36 - California Girls

LONG ONE YAY! and...... HOLY SHIT 2.5K THIS IS AMAZING GUYS!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL<3

Right Now

"Hmm..." I hum into Louis' warm chest, shifting in his arms to lean up and kiss his neck softly.

I feel his hand around my waist move up and down, showing me he's awake.

"Good morning," I whisper, smiling up from his chest.

He smiles back, craning his neck to kiss me softly before plopping back on his pillow with his hand reached back behind his head.

We fell asleep after we stayed up late last night discussing and figuring out our relationship. We ran into a few troubles, but I was so miserable without him that I knew we would just have to work through it. I was tired of being mad at him when all I wanted the entire time was for him to hold me in his arms, and now he was. I couldn't bring myself to argue with that result.

I run my hand up his chest, resting it on his extended shoulder.

"Good morning," he mumbles tiredly, a cute little smirk on his face.

Suddenly there is a thud against the door.

"Shh!" Hailee's voice hisses through the wood.

"It's not my fault! Niall pushed me!" Harry whispers back.

I look up to Louis, to which he just scoffs softly and rolls his eyes with a chuckle.

I smirk as an idea enters my head.

Louis notices my devious expression. "What?" he whispers, amusingly.

"Shh," I hush and carefully crawl out from under the covers, walking towards the door. Louis quickly mimics my movements and meets me at the door. I hold my finger up to my lips, signally for him to remain silent as I pull him to stand next to me beside the door.

I reach out and quietly twist the knob before I yank it open.

Zayn, Liam, Niall, Harry, and Hailee all tumble in, landing on top of each other at our feet.

"Idiots," I chuckle, looking down at their shocked expressions as they push themselves of off each other. Hailee is the first to be standing up straight, her hands on her hips.

"This is all your fault," she huffs.

Harry shoot up at her words. "Excuse me? This was all your idea in the first place!"

"I and it would have worked if you idiot hadn't fallen into the door!"

"Niall shoved me!"

"Oi!" Niall cries from the ground, hardly even trying to get out from under the remaining two boys. "Wasn't my fault! Your fat arse got in my way!"

"Well you were the one trying to eat a hot dog while spying! It's 9am what do you need a god damn hot dog for this early, anyways?!"

"Oh my god. SHUT UP!" Hailee screams with her hands held up to he temples.

"He started it," Harry mumbles.

Hails rolls her eyes and slaps him across the chest.

"Ow!"

"Ugh, just make yourself useful and come rub my head, would you?" she grumbles.

He obliged with a smirk. "Feisty. I like it."

She chuckles and looks up at him over her shoulder with a devious grin of her own.

I just stand there with wide eyes as the scene unfolds around me. When Harry is about to lean down to kiss Hailee, I grab Louis' hand and pull him past the door, hopping over the lifeless boys who are still laying on the ground, and close the door behind us.

"We have an interesting group," I comment as we make our way into the spacious kitchen.

I feel Louis tug my hand back, jerking me to face him just as we reach the counter. He smirks before gripping my waist tightly, causing a surprised gasp to escape my lips before he lifts me to sit on the counter top, standing between my legs.

"They're okay," he mumbles before leaning in more, holding his lighthearted smile as his lips connect with mine.

God I missed his lips.

I react quickly; wrapping my legs around his waist to pull him closer and give me some leverage as my hands tug through his hair.

His fingers scrape down from my waist to grip my thighs, tightly. I moan into his mouth, giving him an opportunity to slip his tongue past my lips. I gasp when I suddenly feel his teeth drag down my tongue in his mouth. I tug his locks even harder and push him into me even more. He groans in response, sending a wave of vibrations through my mouth.

"Seriously?!"

The screeching voice tears through our moment and we pull apart, suddenly. I turn in the direction of the noise to find everyone standing there with wide eyes.

"We don't see them for twelve hours and they are back to jumping each other like conejos!" Hailee cries, turning to look at the rest of the boys.

"What's conejos?" Liam asks.

"Oh, sweet little white boy," she cooed, patting his head in mock endearment. "Bunnies."

"I knew that!" Niall screams.

"Good job." Hailee nods. "Wait, do you speak Spanish?"

"A little bit," he admits, showing off that he's impressed with himself. Hailee seems to be impressed, too.

"¿No son nuestros amigos tan estúpido? Todo Avery puede entender es su nombre y hola! Estoy solo!"

