FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

+ More than the Water: Act One +

++++++

Like now, the season of summer had always been a celebrated thing in the town community of Hastings. For it was forever the time when Father Sun shined warmest, the days were most pleasant, the sunlight lasted longer than the darkness of night and everything in the world seemed at its absolute best. It was indeed the season where families actually spent time outdoors with their friends, loved ones as well as children. It was the time of year where road trips were common, camping became popular, all places of water were populated densest with crowds of water lovers and - shocking enough - even work days seemed brighter than usual.

What had been proven best about the past summers in Hastings, however, was something completely different than all that was just described beforehand; the coming graduation of the seniors of Hastings High School.

Yes, long since they'd come to establish their united town about a century and a half back in the 19thcentury, the people of Hastings never failed to feel their finest, proudest if not grandest whenever the seniors of their local high school were about graduate. Supported by their families, the student body would excitedly pass on from the school world into the working one where they would finally begin to put what they'd learned to the test; work jobs, gain livelihoods for themselves and help make the world spin round.

And with today in fact being a shining Friday, May 5th, with graduation only about two weeks away for them, the seniors of Hastings High were in a most celebrative mood. Thus, it was without a doubt that during the weekend to come, during the course of both this Saturday as well as Sunday like they'd done all throughout the last month of April, there would be much partying, celebrating along with uproar from the seniors late into the nights. During those nights, high school friends would make final memories together, families would celebrate their grown up children in their own way and there would be - in general - school pride shared throughout the community.

As for proud Hastings High at the moment, with the last class school bell having rang out an hour ago at precisely three in what was the currently golden afternoon, the vast building was devoid of its fine students. Truly, with its clocks reading 4:00pm at the moment, all those souls who remained within the school's silent halls or were out on its quiet sport fields were the remnants of its staff. Staff who were getting around to finishing their own work shifts by looking over forms, grading papers and planning for next week's approaching exams.

Actually, as miraculous as it was, to say that there were only teachers who remained in Hastings High at the moment would be something of a lie. Why?

It was in the empty school's vast library in the east wing that there was actually one student, a young human man, still lingering about. He was a humble looking senior student who had been - for the last hour - cramming in last minute studying for the oncoming exams all this week, who was now pouring over books by himself in the desolate library around him, who had earned the respect of the school librarian nearby in her office. She was a withered yet caring, elder doe by the name of Mrs. Cream. She was also impressed with the human's studious behavior. A firm attitude of his that he'd kept up for the last four years of his high school life.

The boy student in question who was presently looking through opened books in his school's well-kept library rather than joining the rest of his fellow students celebrating in town was known by the name of "Isaac Grant". Mind, having been a straight "A" student from the start of his freshman year to now, the act of him partaking in keeping to his studies rather than joining the fun that was to be had in his community was something of a familiarity to him.

For you see, he was and had always been a black sheep. Yep, he was a different breed of sheep. One that'd stood out, since his elementary days, from the flocks of white sheep that was his student body.

Still, despite his black sheep quality, having kept a firm concentration on studying, Isaac had forever achieved high marks in his education. No, put better, he'd achieved amongst the highest. Always had he maintained a place amongst the top twenty of his fellow students. And now, with an inspired feeling in his heart, he'd found out earlier in the morning that his past dedication to keep straight "A's" all high school long had been worth it. How so? Only because he was bound for greatness at the end of this approaching summer!

Indeed, come this September 18th when the college semesters began, he would be attending his dream college; expert Stallman Tech University. There, for many more years funded by outside sources, he would be pursuing his dream job of web designing, computer animation, mostly everything that could be done on a PC system.

Yes, at long last, after having been a hard working student for twelve long years of his young life, Isaac was going to be allowed to do what he'd always wanted to do; create, craft, organize along with know things about a computer that would no doubt make him a pretty penny online. Every so often, more so these modern days, everyone needed a computer genius - geek, if so called, heh - around to help out with something. And anyone who knew him well enough would say at the moment that he deserved his dream job.

He'd always had a gift for handling PC systems. His imagination for exploring the unknown, his wits for solving problems, his way of even creating web designs was almost like the art that artists themselves created on canvases. Only web designing was more... sharp, sleek, modernized. In his humble opinion, anyhow. Again, during these modern days, most everything had to do with a computer; even art made by artists who no longer used paper but digital means.

To be perfectly frank, out of all of the students no doubt partying in the town of Hastings while the afternoon progressed onwards, hardworking Isaac had plenty of reason to be congratulating himself. His hard work, determination as well as unrelenting confidence for the last few years had won him his future. After High School, with scholarships paving his yellow brick road, he would seize his dreams, make big bucks and buy his prouder than proud parents a private island in the Caribbean. Well, hold on, ha ha, maybe the top marked student was getting ahead of himself. He was sure he was going to go on to do great things but he wasn't going to turn out to be the next Bill Gates.

