Ten years ago...

Summer was my favorite time of the year. It was when life seemed to stand still, allowing me to feel what living actually felt like, instead of rushing through one moment to the next. School was out, the weather was warmer, ice cream was never in short supply, and weekend trips out at the lake cabin with Liam's family and mine became a new tradition.

The warm air blanketed me as I licked the stickiness off my hands and groaned, looking down at my cherry-stained shirt from my finished popsicle. Mama would kill me if I stained my shirt. She always told me I needed to look presentable.

"You're a lady Madalynn, when are you going to act like it?" She'd say.

Too bad for her, the chances of that happening were looking slim. I liked my stained t-shirts and shorts. I liked playing in the mud or throwing a ball around with Liam. I was ten now, going on eleven in a few short months, which meant I was capable of making my own decisions on how I wanted to dress or play.

"Madalynn, did you get your popsicle on your shirt?" My mama complained, walking up to me as though just thinking about defying her made her appear.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

"It's just a shirt. I'm sure it will come right out honey." John, my stepdad said, stepping right beside my mom.

She looked to him and smiled, wrapping her arm around his waist, before turning back to look at me.

"He's right, Maddie. It's okay. Go on and play."

I grinned, dashing off to find Liam. Ever since my mama got together with John, she was a lot nicer about things. I still wasn't used to her more carefree self, especially when it came to me. But those days, she seemed...happy. And I was glad that she was. Especially since I apparently didn't have to worry about getting my shirts dirty. Good thing too 'cause I spotted Liam down by the Lake swinging from the rope, and I took off at full speed to join him.

"Watch this, Maddie!" Liam yelled as I approached him.

He got off the rope swing that he had swinging like a pendulum just a moment ago and held tight to it. Then, he ran forwards and jumped on, allowing himself to be swung over the water. I watched as the rope moved back and forth from over the water to over the land. Quickly, he let go of the rope and splashed into the lake.

He broke through the water a moment later, gasping for air. Rubbing his eyes, he blinked, and glanced over at me, grinning from ear to ear.

"Betcha can't do that!"

"Uh-huh!" I yelled back.

"Nuh-uh! You don't like to go under water!

"Yes, I do!

No, I don't.

"Really, 'cause I thought you were afraid of swimmin'."

"No, I'm not, Liam!"

Technically, it's the drowning part I'm scared of.

"Then do it! I dare ya!"

Those were the magic words, and he knew it. I was never one to back away from a dare, and I wasn't going to start. I made my way to the rope and kicked off my shoes. Holding onto it, I took a deep breath in.

It's okay. Don't be a baby, Maddie. Just breathe.

I ran, jumping my body onto the rope and propelling myself across the lake and back again. I shrieked as I swung back and forth, clenching my eyes shut and holding on tight.

"You're gonna have to let go if you're planning on coming in." Liam laughed.

I opened one eye and looked down on my grinning, good for nothing, best friend.

"I can't."

"I thought you said you weren't afraid."

"Well, maybe I lied."

He laughed, shaking his dumb head.

"Quit laughing! It's not funny."

"It kinda is."

I sent him a glare, as my swinging momentum started slowing, letting him know this was a serious matter. He threw his hands up. "Okay, okay. I'm not laughing. But you're gonna have to jump before it completely stops."

"I don't wanna drown."

"You won't. I'm right here. I'll help ya."

"You pinky promise?"

Pinky promises were sacred. They were the ultimate promise you could make between friends. If you broke one, you deserved to lose that pinky. I was counting on Liam to know the seriousness of it.

"I pinky promise." He held up his pinky and hooked it, acting like he was touching mine as I did the same. I nodded and then eyed the water one more time. Taking a deep breath, I held my nose and jumped.

The cold hit all the way to my bones, causing me to let go of the breath I was holding. Water rushed around me as I fought to kick my way out of it. The more I fought against it though, the further under I went as I struggled for air.

Suddenly, arms wrapped around me, pulling me up, and I finally broke free of the water's hold. I sucked in a deep breath, gasping for air, and coughing the water out, nearly choking on the fishy taste alone. Liam's arms firmly held me as I tried to steady my breaths and wipe the water from my eyes.

"Liam!"

"It's okay, Little Dove, I got you."

I blinked back the tears mixing with the lake and pushed my wet hair aside to see Liam looking me over like he was trying to debate if I was hurt.

"You caught me."

