Chapter song: Generation Why- Conan Gray
7 years ago.
It may have been the grueling past few weeks that I was excited for a break or the fact that I missed my mom's cooking, but I was excited to be home. Liam, Mason, and I piled into Tish's car so she could drive us to their house.
It was convenient that I lived across the street from the Parker family. Mason's dads would pick him up after one of them got off work. It was funny to me how we all planned to go home just to end up back at Liam's house that night. Once we were showered and home fed at least. Hell, we'd probably have second dinner at the Parkers anyway.
"We only have like three weeks left of summer and we still have practice," Liam groaned from the front seat.
"Yeah but at least we get the weekend off," I sighed sinking further into my seat. Tish chuckled at all of us. She ran a spin studio so I guess she never really had a day off. I don't know how she did it every day.
"I just hope they don't give us two-a-days. At least not until the season actually starts," Mason grumbled. We both agreed and started talking about the season. It would be an epic one for sure. There was no way we wouldn't make it to state.
We pulled into their driveway and saw the rest of our ridiculous crew waiting for us. On the lawn, Riley seemed to be sunbathing. Typical of her I snorted to myself.
Then there was Kenny boxing Ty in a bikini that wasn't similar to Riley's in the slightest. Hers looked like one of the ones she wore to swim practice. She and Ty probably just got home since they were still suited up. Or they decided to join Riley in tanning.
It was funny how no matter what was going on, we all ended up at their house for anything. Even though Riley and Kenny didn't really hang around us anymore. They were always busy doing who knows what. We never really questioned them.
"Hey! You can't kick me like that! That was a cheap shot," Ty laughed backing away.
"You're only saying that because I thought of it first Anderson," Kenny smirked dodging Ty's right hook. "Besides you couldn't be me even if you tried."
None of them looked our way as we grabbed everything from the car. They just carried on whatever they were doing. I didn't blame them, it looked a hell of a lot more fun than grabbing duffel bags and lacrosse sticks.
"Yeah, we missed you guys too. So much," Mason yelled at them sarcastically.
"Hi Mase," Kenny cooed walking towards us. She twisted her hair into a bun on top of her head grinning wickedly.
He dropped his bags and ran to Kenny picking her up into a big bear hug. She screamed wildly at him begging to put her down. Her giggles pierced the air, and for a moment I felt something stir inside of me. I kind of wished I was the one making her giggle in a way. Not that I ever thought about that before.
"Okay okay okay! Mason please!" She groaned.
"You guys look tired," she eyed all of us up and down. I wasn't sure but I felt her eyes on me longer than Liam or Mason.
"Look who's talking," Liam tossed his bags down on the lawn nodding to Ty. He looked at Kenny and lingered towards Riley before shifting his gaze back to Ken.
"When's the party?"
"Oh, you assume we're going to have a party?" She clicked her tongue.
I could help but notice how confident she stood there. Her muscles had become more defined, but maybe they'd always been that way. Her eyes, like a penny, were shiny and playful. They were always ready for a challenge. I liked the way her eyes lit up when she spoke to us.
"I mean I did miss our birthday so we're going to celebrate. With or without you."
"It's tomorrow at my house Liam," Riley called from the grass. "Be there or don't!"
"Missed you to Riles," he chuckled.
"How was camp?" Ty asked all of us.
"Long."
"Hot."
"Tired," Mason cried.
"As you can see Mason is clearly traumatized from this year's training," I rolled my eyes before deciding to sit on the grass. I'll take my stuff home later. Right now I needed a nap, and the grass was soft.
"Oh poor Mase," Kenny pouted. "Do you need a nap?"
"Yes, please. And some pancakes."
"Mmmm pancake breakfast was last week."
"Ugh my life is so hard," he sighed walking over to Riley to bug her. "I miss all the good stuff."
Kenny nudged me with her foot and I glanced up at her. Her arms were back to being crossed across her right stomach. I patted the spot of grass next to me but instead, she plopped down across from me.
