“CHARRLIEEE!” I chirp, grinning over the loud bass of the music, walking towards the girl who’s decided to join others and has vacated outside, under the large canopy up in the garden, one side of the large, shimmering pool, where the droplets of rainwater fall into.....

“LEXIII!” She grins back, opening her arms wide to me as I approach...

Laughing, I grin at her, holding the plastic up with drink in, in my hand....beaming to the girl who giggles back.

“Where’s Abs and Nath?!” She shouts over the music, eyes looking to me with a sly grin.

I shrug glancing around the people crowded around under this large canopy, “I dunno......” I trail off frowning slightly as I swear I only saw them a minute again...

Charlie giggles smirking mischievously, with a glint in her eye “mm......I bet they’re hooking up somewhere...”

My eyes widen as I stare at her “What?!” I blink in surprise...she really just said that right?...I mean, yeah...she’s got a little alcohol in her system, after only drinking at least a few cups of something, hell even I had like...a few sips of it, only causing me to feel bubbly and happy over anything, but I can still understand what I’m saying.......she did just say what I think she said?

Charlie laughs, sipping the drink in her hand with a secretive smile “Oh puh-leasee....like you didn’t know..” she smirks “Nath’s got a thing for Abs....”

My eyes widen “Nooooo WAYYYY!”

Charlie nods grinning “YES WAY!”

“Ahhh NO! REALLY!”

“YEAH! ISN’T IT ADORABLE!”

“AHHHAHA! AWWww!” I grin widely, cracking up laughing with Charlie, over what?...I’m not really sure....but I do find what she just said....surprising...but cute. Nathan and Abby.

I smile to myself, I can see that happening.

Charlie suddenly gasps grabbing my arm catching my attention again “LOOK!” her eyes widen as she gasps mockingly “You’re brother is watching us!” She whispers/shouts to me sucking her lips together “And now he’s making his way over!” She yelps, slightly anxious, but slightly excited...from the sly smirk on her face....

I whip my head around, and sure enough spot no other than Evan, making his way over to us through the crowd....his head tilted with a little smirk playing at his mouth.

I gulp, suddenly thinking that he’s got wind of me having a little to drink....and I mean a little!....it just has a strange effect on me as I’ve never had any before....

“Hey girrlllss!” He grins, approaching us...and I internally sigh, nope, okay he doesn’t know because he’s grinning...it’s all good, and plus it’s obvious he’s had a bit himself...

“Hi....” I eye him suspiciously as to what he’s wanting.....

Smirking, his eyes settle on me “Lex!...come here a minute” He grins, motioning for me to step towards him and I frown..

“Why?” I asks curiously, not really wanting to go with him

Rolling his eyes a bit, he grabs hold of my hand, pulling me towards him, leaning down to my ear, I see Charlie raise an eyebrow curiously, but smirking...even I’m curious to see what Evan wants...

“What?” I ask and see him smirk before lowering to my ear more..

“Wanna jump into that pool?” He whispers with mischief in his voice

I frown at first, thinking what the hell is he on about...but then I glance towards the pool, seeing the pool deserted, actually it’s a wonder why no one’s gone in there yet.

I look up to his face, narrowing my eyes slightly “Why?” I ask suspiciously..

Grinning, Evan shrugs “Because it’s fuuunn” He drags out then nudges me “Come on Lex, live a little..” He smirks “Or are you too chicken?” he lowers his gaze, his eyes challenging me..

I narrow mine back at him for calling me a chicken, and pull my arm from his grip

“Alright then” I tell him seriously, “Let’s do it..” And a sly grin comes to my face...

Evan’s eyes twinkle with amusement and he smirks, stepping back “Great...” a slow grin comes to his face, and his eyes flicker back towards Charlie stood behind me “What about you? You in?”

Charlie raises an eyebrow “in?” She acts “In for what?” She edges forward grinning, sounding interested...

“For jumping in the pool...” Evan tells her, as if it’s a massive secret, that nobody should now...

I see Charlie’s eyes light up “Hell yeah!” she agrees and Evan chuckles...

“Come on then...” He smirks tugging my arm, “Chris is going to too...” He tells me, before tugging us away, and down towards the edge of the canopy, where the pool is in the open part, and I can see that there are no rain droplets dropping into the pool, so the rain must have let up.....

Walking around people, we finally reach the edge of this canopy, which I’m going to call a marquee, because that’s well basically what it is....and I see Chris stood there too, smirking, along with a bunch of his friends I guess, and Hayden....

“Ready?” Chris asks aiming that to Evan as he looks to him, who nods smirking glancing to me...

I stoop, glancing to the shimmering water, that looks...cold, but clean.

I frown thoughtfully, “So we’re just gunna jump in fully clothed?” I ask raising an eyebrow “Cus like we don’t have anything....” I trail off as I see the looks on my brother’s faces....