Still, wanting to own a private island... that wasn't a bad dream to follow, was it? Meh, maybe that was too big of a dream to chase after with this personal one completed so soon. Best jot that goal down for later. Now a month long cruise on a grand ship through the Caribbean with his humble parents... that was a grand next goal for Isaac to aim for. It made him smile gently to himself as he poured over the books again, scanning the words on the pages, soaking in knowledge he would need to ace his exams.

Of course, as he studied his time away, achieving something like a month long cruise in the future was not a thought that lasted long on Isaac's ever focused mind. Not when there were more pressing matters at hand like that before him; prepping for the exams next week. There was no time to rest for the gifted like himself. Seeing as he was number 11 out of the overall 145 other students of his class year, Isaac was indeed a gifted person.

Thus, he couldn't rest. He had to keep studying. He had to keep getting top marks. Hell, if he was lucky, he might even go from number eleven to ten in the class. Then at graduation, he'd be able to stick his tongue out at that snide ferret girl, Alicia, for having gloated about her spot over him! Until he'd snatched it from under her nose at the last literal second!

One way or the other, as his fellow graduate to-be students were getting up to mischief in town where there was surely much underage drinking, excitement and seniors doing memorable things like seniors did, Isaac's idea of having a good time this afternoon wasn't in chugging a beer or racing down the street in his car or having sex for the first time with some girl looking to use him for casual pleasure.

No, instead, having done the same thing for the last twelve years of his school life, wanting to be the best of the best, his celebrating was being done by flipping through the pages of the many books before him where he gleaned much needed knowledge on history, science along with mathematics.

Yet, even though he wanted to go on learning more, as the library clock's hands changed from four in the afternoon towards five, the top marked student was aware that he was going to have to give his weary head a break from pouring over information. It was as the librarian actually began locking up cabinets, setting back books and shutting down the library in general that Isaac closed what sources he had at hand, put them back on their appropriate shelves, gathered his belongings along with - after bowing his head respectfully to her, making her chuckle happily - bid Mrs. Cream a good day.

Satisfied with himself more than ever before in his lifetime, not having anything else planned for the day nor weekend ahead of him, the senior student actually didn't head into town. Having given his life to gaining top marks in class, he had no one to really celebrate with. Sure, like throughout his life, he could go home and hang out with his proud folks; his common, cheery, middle class mother and father who loved him very much. Still, for his own reasons, he instead took to silently, thoughtfully, respectfully walking through the empty halls of the school that had taught him - his class of 2015 - for the last four years.

Although it had its issues like any other school system in existence, even though it'd experienced its hard times in the past, Isaac couldn't deny that Hastings High was a very respectable public school. More so than others he'd heard about in the neighboring counties. Seeing as he'd taken part in several student groups during his high school education, he knew his school took great pride in its arts, projects, events along with sports.

This school system was a place of humble pride. Since the town had been first built so long ago, taking in both human as well as anthro students, this school itself had stood as a simple one room house holding a classroom of thirty kids. Now, with its many rooms, with its many attractions, it was a grand place of learning with hundreds of students. Hopefully, it would remain grow ever larger if not prosperous for many years to come.

"After four years, it's finally time to leave this all behind... Heh, it only felt like I stepped in here as a freshman yesterday. Yet, in two weeks' time, I will be graduating. I will be leaving her for good. I might look back here but I will not need to return." Isaac muttered to himself as he walked past empty classrooms, gyms, the lecture hall, the lunch room, all filled with fond memories. He shrugged to himself, feeling wise if not bold in some untold way. He was growing up. "Well, after four years of learning here, I can't complain. If anything I should thank this place and everyone who helped me achieve my dreams. So, truly, thank you Hastings High."

Chuckling to himself, his hands in his pockets, the proud senior student bowed respectfully to the whole of the school front lobby he was now standing in at the moment. He bowed to the memory of everyone - of everything - he knew that had helped him keep studying so hard, that had encouraged him to maintain straight "A" grades, that'd made his future seem all that more brighter when he'd opened the letter from Stallman Tech earlier in the morning at breakfast.

There in his house, at the table with a bowl of cereal in front of him, he had read that he was to receive a huge scholarship for four years for his dream college... and had nearly fainted dead away from relief as his family had screamed with delight.

Smiling to himself at knowing he was destined for great things, it was as Isaac next straightened up from his bow in the front lobby and brushed his black hair back out of his blue eyes that something caught his attention. The something in question that drew his gaze in question was the curious, tribal, meaningful looking bracelet wrapped around his right wrist; a bracelet that was made from black leather strips, adorned with multi-colored beads, decorated with small river pebbles.

Instantly, at noticing the décor on his wrist, deep ponderings filled the gifted human's thoughts. There in the school's front lobby, stuck in a trance while looking at his bracelet at hand, gentle memories of his childhood sighed into his mind.

Truly, as he stood alone in his high school's front lobby, the bracelet Isaac currently looked at fondly... it was a VERY special thing of his. It'd been forever a precious item to him for he'd received it as a meaningful gift from a very grand childhood friend of his during his kid years. The giver of this grand gift to him had been an admirable she-otter in fact, who was now one of the best swimmers of the school swim team as well as a cheerleader for the football team. This delightful she-otter revisiting his deep thoughts was who he still knew today as "Nelanee Eaton".

