One of the Boys

Chapter 11 - Trust

"I am." I say, leaning in to kiss him. He responds pretty fast as we both try to block out our surroundings and concentrate exclusively on each other. He bites softly on my bottom lip but I decide to tease him, keeping my mouth shut.

I move my hands to his hair, tugging them through the dark locks. And then we're ripped out of it by someone tossing a bucketful of water on us. I scream. Seth kind of screams, except it's a more manly version.

"NO PDA ON THIS BEACH!" Caleb shrieks at us. I muster the most horrible glare I can and use it on him. He cowers away. Seth's looking down at the water. He points down suddenly.

"You might want to go and shout at them, then." Eliza and Nate are kissing, well, more like snogging, standing in the water with the waves breaking at their feet. Luke is sitting at the bottom of the beach near them, slouched over. Caleb runs off to shout at them too.

I stand up, hesitating for a moment before peeling off my wet top and shorts. Seth pulls his shirt off, wrapping his arms around me and leaning in again. This time I don't block him off, so he slips his tongue into my mouth.

"Zoe, Seth, come on." Nate says after a while. "We're having a chicken fight."

Seth glances at me, leans in for one last peck then grabs me around the waist, throws me over his shoulder and runs down the beach to the water. He only puts me down when he's waded in knee height. "I hate you." I say, glaring at him. He laughs,

"Love you too babe."

"Sure." I say. Eliza comes over, wet from head to toes.

"Are we doing this?"

"Sure." I repeat, smiling. She smiles. Seth smiles. Nate smiles. Caleb smiles. Luke groans.

"Next time we are bringing more girls." He says. "For the sole reason that they are generally lighter than..." He glances at Caleb. "Well, this." Caleb punches him in the stomach. Oh god. Here we go again.

Seth goes over, stepping between them before it escalates to anything big.

"That's because you haven't picked up Eliza." Nate says with a grin. She gasps.

"Okay, you can have Caleb. I'm going with Luke." She starts walking away from him and he lunges after her.

"No, no, no, babe, I was just joking, don't make me go with Caleb." He pleads. She turns and winks at me, then allows Nate to pick her up.

Meanwhile, Seth leans down and I climb on his shoulders, taking his hands for initial stability then letting go. Eliza is doing the same, as is... Caleb. Luke looks so pissed off right now, I almost feel sorry for him for a moment. Then I remember that's it's Luke and Caleb and I feel like cackling.

"Okay, no punching-" Eliza says, looking at Caleb pointedly. "And the person underneath is not allowed to do anything except move, okay?"

"Sure." Caleb says, glaring at Eliza before kicking Luke. He groans.

"So, three, two, one." Eliza announces before they rush at Caleb and Luke, who fall almost immediately. They glare at each other before starting a water fight. Eliza bursts out laughing, watching them and Seth and I use the moment to creep up behind them. I push Eliza and she slips, but catches her balance at the last minute.

"You're going down." Nate announces from under her. Oh hell no. I've been going down for years, dude. It's your turn now. Seth moves slightly backwards as Nate runs at us, dodging at the last moment. Eliza slips, this time for good, and I lift my arms in triumph.