I didn't expect to be neck deep in the Vermilion River when I got out of bed this morning, but somehow that's exactly where I ended up. The muddy waters currents flow by me delicately, an exact juxtaposition to the emotions I'm feeling.

"Please don't be mad at me, Jen..." my friend Payton speaks up from a couple feet away.

I shoot her a glance, "I'm not mad...at you."

That's not entirely true, I'm a little bit mad at her. She's kind of the reason we ended up in this predicament, all because she had a crush on a stupid guy. Let me explain:

Payton likes Theo. Like a lot. I'm not sure why, his mangy red hair always smells musty, and his too big clothes hang off his beanpole of a body. And to top it off, he's kind of a jerk! So when she told me that he invited us to go tubing down the river today, I was obviously a little wary. Her pleading eyes were enough to sway me into going, she has a way of using her eyes against me.

We show up at the river; no tubes! Automatically seems off, but Theo tells Payton that they are gonna go skinny dipping instead, whilst taking off his clothes and jumping in with his friend. Payton follows closely behind, and because I couldn't leave alone with these creeps, I do the same.

And that is how we got here. Stuck in the muddy river, with god-knows-what swimming underneath us. Absolutely butt ass naked, and Theo and his dumb friend ran off with our clothes.

"I really thought....I thought that he...." Payton stammers over her words, with tears in her eyes.

I walk over and put my arms out, and her curvy figure falls into them. The tears flowing freely now. I couldn't pretend my heart wasn't fluttering with her bare skin up against mine. If only she knew....