Truth be told, as he thought about it to himself now, it'd been because of Nelanee's gifted bracelet to him that Isaac had done his best in working towards Stallman University. It'd been because of the memory of the day she'd given him the simple tribal jewelry, back when the two of them had been eight years old, that he'd kept his spirits up about achieving his dreams. And now... after the summer passed by, he would begin to seize his dreams.

Closing his eyes, searching through the many thoughts swirling in his mind at the moment, Isaac could actually still recall the years of his past childhood. Much of his life had changed since those youthful years of his. Formerly, before he'd had to move into town with his parents when he'd been ten, he'd lived in a comfortable country house alongside the Herald River to the west. There, in his plain old swim trunks, he had had many fun times swimming in the said river.

Those times had only become more fun whenever his best friend, Nelanee, had joined him where she'd showed off her natural talents for taking to the water.

Chuckling to himself in the high school lobby, Isaac recalled how very gifted his childhood, she-otter friend had been for swimming. Naturally, being an otter, Nelanee had always swam with better skill than he. Easily, she'd swum circles around him, dived under his feet, poked him underwater, kept out of his reach with teasing ease. The water had been their way of deeply bonding then, of becoming the very best of friends. It'd also been the reason for them sitting on the shore one day of sunny July, underneath the shade of the towering trees, where they'd made a certain promise to one another before... having given each other matching tribal bracelets; one such bracelet that Isaac now wore on his right wrist at the moment.

"Hey, Isaac, I have to ask you something." Six year old Nelanee had wondered of her human companion, soaking her webbed feet next to his in the shallows. She'd been a little pudgy then, with a round face, thicker tail, darker pelt along with funnier grin that matched her sparkling eyes. "Do you like me or the water better?"

"What? Why do you ask?" Isaac had replied, laughing happily at the question. He'd blushed then, splashing the water with his feet playfully, "Do I have to choose? Oh no. I-I like you both."

"Well, if you had to choose one over the other, which one would you choose?" The little she-otter had insisted, fluttering her eyelashes along with churring, "Come on, tell me."

"I can't decide." Her best friend had answered, looking sheepish. He really had been shy then. He still sort of was when thinking of her. "Seriously, you're both cool. I like both you and the water, Nel. I really can't choose to have both you and the water?"

"Would it help if I answered first?" Nelanee had wondered brightly, giggling like the child she was. She'd poked his arm happily. "I like you, Isaac. I like the water but I like you more. Don't you know what that means coming from an otter?"

"That means I'm cooler than the water?" Isaac had replied stupidly.

"No, silly. Well, yes? Kind of? What it really means is that you're my one and only. If an otter likes someone more than the water, that means that someone is to be their love in life. Or so my mom says." The she-otter child had explained sweetly, a bright smile on her cute face. How sincere that discussion should have been, despite them being kids being funny. "And I believe what my mom says because I love her. Either way, I like you more than the river, Isaac. Now, you have to like me more than the water. It would be rude if you didn't. Say you do... or I'm going to cry. You don't want that."

"No, no, no, I don't want that! Yeah, you're right, fine, I like you more than the water." The human boy had responded, grinning shyly, "So does that make us both a one and only then? Am I your one and only, Nelanee?"

"Yes, it does! Ha ha! I'd like you to be mine too, Isaac. You've always been such a good friend to me. I want you to be with me forever and ever. No matter where the flow of life takes us or sweeps us away." Nelanee had snickered before producing a tribal bracelet; the one that Isaac now wore today. "Here, my mom made this for me recently. She says that if I were to give this to someone special, I would never lose them. And I don't want to lose you, Isaac. Not ever. Here, let me put this on you."

Down by the gurgling river twelve years ago, with the winds having blown sweetly through the surrounding forestland, with one having taken the other's hand to bestow a most precious gift of friendship upon it, six year old Nelanee had excitedly wrapped the tribal bracelet around modest Isaac's right wrist. Then, as they'd looked over how he'd looked in his simple jewelry, they'd gone over some pretty adult based things.

"There. Done. Now you're my one and only, Isaac. Now you're my husband." Nelanee had laughed, innocently hugging her best friend. "Now you're mine."

"Husband? What?"

"That's what one and only means, silly. You like me more than the water so you just declared your love for me. Now you're my hubby." The she-otter had chimed, happily smiling from ear to ear. Good lord! What had ever been discussed in that house of hers? "And I love you too. You need to make me a bracelet. You need to make me your one and only. You need to promise me that we won't lost each other when we grow up. Promise?"

"Ha ha, promise." Isaac had stated back, blushing a little. He'd tightly gripped her hand, "You got me. I'll be your hubby."

"Cross your heart?"

"Cross my heart."

"Hope to cry?"

"Hope to cry."

"Stick a needle in your eye?"

"Er..." Isaac had paused, looking unsure. Then, he'd laughed with Nelanee at the joke and covered one of his eyes, "Yep. Stick a needle in my eye."

