Aimed At You

Chapter 31

Laine and Kei shouted as they jumped to the lake, the water splashing loudly on impact. It was their last day of camping and they figured the best way to end their perfect and exhilarating week was to swim in the lake. Leo and Louis were trying to drown one another, while Joe was floating peacefully by himself -- away from the chaos. 

Their decision to jump in the lake was completely spontaneous and neither one of them brought any swimwear. Lexie took off her oversized t-shirt and was left with her red bra and denim shorts. Joe and Laine were cheering for her to jump, so she yelled "To infinity and beyond!", and cannonballed herself onto the water. 

Shane took off his shoes and turned to face Nathan who was staring at Lexie as if he's never seen a girl before. He was watching her emerge from the river with a wide smile on her face like she just jumped away from all her problems and onto a water full of joy and comfort.  

"Do you have your phone on you?" Shane asked him, taking off his socks. 

"Huh?" He was still looking at Lexie.

"Do you have your phone on you?"

Nathan patted his shorts and shook his head, "No. Why?"

"Nothing," he looked at Lexie and Nathan followed his gaze. "Red bra, huh?"

"Uhm, what?" Nathan cleared his throat. Despite trying to act unfazed by Lexie and her perfectly sculpted and glistening body, he couldn't tear his eyes off of her. Shane was saying something but all Nathan could see and hear was Lexie's laugh and that happy smile that's been planted on her face since the moment they arrived. He's never seen her smile so much. He wished he could just-

Shane pushed him hard, and he fell straight down the lake. "Is the water red too, Nathan?" He cackled. 

A middle finger with a shiny silver ring on it emerged from the water at the same time its owner's head popped up. "You little shit," Nathan splashed water at him as he dived down. He turned around and immediately locked eyes with Lexie who was swimming towards him. 

"Hi," she said as she stopped a few inches away from him.

"Hi," he breathed. His gaze fell to her neck and her hand quickly flew up to touch it. She could almost feel his lips there again. "How are you?"

"I'm happy," she smiled brightly at him. "You?"

He smiled back. "I'm happy you're happy."

Damn. So many butterflies danced around her stomach, she felt like she could fly. Wait. She is-

She rose from the water and was now high up in the air, so was Nathan. She looked down and saw Shane grinning up at her and Joe carrying Nathan on his shoulders. Oh.

"Chicken fight," Joe grinned as he charged towards Shane.

 Nathan extended both his arms out and Lexie mimicked him, not knowing what to do. He clasped his hands on hers and they stared at each other, not moving. 

"Fight, chickens! You're supposed to fight!" Shane shouted. 

Lexie bit her lip and narrowed her eyes at Nathan. He narrowed his too, challenging her. She pushed him, their hands still intertwined together like pieces of a puzzle. They continued to push, push and push, the others cheering Lexie more than Nathan. 

Nathan was losing-- on the verge of falling off of Joe's shoulders. "Are you letting me win, Bubblegum?" Lexie asked. 

"Absolutely not, Wanda," he pushed harder. "You're gonna lose." 

"I never lose," she pushed so hard, Nathan's arms folded. She fell forward- towards him as he fell off of Joe. 

Shane grasped her thighs to stabilize her and cheered. "Lexie won!"