Chapter 13

Anna pov-

Sab and I are in an Uber on the way to her aunt’s house. We just left our dorm room, because we had dropped off our leftover pizza and grabbed our swimsuits. We pulled up in front of Sab’s Aunt’s house. It was huge. We stepped out of the Uber and Sab paid the woman that was driving us. “Thank you,” we both said in unison. The Uber pulled out of the driveway and left, meanwhile I am just standing here, staring at the house. They had a U shaped driveway, and entryway steps. It wasn’t a mansion, but it was bigger than any house I see in small town Michigan. Sab stood at the front door and raised her hand to knock. She realized I wasn’t next to her and she turned around. “Anna? What are you doing?” she asked laughing. I slowly walked up the steps admiring the house. Sab lifted her hand to knock and pounded on the door three times. A tall woman came and opened the door, pulling Sab in for a hug.

“Hi Sab, how are you liking Colorado so far?” she asked. “It’s great. I only have one more day of classes and then my first week is done,” Sab replied to the woman.

The woman turned to me, “You must be Sab’s roommate?” she asked. I opened my mouth to respond, but Sab interrupted.

“Yes, Aunt Mandy, this is Anna Shumate. Anna, this is my aunt Mandy.” I stuck out my hand to shake her and she gladly did the same. “Hi Anna. As Sab said, I am her aunt. My name is Amanda Matthews, but you can call me Mandy,” she shook my hand and smiled.

“Thank you for letting us use your pool on such short notice,” I replied. “Yes, you are welcome.”

She walked us through the house and out to the backyard. They had an in-ground pool and an inground hot tub. They were connected with one wall.

“The guest bathroom is down the hall, first room on the right,” Mandy said, turning to us. “Thank you again,” I replied. She turned to walk back to her living room, “I hope you two have fun,” she called out.

Sab started to walk back into the house and turned to go up the stairs. “Anna, you can use the guest bathroom to change. I’ll just change in the guest bedroom,” she called out already at the top of the stairs.

I turned into the guest bathroom and changed into my swimsuit. As I walked out of the bathroom I heard Sab call my name. “Anna! I need some help!” I walked up the stairs and hoped I would walk into the right room. She cracked her head out of a door, “Over here. I can’t get the back of my swimsuit top tied,” she whisper shouted at me.

Sab pov-

Anna walked into the guest bedroom and shut the door behind her. I had my back facing towards and she walked up behind me. I felt her cold hands touch my back as she grabbed the strings of my top. She tightened it and tied the strings into a bow. She leaned into me, pressing her stomach onto my back.

Pulling my hair off the one side, she leaned into my ear, “Is that tight enough,” she asked, with what sounded like genuine concern.

“Yeah, thank you,” I responded, turning around and pushing her by her ribcage so her back hit the wall. Anna’s face turned red and she smiled. I ran my hand up to the back of her neck and pulled her in kissing her neck making sure not to leave a mark.

I felt her grab my waist and flip us around, so my back was on the wall. I pulled away and looked at her, confused. I am clearly in charge here, but apparently she has different plans. “Daddy’s turn,” she let out a breathy laugh and leaned down to kiss my neck. The butterflies in my stomach went wild. She was so good at this. I didn’t want her to think she was in control, but I couldn’t help it. A small quiet moan escaped my mouth and Anna stepped away.

“We should probably head down to the pool,” she turned to walk out the door. I stood there in shock as to what just happened. I heard her footsteps stop and turned back around to walk back in. “It’s time to go swim,” she said in her announcer voice.

I laughed and she pulled me by my arm out the door and down the stairs. We walked outside and towards the pool. She let go of my arm to bend down and dip her foot into the water. I found this as a great opportunity to push her in.

Her splash made me get soaked. She stood up in the water, flipping her hair so it wasn’t in her face. She glared at me and slowly raised herself out of the water and back onto the solid ground. Anna opened her arms and started walking towards me.

“Anna. Don’t. You. Dare.” I insisted, as I took a few steps backward. She ran towards me and pulled me into a big hug. The water was so cold. She pulled out of the hug with a big smile on her face. I turned to grab a towel to dry off my face. “Oh, I’m not done yet,” she walked towards me.

She picked me up from behind in a bridal style. She walked towards the pool. “No, no, no. Anna don’t.” “But you did it to me, so I think that this is only fair,” she grinned. I had never felt so safe in someone’s touch before, even if she was trying to throw me in the pool.