The promise then, twelve years ago, had been something between childhood friends, mind. Now, as he opened his eyes to take in his high school surroundings, as he gazed a bit solemnly upon his best friend's bracelet, things were definitely different between Isaac and Nelanee. Looking at his own now, the human boy wondered if the she-otter still carried the bracelet he'd made her.

One way or the other, he wouldn't exactly know the answer to that personal inquiry nowadays, would he? For you see, seeing as she'd taken a different, sportsmanlike road that'd been opposite of his geeky, high-tech, web designing own since freshman year, Isaac and Nelanee had inevitably grown... apart. They were a bit different than when they'd been kids.

Honestly, when had been the last time the top human student had seen his childhood she-otter friend? When had been the last time they'd gotten together to do something? Hm, had it been back around New Year for the annual school charity for breast cancer?

Either way, whether or not she still carried the bracelet he'd made for her thirteen years ago after she'd given him hers, Isaac couldn't tell at the moment. Nor would he. Such a thing as him bringing up a long ago promise with the otter maiden when they'd been kids wasn't something he really wanted to do. Not with graduation so close and life looming ahead. They didn't need old memories dug up or pains made between them just before stepping out into the adult world. They would need to be strong.

Mind, it wasn't that Isaac disrespected his childhood friend or anything. It was just that he knew Nelanee led a very exciting, rapid if not awesome life nowadays. She, like him, was bound for greatness. Whereas he could still remember it to this day, where he was proud of having received her bracelet that'd labeled him as her one and only when they'd been kids, he didn't wish to get in the way of Nelanee's greatness by bringing up something as silly as a childhood vow that'd supposedly married them.

With them both eighteen, they were both practically adults now. Their childhoods were a thing of the past. The future awaited them. The promise they'd made maybe... wasn't meant to be.

Nevertheless, promise or no promise, Isaac would be sure to hold on to his tribal bracelet from his childhood friend during the days to come. The memory of her promise to him, her saying that she'd liked him more than water, had been a big motivational spur in his efforts to attend Stallman Tech. In the end, it'd helped him get there too. Now, that same promise would help him ace his college studies come this September.

"Thanks, Nelanee." Isaac admitted to himself, holding the bracelet in his hands as he began to make his way towards the front doors that would let him out into the front parking lot to where his car was waiting for him. Suddenly a dead weight fell into his gut. That was it? He was just going to... tell his childhood friend thanks to himself? That wasn't the right thing to do. "Nah, saying it here won't do. She might find it odd but I have to tell her thanks in person. As a friend of hers, seeing as she's encouraged me to pursue Stallman in the past, I owe her that much - AUGH!"

From out of nowhere, just as he was looking to leave through the front doors at hand, someone came hurtling down the sidewalk from outside as well as shoved open the school door that Isaac was just about to exit! The resulting force of the door slamming into him sent the top human student fumbling backwards for a moment, arms waving ridiculously, before he rolled across the floor where he remained sprawled out in a daze for a few seconds.

Before he knew it, there was a gentle voice - a familiar girl's voice - hurriedly apologizing to him as she went about gathering the things he'd dropped. Not by choice, of course. "Oh, gosh, are you okay? I'm so, so, so sorry about all of that!" The sympathetic girl rambled as she picked up Isaac's things along with helped him back up onto his feet, "Seriously, you're not hurt are you? You see, I was just in a rush to try to get - Huh? Isaac? Isaac Grant?"

Doing his best to keep up with everything that'd happened to him during the last few minutes, the top human student shook his head to clear his senses, massaged the bruised spot of his chest where the door had hit him and then... nearly laughed aloud when he found out who had run full throttle into him through the front doors. For it was none other than Nelanee Eaton! No freaking way!

"Isaac! Oh my god, it is you! Sorry about all of running right into you like that. Ha ha, either way, long time no see." The prettier than pretty she-otter exclaimed brightly, not hesitating in tackling her childhood friend in a vice like hug that he shyly returned. She didn't notice the blush that came to his face, nor his shy smile at her contact. "What a way to run into you again, huh? Oh jeez, did you catch the irony in that saying? I ran right into you a moment ago and - Yeah, well, you catch my drift. Where have you been, buddy? How have you been, actually? Oh, I've missed you!"

"Oh you know, I've been living under a rock with my nose in my books, papers in my hands, thoughts only on school." Isaac kindly responded, finding it very inspiring to see how his best friend was looking so pleased at talking with him in what had been a very long time. Seriously, she was still hugging him tightly to herself. How sweet. How warm she was... and nicely she smelled; like fresh grass. "Either way, despite being banged up just now, I've been doing pretty well. I hope the same can be said for you. Hah, you've missed me, have you?"

"Duh. Why wouldn't I, stud? We're best friends, aren't we?" The she-otter chuckled, finally letting go of her encouraged human friend to hold him out in front of her at arm's length as she addressed him comically as "stud" when he was not at all like such. She winked at him brightly. "As for how I'm doing, yeah, everything's been going super well! In fact, the reason I ran into you a moment ago was because I was just coming from the school pool. Want to know why? Guess!"

