The Lake House Pt. 02

Hey guys, sorry for the long break, I stopped writing for a while. But I'm back and will be keeping up, so keep reading!

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I bound back down the stairs to see my parents and the Stratfords already mid conversation. It had been obvious how much they missed seeing each other. I headed back out to the car, helping grab some more stuff as we starting getting out all of the rest of the stuff for the cabin like the food, fishing equipment, and other odds and ends for up here.

The entire time I'm pulling out boxes, I find it almost impossible to not think about Luke. I figured seeing him would bring back memories, but all the ones that were flooding back were hitting me like a sledgehammer. I can remember back to when we were little, just 7 and 10 years, old sitting out on the dock fishing, typically ending in me squealing as I made Luke get whatever I just caught off the hook. Roasting marshmallows around the fire with our families, just sitting and relaxing.

Of course, these were the more "pretty" memories from when we would get along, which as we got older wasn't always the case and seemed to be less and less frequent. In our preteen years we would fight constantly, over who got to pick what we watched on TV on the rare nights we would turn it on. Who got the last ice cream bar from the fridge or whose turn it was to get pulled on the tube behind the boat. We fought like cats and dogs, or more accurately brothers and sisters since that's practically what we were.

I never even saw Luke as a boy to look at and think about it any other way then my friend until the summer I was 12 and he had just turned 15. He was reaching that age where he thought he was becoming a man, so he felt the need to prove how tough and strong he was, especially in front of me. I knew it was just Luke being annoying and I scoffed at him for it, but secretly I liked watching him show off, even when it was just for the sake of showing off. These kind of things lasted until the last summer we came here together. Things changed that year.

Typically though, I've tried not to think about that summer too much, especially being back here now. It made things way to complicated, especially for a trip that I wanted to be just about fun and relaxation. Of course, not thinking about any of these memories was almost impossible when every time I turned around with a box, I was bumping into Luke or he was trying to help unpack whatever I was working on. I knew he was just being friendly, but with all the thoughts whirling in my head, it was the last thing I needed.

Finally, I decided I just needed some space and headed upstairs. I threw off my sweaty clothes from the hot day and put on a swimsuit I'd just bought for the summer a few weeks ago. I wanted the best tan possible from this summer, so I'd ditched my typical full body swimsuit I normally wore while lifeguarding for a bikini. Grabbing my headphones and a towel, I walked down to the dock, laying out my towel and stretching out in the sun. It felt so great to just be able to relax, without a plan for the day. It was one of my favorite parts about the lake: the freedom.

After a few minutes of sun, I feel myself zone out in the comfort. A little while later I'm drawn out of my trance by a shadow blocking the rays above me. I squint up to see Luke standing above me in swim trunks and a tank top. As I slowly woke up from my nap, I noticed his muscled arms... arms that I had never seen on him before... arms that would feel so good wrapped around me... popping out of my daydream I sit up quickly, running a hand threw my hair with an embarrassed blush, which I'm sure looked like a wreck without even thinking about it. He smirks at me, like he can read my mind.

"Can I help you," I ask trying to sound confident as I lean back against my elbows.

"I was just coming to check on you out here. Your mom wanted me to remind you to wear sunscreen," he answers with teasing laughter in his voice.

I roll my eyes, thinking how typical it was of my mother to embarrass me without even realizing it.

"Well I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine I put some on before I came outside."

"Okay, well they are starting to make plans for dinner, I was thinking about going for a first run on the boat, wanna join?"

The first boat ride of the trip was always a tradition, it marked the beginning of vacation. The lodge provided us with an ancient pontoon boat, which we used for casual rides even though the Stratfords always brought up their power boat for tubing and skiing. I smile up at him holding my hand out.

"Sure why not," I answer quickly.

He reaches out a hand pulling me up quickly and easily. I still can't get over how much stronger he is now. Last thing my mother had told me, he'd been working the past few summers for a beer distributor, hauling crates of the stuff to and from the warehouses and stores. Obviously all the hard work had paid off. Not to say he was weak when he was younger, he just had become... so... manly, all broad shoulders and chiseled jaw. It was a weird idea to associate with my childhood friend and even weirder with the mental images running through my head. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about it yet.

