The Life Of The Daughter Of NCIS

Chapter 3: Pool Party

Azalea

All my friends from school were blowing up my phone with messages about yesterday, gossip was that it was something to do with a kidnapping and ransom, or Coach was a drug lord, but the latter was a bit far fetched.

It was midday and I was already bored, all my homework was done and I had watched the last of decent movies on Netflix, the games on my phone only held my short attention for so long, and the idea of reading a book seemed surprising horrid. I sent out a group text to see if anyone was busy and almost instantly Willow texted me back.

'Hi Azzie. If you want you can come to mine, go in the pool and watch a movie or something. Will ❤️'

"Dad, I'm bored." I whined, flopping onto the couch, my legs pointing to the ceiling. "Read a book, do homework, play a board game." He replied, not taking his eyes of the chunky file. I rolled over onto my stomach "play a game with whom exactly? My own fucking Peter Pan shadow." I replied with a snort. Dad looked up and narrowed his eyes at me " cut language and the attitude." He warned, I flipped over with an eye roll. My phone dinged again

'We have chocolate covered popcorn. 🍿'

I sat up properly in the chair "Dad." I wheedled, he threw his pen on the table and looked up at me with the annoyed 'what?' expression "can I go to Willow's?" I asked "no." Dad replied, quickly and harshly, I was surprised by his abrasive tone, he had been on edge since picking me up from school yesterday afternoon.

Groaning dramatically and swept upstairs and into my room. Leaning against my door a plan began to form, I smirked to myself before walking over to my wardrobe and grabbed a large string bag from the top shelf and chucked it onto my bed. I rolled up a fresh towel and stuffed it in, along with my swimming costume, change of clothes and sun cream at a last-minute decision, I got changed into a pair of black shorts and a Pink Soda mesh running vest and my Nikes.

I connected my phone to my small Bluetooth speaker and pressed play, Heavydirtysoul began to float out the speakers, I turned it up so you wouldn't be able to hear anything happening in my room before making my way back over to my bed.

I opened the big window and crawled onto the small ledge, there was about a three foot gap between the house and the tree in our front garden, I breathed in through my nose and pushed off the window, branches scratched at my bare arms and legs as I scrabbled with my fingernails to find a grip in the bark. I cautiously looked around to see wether the noise had caused Dad to come and look but thankfully the front door stayed closed, I quietly climbed down and jumped over the fence.

I took the shortcut through the forest. My feet made a rhythmic slapping sound on the dusty rock, I was taking a slower pace than normal so I didn't hurt my ribs too much, I watched as the sweltering sun made dappled patterns on the woodland floor, the heat not able to get through the canopy of trees, providing cool air. I could run here forever and not be tired of the beautiful serenity of this forest.

But like all good things, they must come to a end. I turned left onto the thinner path that would take me back to the pavement by the old style diner my dad likes to grab his coffee from, go about two blocks east and you will be on Willow's street.

I knocked on the door, it opened to reveal a costume clad Willow, chlorine water dripped from her sopping wet ponytail onto the hardwood floor "you made it!" She squealed "everyone else is here already." I stepped in and took of my shoes, Willow lived in a OCD clean household, shoes off at the door, coats hung on the rack. "Okay," I laughed "let me get changed and I'll be out," the happy, bubbly atmosphere was infectious. I quickly changed in the bathroom, taking one of my extra strength painkillers to stop the uncomfortable throb in my side, and made my way outside. I tossed my towel on the rattan sofa and pulled my slightly sweaty hair into a bun.