10 Chilly Tale of a Summer Break - Part 4 (1/2)

When Emma opened her eyes, the light of the day welcomed her. Startled by a sudden noise, she looked in its direction, just to see Aleta coming out of the bathroom, already in her everyday clothes. Remembering her experience last night made Emma give Aleta a serious and cautious look.

”G-Good morning,” Aleta said. Her hair was a mess and her bangs almost covering her eyes.

”Good morning,” Emma said with a faint smile.

She made an effort to get up. She felt relieved, realizing her body was obeying her. Aleta started brushing her hair. Her lustrous black hair shining in the sunlight entering the room by the open window. Emma realized she was sweating. The heat was worse than the previous day.

The memory of that night was bothering her mind. But looking at Aleta, just brushing her hair as if nothing had happened, Emma started to question if what happened was real or a nightmare.

She walked into the bathroom, throwing cold water on her face. The chilling feeling was a relief in that heat.

”That was a nightmare,” she thought. ”There is no way that was real. Like, sleep paralysis could do that.”

Suddenly while looking at her own reflection, something popped out on her mind. To take her mind off that nightmare. She turned to Aleta who was still brushing her hair sitting on her bed.

”Aleta. I want to invite you to something, but, do you have a swimsuit?”

***

Emma ran in her swimsuit in direction of the stream close to the inn. It was an isolated place and the heat was strong, so she wore the swimsuit before leaving the inn.

She used to go to that stream a lot in the past. It was small and had clear water, warm in summer. Apparently, her mother also used to bathe there when the heat was strong, sometimes with her family. It was shallow close to the rocks but could get deep if someone tried to go to the center. It wasn't a big stream. Someone could cross it easily and it was surrounded by trees, which made the shadow around it nice and cool.

Swimming there was one of the few pleasures Emma got from the vacations on her grandma's inn so she always took a swimsuit with her. This time, it was a new swimsuit. She had bought it originally thinking about going to the beach. A black bikini with laces on the side of her bottom. The top was a little tight on her breasts but it would be enough for swimming. She has her hair tied up.

Aleta walked behind Emma. She agreed to join her with some reluctance. She was wearing a white one-piece covering her whole belly but leaving her back exposed. And yet, she walked with her hands covering her belly as if hiding it. Emma had tied her hair up, even though Aleta said she couldn't swim so she wouldn't get too far in the water.

”What's the problem?” Asked Emma, after throwing herself on the water. ”Come on.”

Aleta walked inside, sitting on the rocks in the shallow part and only bathing her legs.

”Are you afraid?” Emma asked.

”I can't swim,” she said.

”I know. But I'm here. I'll help you if something happens,” Emma said, smiling at Aleta. Her eyes examining the girl's body from top to down. ”But you know, hiding your body like that is such a waste. I was excited to see you showing some skin. A rare and exciting view.”

As if by instinct, Aleta covered her belly again.

”I-I'm not as athletic as you. I'm a little fat.”

”Is that so? Let me see.”

Emma swam to where Aleta was sitting and rubbed her belly. Startled, the girl jumped back and fell with her ass on the water. Emma let out a laugh.

”I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I couldn't resist. I think you're okay. You're soft.”

Emma offered her hand to Aleta, helping her to get up.

”Was that swimsuit given to you by grandma?”

”Y-Yeah.”

”I knew it. It was mine. I left it here last summer.”

Aleta let out a gasp and her face became red.

”I-I- I'm sorry. I shouldn't… Want me to take it off?”

”What? No, it's fine. I think it suits you. Don't mind it. Or are you worried because I wore it? I'm sure grandma washed it, so it's not dirty or anything.”

”D-Dirty? That's not what I...”

”Also, taking it off here is kinda,” Emma said, eyeing Aleta's body. ”Well, maybe could be a nice show, but we would have a hard time explaining it.”

”Ah!” Aleta said, blushing again. ”I'm sorry. I didn't mean, huh. I wouldn't…”

Emma smiled and held Aleta's hands. She gently pulled the girl towards her.

