Swims | □

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Dedicated to scrawls 

"So you're telling me that this hot- shot Declan can't swim?" James' voice sounded skeptical over the Skype call and Malia shrugged.

"Yeah, that's what I thought too. But, it's keeping my life relatively quiet so I'm not complaining." She was sitting at her vanity, brushing her hair with James on Skype. "Remind me again why you can't FaceTime?"

"It doesn't connect here. It's been blocked or something like that. Anyway, he's kinda hot in my opinion."

"Ahmed or Declan?"

"Declan's hotter than Ahmed if you ask me. You two should hook up, you know. While you're teaching him how to move his arms and breathe." James winked at her through the video and Malia slammed her head against the dresser. James' laughter echoed over the audio and Malia looked up to see him changing his polo into a button down.

"Just because you're asexual and my best friend, doesn't mean that you can say stuff like that."

"And pray, how many best friends do you have? Or friends in general?" James taunted and Malia shrugged. The jab hurt a little but Malia was used not having a lot of company around. Between school, practice, endorsement gigs, and Declan making her life hell, Malia didn't really get a lot of time to entertain a social circle. Once upon a time, she had had a best friend but that was a long time.

"I don't see you with a huge social circle either."

"Touché." James ran a hand through his hair. He felt slightly guilty for making Malia feel remorseful. He wanted to reach over and wipe that sullen expression off of her face.

"Admit it James." Malia sighed. "We only have each other."

~~

The Qarr's rarely welcomed visitors. Declan or Dane's friends usually came over with the brothers and Mr. and Mrs. Qarr were usually too engrossed in work to make firm friendships.

When the doorbell rang, that Friday night, an air of confusion hug around the place. After some debate, it was Mrs. Qarr opened the door to reveal an all too familiar swimmer.

"Um, hi?" It came out as a question and Malia cleared her throat and started again. "Is this Declan's place? I'm not sure if it's 2859 or 2589."

"Yeah, I'm his mother. How can I help you?"

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Qarr. I'm Malia. I've got some of Declan's stuff, he left it at my place, and I came to return it."

"Come on in, darling. He'll be right down." The two women's stepped through the threshold and Malia waited in the hallway. A minute later, Declan walked around the corner and froze at the sight of her.

"What are you doing here?" He spat out and grabbed her arm. He dragged them both outside the house and softly shut the door. "Why are you here?"

"You left these at my house." Malia handed him a white poly-bag with a bunch of clothes inside. "Thought you might need them back."

"Why didn't you just call and say so?" Decaln huffed and tucked the bag under his arm. From inside, he could hear his brother Dane and his dad betting on the NBA Final's game and his mother working in the kitchen.