Finding Myself In The Real World

Chapter 9

"I'm pretty sure I'm an elder compared to you," John said seriously, and Xander knew he had known they were lying.

"Well... Your pretty cute so... You can't be that old." Xander said nervously chuckling.

"I'm not gay."

"Oh... I didn't really say you were but, okay?" Xander said his face turning beet red. John turned away again sighing and Xander turned and bolt.

'Well... That was a bit embarrassing...' His face was still burning when Brody turned the car on to leave.

~<>~

Xander took his lifeguarding courses when he was younger, 14-16 years of age, one every summer. Three of them; Bronze Medallion, Bronze Cross, and NLS (National Lifeguarding Society). Xander never thought, hoped, he would never have to use the techniques the classes taught him, but of course with Xander's luck...

"I can't wait to finally be up again." Xander smiled as he turned the van into his family's cottage. Brody whooped loudly and pulled the door back before Xander had even parked. Xander's parents had allowed him to bring up a few close friends and have a week at the family's cottage a couple hours away from the city. It had taken two vans, one big van and a larger car, to bring everyone up and even then it had been a close cut. It was the end of grade 12 and the group was coming up to celebrate.

"Wow... I haven't been up in a while." Brody looked around and breathed in the fresh air. Xander smiled and slapped his friends back as he moved towards the trunk. Christian, Zach, and Elijah climbed out of the middle seat, Elijah stretched his arms above his head and yawned. Zach stepped to help Xander with the bags and Christian smiled as everybody piled around the car. Ryan (Elijah's boyfriend), Jeffery (new friend), Martin (new friend), and Drew climbed out from the back seat. Jeff, Martin, and Drew had joined the group in-between grade 11 summer and grade 12.

"I'm done with driving. How far were the girls behind us?" Jeff asked taking a peek down the long winding room, expecting to see the girls pop up.

"They had to stop for a washroom break, Tim Horton's, and they saw a cute antique store along Concession Road so they stopped there as well." Zach shrugged, who had been texting Katie along the way. Just as the boys were slamming the trunk shut, arms full, a squeal of tires came from around the corner, loud music hit their ears in the quiet forest and a black car sped around the corner. Xander's eyes opened and he stepped back as the car drew nearer. All the windows were down, and he could see Lucy and Katie laughing in the front. Maisie, stuck her head out the window, "Hey boys!" She yelled. They could hear loud laughter as the car came to a loud halt right in front of the guys. Immediately the girls were pouring out of the car, talking loudly.

"What a drive." Lucy smiled and popped the trunk nearly knocking Jenny's teeth out. Maisie was a very sweet, shy girl. She was Asian, but was adopted and was different than the stereotypical Asian girl. She could care less about her marks, and she hated playing the piano. She took part in almost every sport and Maisie was terrible at art. Jenny entered grade 12 new to the school, her father had been transferred across the Country for his job. She was outgoing and loud, but very kind. She met the group when she tried out for the boy's soccer team, there was no girl one, and made the team. She became friends with Brody and he introduced her to the group.

"What took you girls so long?" Xander asked as he turned to haul his items towards the closed cottage. They all burst into a fit of giggles and turned to grab their stuff. Xander opened the door and took in the dusty cottage. He sighed and set his things down in the kitchen. He pulled back the curtains and opened the windows allowing the wind to blow through.