We start walking down to the edge of the dock and climb onto the pontoon as it slowly rolls with the waves of the lake. I lean over the edge untying the boat from the dock as Luke looks over his shoulder, pulling us out slowly backwards. I take a seat on the side near the steering wheel as he starts navigating us out to the lake.

"So how have you been?" He asks, looking at me for a second before looking back out at the water in front of him. " I feel like I'm sitting with a stranger out here" He teases.

I smile before answering, "I've been really great actually, I just graduated a couple months ago, and am getting ready to head off to school soon."

"College? Oh geez... you're making me feel so old right now."

"We aren't that far apart, you still have one more year of school." I answer a little defensively not liking how I sound like a kid when he talks about me.

"Yeah I know," he answers with a sigh "but that's exactly it, I feel like I just started college yesterday. One more year and I have to go out in the real world." He makes a dramatic shivering motion at "real world"

I laugh, seeing good old Luke hasn't changed. " Oh come on, with that year you can totally live it up. Do all the crazy things still left on your college check list."

He gives me a smile as a response, but I can tell this is something he's been thinking about a lot lately.

The thing that's always been true about Luke is he gets by on his charisma and people skills. He's never been stupid in school, but I know that he never really tried either. I remember being little kids and his mother trying to get him to do summer workbooks in order to help boost his grades for next year. Of course Luke would have no part of it, and the second Aunt Sue would turn around, he was off outside exploring or grabbing a fishing pole and sitting on the dock.

We get quiet for a few minutes as we both sat thinking about the future. Finally, I break the silence with a topic I'm sure he has no problem covering.

"So how's the love life?" I tease. "I'm sure you are just a lady killer up at school."

This brings him out of his thoughts as a huge grin crosses his face.

"Hey miss I do not kiss and tell, I'm just not that kind of guy," he answers with a dramatic flourish of his hand.

"Oh please" I answer with an eye roll, "I'll never forget the summer you had your first girlfriend, you barely came outside with how often you were on the phone talking to her. And the only time you spent not talking to her, you spent reminding me and anyone who would listen that you guys had already been to first base."

He laughs with a stretch and a cocky grin.

"Alright, well that was the old me, all youthful and ignorant. But enough about me, what about you? I'm sure you've been knocking them dead back home."

I put on the best fake smile I can and answer ,"Oh yeah totally."

"No seriously, how's it going? I'm sure you have an adoring boyfriend these days."

At the mention of a boyfriend I feel my face drop a bit but I try to cover it up by pretending to check the strings on my top.

I try to answer casually saying ",Well I had one recently but we just broke up a couple weeks ago."

For once Luke's smile drops from his face as he turns the motor off, letting us circle around the lake. Obviously my fake laid back attitude isn't fooling anyone and he answers "Peyton.. I'm sorry. What happened?"

I take a breath, and answer quickly while fidgeting in my chair, "It's nothing, we just weren't working out really so I ended things. We were going to different schools anyway, it's not like we were going to work out."

Luke sits down in the pilot's chair across from me and gives me a solid stare until I finally reluctantly meet his gaze.

"Peyton... I've known you since you were born. I know we haven't seen each other in a while, but I believe I can still pride myself in the skill of telling when you're lying. Talk to me.... What happened?"

I look down at my hands before I start talking, thinking well there goes the whole "carefree" vacation plan.

"Well...Matt and I have been dating for a while, almost eight months. And prom was coming up, and so we sort of started talking about our future... what it meant after the summer.... And how much we cared about each other. So of course, the whole.... You know sex thing came up." I stammer at the word sex but push through just trying to get this out. "I explained to him I wasn't ready, and I didn't want to rush things. He didn't love that answer, but he seemed to understand enough."

I take a pause to take a deep breath and look up, seeing Luke staring at me intently.

