Love Throughout Eternity
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar; the last airbender. So sad.
I looked at my reflection shimmering in the pure lake water. I had decided to let my hair down for once in a long time, so staring at it, was kind of strange to see myself let loose.
I wanted to jump in, but didn't want to disturb the silent lake water. Plus, I had a ton of things I needed to be doing anyways, that didn't involve swimming. I continued to stare at my dark, tanned skin, and bright blue eyes staring at me. Today was my eighteenth birthday, and yesterday had been graduation from high school. I sighed. My life was getting more and more difficult now that I needed to think about college. But what? I had no idea whatsoever what I wanted to do. Not even a small clue.
I tore my eyes away and shook my head. My brother, Sean, was treating me to a graduation gift and had brought me to this lakeside with my best girlfriend, Tosha. Tosh was quite smitten with my brother, so I went on a walk by myself to clear my head. I have a feeling that they forgot my birthday, but I guess that doesn't matter.
I sighed and looked out at the water again. I saw something momentarily as it bobbed up and down a good hundred feet from shore. I felt my heartbeat start up. Is that a person? I saw the white skin of an arm and back. Suddenly, the next thing I knew was that I was running into the water, swimming as fast as I could towards the body. I watched with panicked breathing as it slipped down beneath the water as I neared. I reached the spot and stopped, searching around. Oh no! It sank!
"What do I do now?" I yelled to myself, splashing water around, "they're gone!"
"Who's gone?" a voice from behind me asked question-ly. I flew around to meet the person who was talking.
My eyes went wide at the teenage guy in front of me. He smiled at me handsomely, his gray eyes shining brightly. He had short dark brown hair, but it was sticking everywhere, definitely sporty-short. I had a sharp intake of breath. "W-where did you come from!?" I yelled and scooted away.
He looked around, honestly. "Down there," he said, smiling and pointing to the water.
It dawned on me, "were you the one floating here?"
"Yeah," he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck, "I was relaxing for a moment. I have been swimming all afternoon."
"I thought you were dead!" I said harshly, "you were on your stomach and I thought you couldn't breathe."
He splashed some water around with his hands, distracting himself. "Nah, I could breathe." He then looked up at me brightly, a faint blush tinting his face, "I could teach you how to breathe under water." His gray eyes were so beautiful.... so captivating.
"No thanks," I muttered and started swimming back to shore.
"Hey!" he yelled after me, "wait up!"
I walked out of the water and started to wring out my hair. I could feel his stare on me and I turned on him. "What?" I said grumpily.
He blushed and looked away, "Oh... uh! N-nothing."
I looked at him as he picked himself up and walked out of the water as well. My eyes widened at his built form, all the way from his shoulders to his abs, and legs. I blinked, forcing myself to look away. He wasn't ripped, but extremely well developed, and I felt myself blush. Indeed he was incredibly attractive.
He sat down on the sand by the beach, and looked up at me. "So, what's your name?"
I recovered myself and sat down next to him, but not too close (if you were wondering).
"Karina," I said quietly, "strange I know. My mother liked.... different names."
He chuckled to himself, "I don't think it's stupid or anything. I actually like it a lot. It's very pretty."
I was staring at the sand when he said this. I whipped my head up to look at him. He was staring at the sand too, his face looking flustered.
"S-so, what's your name?" I finally asked.
He looked up at me, smiling happily, almost boyish. "I'm Aaron."
Something inside me felt strange. "You seem familiar," I said quietly, looking into his eyes, "I swear I have seen you somewhere before."
He looked back at the lake. "I thought the same thing when I first saw you."
"Aaron," I whispered to myself.
"Karina," he mumbled.
We both looked at each other and laughed.
He finally broke the awkwardness and got up, pulling me after him.
"Woah, wait wha?" I gasped as he drug me through the trees and up some rocks.
"Shhhh…." He said playfully, "I wanna show you some place."
I shut up as he brought me to the top of a hill that looked over the lake. I sucked in air cautiously, taking in the gorgeous view. "It's beautiful," I whispered. I looked up at the sky, seeing the sunset staining the clouds orange and yellow. Suddenly I felt the wind pick up and blow my hair.
The air around us got faster and spun around us playfully. Aaron looked around him, smiling. He lifted his hands above his head and whirled them around as if he was controlling the wind. I felt my body relax and sway to the beat that the wind was making.
He finally stopped, his eyes closed, and spread his hands out on either side of him, standing still. I looked at him fondly, a blush flushing my face and neck. I had known him, like, fifteen minutes, yet I felt like I knew him a lifetime.
He finally opened his eyes and lifted his face towards the sky. "The air speaks to me," he whispered.
I stared at him even longer. Do I dare say it? "I k-kinda know what you mean," I said quietly, "some-sometimes, it's almost as if the water I am swimming in speaks to me as well."
He turned his head ever so slightly and looked at me out of the corner of his eye. He smiled a lopsided grin and looked back at the lake.
"Memories sometimes bubble up inside of me," he said to the air in front of him, "I see pictures, smiles, laughs. But I don't know where the memories are from. I don't know who those people are."
His face was straight, unemotional. I walked up next to him as he put down his arms.
"What kind of people?"
"Two people," he whispered, still looking straight ahead, "in love."