Down by the river, silver rocks, Michael Jackson don’t wear no socks

The boys instantly kicked off their shoes and peeled off their socks and walked in. I followed because child, no one has time to have a whole heatstroke out here.

But, when I stuck my foot in I shrieked.

"Oh my god! That's cold." I doubled over and clutched the cloth in front of my heart.

"Yea, duh, what did you expect?" Deon asked.

"I mean it's so hot out here you'd expect the water to be a little warmer," I said. The boys just ignored me and walked right into the river. I walked over to a skinny tree near the river.

"Down by the river," I clapped my hands and hit the tree with the right one then the left one.

"Silver rocks," I repeated the action.

"Michael Jackson," I did it again.

"Don't wear no socks," I did it again. Yea, I know that's not how you play the game, but when there's no one to play with, we're doing it Ms.Mary Mack style.

"What are you doing?" I heard J yell at me.

"Playing a game with the tree," I said.

"Stop being a baby and get in here before we throw you in!" Jaylen yelled.

"Y'all seem to love water and throwing girls in it." I retorted.

"Nothing beats it," Deon said.

"If y'all throw me in the river, I will personally find out where you two live," I pointed to Jaylen and J, "and throw all of y'alls Ps5s out the window of my room and into the pool." I threatened and smiled.

"I think Makayla is rubbing off on her." I heard King say. I walked over to the river and got ankle-deep in the water.

It honestly did feel good on my feet, but it's like a cold bath. Who likes a cold bath?

I walked closer to them, but it never got past my calves, even though, I rolled my shorts up more.

"Well, if you're not going to get in, at least don't snitch," J said.

"What are you talking about? I am in." I gestured to the low water. Their knees were submerged.

"Yea, if you were Dia's age you'd be in," Jaylen said. I knew what they were doing, they were trying to trick me, but I am not getting knee-deep in this cold water. No sir, no thanks, no ma'am.

"Not my fault Dia's the best age right now." I shrugged and pulled out my phone.

"Wow, okay, but if you end up getting bored, don't think we'll come dip our toes with you," Deon said, and in the next second, they were down the river poking at something.

Boys. I swear.

I walked out and got knee-deep in the water just because they'd left. I looked under the water and found something, it was a smooth little white pebble.

Pretty.

I took out my phone and took a picture of the pebbles at the bottom of the river and posted it.

Then, I started to pile some smaller pebbles onto bigger pebbles. It was oddly entertaining, so entertaining, I didn't notice when the boys came running and splashing around in the water.

"What the-"

"It's a water snake!" Deon yelled, turned around, pointed, turned back around, and became the Flash.

I walked closer, like every person in a horror movie ever, and saw a little green snake slithering around the water.

I wasn't scared of the snake, I didn't think the boys would be either, but that just goes to show, girls fart and guys get scared.

"It's just a snake," I said, rolling my eyes and putting a hand on my hip.

"Most of them aren't even poisonous," I reassured them, but they just stayed on the shore.

"Aw, don't tell me the baby isn't afraid but the big brave boys are." I put my hands on my knees and made my voice sound sappy.

"It's a fucking snake!" Jaylen screamed, I could visibly see the spit fly out of his mouth. Um, ew, anyway.

"That hasn't done anything to me." I stood back up and crossed my arms. I felt something cold and slimy crawl over my feet and I looked down, it was the snake.

"See? It just slithered over my feet. Y'all probably disturbed him." I shook my head and watched the snake continue downstream.

"Oh," was all I heard.

The boys looked around in the river before slowly climbing back in. Who's the baby now, scaredy cats?

"So, what made you get in the river," King asked me, attempting to change the subject.

"The fact that you guys left," I said, truthfully.

"Wow," Jaylen said, doing jazz hands to add on to his sarcasm.

"Well since a bunch of babies are afraid of snakes, who seem to be upstream, let's go downstream." I pointed down the river with the hand my phone was in.

"Um, no, that's where the snake went." J pointed out.

"Alright, let's head upstream where you originally found the snakes. Maybe it was a girl and she laid some snake baby e-"

"Alright! We'll go downstream!" I heard the boys all say together.

"Oh? Alright!" I clapped my hands together as we slowly but surely made our way downstream.

I hoped to see something special or beautiful, but let's be real, only children who go venturing near/in the wilderness in movies and books find special things.

In real life, the most you'd probably be able to find are a few clovers and some moss.