Isabella sits on the bank of a lake. The water rippling in the sunlight, kissing the sides of the bank at her feet. She'd often spend days like this, out in nature, embracing it for all it is. Birdsong, sunlight and gentle breeze making up the music of her world. Letting her thoughts run free, she appreciated the birds that soared the skies of her homeland. A medium sized grey bird dived down towards the lake, skimming the water before it ascends to join the rest of the flock.

Deep in thought she was ignorant to her bestfriend who was currently creeping up towards her. Dipping his hand in the water he splashes her with it. Started by the suddenness, Isabella screams. Thinking she was about to kick off with whoever just did that, she turned to face the accused, only to find her bestfriend.

"What the Hell Lucas?!" Isabella shouts, shaking her arms in an attempt to lose some of the water that was dripping down her. Laughing in her face, he takes a seat beside her, his dirty blond hair swishing over his eyes.

"You looked like you needed a wash. I was just being helpful." He smiles sweetly, fluttering his eyelashes and clasping his hands together.

He is so odd sometimes, Isabella thought.

"Yeah and lake water is going to smell so much better." Isabella laughs and move forwards to cuff him around the ear, but he darts back, away from her reach, falling straight into the water.

Bursting into a fit of laughter, she watches as he lands in the part of the lake covered in algae. Spluttering, he coughs as he resurfaces with the green gunk all over his head. It drapes over him like a sea monster crown.

Clutching her sides in howling laughter, Isabella throws her head back. "Lucas, you look like those characters from the cartoons." She giggles at him, wishing she had a camera to take a photo of the moment.

He crosses his arms and pouts. "It's not funny! Stop laughing!" Goddess he's adorable she thinks. "You gonna help me or what?" He barks as he reaches for the bank, in a desperate attempt to try pull himself out, before falling back in.

Isabella just watches him for a while, finding amusement in his struggling efforts. Finally giving in, she reaches her hand out, grabbing ahold of him. He smirks and she instantly regrets her decision in being a good friend, as he tugs at her arm, sending her tumbling into the water, right on top of him.

Lucas laughs as she swallows mouthfuls of slimy water, clogging her throat in unauthorised access. Choking, Isabella struggles in his grip, causing Lucas to panic. She didn't know but her bestfriend cared about her more than he would care to admit. They had been friends their whole lives and slowly friendship had grown into something more, though they both disregarded it out of fear of it not being reciprocated and losing the friendship they cherished.

Grabbing her waist tightly, Lucas hoisted her out of the water, resting her on his leg as he patted her back frantically in an attempt to help her get all the slimy stuff out. If she wasn't so busy trying not to suffocate, she would notice the genuine concern that flits across his face as the thought of her drowning filled his mind.

"You know, you could choke quieter." He says, trying to lighten the mood and distract his mind. He still had hold of her, though Isabella didn't seem to notice. He was taking full advantage of having her this close, holding her, protecting her.

Isabella at his request, let out a quieter cough, causing him to chuckle. Isabella shakes her head before awkwardly turning to face him, now very much aware of the fact he was holding her. "It's your fault you know, if you didn't drag me into the water, I would have nearly died and then what you have done? I have bad asthma as well, you're so insensitive I swear or imagine if- "

Lucas was listening to her ramble as nerves filled her, but he was instead focused on their proximity, wondering if he should tell her how he felt, before deciding against it. He knew he had a duty and sadly it didn't involve Isabella, as much as he begged the moon goddess that it did. To distract himself from his own thoughts he cut her off mid sentence, dunking her under the water again, making sure to have hold of her still. This time Isabella closed her mouth, holding her breath. Lucas made sure to pull her back up just as quickly as he dunked her. He was happy with them going back to their silly antics but he still didn't want to cause her any serious harm.

"What was that for?" She wailed, brushing the wet hair out of her face.

"You talk too much." He simply replied, smiling back at her.

"There are nicer ways to get someone to shut up you know?" I retorted. She loved that they had banter and could be silly and rough but sometimes she did get annoyed by him when he went too far, like this time when she could have actually drowned. With Lucas, it almost always went too far, he seemed to like to add insult to injury.