"Pruebe estos chicos! Estábamos haciendo una entrevista para México y que sonaba como sonaban como ardillas asfixia en sus acentos españoles!"

"I heard my name," I shrug, not understanding anything else they said. They may have said 'hola' but I have no way to be sure.

Suddenly, they both look at each other and burst out laughing.

"Te lo dije!" Hailee manages to choke out.

"Don't freak out too much. I bet they haven't even done it. Lou would have said something," Harry muses, continuing on as if the previous exchange never happened, as well as speaking as if we aren't even there though he looks right at us as if he could see whether we had done it or not.

I glare at them.

"No, I know. Avery already confirmed that much. But still I don't see it taking much longer," she dismisses easily. My cheeks are red with either embarrassment or anger, but most likely the combination of both.

"Hailee!" I scold, hoping she can manage to remember we are standing a few feet away from her.

"You're the one practically dry humping Louis where we eat!"

My eyes widen in mortification.

"Hailee Nicole Jackson! SHUT UP!"

"Avery Marie Williams! NO!"

"Your middle name's Nicole?" Harry asks, looking over at Hailee.

"Harry!" I say, giving him an exasperatedly dumbfounded look.

He shrugs.

I roll my eyes and hop off the counter, but still in front of Louis.

"Okay, whatever. Moving on. What do you guys want to do today?" I ask as calmly as I can muster, trying to continue past this moment.

"Boat!" Hailee screams.

"Okay. Let's do it! You guys up for a little boating?!"

'Yeah!' was hear all around as the boys wildly agree.

"Okay! It's settled then! Guys you are in charge of getting the food ready. Make sure you pack enough for all of us for at least a few hours. We will probably get back around five so bring lunch. Oh! And lots of water. Hails and I will handle the boat."

"Why do I feel like the roles are reasonable reversed?" Zayn questions.

I send him a stare of mock disbelief. "You don't think us girls can do it?"

"I mean, I'm not saying you can't... I'm just saying that... like..." Zayn sputters.

"Well do you know how to launch a boat?"

All of the boys stand there awkwardly.

"Didn't think so! Let's go Hails!" I pull Hailee out of the house before the boys can protest.

I walk up to the boat garage and unlock it while Hailee pulls the car around. We hook the trailer up without trouble, and head back out to the lake to launch the boat.

"The boys are probably scrambling lost without us back at the house," Hailee laughs as we back the trailer into the water.

"I know. You are so the one that has to go pick them up! I will wait here kicking back in the shade!"

"Ugh no fair!"

I put on my most innocent face and hop out of the car once the boat is fully in the water.

"Okay! I've got it from here! You take the car and bring the guys back!"

"Perf!" Hailee says and climbs back into the car while I hop on the boat and slide into the drivers seat. It's already about 110°F and I really want to get a quick dip in the water before they get back.

I see Hailee pull out of the parking lot and I turn the boat out towards the lake.

I missed this place.

☆☆☆☆☆

"I know the best jumping rock!" I exclaim once we are all situated on the boat.

"Which one is it?" Hailee asks.

"It's the one down by the dam."

"Oh yeah! Okay! Let's do it!"

"Hey, Aves?" Louis asks with his mischievous smile.

"What, Louis?" I smile.

"What did the fish say when he hit something hard?"

I roll my eyes, knowing where this joke is going.

"What?"

"Dam!"

Hailee doss me the pleasure of slapping him upside the head.

"Now that you've got that out of your system, do you want to ride the inner tube down there? Since it's kind of a long drive it's fun to just sit out there for an easy ride?"

"Yeah sure!" he exclaims, getting up from his seat and grabbing a life jacket.

"Hails, can you drive?"

"Yeah, course!"

"Okay! Here we go!"

I hop off the end of the boat to land on the inner tube that is already resting in the water. Before I even turn back around, I feel someone land behind my, effectively launching me off of the floating raft.

When I come back above water, everyone is having a grand old time laughing their heads off. I look to see Louis struggling to keep his laughter contained with a sheepish look on his face.

"Sorry, love!"

I glare at him and reach up to pull him in by his life jacket. He tumbles off into the water.

"Payback, Tomlinson," I say once he resurfaces.

"I guess I deserved that."

"Yes, you did," I scold.

He pouts his lip out. "I'm sorry. Can I have a kiss?"

I glare at him but lean in to quickly to peck his lips. He smirks when I pull away and reaches behind to grab my neck and pull me back to him.