She swung me back and threw me out of her arms. I splashed into the pool and was completely surrounded by water. I popped my head above the surface and looked for Anna. She wasn’t standing on the edge where she threw me off. “Anna?” I called out.

“Ahhh!” I shouted. A pair of hands squeezed into my sides scaring me. I turned around to see the owner of the hands and Anna stood there laughing silently to herself. “You scared the crap out of me,” I slapped her in the arm. “I’m sorry,” she pulled me in for a hug. I threw my arms over her shoulders as she moved her hands to the small of my back pulling us together. Our wet bodies touched and the butterflies in my stomach went wild.

I wanted to stay like this forever. Just holding each other tight. Enjoying each other's presence. Anna pulled out of the hug and leaned in towards my face cupping it. “I can’t do this,” I stepped out of her embrace and ran out of the pool sitting on one of the chairs on the pool deck.

Memories of him flooded my mind and chills ran through my body. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to forget. My last relationship ended because of him and I couldn’t let him ruin this one too. Anna already means too much to me to let her go. I know I can talk to her, but I don’t think I am ready.

Anna pov-

I got out of the pool as quickly as I could and walked over to Sab. “What just happened?” I asked her. “I’m sorry, but I ca-” she was interrupted by her aunt. “Hey ladies! Do you mind if I come swim with you?” She looked at us, “Of course you can Mrs. Matthews,” I responded to her switching my attention from Sab to her. “Anna dear, I told you that you can call me Mandy,” she chuckled. She pulled out a floatie from the shed that was next to the pool and started to float around.

“Just pretend I am not here,” she stated from in the pool.

I looked back to Sab and she was looking up into my eyes. Did I do something wrong? Was she just messing with me this entire time? Did she not want to be with me?

As I grabbed her hands she flinched and broke eye contact. She shook my hands off of hers and walked over to the pool shed and grabbed a floatie that looked just like the one her aunt had grabbed. Still staring at the ground she got into the pool again and looked up to the sky.

“Would you like to join us Anna?” Mandy asked. “No, I think I am just going to use the hottub, but thank you,” I responded, still staring at Sab.

I walked over to the hottub and sat down facing the pool. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Sab. I wanted to ask her what happened. If and/or why she changed her mind about her feelings for me. Every now and then I caught her staring at me only for tears to form in her eyes, that she then wiped away with her hand and looked away again.

*Time skip to Sab and Anna leaving Aunt Mandy’s house*

We sat in silence for the entire Uber ride back to our dorm room. Something seemed off with Sab. She paid the driver as I stepped out and walked to our dorm. I opened the door and laid down on my bed in the clothes I had on. Sab and I had both brought extra clothes to change into after we were done swimming.

Sab walked through the door and locked it behind her. I looked down at my phone as I felt her gaze on me. I looked up to her and she opened her mouth, but nothing came out. I rolled my eyes at her and she shut her mouth and sat down on her bed, still staring at me. It was 11:45 pm and I was tired and angry and I didn’t want to deal with this right now, but I know I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep.

“You know I shouldn’t be the first one that has to speak. It should be you Sab,” I paused hoping she would speak up. “We were BOTH all over each other for the past week and now you just push me away?!? Were you just messing with me, cause if you were that’s fucked up!” I started to raise my voice at her as tears started to form in my eyes.

Sab pov-

Anna started to shout at me and I didn’t know how to respond. I would open my mouth, but nothing would come out. I wanted to tell her, but I didn’t want to have to relive the memories again more than I already am.

“I really thought that you felt the same way Sab!” she continued. “Anna, just let me explain… please,” my voice was quiet. “NO SAB, you had HOURS to explain at the pool! But you didn’t! I can’t deal with this right now!” She walked over and shut off the lights before going back over to her bed and laying down.

She turned her back to me facing the wall. I closed my eyes to fall asleep as tears ran down my face. I wanted to hold Anna and explain to her, but I thought I should give her some space. I fell asleep around 1am still crying.

Anna pov-

I laid in my bed trying to hold in my tears until Sab fell asleep. I didn’t hear anything from her side of the room after about 1:15. I looked over to her and she seemed to be sleeping.

I let the built up tears fall from my eyes. I can’t be losing her already. I just met her and she was already my happiness here in Colorado. Seeing her face every morning made me feel alive.

Sorry for the long wait. I am too indecisive and changed the chapter like 8 times.