And They Were Housemates ✓

Chapter XVII | Payback is a Bitch

Bexon's day didn't start out how he wanted. When he agreed to the trip it was days like this that got him to question why he even bothered.

"Besties, I've found the lake!" Parker yelled. It was like he was a kid on his birthday and Bexon swore the man would live the rest of his life in water if he could.

"Sweet, how far out?" Hadley asked.

Bexon tuned them out after that, he would get stuck going out to the stupid lake no matter what so why not at least tune the people around him out for the time being? It would have worked if Erin didn't see right through him and started waving her hand in front of his face to get his attention again.

Once she knew he was listening, Erin repeated what she just told him.

"We are going swimming, go get dressed or I will throw you into the lake," Erin smiled as if she didn't just threaten him.

Grace gave him a thumbs up for encouragement.

Bexon sighed deeply. He knew they would force him into going. He knew how to swim now, but he still didn't care for—or trust the water. It was not something fun or peaceful for Bexon, but he walked off to get changed into his swimming trunks regardless.

Bringing him to the other thing he didn't like about swimming, the attire. He hated being shirtless around people still. Years of altering his body to something that didn't make him want to off himself and he still disliked showing it off around people, even if they were all his friends and some family.

He pulled on his swimming shorts and put back the ones he was wearing beforehand then he took off his shirt. It wasn't much to look at, he knew the most interesting thing was the piercings on his chest.

He had tattoos planned to cover some scarring but had yet to make the appointment. There was something about covering the old scars that he wasn't ready yet to say bye to. Of course, he knew they would always be there, but covering them up created an odd feeling he didn't know what to do with.

He looked down knowing Grace would surely mention something about eating more, even if he had been doing better in that department.

Once Bexon added two layers of waterproof sunscreen, he was walking to his death—he was walking to the lake.

Parker was the fearless idiot who was the first to jump into the water splashing nearly everyone in the process. Hadley and Max followed after him, jumping into the questionable lake.

Erin was next, though she ended up doing a backflip off the small dock.

Mya settled under one of the trees, reading her book as she rested her feet in the water. Grace somehow got onto a donut-shaped raft Bexon didn't even know she brought with her.

Lucas was sitting on the edge kicking his feet into the water as he smiled out at the others being total idiots in the water.

Bexon took a seat next to him, sitting cross-legged as he looked down at the blue-ish water.

"Don't want to go swimming?" Lucas asked.

"Fuck no," Bexon shook his head. He swore there was nothing good about getting in that damn water. Even testing the temperature with the back of his hand was cold, sure the day was hot outside, the sun making it worse than the shaded areas, however, the water was still too cold for him.

"Just give it a chance," Lucas added. "Grace even got rafts and stuff."

Bexon would have been angry, but Lucas was the kind of person like Grace. All encouraging smiles, support, and what true unconditional love looked like in human form. Lucas wasn't pushy, rude, or the type to talk behind someone's back.