There was a longer than long pause where the she-otter put the human boy on the spot. Isaac truly had no idea what to guess. He scrunched his face, shrugged his shoulders chuckled uncertainly and finally had his childhood friend say for him, "Nice guess. Good effort at guessing nothing, study. Anyway, heh, I just broke the school record for fastest lap swum!"

"No kidding? Seriously? You really beat it?" Isaac replied, feeling very heartened for his best friend who was honestly soaking wet... and had dampened him by having hugged him for so long a moment ago. He didn't mind being a bit damp though. He was very much enjoying the feeling of conversing with his friend, especially with the way she was dancing in place on her toes. It was like she was a kid again. "Wait, why am I asking if you beat the record or not? Stupid me, of course you did! Who else but you, Nelanee, would go and do such a thing? Who else but you could do such a thing?"

"Aw stop it, flatterer. Shut it, ha ha! Seriously though, I have to go to the office and let them know that Mrs. Robinson, the swim coach, is changing the record for me right now! Augh, this is so exciting!" The she-otter giggled, bouncing on the balls of her feet in place, "Ha ha, I can see a scholarship for West Colt Academy coming my way right now. Uh, um, wait, Isaac, are you going anywhere at the moment?"

"I was just about head out for my car before you rammed into me like you did a second ago." The human explained, shrugging casually. He smiled at her look of worry, suddenly knowing that she wanted him to stick around. She wanted to see him. How heartening. "However, I get the feeling that you want me to stick around for a while rather than drive off, right?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Hell yeah. Don't you go anywhere. Stay right here." Nelanee said, squeezing her childhood friend's hands in her own happily. She was really quite happy to see him it seemed. That was great. He was happy to see her too. He was feeling ten times grander than before. "It's been too long since we were able to talk like this, bud. Life's been in the way, hasn't it? And I have a lot to talk to you about okay? Okay. So, just stay put here while I go reveal the good news to the office. That shouldn't take me too long to relate."

"You got it. I'll stay put." The top student replied to the top swimmer, grinning. He laughed at her bouncing up and down on her feet next. "Now go on and tell the office the good news before you go and explode on me here. I'm already hurting because of you. I don't want to be blown to pieces too."

"Alright, alright! Just - Ha ha, this so great! I'll be back in a second to talk with you."

For a moment, the two childhood friends didn't do anything apart for share a few chuckles. Then, with a wink, turning in place and dashing off in her tight, one piece school team swimsuit - colored navy blue with white outlines - to where the office stood nearby, Nelanee raced away. Left alone with his thoughts, trying his best not to feel very overwhelmed by the energy of the first time he'd run into his best friend in a long while, Isaac patiently waited for the return of his companion.

In the meantime, having experienced her optimistic energy, the way she'd hugged him so happily, the human couldn't help but begin to understand why the she-otter had been a very much desired girl by even the most popular of jocks around. Of course, jocks were all idiots who wanted pretty girls for one reason... Anyway, Isaac smiled over how fantastic Nelanee had grown up.

Even when little, with her brown fur, black hair along with sapphire blue eyes, Nelanee had had a unique cuteness about her. Isaac remembered her petite, charming, childish beauty when they'd been six years old, swimming in the river near their houses. However, nowadays, the childish otter lass had grown from a cute kid into a full blown, hotter than hot, graceful young female adult. Truly, at having seen her sleek, chocolate brown fur, at having noticed her ebony hair wildly falling free around her physically fit hourglass shaped body, at having looked into her bluer than blue eyes a moment ago... the human had somehow managed not to faint dead away from shock. Shocking.

Compared to Isaac's average appearance where he wore regular blue jeans, showed off a casual white t-shirt, sported normal tennis shoes, where his short hair was colored a soft brown and his eyes were gray behind the square rimmed spectacles he wore, Nelanee was surely an angel. Still, despite their differences, despite one being a super star athlete and the other a classic computer geek, they'd gotten along more than well enough a moment ago, hadn't they? How inspiring.

Indeed, almost like when they'd been kids again, the she-otter had hugged the human ever so tightly like no distance had grown between them at all. She'd smiled her brightest smile, she'd laughed her glorious laugh, she'd wanted him to stick around so that she could catch up with him on what had been going on since the last time they'd had the chance to chat.

And what exactly had been going on since the last moment they'd been given to talk today, hm? A little? A lot? In between?

That was about to be found out when the angelic she-otter - still dripping a little wet, sweeping her damp black hair out of her shining eyes over her should - ran up to her human friend, took his hand in hers and dragged him through the front doors out into the summer warmed world. This was a little surprising on Isaac's part. He'd just been about to say something when his hand been grabbed, he'd been jerked along and his legs had been forced to stumble to keep up with the joyful pace.