"We will leave you both to drown!" Zayn yells from the boat.

I laugh and pull away from Louis, who is shooting daggers at Zayn. I haul myself back onto the raft and help Louis climb up next to me.

Niall and Zayn help let the rope out until we are floating a number of yards away from the boat.

"Hit it!" I yell, gripping the handles while I lay flat on my stomach.

Hailee starts the boat and soon we are traveling on top of the water. For the first few minutes, we are just staring out at the fleeting scenery, enjoying the wind and water splashing around us.

"You are so gorgeous."

I look to my side and find Louis staring at me with endearing eyes. I smile back at him.

"Thank you. You are not so bad yourself," I joke.

"No, I mean it. You are just amazing. Everything you do is amazing. And then you don't even try sometimes, and you are still the most beautiful girl in the world."

"Well, you know what they say about California girls..." I mutter sheepishly, caught off guard by his suddenly serious mood.

"No. It's just you. And not because of anyone else. Because of you. You are just... amazing."

I look into his eyes for some sort of clue where he is going with this.

"Where is all this coming from?" I chuckle softly.

"I missed you. I missed you so much, and I miss being able to tell you how much I love you," he responds, warmly.

Instead of giving him another response that I don't know how to say, I lean over and softly press my lips to his. Just like before, when I move to pull away, he pulls me back to him. Somehow he manages to shift us so that I am laying on my back as he hovers over me. I keep one hand on the handle above my head as the other goes to pull him closer.

He keeps his knees knelt on either sides of my hips. His lips knead tentatively against mine. I smile against his mouth as I think about the current situation.

We are laying under the sun on the inner tube with water and wind blowing around and splashing us. The air is warm and cleansing, smelling even more fresh as it picks up the aroma of the flying water. You can hear the constant and steady hum of the boat in front of us as it splashes against the surface.

This is heaven.

Suddenly, heaven bites us in the ass as we hit a bump and both go flying off the raft, since neither of us were really focused on holding on. Our heads snap together with the impact.

"Oww..." I groan as I come above water.

"Babe, you okay?" Louis chuckles, swimming closer to me.

"Yeah," I laugh. "Just a little bump."

"Yeah, that hurt like a bitch."

He finally swims over far enough that he's right in front of me, reaching out to hold my waist as he treads water beneath him.

"Can I make it feel better?" he grins.

I roll my eyes. "You are so lame sometimes."

He laughs, but still leans up to kiss my forehead.

"All better?"

"Yes. Thank you very much."

"My pleasure."

Before he can lean to kiss my lips, once again, the boat pulls around beside us.

"Were you seriously making out on the inner tube?!" Hailee cries out.

"So what?!"

"Conejos!" she screams back at us. I just laugh and swim to climb back on the boat, figuring that was enough tubing for the time being.

"Whatever," I mutter. As I maneuver back into the seats, I look towards the front of the boat to see Liam seated solemnly. He looks sad, and I can't help but understand that that is most likely because of me. Well, me and his best friend. I take a deep breath and try to push back the wave of guilt that floods me.

This is how it has to be. This is for the best. Just rip the band aid off so there is no going back, no matter how much it hurts either people.

I have to rip off the band aid and watch as he writhes in pain for a few moments before the sting subsides and he realizes it had to be done and it was for the best. I just wish he didn't put the band aid on in the first place.

Because now, this is just how it had to be. I'm with Louis, not Liam. That's how it's supposed to be.

☆☆☆☆☆

"That was a fun day!" Hailee says, plopping down on the couch as she returns from changing into her pajamas.

"Yeah! We haven't been out here in forever! I forgot how hot it was though! Launching the boat in that heat was bit of a struggle," I laugh, cuddling closer into Louis' side.

"How do you know how to do all that, by the way?" Harry asks, sitting down next to Hails.

I shrug. "I don't know. My mom always needed help since it's at least a two person job, and even when my dad was here, he was never a river kind of guy, so we had to manage just us girls. And plus, most of my life it's just been the three of us so we got good at using brain over brawn for all the housework and stuff. You get the hang of it."

"Yeah, and now I get to be her little helper!" Hailee cheers, sarcastically.

"You know you love it! Remember one of the first times we came out here! We went out on the jet skis and you nearly shit your pants as soon as I pressed on the gas!" I tease.

"Hey! By the end of the day I was driving it!"

