We Grew Back Together

4: After Hours

Nic pushed the door to the snack shack, which was essentially just a shed with large openings on the side so people can order food. She came in and looked at the selection of candy and snacks, which was slim to none.

She groaned, "Why do they never restock?"

"Probably because they can't afford to," Brandon, her brother who worked the shack, replied with a smartass tone, "since you lifeguards keep taking stuff without paying."

"Oh please," she scoffed, "you do it too."

He said nothing.

She opened the freezer and pulled out an ice pop, the kind that's just plastic wrapping and flavored ice inside, and left the shack. Nic bit the end and tore it with her teeth and put the end in the trash can as she passed by it on her way to the pool.

It was a quiet day at the pool, as was every day.

Members didn't come often, and there weren't many to come.

In a town like hers, everyone either has their own pool, goes to a country club, or has a beach house. Nic did not. She went to the same place every summer for as long as she could remember and now works there.

It was really just a pool, some tennis courts, a playground, a field with volleyball court with nearly half the sand washed away and replaced with weeds and grass, and what used to be shuffleboard courts which is now bocce ball courts but instead of fine gravel it's weeds.

She loved the pool, since she gets paid to essentially do nothing. Because nobody goes there.

It was about an hour before closing so the temperature was no longer scorching. She could comfortably sit in the sun on the pool's edge with her feet in the water.

Her coworker got on the diving board and was doing some dives she learned on the diving team. Yes, the club had a recreational dive team and yes it only consisted of five people.

"Do a double," Nic heckled, watching her test the bounciness of the board.

Her coworker looked at her and sarcastically rolled her eyes. "I still can't do one."

Nic shook her head with a smirk. She turned to look at the entrance to the club where she could see the parking lot. A car pulled into the lot.

It was Stella's car.

Nic got up and finished the ice pop, stopping in the clubhouse on the way to the entrance to throw out the plastic wrapper.

She waited by the entrance where Stella came by, she was wearing all white golf attire and even had the visor to complete the look.

"Hey," She greeted Stella, walking with her back into the club.

"Wow, you are not kidding when you say nobody comes here anymore. I remember this place was always busy."

"Yeah," Nic shrugged, "I can't complain though, I get paid to basically do nothing but chill by the pool all day."

"I just got back from work," Stella said, which explains the golf skirt and visor.

"Did you get a lot of tips today?"

"Fuck yeah, so many rich old white men to seduce."

"Fuck yeah."

They went past the end of the pool to a table right off the pool deck on the grass.

"The other night was fun," Stella said, watching Nics coworker dive.

"Yeah."

"So you know Harper?"

Nic nodded, "Yeah. We were friends back in elementary school. I'm surprised she's back, especially after highschool. I mean, it must be hella expensive to buy a house here while sending her to fucking Newton."

"True."

"She does have a little sister though, maybe it's so she can go to the highschool."

"That sounds... reasonable..."

"Man fuck that place," Nic chuckled, shaking her head, "so glad we're out of there."

"Good fucking riddance," Stella laughed. She didn't spare a beat before asking, "were you and Harper friends back in the day?"

"Jesus you're making me feel old," Nic laughed, "but yeah, we were friends. But it was a long time ago, we've both changed and we're so different from each other now."

"I guess," Stella nodded along, looking at her phone.

"She seems really nice though," Nic shrugged, "and she seemed to have a good time the other night."

"She did."

"What if I asked my dad if we can stay after closing with the group?"

Stella met Nics gaze with a grin.

Nic smiled and opened her phone, calling her dad.

He answered, "Yeah?"

"Hey dad, I was wondering if I could maybe have my friends over at the pool after closing? Nobody's here right now and all my friends are at work and stuff until closing."

"Yeah, just don't do anything stupid."

"Thanks dad."

Stella raised an eyebrow.

Nic gave a coy shrug and smiled, putting her phone down on the table.

"You fucking daddy's girl," Stella shook her head with a chuckle.

Nic and Stella kept talking until closing, when Nic and her coworkers closed up.

The manager didn't lock up, as per Nic's request and left Nic and Stella all alone at the club.

Not much time passed from when the last car pulled out until the one car with music so loud Nic and Stella could hear it before it was visible from the driveway into the parking lot.

The car sped and braked into a "spot" in the gravel lot close to the entrance.

The group clamored out, all dressed for a swim and holding towels.

Liam held a speaker with the same music from the car playing at a lower volume.

"Okay guys," Nic led the group in, "let's go for a fucking swim!"

Cheers erupted behind her as everyone followed.

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I try to keep these parts over 1000 words but this one is like 950...... which is why I'm putting this one and the next out pretty much at the same time :P

I really hope you're enjoying this so far!!