"It's official. Heh heh, I now hold the record for fastest lap swam in Hastings High! Awesome, isn't it?" Nelanee churred ever so joyfully, clapping her hands with glee as she pulled her friend along with her. Maybe she'd grown up splendidly but the otter lass still clapped her hands like she did when six years old? How very adorable. It made Isaac laugh to himself. "The office is already sure that I'll be receiving some kind of scholarship or financial aid for having accomplished such a thing. That's something to look forward to. One more step for me to have in looking into sports."

"Hard work reaps grand rewards. I should know so. I've been working hard and have been reaping rewards since freshman year." Isaac explained wisely, feeling very happy for his best friend. He was familiar with this topic. He was a very hard worker, as explained before. "And why do you sound so surprised to hear that you might be getting a reward for doing what you do best, Nel? Haven't you been getting awards for being the best on the swim team since freshman year?"

"Ha ha, of course, of course. Still, I don't want to come off as arrogant, you know. I just can't help but feel like I'm about to explode from this! I mean, eek, I've been looking to break that record for forever without success until NOW!" The she-otter laughed aloud, suddenly hugging her childhood friend once more who got wetter due to her being soaked. He stumbled to the side, managing to just keep from falling over. "And as if this day wasn't good enough, here I finally run into you after forever!"

Nelanee looked up at her companion with a beaming grin. She laughed, "I'm so glad I did too. You have no idea. With graduation coming up, you and I need to go over some things."

"Oh?" Isaac questioned, being freed so he could go on walking alongside his friend, "We need to go over some things, do we?"

"Yeah, stud, we do. For instance, before I go and forget anything, I need to congratulate you on having made it into your dream college of Stallman Tech." Nelanee chimed, giving her grateful companion her brightest smile yet. She stuck her tongue out at curious him, "How do I know about your success? Well, it just so happens that your mom actually called mine this morning. I was just about to walk out the door to go to school when my mom had a panic attack over hearing that you finally made it big. Honestly, Isaac, congrats. Stallman gained an awesome student, if you don't mind me saying so."

"I don't mind at all. It's very excellent to hear you say so actually." The top human student admitted to the top she-otter swimmer as they resumed slowly walking their way outside towards where the school outdoor gym and pool could be seen ahead. He shrugged modestly, "As for me being so awesome, pft, I don't know about that. Whatever you say."

"Oh stop. You're awesome and you know it." The otter lass laughed, playfully thumping her friend with her tail as they strolled side by side. She squeezed his hand reassuringly, "Who else but you could get in to such a high quality college like Stallman? You've always been an awesome studier, Isaac. I just wish that I could have taken my grades as seriously as you. I can swim... but not study to save my life."

"Well, I've always wished I could swim as fast as you. Scratch that, I wish I could enjoy sports like you do. However, each time I've ever tried, I've always taken two steps and decided against it. Where my mind may be strong, my body just isn't built for the task of too much physical labor, I guess." Isaac admitted humbly, shrugging casually at the truth of the statement. He was no sport lover. He was a guy who sat in front of a computer, being a genius the whole time. "Everyone is awesome in their own way though, Nel. There's no reason for regrets. You've always had a knack for sports. I've always had a knack for hitting the books. That's the simple truth of the matter."

"Aw, c'mon, you're better at sports than you give yourself credit for, bud." Nelanee came to her friend's defense, playfully squeezing the actual visible bit of muscles showing in his arms. She grinned at his blushing face, "Heh heh, yeah, I've seen you in the weight rooms from time to time. I've noticed you swim a few laps from time to time." At the mention of swimming... a change came over the otter maid. She thoughtfully inquired, "As for swimming, you and I did that all the time earlier in our lives, didn't we, Isaac? Do you still like it as much as you did when we were kids?"

This sudden conversation about their childhood days made Isaac instinctively glance down at the tribal bracelet on his right wrist. So far, the she-otter hadn't noticed or said anything about the jewelry on his right hand. It made him feel a bit... sad. It seemed that even though she was literally mentioning their days of having swam together at the river, she wasn't thinking about their promise to one another.

Still, moving on from his memories, regaining his senses, the top human student answered his best friend truthfully. "Yes, you're right. I suppose I do go out and exercise more than I care to remember. Where did these muscles of mine come from if I hadn't trained every so often to stay in something of a good shape? As for me liking swimming, yeah, Nel, it's fantastic. It brings back memories."

"It most certainly does. I would hope so, anyway." The she-otter agreed, nodding her head. She looked a little unsure all of a sudden. Then she returned to her usual happy self as she admitted, "You want to know something, Isaac? I hope it doesn't sound weird but... the days that you and I swam together at the Herald when we were little, they're a big reason for why I loved being on the swim team."

She paused a minute, holding her friend by the arm as she wondered next, "Do you remember those days when you and I were so very little? Before you moved into town? When we would meet each other in the river's middle during every weekend morning to swim together?"

"During every weekend? Hah, you forget, we never went swimming during the winter." The top human student chuckled, nudging the top otter swimmer jokingly, "We would meet in the middle to go ice skating then. Oh but there was that one winter where-"

"Where, I broke through the ice and you pulled me back out and my parents forbade us from going out on the ice for the rest of the winter? Heh, yeah, that was crazy. I still get shivers at thinking of how cold that water was. It was like I fell into a river of knives." The she-otter said for herself, hugging herself tightly with a thoughtful smile on her face. She looked back to her human and chimed, "Ha ha, but I wasn't so cold when you got me out of there though. When you carried me over the ice into my house, you hugged me close for the rest of the morning. You kept me... warm, stud."