"Yes. See? I helped you!"

She glares at me, which I reflect.

"Don't make me punch you in the throat!" she threatens.

"Don't make me punch you in the boob!"

Her gaze narrows even more. "You wouldn't."

"You know I would."

I quickly jump off the couch to land on her lap tickling her sides.

"Oh my god, Avery, stop!" she squeals as soon as my fingers make contact. I laugh and tickle her harder. Once I retract for a second to catch my breath, her laughing face quickly turns evil as she lunges forward to slap my boob, which I quickly respond with a slap of my own.

"Did you just slap my boob?!" she yells.

"Yes, I did! You slapped my boob first." I reach forward and slap her boob again.

"You wanna go?!" she taunts.

I look at her with a determined look and slap her chest again.

"You're out of control!" she screams, loudly. We look at each other for a second before bursting out in a fit of laughter together.

"Lou, what do I do?" Harry whispers loudly to Louis from where he sat right beside us as we continue cracking up.

"I've learned to go with whatever, with these two," Louis says in an almost a bored tone.

"Hey, guys, what's going on?" Zayn asks as he comes in from his room.

"Hailee punched Avery's boob, then Avery punched Hailee's boob and now they are laughing," Louis explains calmly.

Zayn nods softly. "Sounds hot."

This cuts Hailee and I's now giggling off to send him confused glares.

"Shut up, mate!" Harry screams.

"You're an idiot," Louis chuckles.

Zayn chuckles and shrugs lightly.

This is a really weird group we have...

"Guys! Let's go swimming!" Niall screams, running into the living room in his swim trunks.

"Yeah! Let's do it!" Zayn agrees, happily.

"Babe?" Louis asks me as I sit next to him.

"Okay!" I shrug.

"Aves, plug in your music!" Hailee shouts before running to change back into her swimsuit. I haven't changed out of mine yet so I'm good to go.

"Kay-kay!"

I walk over to the surround sound stereo and plug in my laptop to the speakers, pressing shuffle. A My Chemical Romance song immediately flows through the room.

"Let's go!" I shout and run out to the pool in the back yard. The sun has started going down and casts a slightly orange light over everything.

Niall runs out quickly and does a cannonball in the water, soon followed by Zayn.

"Where's Liam?" I ask no one in particular.

Zayn shrugs, sitting on the steps of the pool. "Lad said he was tired."

"Okay..."

"Hey! What did I miss?!" Hailee asks, coming outside with the rest of us.

"Nothing," I chuckle.

Suddenly the song changes and I immediately recognize the tune. I turn to Hailee and notices she has the same thought.

We smile at each other as the first verse begins and we shout dramatically at the top of our lungs, "When will the princess figure it out she ain't worth saving? Heavy the head that bears the crown, of my mistaken, apathy for sympathy!"

"What song is this?" Harry asks as we finish the first staff.

"Paint You Wings by All Time Low!" Hailee and I shout simultaneously.

The boys just give us weird looks.

"Oh, whatever, you people!"

Just as Hails and I are preparing to resume our belching of the lyrics, my phone starts ringing from where it sits on a lounge chair.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Hey! Aves! It's Mikey!"

"Hey Mikey?" I scream over Hailee's shouting.

He must hear her screams. "What is that?" he chuckles through the receiver.

"Hailee singing!" I laugh.

"What song?"

"Paint You Wings by All Time Low!" I scream, knowing he would appreciate my excitement.

"Oh! I love that song! Put me on speaker phone!"

"Okay!"

I press the speaker button and resume singing along, Mikey now joining in over the telephone.

"I painted a picture of the things I wanted most! To color in the darker side of all my brightest hopes! But there's a monster standing where you should be! So I'll paint you wings! Now I'll set you free!"

"I was a pawn in all of your plans, you kept me busy! Locked behind your chamber doors when--Ahhh!" Hailee screams as Harry picks her up and throws her into the water.

"What was that?!" Mikey calls out.

"Harry threw Hailee into the pool!" I laugh at Hails as she swims above surface with a shocked expression.

"Dumb ass," Mikey chuckles.

"No shit!" Hailee calls back to Michael.

"I had to make it stop." Harry shrugs.

Hailee just shoots him daggers as she swims over to sit by Zayn to pout.

"Okay, well I was just checking to see how you guys were doing! We will see you back on the road tomorrow, right?!" Michael asks.

