June swims were reserved for only the dedicated.

“My turn,” Corey declared, eyeing him as she thought, kicking her feet back and forth through the water as she leaned back on her hands. “You said before you were a runaway…”

Aden sucked in a breath and straightened his shoulders, a clear subconscious signal that she was treading too close.

Corey caught it, reconsidering her words. “If you’re running from something, what made you come back?”

“Mannie. He bribed me to spend time with you.” Aden smirked and shook his head when she had reacted with surprise. “He presented a decent argument for slowing down, if just for a little while.”

She gave a soft smile. “Pine Creek is a good place to slow down. You can lose track of time up here.”

Aden nodded, but didn’t comment, because his only thought was far too sombering. He had lost track of time, and maybe even himself, a long time ago. A part of him was hoping Pine Creek would help him find his way again. Or at least help him find something.

“So.” Corey rocked back and forth in her spot, bumping her shoulder with his. “Are you really thinking of staying this time?”

He shrugged, leaning back on his hands like her. “I guess.”

“How long?”

“I’m not sure. It depends. I thought I’d just, play it by ear and see what happens.” When he said “ear” he meant “rain”. The only thing that really mattered was whether the storm would cooperate. He knew how detrimental a never ending rain could be for them. For him also. If he couldn’t find a way of controlling it, he’d have to keep moving.

“Well, it’s nice to have you here, however long you decide it will be.” Corey smiled, touching their shoulders together again, this time not swaying back. She added, softer, “I’m glad you came back.”

He didn’t reply right away, finding himself suddenly shallow of breath. “Yeah, me too.” Aden’s fingers, resting on the rough wood of the dock, twitched with electricity when she brushed hers against them. He turned to glance at the touch, and she leaned closer, meeting him on the way back. She brushed her nose just barely passed his, catching, pulling at him and his breath, like a magnet.

“I didn’t get to do this before you left last time…” A sigh brushing past his lips. Corey reached forward, fingers wrapping around his shirt. Aden inhaled sharp and Corey hauled him forward with her.

Had he said the water was warm? That was generous.

He broke the surface after her, and the moment he did he wasn’t in a still, clear glass lake anymore, but freezing, salty ocean. He tried to open his eyes but they stung and the water was dark and murky. He held on tight to her wrist, but it slipped from his wet fingers, and the sudden crippling panic urged him to yell but instead he inhaled water.

Aden thrashed, his hand finding the wood of the dock again, and somehow managed to pulling himself up out of a nightmare. Up onto the old wood again, he coughed up the water he had breathed in, the terrible white noise in his ears subsiding as he got some air back. Her voice filtered in past the pounding in his skull.

“Aden! Fuck, I’m so sorry! Are you ok? I- I was- It was just a joke. God that was fucking stupid.”

She pulled herself back up onto the dock as well, but when she reached out to touch him, Aden pushed her hand away. She recoiled, leaned over to try and catch his gaze.

“Aden… are you ok? Should I go get someone? Please, talk to me.”

He couldn’t though. All he could do was shut his eyes tight and grit his teeth together to fend off a yell, the panic still pressing hard on his lungs, two hands gripped around his throat, his esophagus burning like acid from the coughing. He knew, this fall in the lake had been nothing like being tossed to shore by stormy waves, but his panic was making up for the difference. He might as well be back on the beach again, with sand in his mouth and eyes, instead of on a dry dock.

Aden managed to get up onto his feet, and Corey followed quickly, reaching out to help. He pushed her hands away again. “Don’t,” he said, no more than a gasp, as he retreated back down the dock.

She didn’t follow.