It's Almost Easy

I crashed into the water and landed on the bottom of the lake hard. It was far too shallow to jump in from that height.

“Syn!” I gasped as I tried to stay afloat while grabbing my right ankle. It was unbelievably sore, and combined with the chilly water, I was not a happy person.

“Are you okay?” he shouted as he sprinted into the water and headed over to me. “I told you it was a bad idea.” He helped me out of the water and I collapsed on the ground once he let go of me. I grabbed my towel and wrapped it around myself, trying to regain my heat.

“I think I need to go to a hospital,” I muttered, not happy about admitting that.

“Are you sure?” he asked. He had got his towel too and was now kneeling at my ankle, inspecting it to see how bad it was. I studied his facial features. He seemed so perfect – without the eyeliner and with his hair wet. He poked my ankle and I screamed out in pain.

“What was that for?” I yelled angrily and hit his shoulder (the only part of him I could reach). I dried myself off the best I could and then put my jacket on. Syn helped me up to my feet, but I couldn’t stand by myself. I had to lean on him the whole way back up to our little bungalow which was where he gave me ice for my ankle and a hot drink to warm me up.

“I have to take you to the hospital now,” he said once I had finished my drink.

“I’m fine,” I said. “Besides, I guarantee you that there is no hospital for hours. By the time we get there it’ll be too late to drive all the way back here. Let’s just wait a few more days and go there on the way back.” I had prepared that speech for him while I was drinking and lying on the couch resting. I didn’t want to leave this place. No matter how bad my ankle had become.

“I’m worried though...” he confessed. He looked up at me with his big brown eyes and I immediately felt his pain.

“Don’t be. I’m fine,” I said soothingly.

*A few days later on the trip back*

“Well, judging by these x-rays, Miss Hanway, you have a broken ankle,” the doctor told me. Syn squeezed my hand but kept his mouth shut. I knew he was thinking ‘I told you so’. “May I ask what you were doing when this happened?” I paused and saw out of the corner of my eye Syn trying not to laugh. It would sound weird if I told the doctor the truth.

“I fell out of a tree,” I lied. Well, it wasn’t a complete lie...

“I’m afraid you’re going to be stuck in a cast and with crutches for a wee while,” he said, straightening his glasses and beginning to write. I glanced at Syn who suddenly seemed a bit more relaxed and less agitated. The doctor dismissed us to a different department of the hospital. Syn wheeled me around in my wheelchair like a crazy idiot, but it was fun anyway. I ended up walking out of the hospital with a pink cast and crutches. I can’t explain to you how ridiculous I felt.

“I hope you know I’m never going to live this down,” Syn said as he pulled out of the carpark.

“Live what down?”

“Letting you do a stupid dare that made you break your ankle,” he said and we shared a laugh. “I swear the other guys are going to be teasing me about it for weeks AFTER you get your cast off.”

“Hey, we had a great time, right?” I asked and he nodded in agreement. “So what does it matter if I have to wear a something to prove it?”

“I don’t see how braking something is fun, but sure...” he said and I giggled.

“You can be the first to sign it,” I began to explain my idea. “And write about our holiday. Then everyone who signs it after that will read yours and they will realise how much of a great time we had.”

“Okay, I’ll do that then,” he said and concentrated on driving. “But I’m never going to believe you next time you say you’re fine.” I laughed, then stared out my window, but I soon fell asleep because of the new painkillers I was on.