Gripping her waist tighter, he pulls her body closer, tracing his fingers over the skin of her side. The thoughts of earlier came flying back as he was filled with emotion for the girl he held. "You want me to kiss you like off the movies? Cause if you want I-"

"No! I'm good thanks." Isabella quickly shouted, jumping away from Lucas like he was diseased. He had meant the comment but asked in a joking manner, unsure if Isabella felt the same, so the blow to his heart hit a bit less hard. He didn't notice the gentle blush that crept up her face, instead laughing at her reaction as to not feel hurt, eyes twinkling with amusement. He was fond of teasing her. It was a fun way for him to let some of his feelings be heard and he found Isabella so cute when she blushed for him.

"So you don't want me to kiss you?" He questioned again, frowning, attempting to embarrass her further.

"I. No. I don't, I think I'll pass thanks." Isabella replies a little too quickly, voice shaking with nerves as she heaves herself up onto the bank of the lake.

"Awwww." He says as genuine pain flashes through him. Isabella didn't miss the look of genuine sadness, which made her feel a bit bad, but part of her thought he deserved it after almost drowning her before.

"It's fine anyway Bell, I'll just find someone even better to kiss." He throws back as he swims over to the edge, in a desperate attempt to make her jealous. Mimicking Isabella, he too heaves himself up onto the bank.

Isabella once again was bird watching, her eyes locked on the small white birds that floated on top of the water, bobbing up and down on the small waves they had created with their game. She took a moment to appreciate the beauty of it, her thoughts travelling back to what just happened as she desperately tried to depict what every action had meant. Realising that she was overthinking it way too much, Isabella decided that Lucas was just being his annoying, silly, self she turned to face him. So lost in thought, she hadn't realised Lucas had long left her.

"Hey Lucas?" She begin as she turned to face him. Met with a mossy bank she realised he wasn't there. "Lucas?" She called out a second time. Where the heck is he? She thought. Standing up, she began to pace as panic set in. He couldn't have gotten far. Right? She thought.

No response.

As sorry filled her, she let out a nervous laugh. "Lucas you better come out of your hiding spot, and don't you dare jump out on me because I will lose my shit, I swear." She shouted. She prayed to the sky that this was just one of his silly jokes, that he would pop out and scare the ever-living Hell out of her.

Still no response.

"LUCAS, GET YOUR DUMBASS HERE RIGHT NOW OR I WILL MAKE IT SO YOU NEVER HAVE CHILDREN!" She yelled, causing a few nearby birds to take flight.

No response.

Lucas is aware that she doesn't like this game. It makes her paranoid, worried, and she really hates jump scares. It's the reason she never wants to watch scary movies with him, as much as he'd love her to cuddle into him for comfort. "Lucas?" She calls out a second time, concern filling her voice with a shakiness she can't shift.

Before she can begin to loose her shit with the blonde hair boy she calls a bestfriend, a massive thud stops her in her tracks. Scared, Isabella resorts to her natural instinct- screaming. The thud had come from right behind her. Spinning around, she finds her favourite idiot sprawled out on the floor.

Stalking over to him, she begins to shout. "You dumbass! You scared the shit out of me."

"Aww well that's good then, least it's not in there anymore." He says, smirking, brushing himself down.

"Not funny, idiot." Isabella says, holding her hand out for him to take.

Lucas just shakes his head stubbornly. Isabella half-expects him to struggle after just falling from goddess-knows-where but he gets up quickly, completely fine.

"What happened?" Isabella asks, more concerned than annoyed now her initial fright was over.

"Aha... well, I kinda fell out of a tree." He said, scratching the back of his neck.

"You what?" She said, stifling a laugh.

"You deaf or something? I said I fell out of a tree." He repeats.

Isabella giggles at him, until she notices the blood on the side of his face. "Oh my god! Lucas you have blood on your face. Are you feeling okay? We need to get back to camp right now. Do you have a headache? Feel dizzy? You think you can walk all the way home? What if it doesn't stop bleeding? What are your parents-"

"Isabella!" He shouts, grabbing my arm.

"Huh?" She replies, looking at him bewildered.

"You really do talk too much." He says softly. An unknown emotion swirling in his eyes.

Isabella let's put a dry cough. "We should probably head back, you need to get that seen to." She says, pointing to the side of his head. The wound is still bleeding, trailing down the side of his face.

"We don't need to go back, I'll be fine." He says confidently, but Isabella notices a flicker of discomfort in his eyes. It hurt more than he wanted to admit, wanting to appear strong in front of her.