"I told you I would. I pinky promised after all." He grinned, moving us closer to the shallow area.

I smiled back before pushing at his chest. "You know, you could've caught me sooner though."

"Well, if ya want, we can try again." He smirked.

I glared at him before laughing and moving away now that I could touch the bottom. Then turning back to him, I hit the water hard, causing it to splash him. His hands flew up, trying to cover his face.

"Hey! I'm gonna get you now!"

"Go ahead and try Liam, but I'm about to be back on land, and we both know I can beat you up there."

"Oh, you're on! I'm the best on land and in water."

I squealed as he splashed at my back and trailed behind me through the water, quickly cutting me off once we made it back onto land. I took off at supersonic speed, barely passing him as we made it to the front of the house. I placed my hand on my chest, catching my breath, before tumbling to the ground with a laughing Liam.

Scowling, I hit his chest. "What'd you knock me down for?"

"'Cause you were in the way."

"In the way of what?"

"Of me winnin'."

I smirked, sitting back up, the grass now tickling my legs. "I told you I would beat ya."

"Only 'cause I let you!"

"Nuh-uh Liam! I won fair and square!"

"Nah, you lost fair and square."

I crossed my arms, frowning at the confident smile he wore. Grasshoppers were buzzing as the day turned to dawn, and I imagined they were fiddling their instruments in declaration of my win.

"Take it back Liam! You know I won, even the grasshoppers are tellin' ya so."

"The grasshoppers?" Liam stood up, extending his hand to help me up. "What else are they sayin'?"

I stood up next to him, turning my head as if I was listening closely. "They're sayin' I'm the best at everything."

"At everything, huh? Wait, I think I hear them too." He cupped his ear, placing his finger to his lips, silencing me as I went to speak. He brought his hand down and grinned.

"Well, what'd they say?" I asked, my eyes searching his. His emerald eyes sparkled with mischief as he held my stare in silence. "Liam! What did you hear?"

He brought his fingers to his mouth and zippered them across his lips, imitating turning a key and throwing it away. He smirked, turning away from me and running again. I sighed, taking off in a sprint after him.

We spent the night chasing each other and playing ball until dinner where his parents and mine ate around a campfire, roasting marshmallows for dessert. Laughter filled the empty spaces in the night as stories of our childhood were told. Later, Liam and I chased fireflies, catching them along with the magic Liam was determined they held. After a couple of summers there, I started to believe in their magic as well.

I looked to Liam as we laid across a blanket, staring at the stars as our parents' voices drifted through the sticky night air.

"Liam?"

His eyes remained focused on the sky as he replied. "What is it, Maddie?"

"Promise me we will do this every summer? We'll have races and catch firefly magic and lay under the stars together." 

He turned toward me with scrunched brows. "Why are you making me promise, Maddie? Do you think I don't want to spend summers with you?"

"I don't know. I guess I just have this feelin'. Good things always seem to end."

"Is this about your mom and John?"

"She finally seems happy, doesn't she?"

"Yeah. John's pretty cool."

"He is. I like him." I nodded. They had been together almost one year now, which was the longest relationship my momma had since I could remember. Stepdads in my life had come and gone in the same fashion as waves hitting the shore before quickly crashing back into the vast ocean that is men in my momma's life. I never met my dad. Apparently, he had come and gone in the same fashion.

"But you still call him John." Liam noted. "Maddie, I can't promise things will always be the same, but sometimes, the people we let into our lives end up stayin'. Maybe you should finally let him in?"

But sometimes they don't.

I nodded, looking back to the stars, afraid of what he would see if I stared at him too long.

"Maddie?"

"Yes?"

"I promise our summers will always be this way. Together."

I looked back to him smiling and nodded. After a few moments, I spoke up. "What did the grasshoppers say, Liam?"

He grinned, grabbing my hand next to my side and squeezing, before looking back to the starry sky.

"They said my best friend won."

"Ha! I knew it! I'm the fastest there is."

He turned toward me again and chuckled. "And you know why that is?" I held his eyes as his smile faltered, his expression now more serious. "It's because doves are meant to fly."

I went wide-eyed for a moment as I held his stare before matching his smile. I squeezed his hand and slowly turned my head back to the sparkling stars above as firefly magic flew around like smaller stars dancing among us.

Sigh* I love this chapter ❤ 

I hope you felt the same way.

As always, thanks so much for reading!