Free Safe with You by Shelby Reeves

but it is just as loud. According to Bo, it had been in the shop getting fixed after J goofed around and hit a tree with it. The grill, the bumper, headlights, and all had to be replaced. J’s truck is not as new as Bo’s though and it’s a single cab.
    “Hell yeah! I’ve missed my baby,” he says as he pats the dashboard.
    I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “Baby? Please tell me you’re not one of those idiots.”
    “I sure am one of those idiots,” he says proudly.
    When we arrive at his house J hands me my bag of clothes I brought to change into later.
    Fifteen minutes later, I am holding onto J as he takes us through the field with Bo and some girl in tow. I look ahead of us and gasp. The rain from the last day and a half has created a huge mud puddle in the field. J never slows as we get closer so I cling tightly to him as he races through the mud, slinging it everywhere. Mud flies all over us, and surprisingly I just laugh.
    The guys hoot and holler each time they plow through the mud holes. “Hang on, Cass!” I tighten my arms around him as he spins us in around in circles.
    Finally after getting drenched head to toe in mud J takes us down a path that leads back to a creek.
    “So, what’d you think?” J asks when we park.
    “I think you are crazy, but I did have fun,” I answer honestly. I haven’t had this much fun in years though I’m not about to admit that to him.
    A smile slinks across his face. “I knew you would. Now we are going to go for a swim.”
    “As long as my clothes aren’t coming off then I’m in.”
    J throws his hands up. “I’m not making any promises,” he teases.
    I shoot him a death glare before following them up a hill. To my horror, there is a rope hanging from the tree. The girl who came with Bo, Allison, I think that’s what I heard Bo call her, goes first. J is next. I watch him as he graciously runs off the bank. When he is far enough out he lets go of the rope. He lands in the water with a big splash.
    “Your turn darlin’,” Bo announces from behind me.
    “Oh no. I’m just going to walk down and go in the normal way.” I start to do just that, but he blocks my path. There is no way I am swinging from a rope. With my luck, I’d land on rocks or break a bone.
    “Oh no, you don’t.”
    “Come on, Cass! I’ll catch you!” J yells from below.
    With shaky hands, I grab the rope, grasping it tightly. Against my better judgment, I peer over the bank. I gulp realizing I must be at least ten to fifteen feet high. No, no way am I doing this. You see, I have a slight fear of heights. I think it’s because I got pushed off a bridge when I was a kid while on a school field trip. The bridge wasn’t too high up thank goodness, but the fall was scary for an eight-year-old. Danny, my not-so-friendly classmate who pushed me off got in trouble. If I remember correctly, he got detention for two weeks and he wasn’t allowed to go on any other school trips the rest of the school year. My parents were furious. See, they were normal, loving parents at one time.
    Before I even had time to contemplate jumping any further I am pushed off the ledge. I let go of my death grip and scream until my body plummets in the water. When I break the surface, I immediately search for J. He finds me before I find him. His arms come around me, pulling me safely to him.
    “I got you, Cass,” he whispers soothingly.
    The splash that came from behind me lets me know that Bo is down on my level. Pushing away from J, I swim over, attacking Bo from behind. My attempt to drown him is no good since he is ten times stronger than me so I get him in a chokehold instead. A weak one, but it will have to do for now.
    “You asshole! Don’t you dare push me again!”
    J pries me off of him and holds onto me.
    “I was going to jump if you gave me a minute!”
    “We would’ve been up there all night waitin’ on you to jump!” He smiles and shakes his head. “J you need to keep an eye on your