"Does it hurt?" She asks, knowing full well it did hurt.

"Nah." He replies. Liar she thinks.

"Wait." She says, pulling down her sleeve to wipe away the blood flowing down his face, trying to stop it falling into his eyes. She gently presses her hand to his head, over the wound, trying to slow the bleeding from the source. He hisses from the contact and flinches.

"Still hurt?" Isabella questions, looking at him with both concern and amusement.

"No." He answers, not very convincingly. He was lying through his teeth and he knew that she knew that.

"Yeah and hedgehogs can fly. We are going back now." She orders, causing him to groan in response. Grabbing his hand, she drags him back towards to camp, straight to his parents.

"Oh my! What happened?" Isabella's Aunt Lucy, Lucas's mother asks, as she's the first to spot the pair.

"He fell out of a tree." Isabella simply states, letting go of his hand. Lucas turns to look at Lucy sheepishly.

She burst out laughing. "I'm sorry it's just, imagine a... in a tree... omg." The thought of a wolf in a tree had her giggling uncontrollably. Isabella shielded from this information, had no idea why her bestfriend falling from a tree was so amusing. She gave her Aunt a confused look, which made her stop laughing.

"The blood, right." She says, wiping her hands down her top to straighten herself out and regain composure. "Come on darlings, let's go clean this one up." She says signalling to Lucas.

They walk over to the tent and head inside. The tent is fairly large- it says it fits seven people, so about five practically. Isabella's Uncle is sat in the middle of the tent with Paige, her seven year old cousin, and her dog, Hollie. He looks up when he sees us enter.

Hollie bounded over, jumping on Lucas, knocking him fully over. "Owwww." He cries out, as he bangs his head on the fold up table.

"Hollie here now." Isabella's uncle calls in an attempt to get Hollie to move away from Lucas.

"Lucas you okay?" Isabella asks, as Lucy pulls him up, Hollie still scrambling all over Lucas.

"Just brilliant." He says sarcastically, causing Isabella to giggle.

"Hollie, come." Isabella commands. She comes straight away no hesitation. "Good, now sit." She sits. Her uncle stares at her in wonder. Paige who is next to him, isn't paying attention. She's too busy in her own little world, playing with her dolls.

"How do you do that?" He asks, "She doesn't listen to me."

"I don't know. I guess she just loves me the best." She giggles again.

Upon hearing Isabella's voice, Paige shouts and runs up to hug her. "Bella!!" She shouts as she wraps her arms around Isabella's legs. She honestly is the cutest child alive Isabella thinks.

Paige has long wavy brown hair matching Isabella, with similar eyes, although Isabella's are slightly deeper in colour, more of a forest green, compared to Paige's aquamarine green. She's fairly small for her age, being only 9, but strangely, she's almost as strong as Isabella at 15.

Isabella hugs her back.Awww Paige, I've missed you too."

"Can I show you my toys?" Paige asks sweetly. Isabella smiles at her.

"In a little bit, I need to help this stupid idiot." She replies, pointing at Lucas.

She gasps when she sees him. "You numpty! Your head is bleeding." She says, smacking him on the arm. "Wait until I tell your mummy." She stands arms crossed. She's so frickin' cute, Isabella thinks.

A few glances are passed about the room, as they all trying not to laugh at the bossy child.

"Aww Paige your so cute. I swear." Isabella giggles. She smiles as if to say she knows.

"Shame the same can't be said about you." Lucas comments, which earns him a glare.

"Oi, mister, Bella is beautiful so shut up you idiot." She smacks him again. Harder.

"Owwww!" He cries out.

"You're a man, you're not supposed to feel pain." Lucy comments, clearly amused by this situation.

"But it hurt." He wines.

"Though it didn't hurt?" Isabella retorts.

"It didn't until you decided to jab me in the side of the head!" He exclaims.

"I was being nice!"

"Yeah yeah." He says, waving her off with his hand.

"If you two are done bickering, I think we should sort out that mess on the side of your head." Isabella's uncle says to Lucas.

He turns to my auntie and asks "How did he even manage that?"

She just shakes her head. "You won't believe this..."

Word count [2640]
Total [2640]

So what did you guys think to my first chapter? I know the introduction to the characters is somewhat slow but I didn't want to rush into it.

- Seasaltsecret xox