‘Sorry to scare you,’ Rod apologises, brushing past me as he moves through the kitchen. He turns and offers me a smile. ‘Going for a swim?’
‘Yeah, I think so. It’s unusually warm today.’
‘It sure is,’ he comments, spreading out his hands and leaning forward onto the kitchen bench. ‘That’s why I wanted to get on the road nice and early – to beat the traffic and the heat. But you know your mother; she’d be late to her own funeral.’
I snicker. ‘You’re probably right about that.’
‘Do you think that bikini is getting a bit small for you?’ Rod asks me.
I glance down at my chest; my boobs certainly grew in the last six months. It seemed like they just appeared overnight and, suddenly, none of my tops looked the same on me. I flush under his scrutiny. ‘Oh,’ I mumble, shrugging. ‘I don’t know. It feels comfortable enough.’
He opens his mouth to say more when Mum bustles into the kitchen like a whirlwind.
‘Okay, okay,’ she says, whipping past me and grabbing her vitamins from the kitchen counter. ‘I’m ready.’
‘Finally!’ Rod deadpans. ‘I’ll get the car started.’
‘Have a good time!’ I tell them.
Rod points a finger at me. ‘Keep the boys in line.’
‘I will.’
He winks at me as he disappears out of the kitchen.
‘Love you, miss you already,’ Mum says, planting a wet kiss on my cheek. ‘Don’t stay up all night reading, I’ll know!’
I roll my eyes. ‘Bye!’
The front door slams shut and suddenly, the house feels empty and still. I drum my fingers against the kitchen counter, surveying the space. I pack away anything of value into cupboards and move the furniture back against the walls to create room for people to dance. I don’t know who the boys have invited, but since they’re the star football players – kings of the school, as they like to call themselves – I imagine the guest list will be quite long.
Once I’ve finished all the jobs Zayden ordered me to do, I head outside to dip my toes into the water. The coolness instantly makes my hot skin feel better, and I slide the rest of my body into the pool. There’s a calmness under the water. A sense of peace I don’t get anywhere else. It’s quiet down here and, in this moment, it’s just me and the water.
I’m climbing out of the pool when the boys return home. I meet them inside and help Mason with the bags he’s holding. Liquid heat pools in my stomach when his eyes drink in my exposed skin. He brings his lower lip between his teeth. Something flutters between my legs, and I clench my thighs at the feel of it.
Zayden heads back out the front door to get whatever else is in the car, and Mason glides towards me. I back into the kitchen counter, and he plants his arms either side of me, caging me in. I feel the heat of his skin near mine as he looks down at me. Excruciatingly slowly, he leans forward, then drags his tongue up the side of my neck.
‘Mm,’ he murmurs, and it feels like my insides are dripping. ‘Salty.’
Rod is insistent about using salt water in the pool. I must admit, I do enjoy it – chlorine used to irritate my eyes and skin when I would spend hours and hours in the pool. I’m certainly appreciating itright now.
‘Is it?’ My voice is barely audible as I struggle to inhale and exhale.
He tucks my wet hair behind my ear, his breath fanning over my lips. He leans in close, barely brushing his lips against mine, when we hear Zayden’s footsteps approaching. With a wicked smirk, Mason pushes back, creating distance between us. I feel like every inch of me is on fire, despite the water dripping off me.
Once everything is set up for the party, we decide to take a break. We spend the next half hour swimming, and then make homemade hamburgers to eat out the back. We sit around the table, the latest hits softly humming from the portable speaker.
My phone rings, interrupting Mason and Zayden’s argument about something I’m not paying attention to. I glance down at it, seeing Zeke’s name across my screen. When it finishes ringing, a beep comes through, indicating a text. Then another.
Zeke has asked me out twice now. I’ve said yes both times, only to pull out the day before, making up some stupid excuse not to go. He’s kind, and I know we would have a good time, but it’s hard to think about dating someone when I know my heart belongs to Mason. It beats for him and only him. My friends insist I’m too young and naive to know that Mason is ‘the one’, and that I’m wasting away my teenage years crushing on him, but the heart wants what it wants. They don’t understand what we have, or the depth of our relationship. Our friendship. Whatever the hell it is at this point.
My friends tease me for wanting all my firsts to be with Mason; they don’t understand why I’m holding out. They can tease me all they want because I know it will be truly special.
One night when we were sharing a bottle of vodka we found, giggling and hiding in the shadows at the back of the house, he promised me that when I was eighteen I’d be old enough for us to take things further. I’m not sure he even remembers the conversation, but I certainly do. When I’m eighteen, and he’s graduated, and there isn’t the pressure of school, classes and my brother’s watchful eyes – we will be together. He promised me. Once I’m eighteen ... everything is going to change.
We got in an argument only yesterday when I tried talking to him in front of his friends and he brushed me off. I hate it when he does that. He acts all sweet when we’re alone, but too cool for me when others are around, but I know it’s because he is waiting to graduate before starting anything between us. He’s saving for a trip, and then once he’s back, we are going to be together.
‘Are you going to answer that?’ Zayden asks, quirking an eyebrow.