Evan shrugs in a ‘whatever’ motion and places his hands on my shoulder, turning me around to face the pool, the edge of it a few steps away... “it don’t matter....but come on...we going to or not?” He ask with a smirk..

I shrug off his hands “Yeah...of course...” I reply with my own smirk “Or have you chickened out now?” I tease, and hear Evan scoff, before spinning me around to face him again

“Never...” He whispers with a sly smirk, tilting his head his eyes shine into mine “And, never do I forget about certain pranks pulled that deserve payback....”

I frown at my brother, confused by his words.....but that is until I see that familiar look in his eyes, the one that’s there whenever he’s about to do something, that either I, or someone else will hate him for....

Oh no.....he’s after revenge....

How can I be so stupid!....of course he nor Chris will forget about what happened last week during mom’s work dinner.....of course they will remember and want payback...they always do....

Oh and great...looks like this is mine.

Just as my eyes widen in realisation, it’s too later, because I see the evil looks both my brother’s display, and before I know it.....

I’m sinking into freezing cold water, after just being throw into it.

Oh cheers brothers, I love you to. I think sarcastically in my hand as I claw at the water, pushing myself to the surface.

They are dead.

Gasping in air as I break through the surface, I hear laughter around me, coming from my two brothers, and their ‘mates’...and also including most of the people outside, because no doubt I caused quite a splash, getting attention from fellow party goers.

I give both Evan and Chris flat looks thinking, yeah, yeah it’s soo funny, and start to swim towards the edge again, noticing Blake suddenly in the crowd, coming forward and looking worried.

“Har-har...yeah, yeah the joke was on me..” I roll my eyes as my brothers laugh their butt of, smirking at me....and well....to be honest, if the roles were vice versa, I will properly be laughing just as much as they are....so yeah, I don’t blame them, but that doesn’t mean I will be happy.

I see Charlie at the side, with her hand over her mouth, either trying to no laugh, or in shock....but I give her a subtle wink.....

Evan squats down on the edge as I approach, coughing, my hair matted to my head as I grasp hold of the side of the pool, giving my brother evils...

Grinning his perfect grin, Evan says “Sorry sis....” oh yeah, like hell you’re sorry, “But come on, you had it coming...” He chuckles

Hmm...I properly did, seeing as what I did to them at that dinner, embarrassing them in front of those people, and now?...they’ve ‘embarrassed’ me in front of all the people out here...

Fair enough.

They’ve had their turn....

But know......they’re gunna wish they didn’t..

I sigh, holding my hand up to him, “Just help me up...” I say sighing again...

Chuckling to himself, he takes hold of my wet, cold, hand, and starts to pull me up...

I smirk, holding myself down “you know Evan....you really should learn not to trust me....” I speak and before he can react, will all my strength, I yank on his hand, causing him to tumble into the water, over my head.

I grin, satisfied. Oh yeah Evan...I fight back.

I hear laughter again, and I giggle, swimming over to where Evan’s about to resurface and grin innocently at him...as he splutters up water, brushing his back hair from his eyes and giving me evils....

“Sorry Ev...” I grin, using a nickname he hates “But come on, you should have seen that coming” I mock him from what he said previously, and smirk at the dirty look he throws me....

“WHOOOA!” I hear a collection of shouts/cheers...before a large amount of splashes. Spinning around I laugh as I see people starting to jump in, or being pushed in by others...including Chris and Charlie....

Oh dear...what have we started...

But...now....at least this will be fun...

~~

“Oh... my god! I’m f-freezing!” Charlie shivers beside me, as we push ourselves up onto the side of the pool, out of the water...

“I know...s-same..”I wrap my arms around me, feeling the coldness of the stormy air, we must be mad for doing this, I mean it’s kinda in the middle of a storm..and we’ve been in a pool!..gosh mental.

“Even the water feels warmer than I do now!” Charlie whines, but then laughs...

I smirk, swinging my feet in the water below, can’t help thinking she is right...the water feels warmer than the air right now....

Chuckling, I pull my feet out, standing up and helping Charlie too “I know...but, I’m too cold to go back in...” I shiver again, attempting to rub wet arms, looking down at my socked top, well...I think that might be ruined now.....thank god it’s not see-through!....that’s all I can say.

“Brrrrr!” Charlie jumps on the spot, and I look around, noticing many people also exiting the pool, or the ones left in there, still messing about, and by now...half of them, male and female...have stripped from their clothing, going in shirtless....with their underwear on...

Which, okay, yeah is basically the same as swimsuits....but...ew, okay, times to get out, and that’s exactly what me and Charlie did. Get out before it turns R-rated.

I do not want to see anything that will scare me for life thank you very much.

“Brrr! Come on..let’s get inside, before we freeze!” Charlie half jokes and laughs, before darting off towards the doors, with me hot on her tail...

