Skipping rocks(reserved for chase and kazumi)

Kazu took in a deep breath of air, reached down, and grabbed yet another stone. She closed her eyes, listening, waiting, then with a burst on energy, chucked the rock at the pond. The rock landed in with a gaint slapsh. "ARRRGGGG!" she yelled rubbing her head in fustration, "Why can't i get it!?" "Uh, calm down Kazu, just keep trying!" Kazu picked up yet another stone and gave it a good toss, but she got the same results. Kauz let out a sigh and plopped down on her but, glaring intensly into the water. Angry and fustrated, she stuck her tounge out at her reflection.

"Angle your elbow," Chase suggested, materializing out of nowhere and standing beside Kazumi. He looked out at the pond before bending down and scooping a smooth rock in his hand. He pointed his elbow out at the water, flicked his wrist, and sent the stone sailing. It skipped three times on the surface of the lake before sinking in a good 30 yards away. He looked down at Kazumi, who was sitting on the ground, and tilted his head. "Try it again," he coaxed. "It takes a little practice, that's all."

Kazu gasped at the sudden appearence of Chase. She wantched at he sucsessfully flunt the rock a good 30 feet across the lake. "Chase, i'm so glad to see you!" she sang happily turning to him. "It's been so long! I really missed you! You're really good at skipping stones.......i'm going to try again!" Kazu stood up and grabbed a stone, trying it one more, and failing, but closer than before.

"I know," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You disappeared for a while. Where'd you go?" He watched as she tried again, her spirits lifted a little. She didn't quite make it, but she was much closer that time. "That was good," he encouraged, handing her another stone. "Try again. Don't forget to swing your torso." He picked up one for himself, too, and flung it across the water. He got the same result as the time before. "I used to skip stones with my sister at our lake house," he said, somewhat absently. "We played this game every summer."

Kazu's face became solem. She took the stone and tried it again, this time getting it to skip a few times. "I just...left i guess....i really didn't go anywhere." "I thought by now you'd forget all about me though.." Kazu forced a smile on her face, took another stone, and whiped it, this one went farther. "i did it!" she sqealed leaping up and down. Her brown hair whipped around her face as a chilly wind blew. "At a summer house...huh?" "Sounds so peaceful."

"Nah, we haven't forgotten about you." A sudden breeze whipped through his hair, and he pushed loose strands back with the palm of his hand. "And that lake house is my favorite place in the entire world." He paused, flashing back to the summers of his childhood. "There was this rope swing over a river, and we would always rent a canoe, and...it was like something out of a storybook. It was perfect." It was also one of the rare places where fighting, whether between parents or siblings, or a combination of the two, was disallowed.

"Sounds like fun!" Kazu said closing her smiling. "I never had any siblings, i was an only child so i guess i was kind of spoiled..." Kazu turned red out of embaressment. "Still, i would have liked to have siblings, what was it like?" "I heard brothers and sisters don't get along very well...what about you and your sister? I'd like to meet her sometime~"

Chase smiled. "My sister's awesome," he admitted. "She's the coolest kid ever. Sure, she was annoying and kind of spoiled, but compared to some of my friends' siblings, she's like a saint." He laughed. "Her name is Amelia. She looks like me, poor kid." He looked back out at the water. "She probably will visit sometime. I hope she does, anyway. But she doesn't like to travel very often."

Kazu laughed. "Well then, when she comes, can i meet her?" "If she looks anything like you, i'm sure she's really pretty!" Kazu was about to throw another stone when a look of confustion crossed her face. "No...i mean....i'm not calling you pretty! i mean you are very good-looking so i was just saying if she looked like you that'd make her pretty so i wasn't trying to imply you looked look like a girl or anything!Kazu's face was beat red. "Ah! I'm babaling again..." A sweat drop appeared on Kazu's head.

Chase laughed easily. "It's okay," he said, good-natured as always. "Amy's pretty, I guess. Brothers don't really notice those things." He did, however, notice the boys' names on their home phone's caller ID, and the brave ones that walked her home after school. She, of course, was oblivious to their attention, and chatted with everyone equally- only as friends. It wasn't until she was in high school that boys started to mean something to her, and when Chase started to worry.

"I'm trying to get her to come down for a few weeks this summer, anyways," he said, trying to change the subject back.

"Really? how nice! It must have been a while since you've last see-" kazu cut herself off when she noticed the sun refelcting in through the trees. "It's sunset already...?" "Wow, didn't relize it was getting this late.....' Another cool breeze blew Kazu's hair out of her face. Next she said; "It's pretty." "Hey Chase, can we hang out some more?" "Maybe if you like, you could stop by my farm sometime."

Chase looked off at the horizon, watching the sun set behind the tiny mountain range just beyond the town's limits. "Oh, yeah," he said, nodding. "It's sunset." Way to point out the obvious and already stated, Sherlock. He turned back to Kazu as she talked, and nodded his head slowly. "Sure, I'd like that. When?"

"Hm, whenever you like i guess!" Kazu said spinning around and smiling. 'But beith for warned, all thee who eneter will be put to work!" "And it won't be easy work, either, but i know you'll be able to handle it!" "Since it's so late, i should probably be heading back." Kazumi approched Chase, stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Thanks again for today! I'll keep practicing till I can go farther than you!' "Mark my words! I'll beat you at something!"

Chase chuckled. "I'm used to physical labor," he answered in all honesty. "I'll do whatever you need me to. How 'bout this Saturday? I don't have to work that day." He was planning to make the trip to her town, anyways. She kissed his cheek, and he almost had to shake his head to keep from remembering his hometown, where the gesture was not only customary, but an insult if you didn't. Here, not so much. He smiled quickly at Kazu, and nodded. "Not a problem. I like hanging out with you."

"Sounds good, see you then!" Kazu gave a quick salute before walking to pathway in which she had came. The sun was sinking lower and lower behind the hills. Soon, Kazumi dissapeared completely into the choir of trees. Yet another cold wind blew, indicating the night air was on its way. The leaves rustled in response.