“Tahoe” means “big water” in the local native American language. If it was up to me, I would prefer to call it “deep water.” My fun day at Lake Tahoe actually began perfectly. One of my best friends, Geetika, was joining me and my family on a day trip to the one and only Lake Tahoe. We were both 12 years old and buzzing with excitement. We left Fremont early in the morning, when the sky was just beginning to light up and the air was still thick with dew, and arrived in Tahoe City around noon. It was a sweltering hot August day, towards the end of summer vacation, and we were desperate to squeeze in any more fun before school began. After enjoying a small picnic lunch in the shade of a grand redwood tree, we both rolled up our shorts as high as possible, kicked off our shoes, and dashed across the narrow beach towards the shimmering water. Little did we know, danger lurked just ahead. …show more content…
Although we were the same age, most people assumed she was my sister, and who could blame them? We both had straight dark hair, big eyes, and the same skin tone. However, Geetika was a whole head shorter than me. Together, we waded into the lake. Stepping in was an incredible moment for me. The sun blazed on my back, while the wind gave me goosebumps at the same time. The golden sand danced between my toes, and the clear, sweet water clouded up with sediment wherever I stepped. The air smelled clean, with an undercurrent of pine needles. Although the sensation was amazing, I also felt uneasy, nervous that something would go wrong. I shook the feeling off, determined to make this the best day