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“Alright, chucklefucks. Listen up.”
A group of five cold-looking teenagers in bathing suits stood at the edge of the pier, teetering over the water. A sixth teenager with pink hair and a whistle on a necklace lectured them from on the land, pacing back and forth along the shore of the lake.
“When I blow this whistle, you’re all gonna jump in and swim to the statue in the middle of the lake and back. First to make it back gets this 20 dollar gift card to the candy store I found on the sidewalk. Any questions?”
A hand shoots up. “Yes, Vance?”
“Yeah, how do you know that gift card is legit?”
“Win it and you can find out. Anyone else?”
Another hand. “Kim?”
“Um, why is Kel standing like 40 feet behind you.”
Aubrey sighed loudly. Kel smiled and waved from 40 feet behind Aubrey.
“He wanted to race too, ‘cuz he wanted to ‘get to know us better’ or something. So I’m letting him race, but I’m sure as hell not gonna let him win. So he starts from way back there.”
Another hand shoots up. “Maverick?”
“Why is Basil already at the statue?”
All of the hooligans turned to look at the shivering boy wearing a bright orange life jacket, floating by the statue. He caught their gaze for a moment before blushing and turning away.
“He’s racing too but he’s mostly here for moral support. Also he can’t swim so he gets a big head start. Any other questions, or are we ready to go?”
Another hand shot up, far higher than the others. “Charlie?”
“Um… is there… a life guard?”
Aubrey looked mildly perturbed by the question. “No, Charlie. There’s no life guard.”
“I think… I’ll stay here and… be the life guard.”
“Good for you, Charlie. Anyone else?”
One last hand shot up, smaller than the rest. “Angel?”
“Why aren’t your leg hairs pink?”
Aubrey glowered at him. “Alright, we’ll start on three.
“Three.” She started walking down the pier. Angel looked dejected.
“Two.” Aubrey reached the end of the pier. Charlene patted Angel on the head.
“One.” Everyone on the pier turned to face the water and got into a jumping position. Kel got into a sprinting position. Basil flinched.
FWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET
While Basil looked away, he heard five loud splashes, followed by yells as the hooligans flailed and pulled on each other, and then a sixth, much quieter splash. None of them were actually moving toward Basil, but that was fine with him. The hooligans were nice enough, but getting anywhere near them was usually detrimental to his health. So, he stayed by the fountain and watched as they splashed around.
The water was cold.
The splashes were loud.
Basil didn’t mind. It kept his mind from wandering. Kept all those thoughts about how all of them were over there, playing with each other, and he was over here, alone, as he deserved to be, at bay.
The water was still cold. Basil’s legs were starting to go a little numb. Fine by him.
“LEGGO OF ME LEGGO OF ME I NEED THAT GIFT CARD” Vance shouted at the assorted hooligans gathered on top of him, redirecting his swim towards the fountain into a slog creeping towards the shore.
“NO GET FUCKED” Kim shouted back. “THE CANDY WILL BE MINE” Kim shouted, leaping off her brother. Unfortunately, her mad dash was cut short by her brother grabbing her leg with his hand not being used to keep Angel from biting him.
Meanwhile, Aubrey and the Maverick were not faring much better, as Aubrey seemed far more interested in preventing him from getting to the fountain than actually getting there herself.
And Basil kept watching.
From a distance.
And that was fine.
Everything was going to be-
SPLOOSH
Something emerged from the water right next to the fountain, splashing a startled Basil.
“Hiya, Basil!” said Kel. “Man, those hooligans really suck at this, huh? Or maybe they just can’t handle my speed?”
“Kel!” Basil squeaked. “I, uh, didn’t see you there.”
“And neither did they! I got right past ‘em and they were too busy fighting each other to even notice!”
“Everyone calm your shit! Kel’s at the fountain!” blurted Kim.
All of the splashing stopped all at once as the hooligans glared at the fountain. Kel glared right back at them. Basil was suddenly filled with dread.
“GET ‘IM!” shrieked Aubrey, and the five of them charged towards the fountain in unison, bellowing shrill war cries of various pitches.
“Uh oh,” Kel said, and disappeared back into the water. Unfortunately, even Kel’s speed could not match five angry, candy-starved hooligans charging right at him, and Vance grabbed him, with the other hooligans following soon after, pushing Kel right back towards the fountain.
Right back towards a completely frozen Basil, who none of them seemed to notice.
