Page 25 of Alice & Meg, Girls Trip

Just as I was about to say something to Alice about how proud I was of myself for not freaking out, something caughtmy eye. A shadow moved beneath the water, quick and sleek, darting just under the surface.

Before I could even register what it was, a fish—a sizable one, by the look of it—launched itself out of the water with the kind of enthusiasm I usually reserve for dessert. It arced through the air in a gleaming, silvery blur and smacked against the side of the canoe right by my hand with a loud *thwack*.

“Gah!” I yelped, jumping so violently that the canoe wobbled precariously from side to side. My heart felt like it was trying to escape my chest, and in my panic, I lurched to the opposite side of the canoe, trying to put some distance between myself and the now thrashing fish.

Big mistake.

The canoe, already unsteady from my initial freak-out, tipped even further as I moved. Before I could correct myself, the laws of physics decided to remind me who was boss. With a sickening lurch, the canoe tipped to one side, and I felt myself sliding, helpless, toward the edge.

“Meg, no!” Alice shouted, her voice somewhere between alarmed and amused.

But it was too late. With a splash that was far from graceful, I tumbled over the side and into the lake, arms flailing and legs kicking. The cold water swallowed me up, and for a moment, all I could hear was the roar of bubbles and the muffled sounds of the world above.

I surfaced quickly, sputtering and gasping, my hair plastered to my face. I wiped it away, blinking against the sunlight, and found myself floating beside the now slightly off-balance canoe. Alice was staring down at me, her eyes wide with a mix of concern and barely contained laughter.

“You okay?” she asked, though the twitching corners of her mouth suggested she already knew the answer.

I spat out a mouthful of lake water, then wiped my face with my hand. “Am I okay? A fish attacked me! And I fell out of the canoe! How the hell did you not fall out?”

Alice finally lost the battle against her laughter. “The fish didn’t attack you! It just... got a little too enthusiastic. And you, my friend, freaked out.” She shook her head, still chuckling. “I thought you didn’t like water, but here you are, going for an unexpected swim.” She moved back and forth. “I also have cat-like reflexes. I swear it was like you fell in slow motion.”

I scowled up at her, but I couldn’t maintain it. The absurdity of the situation was too much, and before I knew it, I was laughing, too, the sound echoing across the lake. “This was not part of the plan!”

“No, but it will sure make for a good story,” Alice grinned, reaching out a hand to help me back into the canoe.

I grabbed her hand and, with her help, managed to haul myself—dripping, bedraggled, and decidedly less dignified—back into the canoe. The boat rocked dangerously as I scrambled to get settled, and for a moment, I thought we might both end up in the water this time. But Alice kept us steady, and after a bit of awkward maneuvering, I was back in my seat, though considerably wetter than before.

I could hear laughing from all of the other girls floating across the lake. Of course, I would be the one to land head over teakettle in the water for everyone to watch.

“So,” Alice said, trying to keep a straight face but failing miserably, “how was your swim?”

“Refreshing,” I deadpanned, squeezing the water out of my hair. “Though I wouldn’t recommend it if you want to stay dry.”

“Noted,” Alice said, still chuckling as she resumed paddling. “But you have to admit, that was pretty impressive. I’ve never seen anyone get launched out of a canoe by a fish before.”

I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at my lips. “I’m glad I could be the first to show you how it’s done. But seriously, who knew fish could be so... aggressive?”

“They probably just heard about the time you tipped a canoe when you were ten and wanted to see if you still had the touch,” Alice teased.

“Well, mission accomplished,” I muttered, though I couldn’t help but laugh along with her. “I hope that fish is happy.”

“I’m sure it’s telling all its fish friends about the human it managed to unseat,” Alice grinned. “You’ll be a legend down there.”

“Great,” I said, shaking my head. “Just what I always wanted—to be famous among fish.”

We both laughed again, and this time, the tension in my shoulders finally eased. The shore was getting closer now, and with it, the promise of dry land and maybe a towel or two. I was still wet and slightly shivering, but at least the sun was warm, and the day was too beautiful to let a little swim ruin it.

As we paddled the last few yards to the shore, I couldn’t help but glance back at the spot where the fish had made its surprise entrance. The water was calm again, with no sign of the aquatic troublemaker. It was almost like it had never happened—except for the fact that I was soaking wet, and the story would probably follow me for years to come.

Alice was still grinning as we finally pulled up to the shore and dragged the canoe onto the sand. She looked at me, shaking her head in disbelief.

“You’re never going to let me live this down, are you?”

“Oh, definitely not,” she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “But hey, at least you made it to shore without tipping the canoe this time.”

“Small victories,” I sighed, wringing out my shirt as best I could. “Next time, I’m bringing a wetsuit. Or maybe just a snorkel.”

Greta and Raven came running over and grabbed the cooler from the canoe. “Thank God you didn’t take the whole thing down with you, Meg,” Greta snickered.

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