Isaac blushed a little at this conversation. Ah, yes, apart for the promise they'd made to each other long ago, there was another time during a certain winter of his childhood that Isaac favored; the day that Nelanee had in fact broken through the Herald River's ice where he'd managed to tug her back up out of the freezing water, put his coat over her and then had walked her back to her house.

All throughout the rest of the morning then, even with her parents upset and trying to get him to go back home to his worrying folks, he really had hugged his childhood friend to keep her warm, hadn't he? On the living room couch, her trembling against him, he'd held her tightly. Yes... he had done all of that and meant every minute of it. She'd been so important to him. Her having fallen through the ice had shaken his world.

"I forked you out of the ice water and hugged you that day because we were friends, Nel. Friends do that for each other, right?" The human said to his she-otter friend. He next laughed, looking down at hi soaked shirt as he said, "Speaking of hugs, you do realize that you were soaking wet when you hugged me back in the lobby, right? Yeah, maybe I kept you warm back during the breaking of the ice but, ha ha, look at me. Got me damp enough, did you?"

"I could always get you more wet, buddy of mine." The top swimmer teased the top student, trying to hug him again as he stepped back out of her snatching grasp. She bumped him with her tail, sweeping her hair back over her shoulder as she chimed, "And what are you complaining for? Whether I'm wet or not, every guy loves my hugs. If anything, I have to avoid their hugs."

"That's because you're huggable. Anyway, you never could stop hugging me back when we were kids." Isaac actually joked back before realizing what he'd just said. As he went bright red with nervousness next, as his childhood friend giggled, he took to suddenly looking at his hands. "Er, uh, I meant, Nel, it's just that-"

"There's no reason to get all worked up, Isaac. The reason that all of the boys want a hug from me is because I AM quite huggable, like you mentioned. You said it right." The she-otter mused, thumping her friend with her tail once more. When the human looked to grab her tail, she jumped back, sticking out her tongue, "Really, to be honest, you said it better than any other guy has in a long time. Usually, as of late, I'm told... that I have a great ass or hot bod or such. Every other boy says what they think would help them get a shot at me but you, Isaac, I know you mean what you say. You say things honestly."

It was true. Although they'd been growing a bit apart during the course of their school lives, there was something, thankfully, that hadn't changed between Isaac nor Nelanee even now. Whereas they couldn't be so with other people, the pair of childhood friends had forever been able to be honest with one another. Be it through flirtation, gossip or deep thoughts, they were truthful about what was said.

And when he'd said she was huggable, the she-otter knew at once that her human friend hadn't meant it in a dirty fashion like any other boy would have. He had said the truth. Nothing more, nothing less. He'd been playfully truthful with her.

"Is that how it's been for you with boys, Nel?" Isaac softly asked next, looking curiously to his best friend smiling at him. He hated jocks. He'd seen them trying to use her many times during their high school years. "I don't mean to be nosy or anything but... I know that you've had boyfriends in the past. Were any of them worth anything to you? Do you have one now that I should be looking out for?"

"They made me happy at times. However, in the end, they didn't see me as someone. They saw me as a something. And no, I;m free. I want to be... myself for the graduation. Not some asshole's plaything." The top swimmer explained with a casual tone, shrugging. She looked a little guilty, kicking her feet against the sidewalk with her eyes cast down. "How about you, stud? You got a girlfriend that's gonna try to tear me apart if she sees us together?"

"Me? Girlfriend? Were those two words put into the same freakin' sentence? Ha ha, I've been living under a rock with my nose in a book working my way to kingdom come." The human answered the she-otter, being just as casual about the conversation taking place. He made her laugh in turn. Her laughter was glorious. "Studying to reach my dreams doesn't exactly give me time to be in a relationship. It's not the best method of getting a girl to come on over and try to get to know me neither."

"AW, don't say such things about yourself! Seriously, stop it." The top swimmer lectured the top student, thwacking him sisterly with her tail with care. She took is hand sin hers as she lectured happily, "You're not a guy living under a rock, Isaac. You've sometimes taken time out of your schedule to have some fun with the rest of us, your fellow students. You've came to charities held by the school. You've taken part in projects for Senior Week. And don't talk like you're not worth getting to know. You are."

"I suppose you would know, having known about me since we were tiny." The human replied, feeling heartened at his best friend's encouragement. Next, feeling brave enough to do so, he boldly stated, "Well, if I'm worth getting to know, Nel, then I hope you know that you're more than a hot piece of action. You deserve more from a guy than being told you look great. There's more to a girl's looks. There's her personality to consider. And you, in that case, are dynamite."

