"So this is senior night," I said, leaning back on my elbows on top of the fleece blanket the twins and I had laid out. I could feel how cold the soft sand was underneath. Even in late June, upstate New York could be pretty damn chilly, especially after the sun goes down. Summer had already started, but most of us were wearing sweatshirts and jeans and a bunch of people were gathered around a mid-sized fire we had started for marshmallow roasting. 

"This is Senior Night," Donna confirmed, looking around.

"Kind of lame, no?" I said. 

"Hey! It's just getting started!" Derek protested, dropping down at my side with a couple of cans of root beer.

"Are you kidding me with this stuff," Donna said, tossing the can into the sand. "Where's the goods?"

"I didn't bring any 'goods'" Derek said sarcastically, making air quotes. "We come home with even a trace of alcohol smell and mom and dad will kill us first and ask questions later."

"My brother, the goody-goody," Donna said, narrowing her eyes. 

"My sister, the lush," he countered.

She scoffed and got up, dusting off her legs. "I'm going to go see what Dino and those guys brought, I'll be right back."

She lopped off through the sand toward the tent Dino and the other loudmouths from our class had pitched. At least a dozen empty beer cans littered the area around their cooler, and Dino and Alison were already going at it in a flimsy beach chair like there was no tomorrow.

"Those two really need to get a room," Derek said taking a swig of his root beer.

"Or at least a tree," I replied, lifting my chin.

Mara Winters and Lawrence Dodd, couple of the year, were making their way along the sand towards the woods, their arms latched around each other. She laid her head on his shoulder and he kissed the top of it as the matched each other stride for stride. They looked so perfectly in sync moving together, like they were attached to the hip. I knew that if I tried to walk like that with a guy, I'd be so awkward and nervous I'd probably trip us both right into the lake.

"Looks like a lot of people are pairing off," Derek said.

He pointed out another couple headed in the opposite direction of Mara and Lawrence. From this distance, I couldn't make out who they were. I looked out at the teeny tiny waves lapping at the shore and sighed.

"What's the matter, Cass?" Derek said, nudging my shoulder with his elbow. "Senior night just not wild enough for you?"

"I got something that will help!" Donna chimed in.

She returned to the blanket with three beers, dropping one in front of each of us. Derek and I both let ours lie, but Donna popped hers open and took a long swig.

"Oh ick!" she said, sticking out her tongue. "This tasted like ass!"

"And how exactly do you know what ass tastes like?" I asked her.

She pulled back and whacked me in the shoulder with the back of her hand. Then she held her breath and took another drink. Donna was nothing if not always ready to party. I had always admired her ability to try new things and let go. Whenever I tried to do it with her, I always ended up talking myself out of it by panicking about potential consequences. 

"So what's the problem?" Donna asked me. "Irritated that everyone's got a Neanderthal to snuggle up with except you?"

I laughed. "Well, when you put it that way. . ."

"No! I'm with you," Donna said taking another sip. "I'd give anything for a little action. 

"Okay, SO didn't need to hear that," Derek said, wincing.

"Donna! You just said they were all Neanderthals!" I reminded her.

"I know, but at this pint I would make out with Linus Kaplan if I had too," she said, pointing at the class dork who was actually playing chess across the way with his friend Vikram. "I mean, it's senior night! We're supposed to get crazy!"

"I don't know," I replied. "I wouldn't mind having someone to sneak off with, but it just couldn't be anyone. It would have to be someone special. Someone I had a real connection with. I don't think I could just kiss someone random."

"See, now there's a good woman," Derek said, pointing at me with his root beer. "That's what I love about you Cass. You got a good head on your shoulders. Always count on Cassie to do the right thing."

I blushed. "Okay, could you make me sound anymore boring? I'm so sick of being Mrs. Reliable."

"So? Do something about it. You should go crazy this summer," Donna suggested, waving her beer can around. "Do something wild."

"Like what?" What the heck was there to do in Lake Logan that was out of the ordinary?

"Kiss Linus Kaplan!" Donna shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Donna!" I hissed.

Linus and Vikram looked up from their chess game and Linus went pale. I thought he was going to pee his pants again. I felt like I was about to die of embarrassment. 

"I think I'm going to go put my feet in the water," I said loudly, pushing myself up. I had to put some distance between me and Linus before he started thinking he had a chance.

"Cass, it's like forty degrees in that lake," Derek called.

"Call it my something wild," I threw over my shoulder. Of course, Donna and Derek both followed me. They think I'm predictable? I knew there was no way they were going to sit there while I went to the water. We rarely, if ever, left each others sides if we were at the same party. Even for a second. 

I rolled up my jeans just below my knee and took off my sneakers and socks. Just the touch of my bare feet against the sand sent serious chills all throughout my body. A little breeze kicked up, adding insult to injury. Still, there was no stopping me now. I took a deep breathe of the clean crisp air, and stepped right into the lake.

Holy mother of all is good in the universe! my brain cried. What do you think you're doing you psycho!

 My friends eyed me with amused interest, but I turned away from them and bit my lip against the dry ice sensation that was running its way over my skin. When I turned back to them, I was pretty sure I looked calm. 

"It's not that bad," I said.

"Uh-huh," Derek replied, skeptically.

"Cassie, if standing four inches in freezing water is your 'something wild' then it's kind of pathetic," Donna said, taking a sip of her beer. 

I sighed. "I think I might need to save the rebellion for next summer," I told her. "This summer is all about making money for that entry fee so that Lola and I can compete. I need that prize money for school."

I had won a partial scholarship to UV, based on my grades and my application essay to the zoological program. Dad was covering the rest of the tuition, but there was nothing to use as spending money. Unless I wanted to work two jobs my entire freshman year, I had to win that novice jumper competition. Twenty thousand would really go a long way in easing the financial pain over the next few years. A long way.

"I know," Donna said. "But it's our last summer. Do you really have to work twenty-four seven?"

My heart gave a pang at her words. Our last summer. It was so weird to think of life as anything but this. Me, Donna, and Derek. Lake Logan. Chilling at their families movie theater or at Pete's Diner or riding horses at our ranch.  It really was all coming to an end. 

"I'm sure we'll have tons of time to hang out." I said. "I'll make time."

Donna smiles and I smiled back.

"But for the most part, yeah, I have to work." I told them. "A lot."

"Like I said!" Derek announced, throwing his hands up. "Cassandra Grace. Reliable. Predictable."

I caught Donna's eye and knew from the wicked smile on her face that she was thinking the exact same thing I was. We pounced on Derek at the exact same moment and he made a move to flee. But he was two seconds too late.

"Predictable this!" I cried.

He let out an intense scream as Donna and I flung him clean into the water. Both of us were splashed all over, but it was entirely worth it just to see Derek sputter and flail as he resurfaced. His hair was plastered over his eyes and his sweat shirt sleeves pulled down to cover his hands.

"You're dead! You guys are so dead!" he cried, trying to find his footing. 

But it was too late. Donna and I had already grabbed my sneakers from the sand and taken off towards the trees, just hoping not to stumble on any half-naked lovers as we ran.

*  *  *

Hello!!! I hope y'all liked this chapter and getting to know Donna and Derek a little bit better!!!

Don't worry y'all. In two chapters we finally get to meet the man y'all have been waiting for. Trust me, it will be worth the wait.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Treasure the love you receive above all. It will survive long after you're good health has vanished." -Og  Mandino

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Much love < 3