Unexpected Love #1

Five

Later after lunch, Leah and I were swimming. It felt so good and refreshing. Not as cold as the water hole, but refreshing. We were laying out when I saw Max walk by.

"You know, you can take a break and cool off." I said. "I don't think your dad would like that." He said. "Come on. It's so humid. You can't be out in this heat all day." I said, "Besides you did so much today. You deserve a break." Max was going to say something when my dad walked by. "Go ahead, Max."my dad said on his way back to the house. He stopped by the pool. "You can take the rest of the day off. You've been in this heat since 7. I don't want anyone getting sick or a heat stroke." My dad said, "So go ahead and take a break. Cool off. I told Cade the same thing." I groaned. I really didn't want Cade here. "That wasn't for you, Max." I said, "Just so you know." "I figured." He said, "Ok, Mr. Thomas. Thanks." "No problem. See I can be reasonable." My dad said and headed off.

Leah and I switched sides to tan. Max came back and jumped in the pool. "It feels good, doesn't it?" I asked. "You don't have to talk to me." Max said. "Excuse me?" I asked. "Look, I know you were just being polite because daddy was around. We both know you don't like me or Cade even. You didn't exactly welcome us." Max replied. "Excuse me?" I repeated, "You don't know anything about me!" "And you don't know anything about us. You probably judged us before we got here!" He replied, "You probably called us rich and spoiled kids. Well that may be true about some prep kids, but not all of them." "I.. I did not." I said, but really I did. He laughed. "Yes you did. I can tell." He said, "So don't even pretend and talk to me." I glared at him, but he swam away and didn't see.

"Just ignore him. He's not worth it." Leah said. "I know, but he's right. I did judge them." I said. "Me too." Leah agreed. 

Cade came out then. He didn't say anything, just jumped into the pool and started to swimming around. "Come on in. It's nice and refreshing." Cade said. "No thanks." I said. "Aww... come on. Don't be like that." He said, "Hey why didn't you tell your father what I said?" "What are you talking about?" I asked. "You know what I am talking about." He replied, "About not wanting to be here." "Oh, give me time." I said. "Well I appreciate it if you didn't. Like Max said earlier, I don't want to have to find a new service job. Although my dad said if I didn't find one, I'd have to work at the animal hospital with with my sister.  And there I'd have to clean the cages and the rooms. Kind of like a janitor. I like it here actually. I can be outside. Even if it's like a janitor here, I can be outside and not in a stuffy building." He said, "Please." I just laid there, not saying anything. "Say you won't say anything or I'll splash you." He said. "You wouldn't dare!" I said. "No, I wouldn't." He said. 

I was confused at why he changed his attitude all of a sudden, but then I knew why. My parents were here. They went into the pool. Leah and I went back in too. I figured they wouldn't do anything with my parents there. 

The next day, I went for a ride early in the morning. I watched the sun rise again. Then read for awhile and left and hung out at Leah's house for awhile. 

Now we were back at mine for a cookout. My dad was grilling again. I saw Max was sitting on the steps carving something. "What are you doing?" I asked. "Carving." He replied, without looking up. "I can see that. But what are you carving?" I asked. "Wood." He said, smirking. "Oh my gosh!"  I yelled, "Why can't you just tell me?" "What do you care?" He asked. "Jerk! I'm trying here. I'm trying to be nice." I replied. He laughed. "Because daddy's watching?" He sneered. "No." I said. I looked and my dad wasn't even around. "He's not even here." I said. "Oh well." He said. "Stop being such an ass!" Leah said, "Come on, Ash. Let's just go in." "Fine." I said and we went in. 

"Oh my gosh! He's so infuriating!" I yelled. "Who?" My mom asked, "Cade?" "No. Max." I replied, "I saw him carving something and he wouldn't tell me what." "Oh." My mom said, "These boys are being too much." I laughed. My mom never usually says anything bad about anyone. So for her to say that about them, it's funny. "Sometime I wish I was more firm." She said, "And said no to your father." I laughed. "Yeah." I agreed, "So do you need any help?" "You and Leah can cut up some vegetables as I make the corn on the cob and Mac and cheese." She replied. "Ok." I said. My mom was making homemade Mac and cheese. I love her homemade Mac and cheese. It was delicious. 

I got out the vegetables and Leah got the knives and cutting boards. Then we cut up the vegetables and made up a vegetable tray. We took it outside and sat it on the table. Leah took the Mac and cheese out. Soon everything was ready and we all sat down to eat.