The maelstrom hit Basil like a hurricane, and he was caught in a whirlwind of flying bodies with limbs flailing in every direction.
But that’s fine.
Maybe he got a few bruises. Maybe his head got knocked around. Maybe he even got a bite mark or two, but that’s fine. The pain keeps the thoughts away. And besides, there wasn’t anything he could do about it. They wanted Kel. He was in the way. So all he had to do was sit back and -
“BASIL”
Did someone call his name?
No, he must have-
“BASIL”
He felt hands on his shoulders. Someone was shaking him.
“Basil, we can’t hold him off much longer!” Vance gasped at him. “He’s gonna take our candy! We need your help, Basil!”
Basil barely registered what Vance said, before he heard his name again.
“Basil!” Kim yelled, her voice muted by the splashing. “We need reinforcements! Help us hold off Kel!”
“Basil I’m sorry I ever mistreated you!” the Maverick pleaded. “You know Kel better than any of us - you’re our only hope! Also, did I mention that I love your hair?”
“Basil I always thought you were cool!” Angel shouted. “I only picked on you because I was jealous of your, uh, swagger! Yeah, your swagger!”
Basil didn’t really know what he meant by that. He wasn’t sure he wanted to. He really didn’t like this.
Why couldn’t he just go back to being away from everyone? He really didn’t want to hurt Kel because of a stupid, split-second decision. He never wanted to do that again.
Once again, he felt someone grab his shoulders. But it was gentler. More sincere.
Aubrey stared straight into Basil’s soul. “Basil, you don’t have to do this. We have no right to be demanding anything of you.”
The maelstrom stopped. All eyes were on Aubrey.
“Kel never stopped trying to be friends with you, always saw the good in you, and I… we… we bullied you.” Aubrey looked down in shame. The other hooligans looked extremely uncomfortable. “So, I totally understand if you wanna take his side over ours.”
Basil looked away. How was he supposed to respond to that? But nobody else seemed to be saying anything, so he had to say something. “Um… I… you, uh-”
“Actually, if you don’t mind, Basil,” interrupted Kel, “these chumps aren’t enough of a challenge for me. Howsabout we make six-on-one; even it up a little? Whaddya say, Basil?”
Kel’s smile lit up the pond. Basil couldn’t help but smile back. “I guess… I can try. I don’t think I’m gonna be any good, though.”
The silence was eviscerated by the sound of cheering hooligans and shouts of “GO BASIL” and “GET HIS ASS BASIL”.
It had been a long time since Basil had heard anyone talk to him like that. He waited and took in the moment, until he realized that everyone was waiting at him to do something.
It was uncomfortable.
So he launched himself at Kel.
Kel, not expecting Basil to be able to move that quickly, flinched as Basil rained down upon him, to the shocked joy of the hooligans.
“Hey! Whoa, you are shockingly strong,” Kel exclaimed, struggling to break free of Basil’s vice grip.
“Don’t let his noble sacrifice be in vain!” shouted the Maverick. “Everyone, get back to the pier! Defeat Kel!”
As the suddenly united hooligans broke towards the pier, Kel began to laugh.
“You know, Basil,” Kel said to his captor, “this is actually kinda nice.”
Basil was having trouble responding. Kel was very strong. “Pant, pant, what, pant, pant, pant, do you mean?”
“A few months ago, I didn’t think I’d ever get a hug from you again. But you sure showed me!”
Basil blushed. But he didn’t let go, either. Instead, he squeezed Kel even harder. He didn’t know what else to do.
Well, there was one thing he could say.
“Pant, pant, thank you, pant, pant, for being there, pant, pant, pant, when no one else was.”
Kel smiled through the exertion. “That’s what friends are for!”
Yelling from the shore indicated that the race was over and the fighting over who won had begun.
“I think they won, Basil. You can let go of me now.”
Basil loosened his grip, but didn’t let go. Kel turned around, and hugged Basil right back.
It was nice and warm against the cold water.
“YOU TWO SHOULD KISS,” shouted Angel.
Immediately, they separated, both blushing. Aubrey elbowed Angel in the stomach so hard that Kel and Basil could hear it.
“I’m gonna swim back to shore now,” said Kel. “But Basil, you did a really good job there! You should try out for the wrestling team or something!”
“I’ll, uh, think about it.”
With that, they both started heading back to the shore.