Waves

CHAPTER 13

Hey guys, author here! So, just to warn you, I'm gonna skip some more time because I really need to actually move the story on. Thanks so much for reading. I won't have huge time skips and I'll try to make this flow as much as I can.

(}--|ONE WEEK LATER|--{)

NORA

Nora was reading in her room when she heard a loud bang! and a long string of strange curse words.

Dropping her book on the ground, Nora sprinted to her door and flung it open. She sock slid across the hallway, shivering slightly as a cold, wet breeze blew from the open patio door. Harrison was just behind her, having been in his own room also doing something.

Harrison and Maxi had moved in on Monday. Mouse had told her that they were coming after she'd gotten back from surfing. Nora had been excited. She liked both Maxi and Harrison quite a bit, and living with them would be fun, she decided. So far, it had been.

Maxi and Mouse were in the living room, trying to put up a tree that had not been there five minutes ago. The patio door was what had made the noise. It was on the ground, very not attached to the slider it was supposed to be attached to.

Mouse was holding the tree up and Maxi was sitting on his shoulders as Maxi was trying to string lights onto the top. Nora had to do a double take, and when she realized what she was seeing, she burst out laughing

"How did the door end up on the ground?" Harrison asked. Unlike Nora, he wasn't perturbed at the sight of the two guys struggling to decorate a Christmas tree.

"I'm not sure. We must've nicked it with the tree or something," Mouse replied. Then he said, "Maxi, you're heavy."

Harrison snorted. He walked over to the door, and Nora followed him. She took one side wordlessly, while he took the other. Together, the two lifted it up.

It was a heavy door. Harrison grunted as he grabbed it and made a move to lift it off the ground. "Harrison, stop for a moment, please," Nora said quickly.

Harrison set the door down instantly and looked at her, "What's wrong?"

"I can't lift it," Nora explained, "I'm not strong enough."

Harrison's mouth formed an 'O' shape. "Hey Mouse, why don't we shift things around a bit. Nora can sit on Maxi's shoulders-don't give me that look, he's taller than you and she'll need the boost-and you come here to help me."

Mouse sighed, "Is there any way that I can finally get snuggles with my girl?" He asked in a teasing manner.

His wording made Nora blush, and a warm feeling spread through her chest. She was his girl. And then it hit her. Mouse was really like a father figure to her. And the other lifeguards were sort of like a really crazy band of aunt and uncles. They were all...family?

It had been a long time since Nora'd had family.

"Nora, you there?" Harrison waved his hand in front of Nora's face and she jumped.

"Oh! Sorry," She said, blushing again.

"Come here, Nora," Maxi said, gesturing for her to come over, "These lights won't hang themselves."

Nora blinked out of her trance and bounced over to Maxi, landing in front of him with a grin. Maxi laughed and leaned down, and a moment later Nora was squealing in surprise as she was tossed onto his shoulders.