Something Great

Chapter 13

Luke returned to the house to find Ralley sitting on the counter in the kitchen with Calum's hips between her spread legs. Their lips moved together lazily, and her fingers were laced through his untamed, dark chocolate locks. Thankfully, everyone still had their clothes on, but Luke could see Calum's fingers toying with the hem of Ralley's sweatshirt. The jealousy didn't hit him like it used to.

"I'm back!" Luke called loudly. Ralley jerked backward in surprise, hitting her head on the cabinets. Luke felt a little bad. Calum ignored his friend, refocusing his attention to Ralley's neck.

"Hey, Luke," Ralley greeted breathily, giggling at the feeling of Cal's nose against her neck. "How was your walk?"

Luke smirked, amused by Calum's persistence. He noticed Ralley's fingernails digging into her own thighs and silently commended her on her composure.

"Enlightening," he answered shortly, letting a small grin sneak onto his face.

Ralley sucked a sharp breath between her lips.

"Enlightening how? You look so happy-- What happened??"

"I met a girl," Luke shrugged, smiling even wider at the thought of Violet. They got along near perfectly. She was hilarious and beautiful and just.... Amazing. He was at a loss for words.

"YOU MET A GIRL!??" Ralley shouted, knocking Calum in the chin with her shoulder as she hopped off the counter top and stepping on his foot.

"Fuck, Ral," Calum winced.

"Sorry, babe," she apologized quickly, pecking him on the cheek before turning back to Luke for details. "Tell me EVERYTHING!"

Luke laughed as Calum shot him a glare of annoyance. He obviously hadn't planned on being interrupted.

"Maybe later," he said to Ralley. "I feel like I interrupted something..."

"Yeah," Calum answered, crossing his arms, as Ralley replied, "No, not at all! Spill!"

"Ralleyyyyyyyyy," Calum whined, aiming for her neck again. Luke noticed a few light red marks running up her throat from her shoulder as Ralley ducked away from Cal's advance.

"Cut it out," she whined back. "I wanna hear about the girl."

Luke suppressed a chuckle.

"Her name's Violet."

"That's a gorgeous name," Ralley complimented.

"She's a photographer," he continued softly, almost reverently. "She's got, you know, 'average' brown eyes, but they sparkle like nothing I've ever seen before..."

"Awweee," Ralley sighed, leaning back into Calum's shoulder. "Luke..."

"And she likes you," Calum teased, earning a swat from Ral.

"We can only hope," Luke joked back goodheartedly.

"Are you gonna see her again?" Ralley asked.

Luke glanced down at his feet for a moment.

"I mean, I hope so," he answered, scratching the back of his neck.

"I want to meet her," Ralley squealed excitedly.

"Alright, alright, Ral. You're bothering him," Calum chastised gently, finally able to get his lips back in her skin. His arms were draped around her hips loosely.

"No, I'm not!" Ralley argued. "Am I, Luke?"

Luke just smiled at the couple.

"We'll talk later, Ral," he promised before leaving the couple to their canoodling.

-

"Don't splash me, Ash," Ava yelped, ducking away from the airborne water droplets.

"I must!" Ashton laughed, sweeping his hands through the water. "It rhymes with my name."

"You dork," Ava teased. In several, oddly graceful, movements, Ash hopped through the water to her and tugged her under with him, pressing their lips together. Their cheeks puffed out with air as they hung suspended underwater, trying to keep their lips in contact.

Eventually, they needed air. Ava was the first to pull away, returning to the air with a small splash.

"You're so dumb," she giggled at Ash, jumping into his arms once he'd resurfaced. They shared a proper, above water kiss. They tasted chlorine as their lips an tongues slid past one another, slick from their underwater experiment.

Ash's hands slowly moved upwards from Ava's bum, stroking the material of her swim suit bottoms like he was going to slip his fingers under it...

"Hey, guys?" A shy voiced asked.

Ashton dropped Ava, who sighed in discontent, and turned to face Michael.

"What's up, Mike," Ashton greeted, irritation seeping through his words. Ava rolled her eyes. If he was so irritated by the interruption, why had he just dropped her like she was burning him.

"I just wanted to apologize," he began, sitting on a chaise near the edge of the pool. Ashton narrowed his eyes at the boy. "I talked to Luke and... I didn't mean to get in between you guys or make you fight or fight with you. I guess I was just angry because I felt left out.. Since you guys and Ralley and Calum... Yeah. So, I'm sorry. I never meant to take it out in you."

Ash was smiling so big. Ava hadn't seen him so happy since he found her and Michael sharing a midnight snack. It felt amazing seeing him like that, but there was an uneasy type of nausea brewing in her stomach.

"We forgive ya, mate," Ashton said. His teeth strained against his lips; he was so excited to have one of his best friends back after their short estrangement. He looked at Ava expectantly.

"Yeah, Mike... We forgive you." She tried to smile like her heart wasn't rotting in her chest. She'd never been good at hiding emotions, but Ashton was too ecstatic to notice.

He giggled as he rushed to get out of the water.

"C'mon! Let's make margaritas to celebrate."

Michael laughed, but rose from his chair to follow Ash inside.

"You coming, Ava," he asked. Ava was still standing in the lukewarm, chlorinated water, looking dazed and kind of sick.

"Yeah," she answered after a moment. "I'll be in in a second."

Michael nodded at her, flashing an inkling of a grin, and retreated inside.

Ava leant back into the water. She was confused. Why did she feel so... So wrong about this? It was what they'd all wanted since the party.

She'd thought it would at least be a little harder for Michael. Didn't he have feelings for her? Or was she just imagining things? Had he felt that thing akin to a spark when she'd accidentally kissed him?

Didn't she love Ashton?