One last Trip

Chapter 4
Matt Takes the Dive

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Chapter Description: Matt goes for another dive in the Lake, regressing further into his childhood.

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Matt

I woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs. Classic camping breakfast.

Alex ran out of bed, unable to control his excitement. I tried to act mature and get up normally, but I was pretty excited too. Mom makes the best food.

Mom and Dad seemed to be pleased to see Alex this morning. I don’t know why, he was just the same as always, my regular ten-year-old brother. He had on his spiderman pajamas and was slurping down his food as soon as he sat down.

"So." dad said. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah!" said Alex. "I had this dream that I was thirteen and I had a girlfriend and I was in seventh grade and everything was so different and-"

"Wooooh, Sport!" said Dad. "Slow down. That sounds like some dream"

While Alex continued talking about his insane dream as a teenager, I just rolled my eyes. He always liked to pretend he was older than he was. Of coarse, his dream could never be a reality, we would be only a year apart!

"And how about you, Matt?" said Dad. "Have any dreams?"

"Nah" I said. I actually did, about all the horrible things that would happen to me as a freshman. I was glad that I didn’t have to be in school yet.

"So" said Mom. "Who wants to go to the lake?"

I was about to say sure, but Alex interjected. "The Lake is Booooore-ing" he said. "I want to go play with the other kids! Please mom?" he was referring to the kids that were from the campground across the road.

"Hmm... I don’t know...." she says. "Matt, will you bring him there? You don’t have to stay, but I don’t want him alone until he reaches the safty of the campground."

"Fine." I said reluctantly.

"And you boys be back before noon" said Dad. "Because your bother going to take a nice, long swim in the lake."

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We walked across the street to the campground. It was an amazing place. There was a basketball hoop, a huge arcade, a pool table, and a snack bar. No pool though.

"Hi" said one of the boys in the arcade. He looked about Alex’s age. "I’m Sam. Want to play with us?"

"Sure!" said Alex excitedly. And just like that, I was chopped liver. Oh well, at least he has somebody his own age to play with for once.

I walked out to the basketball hoop, and shot a few baskets. I only stayed for a few minutes, because I could only think of one thing. That lake. I wanted to swim in it so bad.

"I’m going to go back to the lake!" I yelled to Alex, but I don’t think he even heard. Quite alright, I didn’t want him and his new friend following me around.

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When I got to the lake, the sun was well into the sky. I really thought Alex would follow me, but he didn’t.

As I approached the lake, I grew excited. Nobody else was there, which meant I had it all to myself.

I dove right in, feeling the rush of the water on my scalp. It seemed to clean out my pores, driving me to bliss.

I began to swim a few laps. I went back and fourth from dock to dock, a cute girl jumped in next to me.

"Hi!" she said. "What’s your name?"

"I’m Matt." I said. She had long hair, flowing in back of her as she swam.

"I’m Elly." she said. "How old are you?"

"I’m... Thirteen" I said. Why did I say that? I meant Fourteen.

"Oh, well I’m Fifteen." she said.

"I didn’t mean that." I said. But then I lost control again. "I really just turned 11 last week. Im barely a Sixth Grader."

"Yeah, I thought you seemed small to be 13." she said. "You remind me of my little brother."

Not something you wanted to hear from your crush. I tried to think of something sexy or alluring to say, but my mind was blank. I tried to compose myself, tell her I was really kidding, but all that came out was, "Do you like Yu-Gi-Oh?"

She just laughed and swam in the other direction. She got out of the lake after only swimming five minutes.

I was so embarrassed, I wanted to move away, to be anywhere else in the world. I could move to Alaska. How far would that be?

I tried to think of where alaska was, but it just gave me a headache. Something was seriously wrong.

Why had I told her I was so young? Why had she believed me?

Soon, I heard mom yelling.

"Matt!" yelled Mom. "Lunch time!"

When I got to shore, I had tears in my eyes.

"What’s the matter, honey?" said mom.

"Some girl said I wasn’t a big kid like her!" I said.

"How old was she?" said Mom.

"Fif... Fifteen" I said between my tears.

"Well honey," she said. "She is a whole seven years older than you."

"No I’m not!" I said. "I’m fourteen an I’m gonna be in high school!"

"Maybe you should talk about this with your older brother....." said Mom.

"He wouldn’t understand, he IS a little kid!" I said.

"Well, he’s two years older than you, so what does that make you?"

It occurred to me that she might be right. What was I thinking?

I sat and ate my peanut butter and fluff sandwich with the crusts cut off.

I still couldn’t think of why I had said those things. Why had I lied to that girl and told her I was Eleven? I was so obviously only eight or nine, she must have seen right through my lies and didn’t want to be my friend, ’cause she didn’t trust me.

It was hard to think about this any more, though because more important things sprang up in my mind, like how I would like my first day of the Third grade, and toys I got for my eighth birthday. I remember how much fun it was, with all the balloons and the clown...

I wish I was as mature as Alex. His Birthday party had cool stuff like pokemon and all his fifth grade friends. He’s even gonna be in middle school next year, which is where all the big kids go. I’ll still be stuck in the elementary.

I really wish Alex would come play with me at the lake, though. He doesn’t want to do anything with me. I decided not to go in the lake till he came back, so he could enjoy the fun with me. Maybe he would let me play with him. He is my big brother after all.

To be continued

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