Taken

Flashback

I woke with a start. Tears streaming down my face. The dream, it was to much, to soon. I breathe in a shaky breath and close my eyes, wincing when the dream come back.

I was sitting by the pool, my legs dangling in the cool blue water that was recently cleaned. The blazing sun beats down on my tan shoulders and my reddish brown hair shines and whips around my face in the soft breeze.

The smell of summer and Florida fills my nostrils just as Brandon comes out of my house, his swim trunks hanging low on his hips and his bronze skin shines from the beads of water still clinging to his skin even after being out of the pool for at least five minutes. I swallow against the sudden dryness in my throat and force my eyes away. Bad Casey, bad, I scold myself.

"Hey, so your mom invited my parents to come over for a cook out tonight. Hope that's okay." Brandon smiles as he sits down at the pools edge, his arms pressed against mine sending a scorching trail of fire to run through my body.

"Oh ew. That means I have to spend more time with you?" I say, wrinkling my nose in fake disgust.

"Shut up." Brandon laughs and pushes my shoulder. I push his back, a little too hard causing him fall into the pool. I laugh as the cool water splashes and cools down my too hot skin.

"Your going to pay for that." Brandon laughs, shaking his head and sending water droplets every which way.

"Only if you catch me." I yell and jump up from where I was sitting. I hear the splash of water and the slapping of wet feet on the pavement and know that Brandon is running after me. I run a full circle around the pool before running into the yard, laughing the whole time.

"I'm going to catch you! I always do!" Brandon yells behind me. I shake my head, laughing and speed up.

"Not this time! I'm to smart for you!"

"We've done this before, I know all your tricks." Brandon shoots back. I jump over a small branch and make a circle around the hammock before heading back towards the pool. My legs burn from the running and my sides and cheeks hurt from all the laughing. I swish my head around to see if Brandon is close behind me but I find I not longer being followed. I stop dead on and make a full 360 degree circle, wondering where Brandon could've gone.

"Gotcha." I hear Bronson whisper in my ear as he throws me over his shoulder.

"Let me down!" I squeal, pounding my hands on his lower back.

"Nope. This is what you get for pushing me into the pool."

"It was an accident! Put me down this instant!" I yell, trying to sound firm but failing when I let out a laugh.

"Not going to happen!" Brandon sings.

"Don't you dare fart or I'll shove a plug up your butt after you eat Taco Bell and watch you become the very first human spaceship."

"Sure you would. I'm sure you'd miss me once I was gone." Brandon says, a smile clear in his voice. I roll my eyes and wrap my arms around his waist.

"Not at all. It's be like killing an annoying fly and missing it once its gone. Totally pointless." I joke, knowing full well that if something ever happened to Brandon, I'd probably die.

"Hey! A very cute fly." Brandon says.

I snort, "As if."

"I'm hurt. You'd think after growing up you'd care for me a little bit more."

"Oh I care for you, kind of like a dog would care for a puppy."

"Are you calling me childish?"