Chapter 3

Sarah woke late on Sunday morning and was enjoying a lie-in before she was disturbed by a knock on her bedroom door. "Sarah, you've got an hour before we head down to the lake." Jenny announced.

"Ok, I'm awake" she responded groggily. The night before Mike had told her about the day he and Jenny had planned for them. The friends and neighbours they'd made since coming to the camp were coming round to celebrate the end of their first season. There was to be a barbeque and free run on the water sports gear from the camp.

Sarah showered, ate and picked up her stereo with a few tapes and CD's. Wearing a bathing suit with tee shirt and shorts on top, Sarah was comfortable as they ferried the required gear down to the lake. As they finished setting up, Jason arrived to lend a hand.

"Ah, perfect timing as usual Jason, the hard work's over" Mike joked.

"Well I am officially a guest and not the camp slave today," Jason retorted, "Abby and Larry will be down soon, they're just making up some salads."

This puzzled Sarah. "Who are Abby and Larry?"

"My parents," Jason replied, "they're what you might call..."

"Hippies 'J' and proud of it," interrupted a gravelly voice belonging to longhaired man who appeared to be in his fifty's.

"Alternative," finished Jason. "If I call them mum and dad they get all 'groovy on my ass' it's not worth it."

After greeting Jason's parents Sarah pulled out a Supergrass tape and went to put it in the stereo.

"Hey Sarah, can you sail?" asked Jason, pulling a dinghy toward the water.

"No, but I'd like to try. Why? Are you offering?"

"Well duh. Come on!" Jason taunted, holding up a buoyancy aid.

Jason and Sarah traversed the lake, laughing and mucking about. They sat close, exposed skin rubbing against each other with the movement of the boat. Jason become conscious of their contact and was aware his manhood was beginning to react to the stimulation.

He told himself to relax, that she wasn't ready think about anyone that way, that she was just looking for a friend. Much to his surprise he managed to control his urges and actually teach Sarah some basics. They came back after a couple hours, but only because they were hungry.

During her lunch Sarah received a telling off for not being there to greet everyone Mike and Jenny had invited. She worked her way round with Mike meeting a dozen or so people who all treated her with kid gloves and didn't say anything about why she was there. She also discovered that Jason was the only person there within five years of her age.

Sarah scarpered as soon as she could and found Jason swimming out next to the floating pontoon. "Hey there," she spluttered, doggy paddling out to him, "what's next then?"

"Well if that's the way you swim; a swimming lesson"

"What!?" Sarah spluttered, and in her anger started to sink and swear at Jason at the same time. Just as she felt like she wasn't going to be able to get another breath she was lifted bodily from the water and laid down on to the flat top of the pontoon. She spat out a mouthful of water and began to splutter her thanks.

"What the hell are you doing swimming wearing that in the first place?" asked Jason looking at Sarah who was still wearing her shorts and tee shirt over her suit.

"Didn't think," replied Sarah panting and coughing.

"Obviously," Jason observed and immediately started to remove the offending items. He realised after he'd removed her shorts and was halfway through her tee shirt that this was quite an intimate thing to be doing. Especially to a girl he'd only known for a day and a half, and in full view of everyone on the shore. He stopped and looked down at her sheepishly. "Sorry," he winced. "I just thought you'd want to get rid ... of..." he petered out.

"Don't worry," she replied glancing at the shore, "no one's looking anyway. Thanks for saving me," and then to both their surprise she kissed him lightly on the cheek. She finished removing her tee shirt revealing a two-piece suit that flattered her slightly rounded teenage body.

"W ... W ... Well," Jason stuttered shocked and embarrassed "you're welcome. Uh ... do you want me to help you improve your swimming?"

"Sure, that'd be great!" Sarah eagerly replied.

The rest of the afternoon was employed teaching Sarah to swim with more confidence. Resting on the pontoon between lessons they chatted laughed and got to know one another.

Sarah told him more about her hobbies and her background. She carefully avoided that which had brought them together, not wanting to spoil the fun mood they'd generated.

Jason in turn told her of his hobbies, cycling, riding and reading. He explained his hippie parents and his exceptional school record. An all A student at the top of his class. When talking about his hobbies Jason was animated and exited, but when the subject changed to school he was less exited and almost brooding. Sarah decided to give him the same courtesy as he had given her didn't probe into something he'd avoided talking about.

As the wind picked up and the sun started to get lower, they returned to the beach. Jason swam one handed with Sarah's now dry clothes in the other.

"Show off," she joked as she dressed herself.

"Well," he replied buffing his nails against his tee shirt and blowing on them "maybe a little."

The event was breaking up and people were starting to leave, Jason and Sarah smiled at each other as he left with his parents in tow. Sarah felt positively happy for the first time since arriving in the States, even since that night almost two months ago.

That evening after eating leftover barbeque for dinner, Mike sat Sarah down in the living room. Perching her on a footstool in front of him he started, "I don't want to put a downer on things, you looked so happy this afternoon but," he paused "tomorrow we, that's me and Jenny, have to go in to Stephens Point to see a lawyer about your parent's estate."