"The same could be said for you, bud. You have a great spirit and don't look at all bad yourself. Honestly, what with you being a top student and having been accepted into a good college, I thought you were already claimed by some know-it-all chick wearing coke bottle glasses. I was wrong it would seem." The she-otter mused, looking solemnly thoughtful. She seemed heartened. "And I was wrong because, god, I haven't seen you in forever. We're both free to be who we want to be right now. Ugh, when was the last time we got to talk like this, Isaac?"

"Around New Year's last January." The human instantly responded, knowing it to be true, "We got together for the charity to fight cancer then. The town donated a lot of money that time around. It was a great success."

"That's right, that's right. That charity did go well, didn't it?" Nelanee thought aloud. The two childhood friends had now made it to the gym area where there was a track field outdoors and a pool indoors. Yet, neither of them were willing to part ways. Not when they were having a good chat at the moment. They were suddenly... glued together. "Still, to think that that was the last time I got to meet up with you like this, Isaac... It's saddening, you know."

"We both have lives to live and schedules to keep. Free time isn't a luxury we can afford when we're some of the best students of Hastings High, after all. However, I do know what you mean. We use to have all of the time in the world to be together like this, Nel. Now, sheesh, we barely have any opportunity to remotely say "Hi" to one another." The human student said to the otter, squeezing her hand in his at the look of sadness upon her face, "You know, truth be told, I bet this'll sound very odd but... I was just thinking about you before you slammed into me back in the school front lobby."

"Huh? You were?" Nelanee wondered back. She didn't step back or sound afraid. Rather, she looked very curious and inquired eagerly, "Why?"

"Well, you see, I have something to confess to you, Nel. I think it's important that I do so before we graduate in two weeks and go our own ways."

"Don't talk like that, Isaac... Please. I've known you since we were small. Don't talk about us going our own ways like we won't see each other again." Nelanee admitted next, hugging herself again with the look of sadness on her face becoming more visible. The human instantly felt bad about his choice of words. "I know that Stallman is far away. You'll be in a completely different state when you attend there after this summer. And I'm very happy for you. I hope you succeed there."

Suddenly trembling a little, hugging herself still, the otter maiden mewled, "Yet... even though we haven't been able to meet together like this for a long time, you've always been there for me. You still talk to me like we're as close as we were when little. God, what am I going to do without you? I can't talk to anyone else but you like this. I can't be myself."

This was very touching all of a sudden. It appeared that there were feelings starting to be brought out into the open between the two childhood friends. Truly, the last thing that Isaac wanted to see at the moment was his kind hearted, beautiful best friend in the world begin to cry. She looked like she was going to start. Nevertheless, her show of emotions over the thought of him leaving... it made his heart soar, his confidence peak, his determination increase.

Despite the fact that they hadn't been able to be with one another as often as they'd liked during their high school years, the two childhood friends still meant a great deal to one another. Since the day they'd met as kids by the Herald River, they'd been there for each other. And no matter if he was going to be in a different state, no matter the distance between himself and her, Isaac wouldn't let his deep friendship shatter with Nelanee.

Out of everyone in Hastings, he would keep in contact with her most. He would let her know day after day that he was still there for her. He would... keep his promise to her.

"It's funny, isn't it, Nel? For the last twelve years of your school life, you look forward to graduating, getting out of the school you've been stuck in for forever, seeing the world around you not as student but as an adult." Isaac began to explain, actually hugging his best friend close to him as she went on looking very sad. She was still a bit damp but so was he. Everything was fine. Especially when the she-otter snuggled into his chest with a sniffle. She really was emotional about this. "Now, though, everything seems so rapid. I understand your fear. I'm honestly super scared about leaving here to go to Stallman. I'm afraid of leaving everyone behind."

"God, Isaac, I just can't get over how you'll be gone after the summer is through. I know I haven't seen you in a while but this will be different. You'll be far away. You'll be somewhere else completely. But you will keep in touch... won't you?" Nelanee wondered, her face pressed against her childhood friend's firm chest, "Promise you will."

"Of course I promise. I'll write."

"Write? Ha ha, no one writes anymore, silly." The top swimmer giggled softly to the top student, nudging him softly with her tail, "There's such a thing called skype, that's way better."

"Ha ha, alright, alright, yes, I'll skype you. That's a promise, Nel. Seriously." Isaac gently promised, hold his best friend out at arm's length. He next held up his right hand purposefully which his she-otter companion grasped in her own. "Cross my heart."

"Cross you heart?" The otter lass churred hopefully, squeezing her fellow's hand, "Hope to die?"

"Hope to die." Isaac repeated, smiling reassuringly. He playfully covered his left eye with a laugh, "Stick a needle in my eye."

It was then, during those words, something seemed to change Nelanee. It was those words they'd spoken when very little. Her eyes clouded over, her hopeful smile left her face, her gaze switched from looking at her promising friend to the tribal bracelet wrapped around his right wrist. As Isaac registered that his childhood friend was no longer looking at him but the marriage vowed bracelet on his current person that she'd given when they'd been six, his heart literally almost exploded in shock.

Did she remember? Was she remembering their promise from childhood?