"Yep. We are gonna meet you guys back in Phoenix. We should be there around 10am. Good?"

"Yep. Paul told me you guys just need to be back before we leave at 11."

"Okay! We will be there! Bye, Mikey! Love you!"

"Love you, too, Aves!"

I press the end button and place the device back onto the chair.

Harry is standing on the side of the pool, arguing with Hailee, while Louis is sitting on the edge with his feet splashing around in the water, keeping to himself.

He looks absolutely adorable.

I come and sit down next to him, resting my head on his shoulder.

"What are you thinking about?"

I feel a light laugh vibrate through his shoulders against my ear. He leans down and kisses the top of my head as he wraps his arms around me.

"You."

"Me?"

"Us."

I smile at the word.

"You're so cheesy, you know that?" I tease.

"Yeah, I know," he says softly, as if he isn't really focusing on what he's saying.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I turn to look at him.

"Nothing... I just--I don't know... I honestly thought I had lost you," he says, seriously, turning to face me, as well.

I shake my head lightly. "I don't know if there was even a moment where I honestly believed we would be over, forever. I think in the back of my mind I knew I wasn't strong enough to be without you," I whisper back to him, the tenderness and honesty of the moment stealing my volume.

"No." He shakes his head, softly. "You were strong enough to forgive me for what was keeping you away from me. It wasn't weakness that brought you back to me, it was strength."

I look into his eyes, staring at a sight I know I will never get tired of. How could I when every look makes me fall in love with his every flaw? How will I live without that if a day ever comes that I must? I mean, I guess I already know that answer.

I won't.

He may think I am strong enough to be with him, but it's that I am too weak to be without him. I'll be with him as long as I live, because I know I won't be able to live without him. That doesn't mean I won't stop breathing, just that I will stop living. Our end will be my end.

"I love you so, so much," I breathe, looking back and forth between his eyes.

"I love you, too."

I smile intently, leaning in the short distance to meet his lips with mine. I feel his breath fan my face as our lips connect. This kiss is different, and whatever that difference is, it sends my heart racing. It's a simple touch, nothing close to a deep kiss, but as soon as I pull away I'm panting, breathless. As is Louis.

"Let's go inside," he says between breaths.

My heart flutters at his words. "Okay."

Before my eyes even open, he is tugging on my arm to pull me up. I look over to him in shock as I steady myself on my feet. His eyes are suddenly dark, and his gaze full of emotion. I find myself at a loss for words looking back at him.

"We'll see you guys later," he says, never breaking our stares.

I'm not really listening to their response and I couldn't give a crap, honestly. I follow him, closely. Soon we're inside, and I shut the glass door behind me. He slowly turns around and faces me as he drags me back to the master bedroom. As I hold his gaze, my mind hazes over with a warm and exciting feeling I haven't felt in a long time, but doesn't take me long to figure out; lust.

We tentatively move through the entry way, closing the door behind us. As soon as I hear the lock click shut, my body is being aggressively pressed to the door, soon followed by Louis' lips against mine in a similar fashion.

I gasp as he holds my hips, which are still left open by my bathing suit, and leaving my skin warm against his cool touch. The contrast shoots electricity through my veins. He moves his tongue in my mouth with a passion I had yet to see in him, until now.

"Ave," he moans into my mouth, sending chills up my spine. I grasp harder at his back; my nails raking against his skin.

In one motion, I feel myself being lifted off of the door before my back resting against the soft linens of the king-sized bed, Louis' hungry lips never leaving my own.

I know where this is headed, and I know I'm not about to stop it.

"Aves," he whispers, barely breaking from my lips to mumble the words. "Are you sure you want this?"

His lips press back hard against my own. I don't even have to think about my answer. The growing feeling in the pit of my stomach already decided for me. I trace the tips of my toes briskly up his leg and feel him shudder at my touch as I wrap my leg around his waist.

"I do."

☆☆☆☆☆

CONVERSATION TRANSLATION:)

¿No son nuestros amigos tan estúpido? Todo Avery puede entender es su nombre y hola! Estoy solo!

Aren't our friends so stupid? All Avery can understand is her name and hello! I'm all alone!

Pruebe estos chicos! Estábamos haciendo una entrevista para México y que sonaba como sonaban como ardillas asfixia en sus acentos españoles!

Try these guys! We were doing an interview for Mexico and they sounded like they sounded like squirrels choking in their Spanish accents!

Te lo dije!

Told you!