"Well anyway, it got to be Prom night and some of Matt's friends got a hold of some alcohol, so by the time we got to the dance Matt was already drunk. We tried to have fun, but he could barely walk and kept asking about taking a break and going up to the hotel room we'd rented with a couple of our friends. Finally, just to get him to take a break from the booze I said yes, and we headed upstairs. I guess it's stupid... between our conversation and him drinking I should have known what he was expecting I guess I just didn't want to see it. He kept trying to push things... I kept telling him no... finally I walked out and went back downstairs. I came back a while later to check on him and I found him with another girl. We broke up that night and I haven't talked to him since."

I finish my story playing with my hands a little. Before Luke can say anything, I get out the thought that's been bugging me since it happened.

"I keep thinking... maybe it's my fault you know? Like it wasn't crazy that he was expecting us to go farther. We cared about each other, we'd been dating for a long time. Maybe I was just being a child about the whole thing."

It's quiet for a minute before Luke finally says softly ",Peyton look at me."

I don't respond right away feeling embarrassed for telling him this whole story. I didn't want to make myself immature and now he is going to think I'm a kid. Finally I feel a finger under my chin as Luke tilts my head up. He looks at me, and at first I'm a little uncomfortable under his gaze. I couldn't explain the way he was watching me, but it was like nothing he'd ever done before. I couldn't seem to look away.

"Peyton you are beautiful. And amazing, and whoever this idiot is should have known that but obviously didn't. Another thing he obviously didn't know is that the best things are worth the wait. It is that asshole's loss for not being with you. Do you understand?" He finishes with a firm but kind tone. I don't know how to answer at first so I just nod. I've never heard Luke talk like this. He sounds just so sincere and wise. What happened to the boy that you used to push me in the lake for fun?

We sit like that for few more seconds, not saying anything as he stares at me. He moves his hand and brushes a strand of hair out of my face. A speedboat hurls by us breaking the moment. I feel him pull his hand back quickly like he was burned. I take a breath, clearing my throat, completely confused by what just happened.

I look around, trying to think of something to break up the tension that just came over us like a curtain. Fortunately, Luke stands up before I can put a coherent thought together.

"Well I don't know about you, but I think I need a swim in the lake."

Luke walks off towards the back of the boat pulling his tank top over his head as he does. I get a full view off his back as he slowly tugs it up off his back. I see every shoulder muscle move as he tosses it to the side. After a few seconds of staring I get up following him. He jumps into the water off the back of the boat as I sit down on the edge. I stick my foot in for a second and shiver quickly pulling it back out. The cabin is on a big lake, and with the size of it, the water never seems to be as warm as the air surrounding it. Especially now as the sun has started to sink from its position right above, the air doesn't feel as hot. Luke pops up a few seconds later pushing his hair out of his eyes.

He gives me a smirk. "What are you doing out there come in the water!"

I pull my legs up to my chest. "No that's okay I don't think I'm ready for the cold water yet. Maybe tomorrow."

"Oh come on baby, it's not that bad"

I give him a dirty look at the comment. "Whatever, I didn't even bring a towel out, I don't want to get wet." The second I say that I wish I could take it back seeing the mischievous grin that comes onto Luke's face. At this face that I've seen a thousand times, I quickly start sliding backwards from the edge shouting, "Luke I'm serious."

"Too bad, " he answers as he quickly scrambles out of the water grabbing me by the ankle as I try to slide away. He scoops me up from the floor despite my squeals of protest and runs back over tossing me into the water like a rag doll. I go under, instantly shocked by the cold water as I hear a splash next to me as he jumps in. I pop up with a gasp to see him laughing hysterically.

"Luke I could kill you ," I yell trying not to laugh at him as I shiver. I swim over giving his head a good shove under the water. He disappears for a second before coming up under me, throwing me onto his shoulders. I squeal laughing. "Put me down... it's so cold up here"

"Whatever you say mam," he answers as he drops me to the side and I hit the water with a splash. I come up to see him climbing back onto the boat.

"Quitting already?" I ask teasing him as he shakes his head releasing a spray of water.

"Are you kidding? That water is freezing, I don't know who in their right mind would go in there." He answers with a cheesy grin.

I groan and swim over to the ledge hoping back on the boat and wringing my hair out. He throws his towel at me which I wrap around myself quickly.

"Plus," he adds, "dinner will probably be ready soon."