”Let's go a little deeper. I won't let you go so there's no need to be afraid.”

After some consideration, Aleta nodded slowly. She let Emma guide her towards a deeper part of the water. The water was cool, and in that heat, it was pleasant on the skin. Aleta had rubbed herself with sunscreen after Emma pointed it out, worried how white and vulnerable her skin was.

After they got to the point where the water was covering a little below her breasts, Aleta pulled her hands from Emma's grasp.

”I'm fine here.”

It was total silence around them. Only the sound of the water running and birds singing. That calm was the one thing that place had to win against the beach.

Aleta's looked to the deeper part of the stream. She seemed too fixated on it. Her eyes wouldn't move away and Emma realized the girl biting her lower lip.

”Are you that afraid of the water?” Emma asked, smiling.

”I am, sorry,” Aleta said, moving her eyes to Emma. She looked embarrassed

”It's okay. As I said, I won't let anything happen to you.” Then Emma turned in the direction of the deeper part. ”I'll just swim a bit, so wait here.”

But when Emma tried to leap forward, Aleta held her wrist. She looked behind to see the girl throwing a worried look at her.

”I'll be back soon. Don't worry,” Emma said with a smile, but Aleta wouldn't let go of her grip. ”Wait. Are you worried about me?”

”It's dangerous,” Aleta said, avoiding Emma's eyes.

”It's okay. I'm used to it, don't worry. I used to swim here alone.”

”But, you know, if something happens, I, I can't help you.”

Seeing the fear and uneasy in Aleta's eyes, Emma threw her arms against her and pulled her in a hug. Startled, Aleta almost fell in the water.

”It's fine,” Emma said. Taking advantage of Aleta's confusion, she threw herself in the water.

While she swam around, Aleta couldn't take her eyes away from her.

The two girls spent the whole afternoon together. Sometimes Emma would tease Aleta, throwing water at her, trying to pull her together while diving or giving her a scare. She didn't go too far, though, realizing how much Aleta was worried about her. Every time she went to the deep parts of the river, Aleta couldn't move her eyes away.

Around 5 PM, Emma was starting to get hungry. She realized it was time to go back home. She was sitting on the rocks, hugging her knees together while Aleta was sitting on the shallow part of the stream playing with the water using her hands.

”You know,” Emma said. ”I didn't want to come here at first. But now that I'm spending my time with you, I have to say. I'm really having fun. I'm happy that I came.”

”Me too,” Aleta said, avoiding to face Emma. ”This is, I think, the most fun I ever had with someone…”

”Is that so? I'm really happy that we became friends.”

”Friends…” Aleta mumbled to herself.

She stood up and walked to the where Emma was sitting. She approached Emma and stared right at her without a word. Emma gave a smile, a little confused.

Aleta gently held Emma's face with her wet hands. Bringing her face close, she gave a kiss on her friend's lips. Aleta's lips were cold because of the water. Emma's lips, on the other side, were warm by being bathed in the sun

After Aleta finished the kiss, Emma looked at her in confusion. When she opened her lips to talk, Aleta covered her own mouth with her hand and ran away leaving her slippers behind.

”Wait!” Emma shout and ran after her.

Aleta had the lead, but Emma was faster. In no time, she reached the girl and grabbed her arm, making her stop. When Aleta looked at her, her eyes were full of tears.

The two girls looked at each other, standing in the middle of the field wearing only their swimsuits on that late afternoon. The sky was becoming orange because of the sunset. Emma was the first one to talk.

”Aleta. Speak with me. Why did you…?”

Emma's words died on her mouth. She realized again the same dead look on Aleta's face. The same look from her nightmare. She released Aleta's arm and gave a step back. Aleta walked one step towards her.

Even though it was her friend in front of her, Emma felt the desire to ran away. When she gave another step back to avoid Aleta's advance, she fell to the ground. At that moment, she recognizes the usual expression on her friend's face again.