“Guys!” Pausing in our attempt to get back inside, we stop, turning to the sound of our friend’s voice.

“Abs!” We both call grinning as we see the red hair rushing towards us, along with another head who we haven’t seen for quite a while!

“Hey!” Charlie grins towards Abby and Nath “Where have you two been? We lost you there!” She jokes grinning and I smirk, seeing Abby roll her eyes...

“we were here...in the warm!...not getting frostbite like the rest of you...”

“We won’t get frostbite!” Charlie laughs “Well...not yet, once we get warm we won’t..” She chuckles

“Yeah....get warm quick, because I think my toes are about to drop off...” I comment, half serious, half not...because damn! My feet feel like ice blocks!

“Ah...yeah!” Charlie nods, before standing on her tip-toes, scanning the heads of people around....

What is she doing?

My unspoken question is answered as Charlie shouts out “HEY! Noah! Please tell me you have a human sized heater in your house?!”

My head whips around as I hear the name, Noah?.....oh....for the first time in an at least an hour, I haven’t thought of him, until now....

Because there he is, walking towards us with an amused smirk, shirtless with wet dripping hair.

I gulp as he approaches, eyes flicking to me briefly, before settling on Charlie, and I can’t help but feel a bubble of hurt seeping through me, he didn’t even look at me...

Chuckle he speaks “No....I don’t have one of those..” He smirks... “But I have something better..”

“What?!” Charlie asks eagerly

“A supply of hot water”

Frowning, Charlie seems confused.... “Hot water?...where?!” She asks starting to be eager again...and I bit my lip to hold back a chuckle...

Noah looks to her with a flat look...before shaking his head “A shower Charlotte, hot water?..yeah?...it comes from a shower...” He says while shaking his head talking to her as if she’s a small child...

Charlie glares at him, slapping his arm “Don’t call me Charlotte” She snaps and I raise an eyebrow, that’s all she’s annoyed at about? Not from the way he was talking?

Letting out a laugh, Noah smirks, shaking out his wet hair, I blink, scowling as a droplet lands on me....

Sighing, Charlie looks up to him, widening her eyes “Pleeeeasee?” She drags out “Pleeease, can we use your shower?” She asks hopefully, while giving him a puppy dog look.

Noah raises an amused eyebrow glancing between me and Charlie, and I feel my stomach flip, he looked at me.

“What? Together?” He asks, amusement filling his voice

“No!” Charlie scolds slapping his chest “No! You perv!”

Hearing his oh so familiar deep chuckle, he just flashes his usual smirk/grin...

Charlie groans... “Oh pleeeasee Noah!” She begs “You wouldn’t want the guilt of having two teenage girls dying on your property because you refused them a shower! To stay warm now would you?!”

“And since when is that my fault?....I didn’t force you do get into the pool....” He argues, smirking...

Charlie groans again, running a hand through her wet hair “Pleeeaseeee?!”

“Urrmm...” Noah pretends to think about “Why should I?...as soon as people get wind that I let you two have one, everyone will want one then to ‘get warm’!...and helloo!...I can’t have that many people going, they’re use all the water!” He defends himself, in a mocking way, because I can tell he’s joking, and of course..there’s that big smirk on his face as a give away...

“I’ll pay for the freaking water bill if I must!” Charlie yelps “just pleeease?...pleasee....before I freeze my butt off and end up in a coma.”

“I don’t think you’ll end up in a coma...” He chuckles at Charlie...

“Guurr...Noah!...please?!” Charlie asks desperately, glancing to my shivering self, as she’s shivering just as much as me...

“Hmm.....what’s in it for me?” He asks, that glint of amusement in his eye...

Charlie opens her mouth, to say something, before closing it again....and glances back to me.....I frown as I see that cheeky look in her eye....

“I know..” She grins, before leaning into Noah, to whisper something in his ear...

I frown, as I watch his face, turn from that amused look.....to a masked one, blanking off his emotions, except for that little bit in his eyes...

The same look I saw that night, the night when he ran after me in the rain....when he stole that kiss....

Clearing his throat, Charlie steps back grinning and smirking...Noah lets out a laugh, almost sounding forced...

“N-no...no..I was kidding....” He jokes, smirking, but it doesn’t look the same as before “Go on, go get warm...use the shower , there’s more than one, before you catch something...” He says standing aside, and his eyes gaze towards me “Both of you...”

I feel a little smile tug at my lips, he noticed me.....and Charlie grins, thanking him constantly, before grabbing my hand...and dragging me into the house, shouting to Abby and Nathan that we will meet them later, and then she proceeds to drag me up the long stair case, dripping water everywhere which I’m conscious about.....but...I’ve got my mind set on becoming warm...because right now I can barely feel my arms....

I just wonder what it was that Charlie whispered to Noah...