2 kids

Last night.

Alex.

War has been declared.

Heartless, brutal and so bloody. Including us all into the sheer chaos and forcing us to pick a side.

I promised Ace I'd always pick his side, no matter what. No explanation needed, no matter how harsh the circumstances would be. And I'm going to keep that promise until the day I die.

"I refuse to be in a team with him," Nina declares, crossing her slender arms over her chest. Her black hair shines in the sunlight, those dark sunglasses hiding the dark rage in her dark eyes. I believe that if anyone could possess the power to kill with just one stare, Nina's would be the deadliest.

Ciara looks at me, despair mixed with that deep sea green colour. As something of a substituting motherly role whenever Channel's absent, she has officially given up. Waved her white flag and disappeared with it. The rest of us are doomed to either choose, interfere and risk getting slaughtered, or stand at bay and observe.

Ace, equally pissed at the development of the situation, shares his agreement with Nina. They may have just agreed for the first time ever. And probably last as well. I almost joke that someone should write it down with the date. It will surely go down in their history. But I bite down my tongue and remind myself to save the situation as diplomatically as I can, though that is River's job. To save my best friend, brother, from being either murdered by a furious little female barely coming up to his chest, or losing his mind completely.

"We'll switch," I say. "I'll be with Nina, and you'll be with Ashley." I throw an apologetic glance over my shoulder at Ashley, and she nods. Understanding and not particularly minding being in a team with Ace. Since the rest of my friends decided to channel their stubbornness, even the ones who have never possessed it, exactly when Ace and I would have appreciated their cooperation, I was forced to give up winning this damn game with my girlfriend. Even River, who usually is the first one to settle arguments, decided to withdraw this time. What an asshole.

That doesn't mean I haven't set my mind on winning. I have. With or without Ashley.

Nina smiles at me, thankful, and exchanges places with Ashley. "We're going to win this," I say to her. I crack my neck, and Nina laughs, pushing me out of River's way slightly.

"Of course we are." What she means to say is 'I'm not letting that annoying motherfucker win this'. If her decision to win is channelled the right way, I don't mind her rage directed at my best friend.

Before taking our position, we high five, reminding ourselves we got this. And coming up with a plan. Perhaps not so moral and ethical as it would be appreciated, but I'd bet everything I have that all my friends have thought of similar tactics.

I get in the pool first, bending my knees slightly so Nina can crawl on my shoulders. She's a little heavier than she looks, hiding more muscles under her skin than I assumed, yet still causes only little force on my shoulders. Once she has sat herself comfortably and perfectly enough to push Liana off of River's shoulders, I straighten to my full height. The tips of Nina's feet are barely covered in water. How tiny is she really?

Grinning at River I challenge him with my eyes. The brown in his eyes shines almost like melted gold.

"Ready?" Violet asks. The four of us nod and the volume of the music is lowered. "Three, two, one!"

Almost immediately Liana launches forward, attempting to grab Nina by her forearms and yank her off my shoulders. It wasn't a move either Nina or I had predicted, but Nina moved to the side just in time to launch her own attack. River and I just do our best to stay grounded, engaging all our muscles, especially feeling our core and thigh muscles on fire.