They Could Never Know (Editing)

Part 8

Allison stands in the doorway, eyes glaring down at Chloe and Liam. Chloe throws herself off of Liam, and shrugs as she speaks, "We tripped." Allison's eye's flitter between the two of them, my eyes meet Katy, the silence in the room is deafening. "All's good baby." Liam smirks, what Allison can't see is Liam still has his fingertips tracing on Chloe's back. Thunder crashes making us all jump, breaking the cumbersome mood, laughter spreads through the room. Grant takes this opportunity to reach a hand down and pull up Liam while I lock my arm through Chloe's to drag her up. Liam moves to Allison, who still stands stiff in the room. The rest of us head to the kitchen. "Tess, let's go get you a change of clothes." Grant says as he grabs my hand and leads me down the hall. I didn't get a chance to appreciate the house when I walked in, but now I took notice of the walls painted a yellow sunny shade and the pictures that hung on the walls. One was a woman sitting in a lawn chair, a young child propped on her legs. Another was the same woman stretched across the bow of a boat. "That's my mom." Grant says as he opens a door to a room. "This was her room, I'm sure she left behind some clothes." As I enter the room, he points to a dresser and says he'll leave me to it. The sweet perfume wraps around me as I walk to the dresser. Polaroid photos are stuffed into the mirrors frame, some of them just of the sun setting on the lakes edge, others have Grant. All the photos in the home had one thing similar, none of them had his dad. Eyeing myself in the mirror I can see that the rain and my brisk dip in the lake didn't do me any favors, my curly hair was frizzed, and my mascara was smudged underneath my eyes. I run my hand through my hair a couple of times and wipe my finger across my lower lids. I open the top draw and grab a pair of soft grey shorts and a faded blue lake shirt that reads 'Dayley Cove'. I slip off my jeans that at this point feel like they are painted on and reach to pull my shirt over my head. The door bursts open, Katy and Chloe rush in. "Can you believe him, me jealous." Chloe scoffs as she sits down on the bed in the room. I swiftly pull my shirt off and bring the clean one to my chest. "We'll turn to the wall." Katy says as she spins herself and Chloe around. I unclip my bra letting it hit the floor and slip my arms into the dry shirt. Next, I slip off my underwear, though I didn't like going commando I didn't want to get the dry shorts wet. I kick my foot to release my underwear from my ankle and pull the shorts on. "Ok, I'm covered." I say as I jump onto the bed to join them. "So... How was your date?" Katy asks as she and Chloe lean in. A smile spreads across my face and heat rises to my cheeks, "It was really good." They both let out a squeal together and a knock comes from the door. I tell whoever it is that they can come in. Liam peeks his head through the door, "Ladies, if we are going to hangout like this make sure to invite me." Chloe chucks the pillow at the door, but Liam closes it just in time.

.....

We make our way to the covered patio where the boys and Allison are sitting around a fire pit. Allison is flung across Liam's lap, sipping on a can, laughing loudly with her feet kicked up on an empty seat. Chloe walks over to her feet and pushes her feet to the ground. Allison opens her mouth but promptly closes it as Liam eyes her. Nick motions for Katy to come to him, and I let my eyes graze across Grant. He's in his own world, elbow digging into the arm of the chair with his chin setting atop his hand. This time it's me watching him, his wavy brown hair scattered about from the wind and water. The fire dances across his face, lighting up his eyes, the color of honey. Chloe clears her throat, which rips Grant from his trance. With the interruption of his deep thoughts, a smile creeps across his face. I walk over to him, giving into a force that's been tugging at me. Jumping up from his chair, he motions a handout, "Here you can have this chair." My heart beats fast, it's one of those moments of my mouth moving faster than my mind, "we can share." I blurt out. Grant hesitates for a moment but accepts my offer by sitting back down and entwining his fingers with mine. He tugs me to him, and I turn, lowering myself onto the chair with him. He slips his arm across my stomach, and I let my body ease into him. "So, are you two a thing now?" Allison gabs. I open my mouth but the voice that reaches my ears isn't mine but Chloe's, "Let's just assume it's none of your business." Allison's eye's narrow, with a smirk following, " I just need to update the girls who are gushing over Grant, that's all." This time, I interject, "well, you can tell the ladies that to their disappointment, he's off the market." Our friends all begin cheering and Grant places a kiss on my shoulder blade. Telling everyone that we were a thing brought me so much excitement and relief. "How about some truth or dare." Katy asks which leads me to roll my eyes. I didn't enjoy this game much last time. Liam starts off the game this time, "Chloe, truth or dare." This wasn't even a question; we all knew that Chloe would choose dare. Chloe taps her fingers on the arm of the chair as a Liam speaks, "I dare you to strip your shirt." My eyes go wide, if Liam thinks that this would break Chloe's streak of never backing down, he's in for a rude awakening. She shrugs her shoulders and whips her top off revealing a pink striped bra. Chloe bites back with the same dare, this game becoming one of stripping between the two of them. Chloe is down to her mismatch bra and underwear when she makes her next move, "socks" she says as she crosses her arms. Without breaking eye contact with Chloe, Liam slips off his socks. Liam let's that stupid, cocky grin spread, "Well, looks like there's only two garments left Chlo, you think you're going to last in this game?" Chloe raises her chin in defiance, there was no way this girl was giving up, "If I'm counting correctly Liam, you only have one? I just hope your confidant enough to play the game." This little tiff of theirs is quite enjoyable, but I'd rather my friend not completely reveal herself to our entire friend group. "Actually, it's my turn. Katy, truth or dare." I ask. Liam and Chloe both flop down in their chairs, burning holes into each other with one another's glares. Katy was predictable with her truth, so I ask her about her about her first kiss. This was something I already knew; she was five when a random boy chicken pecked her on the lips as he ran past her at the playground. "My turn." Allison leers. Oh boy, here we go. She stands and strides over to where I am sitting with Grant. She flips her blonde hair behind her shoulder and stops in front of us, "Grant, I dare you to kiss me." No way in hell did she just say that. Chloe rips herself from her chair, "who do you think you are!" she screams but I bring my hand in the air, a motion for her to stop. We didn't need to waste our words on Allison. I knew exactly the type of person she was, she wanted all the attention and she wanted all of the boys. Grant shakes his head and scoffs. He grabs my chin and slides his hand to the back of my neck pulling me in and crashes his lips into mine. The warmth that flows over me hides me from the darkness towering over the two of us. We pull back and Grant speaks, "there's your answer." Nick comes in with new topic to try and lighten the mood, Allison backs her way into the house, not even Liam offered to take up Grant's dare this time.