Free Silencing Joy by Amy Rachiele

gathered all my hair into my hands,
fashioning it into a ponytail. I secured it with a scrunchy I had
brought.
    “You are incorrect. I will not subject myself
to swimming lessons when a fair staring contest did not take
place.”
    “Well, Ms. Tilden, then be forewarned that a
new contest will take place. Staring is not the object though. It
shall be tickling!”
    Will’s hands whipped out to tickle my waist,
and I took off running, dodging his grasp. I zipped to the
staircase and barreled down like a herd of elephants. I dashed into
the kitchen and grabbed a large plastic spoon to defend myself
with. I bent my knees and crouched with the spoon held high like a
warrior princess. Will approached me, slowing, and I spun the spoon
in front of me like a baton, warning him off.
    “Your means of tormenting witnesses are
treasonous, and I will fight back with whatever means I can.”
    “You cannot evade me for long Ms. Tilden.
Mwahahaha...” Will joked and laughed maniacally.
    “When does this charade-of-silliness end?” I asked, ready to jab him with my spoon if necessary. “I’m
ready for breakfast.”
    Will lowered his hands and smiled at me.
“Hunger wins over justice!” he shouted and headed for the freezer.
“Eggo waffles?” he asked.
    “Sounds good.”
    I lowered my plastic weapon and tossed it on
the counter. Will put waffles in the toaster while I got out two
plates and two cups. I set the table and then decide to make
concentrated orange juice in a pitcher I found in the cupboard by
the sink. I filled the pitcher with tap water and open the can,
stirring it with my plastic spoon – AKA, the feeble weapon. When
the waffles were done, Will placed syrup and butter on the table. I
continued to stir until the frozen orange juice glob dissolved. I
pour it into the cups I placed on the table earlier.
    We sat down to waffles and juice. Will
watched closely as I smeared butter all over my waffles.
    “Are you making sure that there is butter in
every little square?” Will asked me, chuckling.
    My butter knife paused in mid-swipe, and I
looked up from my task. “Huh?”
    “You are working very hard spreading butter.
If you concentrated that hard on learning to swim, you might be an
Olympic champion by the end of the day.”
    “Stop with the swimming thing...” I said
blankly and continued to prepare my waffles. “It’s getting
ridiculous.”
    “Come on...Let’s go in the water again.”
    “Nope.”
    “Please,” Will whined.
    I peeked up from my waffles to see he had
puppy dog eyes...or his lame attempt at puppy dog eyes, anyway.
    “All right,” I huffed, conceding.
    After eating, we did the dishes together and
put everything away. I wiped the counter down with a sponge.
    “It’s time,” Will sing-songed, and I grimaced
at him.
    “I’ll go get a suit on,” I muttered
miserably.
    “Or we could go au natural...” Will offered
mischievously as he waggled his eyebrows at me.
    “Yeah, right. You can, but I’m putting on a
suit.”
    I put the sponge down and headed for the
stairs. Going to my room, I pulled out the one-piece I wore
yesterday.
    “Hurry up!” Will yelled from downstairs.
    “I just got up here!” I yelled back. “Geesh,
keep your pants on!”
    “Do you really want me to respond to that?”
Will called back suggestively.
    I stomped down to the water, and it was just
as embarrassing today as it was yesterday. I stripped down out of
my sweat suit on the dock. Will stood in a shallower part of the
lake with the water lapping at his chest, waiting for me.
    “Ugh...It’s cold.”
    “The water isn’t,” Will countered.
    I sat down on the dock and slipped my feet
into the water. It sent a shiver through me because it was chilly.
I snatched my feet out quickly.
    “You said it’s not cold. It’s freezing.”
    “Don’t be dramatic. Come on.”
    I slipped down into the cold water, and Will
sloshed over to me. He gripped my arm and pulled it off the wooden
plank I was holding. I