I shiver as a breeze picks up on the lake. The sun is starting to set now, giving everything a nice warm glow. It was always my favorite time of the day when we'd come up here. Everything just seemed at peace, it was perfect. We get quiet for a few minutes looking out on the water.

He heads over to the wheel turning the boat on with a groan of the engine.

"You wanna drive back?" He asks over his shoulder.

"I would, but I don't know how." I answer. My parents didn't trust me to drive when we here last, since I still didn't have my driver's license.

He smiles, "It's no problem I'll teach you. Come here."

Now at least semi-dry, I leave the towel on the ground and walk over to the wheel. Luke sits back in the captain's seat, which has enough room for me to stand in front him. I can still feel the dampness of his legs from the lake since we are still close. Immediately I'm a little nervous by the proximity but try and keep it together. He leans forward in his seat putting his arms out in front of me.

"Okay so it's pretty simple. This one is the gas over here and this is the ignition. You can adjust the speed of the boat over here with this switch. Right now we are just idling. When you want to go, you just give her a little gas. Got it?"

I nod having watched everything he did carefully, and seen my own parents drive it a thousand times. I put my hand on the gas and push it forward, not expecting it to give so easily. We shoot forward and then stop as I quickly release it surprised, losing my balance I fall backwards as Luke catches me on his lap, hands holding tight to my hips.

A little jolted, I burst out laughing, embarrassed at my lack of knowledge. I can hear and feel him laughing behind me. It takes me a few seconds, but I slowly start to laugh nervously as I remember where I am. I'm in a bikini. On Luke's lap. And he's got his arms around me. I can feel his finger tips on the skin around my hips and I shiver slightly from the contact. I fidget a little, not wanting to pull away but at the same time not really comfortable with this. He must come to the same realization I had by now, because he slowly stops laughing and gives my sides a squeeze before letting go.

"Well that was a nice try there speed racer. Next time though just ease the throttle we don't want to drop the engine off this thing. Here let me show you."

He reaches around me and puts his hand over mine, both of us gripping the throttle. He leans forward and pushes the throttle slowly forward. We start moving without jumping as we had a few minutes ago. He keeps his hand over mine for a few seconds before dropping it to his thigh, right next to me. I smile, pretty proud of myself. He doesn't say anything about me getting up, so I don't make a move. We both seem pretty content. I turn the boat, and we head back towards the lodge. We are quiet for a few minutes as we ride in silence. I can feel the heat coming from his body... his chest, his arms, his legs. I stop and think that the only thing to make this feel more real would be for him to have his arms around me... touch me... something to make me think this isn't just in my head. We've never been this close before especially once we got older... except for that one time the last summer we were together:

4 years ago...................................

We'd been outside all day, it was the last night before we went home. A couple of days ago his parents had broken their news about the move, and though I hoped that nothing would change I could tell it was going to be different after that summer. Luke said he wanted to go on one last boat ride, but nobody else wanted to go out so it was just the two of us. Typically, our parents had kept an eye on us, knowing that even though we were close, at the end of the day Luke and I were still teenagers. But I think they could tell too that things were about to change, so they let us go off by ourselves also wanting some alone time themselves. We took off on the boat, of course with Luke driving and most likely going way too fast. He was 17, and still new with the license so speed was really his thing at the time.

When he got out to the middle of the lake he turned off the engine and he sat down looking up at the stars. I'd been thinking a lot that whole week about him, he was this older boy who'd suddenly become a man that I'd known my whole life. He'd always been an arm's reach away but something I could never have only dream about. I'd tried all week to get his attention, doing all your 14 year old girl things. Attempting to flip my hair, wearing lip gloss, trying to seem girly by saying I hated fishing and squealing when he'd splash me. These were all of the things my friends from back home had done, and they now had boyfriends. But nothing had been working. I was sure he hadn't even noticed. This was my final shot before he left tomorrow, and I had decided yesterday that I was going to kiss him. I had to do it, it was something I'd thought about all the time since the day I decided that boys weren't gross because he was the first boy I'd thought about that way. I also knew that something like this would require me to be brave, something I didn't know I could muster, especially when it came to Luke.