By: Marina Han

“Okay, everyone!” the counselor says. “Get into your groups of three and pick a kayak. Then, you can get started.”

“Lilaaaa!” I hear my friend, June, call. She’s already standing next to Glory, our other friend. I turn and grin at them. Of course, we’re going to kayak together; we’re inseparable. We walk to the row of kayaks laid out in front of us and quickly choose the sparkly purple one. It’s glimmering beautifully in the sunshine, the three empty seats are practically waiting for us to sit on them. Glory sits in the front, June in the middle, and I’m in the back. And… off we go.

The kayaking starts off nice. The wind flaps my hair onto my face, and I instantly regret not wearing a ponytail. Because June sits in the middle, she doesn’t have a paddle, so she spends her time splashing Glory and me. I dip my fingers into the water. It’s cold and refreshing, the perfect temperature under the blazing sun. The three of us make jokes and have so much fun, while quickly moving forward across the lake. For some time, everything is perfect.

About twenty-five minutes in, we realize that we’re not moving, no matter how much we paddle. “What’s happening?” Glory exclaims, frantically looking around our kayak.

“Uh-oh.” June’s eyes grow wide.

Glory stares at her. “What?”

June points to the water below us. I squint and see something green. A plant is clinging to our kayak. I try to paddle some more and although the kayak is wiggling, it won’t move forward.

“Guys, we’re stuck.” I state, although that seems pretty obvious. I reach into the lake and find the green plant. It’s so slippery that it’s hard to get hold of it. When I finally grip onto the slimy vine, I yank as hard as I can. The vine still doesn’t budge. June and Glory join me, but the substance still doesn’t release its grip.

“UGH! Plant, just MOVE!” Glory yells, her face flushed from yanking. We keep on trying to move the green tentacle until I hear the counselor, who is standing on the beach, tell everyone to kayak toward the shore.

“WAIT!” I yell, waving wildly. “We’re stuck here! We need help!”

The counselor and everyone else stares at us. Luckily, a girl from one kayak next to us says, “Don’t worry, girls! We got you!”

She and her friends start paddling toward us. When they get next to us, all three of them help us try to yank the monstrous plant? off the kayak. I look up and see more kayaks coming toward us.

As everyone on the lake grips onto the plant, my heart explodes with gratitude for them. They are all trying so hard to help us. I see some parts of the vine slowly fall off the kayak.

Just five minutes later, the plant finally gives up and falls off the kayak. Everybody cheers. I pump my fist in happiness.

“Yes! Thank you guys so much. Great job!” I yell. After the celebration, we all kayak back to the shore. The counselor starts clapping when he sees us.

“You got unstuck! What happened?” he asks.

“A plant was hanging on to our kayak,” Glory replies.

“Woah! So, how’d you get it off?”

I smile and look at everybody who helped us. “We all worked together. I guess teamwork really makes the dream work.”

Everybody laughs. I sigh in happiness. What a day.