𝔑𝔞𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔞𝔩//Corbyn Besson//✔︎

Chapter 9

"Arms wrapped around my neck. ('Round my neck) Oh, you keep me warm. You are the spark igniting me again. Oh I can't enough of you, I~" ~Daniel Seavey, Chills

Corbyn gives me a look. "Izzy! Get over here!"

"I don't want to!" I reply, shrugging.

He pouts. "I can make you!"

"But you won't!" I laugh.

Yeah. I was still sitting on the ground near the pool. No one could convince me to go in. Even though everyone was in the pool.

Still a no.

"Izzy!" Hailey calls. "Come on! Why are you so boring?"

I glare at her. "I just don't like going in pool water."

"Oh, so you're okay with the ocean?" Corbyn asks.

I smile. "Yup."

"What if I told you this had 52% of ocean water, and 48% of pool water?'" Corbyn says.

"Why so specific?" Zach asks.

Corbyn lifts an eyebrow at him.

"Nevermind," Zach grumbles, to which Jack laughs at.

I look back at Corbyn. "Well... maybe."

He grins. "Alright. Good to know."

I give him a suspicious look.

Corbyn tries for the innocent face. Then the puppy dog eyes, back to pleading for me to come in.

Nik laughs. "You're going to have to try harder. She doesn't give up easily."

She gets out of the pool, sitting beside me. "I could stay with you. I know Max would've," she tries for a smile, but it falters slightly.

I look at Daniel, sitting on a lounge chair, cross-legged, looking at his phone. He has this big silly grin on his face.

"Daniel!" Jonah calls before I can say anything. "What's the good news?"

Daniel's head snaps up, looking at Jonah wide eyed. "Nothing! N-nothing at all!"

Bzzz, Bzzz.

I look at my phone, who could be texting me now?

Nik: I'm going to text max, c if she replies

I laugh.

Izzy: good idea. Can i text her too?

Nik: go ahead!

I switch chats.

Izzy: so... hows it goin

Max: im makin this quick. Fine. Good. Wtvr.

Izzy: oh? And cv?

Max: Izzy no!

I grin.

Izzy: Izzy yes! 😁

I don't get a reply, and assume she's left.

I look at Nik, who's typing furiously on her phone.

I look at the others, having fun in the pool.

And then at Daniel, sitting alone, but still smiling happily.

"Izzy!" Corbyn calls.

I roll my eyes back to him. "What?"

Corbyn's out of the pool, and I can't help but stare at his upper body.

"Like what you see?" He asks.

My eyes quickly go back to his eyes, my face feeling like fire.

He sits beside me, arm around my shoulders.

"Ew!" I say. "You're wet!"

"I don't get wet."

It takes a minute to process in my mind.

"Ew! Corbyn!" I shove him, and he tips to the side a little. But he's laughing.

"That's such a 'Max' joke," Nik comments.

Corbyn looks at her, leaning forward. "What? The 'I'm wet' thing?"

Nik nods. "She was laughing so hard at something I said a few years back. She was crying. Of laughter, of course."

Hailey splashes out, followed by the other boys.

"Can we go inside now?" She asks. "I'm cold."

"I got chills when you walk, chills when you talk. Chills every time you say my name. It's the way that it feels when we touch, I can't get enough. Love got frozen in place. Baby, I got ChIiIiIlLs. Ooh, baby, I got chills," Zach sings.

"Arms wrapped around my neck," Daniel adds.

"'Round my neck," Corbyn echoes.

"Oh you keep me warm, you are the spark igniting me again. Oh I can't get enough of you, I~," Daniel finishes.

"Shiverin', I'm shiverin'. I can't stop. Give me the look, you know the one I want. I've been waiting for. It's so cold, it's so cold, yeah," Jack sings, overdramatically.

"Okay!" Hailey shouts. "Before you guys sing the whole song, can we go inside?"

Jonah nods. "Good idea."

We all hurry back inside, Corbyn whisper-singing.

"Cold, laying on the floor. Long December nights are what I've been waiting for. Pull my hand close to the fire," he says.

"I can hear you singing, you know. You still are amazing," I say. "I don't understand why you don't sing in front of us."

Corbyn gives me a side glance. "I don't know. It feels too... intimate? During concerts, I don't know the people I sing to, and it's too big a crowd, and too dark for me to see faces. When we record... well, I'm used to singing with these guys."

"I will somehow convince you to sing your part in Fallin'," I say.

"Good luck."

~

"I hate slow dancing," Hailey comments.

We're trying to watch a movie, but people are constantly interrupting.

"Okay, we get it," Corbyn says. "Now can you guys shut up?"

He's really frustrated.

I do wonder why Jonah hasn't said anything.

They keep quiet for a while longer.

"How do they do that? You think I could?" Zach asks, interrupting again.

Jack snorts. "You'd crack your head open."

Corbyn's hands turn to fists.

I stand up, grab his arm, pulling him away.

"Corbs, calm down," I say.

Corbyn looks at me. "They can't shut up. They've finally gone over my patience. I just—"

I take his fist, trying to loosen his hard grip.

"I've always known you as the calm guy," I say.

Corbyn nods. "Yeah. But I seem to be losing it recently."

His hand relaxes.

"How come?"

He shrugs. "I have no idea."

We stand there in silence.

And then he asks, barely audible, "Can I have a hug?"

I look up at his dark eyes.

I wrap my arms around his torso, my cheek against his chest. He wraps his arms around me.

"Thank you," he whispers.