LF POOL HOPPING
A hot summers day and nothing to do. This seems to be the story that reoccurs everyday in Lake Forest. But it was the first day of summer, could I actually be bored right now?
Allie, Joanie and I were on our bikes circling around Westminster and Lake Road. The sun seemed to blaze harder with each pettle I pushed. The scent of fresh lawns, wonderful roses and the lake all seemed to mix together in the scent that I have always known as summer. Surrounding us were glorious homes built in the twenties. Each house that we passed captivated our eyes. We knew who lived in all these houses, and can remember going to Christmas parties and luncheons there, but something seemed to be different when snow wasn’t on the ground and instead it had been replaced with beautiful flowers that surrounded and embodied the homes
Almost on cue of all the memories that were flooding my mind, Joanie interrupted my thoughts saying, “I’m so hot, lets go to the Lake” Allie and I groaned at the idea of swimming with the disgusting dead fish, and murky water that all the little kids decide to go to the bathroom in. But it was true; we were all dieing to go swimming. Allie suggested swimming in her pool, but biking all the way to Sheridan Rd. would feel like an eternity, that would simply not be worth the effort. We all stopped to think of something to do in front of what seemed to be the most beautiful home I had ever seen. Stone Arches surrounded the front of the property, looking out into an enormous back yard that sat right on top of Lake Michigan. Looking around at this beautiful home I was sure the same thought entered all of our minds, but I couldn’t be entirely sure.
In my mind I thought about it, we were now finally 8th graders. The summer was in our control and we needed to finally start having some fun and adventure, after all it’s only one year till were in high school Right then I decided I was going to step up to the plate. I would suggest it casually, so just in case they weren’t thinking the same thing I could act like I was joking, but I had to do it, this was my summer to enjoy and at that moment I felt that this very decision depended on how the rest of it would take place.
“Uhhh I wish we could just go swimming in these houses, it doesn’t even look like their being used, everyone’s out of town… we should totally just open the gate, just to look and see what’s inside”
Then two grins appeared on Allie and Joanie’s faces. From that moment I knew my idea was a success.
Joanie, always the daring one, quickly answered “Yeah I’ve never gone pool hopping”
“ Guys, its illegal we can’t just swim in someone else’s pool” Allie replied. Allie was always the one to ruin our fun plans by reminding us how stupid the things we came up with were. But Joanie and me could tell she was a little curious and just needed a little convincing.
“We can just go in look, we don’t have to actually get in,” I said hoping Allie would go along. Allie reluctantly said sure, and all three of us parked our bikes behind bushes so no one could see them.
The thought of breaking an entry was odd for three girls who came from a little private school filled with goodytoshoes who spend their summers reading books, at our country clubs or just hanging out with close family and friends. But naturally we picked the most beautiful house I had ever seen in my life. The rustic yet elegant brick house overlooked Lake Michigan. I hesitantly opened the squeaky side gate that led to a gorgeous back yard filled with beautiful flowers and Greek statues. There was a beautiful stone path through a rose garden, which led to a marble Olympic pool with a diving board. Joanie, Allie and I stood there, looking at the pool on the Lake, none of us saying anything. I was waiting for something to ruin this moment, an alarm, the owner of this house, something. But as I stood there I realized we would get away with this. It was fate. Over thinking this moment could do no good at this point, so we timidly put our toes into the water checking the temperature. I was ready to get in slowly but then a loud call “1……2………3” shouted out of Joanie’s mouth. I took a huge breath and went for the plunge. When I got in it was scary but the most exhilarating feeling I’ve ever felt. We all became more and more comfortable as time went on. Joanie, Allie and I started to play marco polo, sub, colors and other pool games. After getting tired out from all the games, we sat there floating, catching up on the gossip that had already circulated after one day of summer.
About twenty minutes later a screech at the garden gate made a huge cry. “Crap” I said in a quiet voice, I grabbed my shoes and sundress and ran to the other side of the house, getting out in the nick of time. We got on our bikes, laughing historically. It was so much fun, how could it end now. We naturally went to three more houses on Lake Rd. having a similar scenario happen in every case except for screeching gates, it would be a barking dog, or a neighbor pulling into their drive way.
At around 5:00 we all realized our parents had no idea where we were and unless we wanted to start the whole summer grounded, we should probably ride on home and take a break from pool hopping.
I entered my driveway-waving goodbye to Allie and Joanie because my house was the first stop. After I parked my bike in my family’s garage I ran past my parents who were out on the back porch barbequing with my neighbors, and rushed to my room to just think about how much fun that was. It was maybe one of the riskiest things I had done in my life at that time, and of course I was with two of my best friends laughing the whole way through, could this summer start any better? For the first time ever, I felt like I wasn’t just a 7th grade Country Day middle school-er, I was finally, well, an 8th grader.
Looking back at this piece a ton of editing could be done. I think I must have had a mindset in which using adjectives was the only way to be descriptive. Hmm, but anyways this was an improvement for me, anything without structure (5 paragraph essays) are usually not something I lean towards, but this short story really is fun to read.. at least for me, because being caught up in high school I forget about how easy going everything was in middle school, no drama (well fewer drama), not stressing over homework, college apps, making varsity sports, the right decisions while also keeping steady relationships with peers, teachers and family... yep those were the days. This verses my previous year showed how I was able to fully tell an entire story, and although I might not have been 100% successful I still finally realized the importance in using a lot and lot of description!
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