jasper | part two

chapter four

"Wow, this place is fucking awesome."

I awkwardly nudged Ariel in her side, my bags plus hers in hand. She insisted I carry her bags due to her 'ailment' or what normal people call a pregnancy. The sweat that stuck to my forehead was thick and sticky - consequently, I looked like a drenched sewer rat.

Whilst I embraced the heat the current situation wasn't a desirable one, I'd much rather be lounging on the beach in my new bikini rather than in my comfortable traveling clothes - an old, faded t-shirt and suffocatingly skin-tight leggings.

She turned to me with a sneer on her face. "What?"

"Don't swear," I huffed, my cheeks pink. "It's rude."

"Like you can talk," she scoffed. "You can't blame me either, look at this bloody place - it's gorgeous."

She gestured excitedly to the large and rather intimidating log cabin. It was huge.

I raised a hand to shield the sun from my face. "I'm just glad we are finally here." We might have made it but my car hadn't, the bloody thing had broken down halfway up the hill. Poor thing was getting old.

Ariel looked at me funny. "The walk wasn't even that bad, stop complaining." She muttered.

"Are you being fucking serious right now?" I whisper-yelled like the mature adult I was. "I fucking carried your and my bags the entire way."

She shrugged. "All you had to do was ask and I would have carried them - I'm not a black belt in Judo for nothing you know."

I looked at her like a fish out of water. "A black belt? You have to be kidding me!"

"I know - hence why I can't tell dad I'm pregnant. I don't want to be downgraded to the second favourite child."

Before I could allow her to enrage me any further the door swung open, a very excited looking Julianna behind it.

"You made it!" She exclaimed. Her expression suddenly changed for the worse, "why are you sweating so much?"

Her nose crinkled. "God! and what's that smell?"

I awkwardly scratched the back of my neck. "Betty broke down and we had to walk the rest of the way."

She looked me up and down before her eyes slowly raked Ariel's clean form. "You better have a quick shower," she directed towards me. "Everyone else will be turning up soon - we were hoping to have a barbeque at the beach."

She hurried us in side and directed me to dump the bags wherever, which I did without complaint and proceeded to showed me to the nearest bathroom, shoving a fluffy towel in my arms.

I was quick to undress and rinse all the grime of my body - I had been waiting for weeks for this trip, I didn't want to miss a thing. As soon as I deemed myself clean I jumped out of the shower and popped on a new change of clothes. A simple tank top and denim shorts.

When I made it back into the living area I almost lost my shit.

There was sweet ol' Tanner sitting on the couch beside Ariel - both of which had a controller in their hands and were yelling at the TV. I shot Julianna who was at the other side of the living space, a look she just shrugged innocently and gave me a sinister smile.

What the? My eyebrows furrowed.

I sighed before walking from my hiding place.

"Lauren!"

Joanna had her arms wrapped around me before I could protect myself. Everyone's head turned to the commotion - including Tanners. God, this was going to be awkward. I hadn't talked to him since the little fight we had had and now he was all buddy buddy with my sister?

"When did you get here? You smell good, but why is your hair wet? Oh my god don't tell me you have already gone to the beach without me!"

I chuckled. "Calm down Joanna, I just had a shower because according to your sister I stank like dog balls."

"She wasn't wrong," Ariel called out, her eyes still glued to the screen.

Yup. I regretted bringing her already and I was going to have to share a room with her. Great.

I could just hear the innocent snicker from Tanners lips - he of course meant nothing by it but it sure did piss me right off. He wrapped an arm around my dear sister and whispered something in her ear. She turned to him and chuckled. What?

Joanna nudged me with the same confused look on her face. "She's the pregnant sister, right?" She whispered.

I nodded solemnly.

She raised a brow. "Does he know?" She gestured to Tanner.

I shrugged; he'd have fun finding out. I honestly wasn't even sure why Tanner was invited, it was all a big mystery.

"Alright now that we are all here and all the food is prepared let's head for the beach!" Juliana announced with a grand smile.

I smiled back. This weekend was about Juliana, I wouldn't let my sister or Tanner ruin it.

A/N:
Hi... I don't really know what to say - life is busy. No joke, like everything is sort of happening at once and even though this story is often put on the back burner I promise I will never abandon it. It's always in the back of my mind honestly.

Anyway bit of a short chapter - just wanted to let you guys know I'm still in this. :)