"So how was your summer?" I asked.
"Oh you know," she paused. "Just living in the water. The usual. Practice, practice, practice."
"Has Ty finally beaten you yet or what?" I smirked. Anytime they were in the room together they would argue about who was faster. It usually happened in class, but since I hadn't seen either of them since camp I figured why not stir some trouble up.
"Don't start," she groaned. "He's so relentless. He just doesn't shut up you know that right?"
"You gonna be captain this year or what?" I knew she'd appreciate the subject change. Those two were firecrackers.
"I doubt it."
"But you're the best on the team."
"I wouldn't say that," she began.
"C'mon Parker. You and Ty run that place. If you don't get captain we'll riot," I smirked.
Her teeth began to show as she tried to hide her smile. It was as if the most she tried to hide it the bigger her smile became. It was infectious.
Why had I never noticed her smile before?
"Oh yeah? You and what army?" She snorted.
"I know you know Mason. He's a force to be reckoned with."
"You all are!"
"True."
"Besides, it hasn't been decided yet but I think our seniors this year seem pretty lazy about it. So I think it'll be between me or Kylie," she shrugged leaning back to catch some sun.
She would get it. I knew she was trying to downplay it but she'd get it. Her coaches would be stupid not to. She was the hardest working person on that team. If I didn't know her or already have seen her legs I'd think she'd have some scales on there by this point.
"I need to shower," she sighed.
"Yeah me too"
"I know. I can smell you from here," she smirked. She pretended to gag, and I kicked her with my leg.
"Oh please. Don't think I can't smell your chlorine and sweat all the way over here," I scoffed. She gasped and kicked me with her foot back while I laughed.
She huffed getting up while Ty called out something to her. She yelled back and made a profound gesture that we all laughed at.
"We should make a slip and slide out here," Liam decided.
"Down!" Riley yelled.
We all agreed and talked about a plan. It was the first time we all actually hung out this summer. We'd all been busy doing our own thing with camps and practices. Even before we left for camp all of us hadn't really hung out together. Instead of dropping off all my bags at my house we threw everything into Liam's room and grabbed his swim trunks.
Ty, Riley, and Kenny grabbed supplies out of their garage and started constructing it together. By the time we changed and met them back outside everything was set up.
"Can I come play?" I heard Livi ask. Livi was Kenny and Liam's younger half-sister. She was a tiny little thing and had that face that you couldn't say no to. Which we didn't.
Liam gave her a piggyback ride right down the porch once she got her bathing suit on. We let her go down the slip and slide first. She squealed the entire way and begged to go again.
We all took turns from going on our backs to our stomachs to even trying to stand. Kenny made it the farthest standing but toppled over towards the end. Luckily I had just gone so I was still there to grab her arm and catch her.
"My hero," she cried through her laughter.
"No problem."
I continued to hold her arm without even realizing it. I noticed her coppery eyes had flecks of gold in them. They were brighter in the sun.
"What? What is it?" She asked shifting uncomfortably. The hesitation lingered on her face. She couldn't decide whether to pull herself away or not.
"Oh nothing," I let go of her arm. "Just- I'm glad to be back. We missed you guys."
"We missed you too." She gave a small smile but quickly added, "just don't tell Mason or Liam they won't let me hear the end of it."
"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it."
I couldn't help but notice how carefree she looked. There was something about her I couldn't help but look at and I didn't get why. We'd always been friends, even though this past year we weren't super close as we once were. I just couldn't stop noticing her.
I'd always known she was something different, But catching her falling changed something. Maybe it was the way she caught me staring at her. Finally noticing each other as something other than neighbors or friends, but something had certainly changed between us.
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Hi!! I hope you liked the flashback! In case you don't know this took place the summer before the first book (The Deep End).
I probably should have posted the last chapter and this one at the same time, so please forgive me! I hope you're enjoying this story and all the Cal chapters! Let me know what you think!