"I loved it when I was younger," she replied as they stepped out into the sunshine, following Emma and Bee into the woods. "I used to spend days out there."
"I haven't been to lake just for relaxation in a long time. I forget how to enjoy it," he said, his tone turning playful. "Do you just splash water at people, or is there more to it?"
"Well," she said with a cocky smile. "You generally push in inexperienced swimmers. You know. Tradition and all that."
"Oh, yes," she teased, a small grin on her face. "We have a very set way we do things." A whoop of excitement came from up ahead, followed by a loud splash.
Poppy grinned mischievously and pulled him forward without answering his question. They came through the trees to reveal a clear lake, the sunlight reflecting off the surface of the water. Emma was already in, her damp curls sticking to her face. As they watched, Bee took one step, and then another, and then leaped into the lake, with Emma catching her safely. She squealed with delight, and Emma put her on her back and began to swim around, keeping Bee's head bobbing above the water.
She frowned at him. "Oh, Francis," she said, shaking her head. "That's so juvenile, and I really-" She cut herself off and sprinted towards the lake, her legs moving her over the forest floor surprisingly quickly.
She laughed deeply, glancing over her shoulder at him momentarily as they approached the lake. They neared the edge, and at the last possible second, Poppy stopped herself, hoping to have Francis fall in instead.
Francis didn't see her sudden stop coming, and did end up going in. When he surfaced, he glared up at her, his hair in his face. "A liar and a cheat! Who are you?"
She laughed, sitting down on the edge of the lake, her legs kicking in the water. "I'm clever," she responded with a cheeky grin. "You're wet, in case you didn't know." She gestured to herself. "I, on the other hand, am dry."
He frowned and waded over, silent for a moment. Suddenly, he grabbed her leg and pulled, trying to get his sweet, sweet revenge.
She yelped with surprise as he succeeded, slipping into the water with a small splash. She resurfaced after a moment, her curls darker with the water and she gave him a threatening look. "Oh, you are dead."
He moved away, his expression cautious. "What're you gonna do, huh?" he asked. "It's not like you can drown me."
She frowned at him before taking a deep breath and diving. Her form was difficult to follow through the dark water, but she brushed his calf with her foot as she swam by him. Quickly, she resurfaced behind him, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, hoping to pull him down into the water.
He was a bit surprised when she pulled him under, but quickly regained his senses and went back above water, splashing water as he did. "Gah! You are trying to kill me!" he said, escaping her grip. "I thought you liked to help people."
She laughed deeply, swimming away from him. "Francis, I would never try to hurt you. I love you." She turned on her back to float, her hair fanning out on the surface of the water. "But justice had to be served. I'm sorry; I don't make the rules."
"Excuse me? You're the one who tricked me into jumping in, in the first place," he said, swimming over to the rocks so he could sit on something. "It was my justice."
