Free Falling Under by Delka Beazer

Chapter one
     
     
     
    “Lola!” Dez’s voice cut through the cheap iron fencing he was installing at the back of his yard which faced the small lake that sat in the middle of our suburb.
    “Yeah?” I yelled back shoving awkwardly through his back door with a heaping plate of tuna sandwiches, a pitcher of ice cold lemonade and a glass. I struggled through the dense patches of weeds that rose up like a wall of linebackers all about his backyard.
    Blowing a hunk of my thick black hair out of my eyes I stomped towards Dez who was hammering another piece of two-by-four onto his fence. That I made it to him with only a few scratches on my legs was a small victory.
    “Dez, your yard sucks!” I said as I shoved the food into his outstretched hands.
    He grinned, his white teeth milky against his chocolate skin, “Yeah, but that’s why you’re gonna be my slave and help me clean this shit up.”
    I narrowed my eyes at him, “It’s about time I reconsider this friendship.”
    He put down his hammer and shoved three slices of sandwich into his mouth, “You’re too damn uppity,” he chewed with his mouth wide open.
    “Eww. Why the hell are you so disgusting?” I took a step back.
    He grinned and chomped down more food, he waggled his brows at me, “but I’m still your best bitch, right?”
    I tried not to laugh and failed, “that’s not actually an honor, since you’re my only friend.”
    The laughter went out of Dez’s jolly face for a split second, “Lola, you know I’d do anything for you right?”
    I colored, embarrassed, “Yeah,” I looked away towards the blue lake at the back of his yard.
    Dez followed my hungry eyes, “Go on, get outta here.”
    I shook my head, looked back at his half-finished fence, wooden posts lay piled on the ground, “No,” I shook my head firmly, “this weekend is the only time I can help you-”
    Dez held up a hand, shook his dreadlocked head in stubborn dispute, “Shut up Lola, you’ve been helping me with this dump for weeks on top of working your ass off with your dad.  Go to the lake,” he finished sternly.
    He was right.  I looked at the enticing water, silent blue waves rippling into each other.  There were a few people jogging.  Tiny, wooden piers which ran out over the water were mostly empty.
    Still I hesitated, the habit of wanting to be needed was too strong, “when will you finish this if I bail on you?”
    Dez scowled, “do I have to throw you off my property for you to take a break?” He voice was stern but his eyes crinkled with pity.
    He gave me a firm, gentle push, “Come back to help if you want,” he looked down at me, “working with your dad shouldn’t be your entire life, Lola.”
    I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. On impulse, I threw a hug around his wide shoulders.  He growled threateningly at me. I giggled and scooted away before he could change his mind.
    Minutes later I sighed with pleasure as I curled my toes in the cool water.  I had chosen a pier far away from the few that were occupied.
    Eyes closed in bliss I slipped my legs deeper into the water, I groaned as the gentle, unending waves brushed past me.
    “You shouldn’t make sounds like that out in public,” a gruff voice warned.
    I jerked around splashing the water apart. I blinked as a tall silhouette loomed over me.  He blocked out the vibrant afternoon sunlight at his back.  It blinded me for a split second. I gasped as my vision adjusted.
    Jake Heathcliff.  His father, Dr. Heathcliff had hired my dad two weeks ago to clean up his five acre property.
    Jake stood only two feet away.  Well within my personal space.  My mouth went dry.  I’d rarely seen him since we started working on his dad’s property, and on those occasions he’d maintained a healthy amount of distance.
    I blushed as he continued to peer down at me, his eyes roved over my face, studying it.  But whatever he thought about what he was seeing was carefully hidden behind those