Together We Fight *Major Editing*

Chapter 17 (Edited)

"Isn't it too early to be having a beach party?" I stayed silent and watched in amusement as Jess and Ari bickered between themselves about the appropriate time to have a beach party, I shook my head and tuned out their conversation as the it steered into a more ridiculous topic involving lots of alcohol.

I glanced around at all the people that had leisurely spread themselves across the warm, golden sand as they soaked up the bright rays of sunlight. "Did you bring a bikini, buttercup?" I snapped my eyes over to the attractive male beside me and narrowed them at the pervy look on his face, he wiggled his dark eyebrows in a slightly exaggerated manner.

A light scoff escaped my lips as I instinctively slapped his toned bicep half-heartedly, "You're disgusting."

He shrugged as a cheeky grin raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a dimple and slung his arm around my shoulders lazily, "And I'm your boyfriend now, babe." I ignored him as I slipped off my shoes before stepping onto the soft sand, appreciating the feel of it on my aching feet.

I stood to my full height again and picked his arm up off my shoulders before letting it drop down behind me, "Uh...correction, fake boyfriend, and don't call me babe. It's weird." I wrinkled my nose slightly at the word, the grin on his face didn't waver and I found myself strangely wanting to poke the little indent on his cheek.

Weird.

"Ethan!" I jumped slightly at the loudness of Jessica's voice, I looked around at the hundreds of people moving around us, one eye catching male was making his way towards us with an elated expression on his face.

Ah, this must be the Ethan my best friend is basically obsessed with. He's a looker that's for sure, hopefully his attitude is just as good as his looks.

Jess skipped forward a few steps and wrapped her arms around his neck as his went around her waist, they both pulled back seconds later and shared a short but sweet kiss. "You guys look absolutely adorable together." Ari cooed, voicing my exact thoughts. We all watched the two of them speak for a few seconds before turning back to us with matching smiles on their glowing faces.

"Guys, this is Ethan. Ethan, these are my awesome friends." Micheal narrowed his eyes at the pair of them, playing the role of protective big brother again I assume. "Okay, this is gonna get awkward in a few seconds so we should go get a drink or do something." I nodded as did everyone else and started after them, a moment later a suspiciously familiar arm slithered around my waist loosely.

"Really." I turned my head so that I was looking up at Mason who grinned down at me again. "Anne isn't here, so why the hell are you touching me?" I grabbed his arm once again, ignoring the little jolts of electricity that traveled from his skin into my fingertips and tried to pull it off.

Key word being tried.

He continued to walk normally with me almost shoved against him. "You know what they say buttercup, practice makes perfect. So if we're going to be a real couple then we need to start acting like it." He spoke casually as I pushed and pulled his arm with all my might, struggling to detach it from myself.

I gave up after about thirty seconds and sighed rather dramatically, continuing to walk with him attached to me, "Why are you like this." I muttered after a few seconds, loud enough for him to hear me.

Meanwhile Jess, Ethan, Ari and Micheal all continued to make their way to the Hawaiian themed bar a couple hundred metres ahead of us, despite the large crowd on the beach the bar was relatively vacant except for a few people slouching about on the wooden bar stools situated beneath the bar or around tall round tables with vibrantly coloured drinks in hand.

When the six of us reached the flower covered bar we were greeted by the friendly bartender, he had one of those multicoloured flower necklaces around his neck and a pair of Hawaiian themed board shorts adorned his body. "Hey, what can I get you guys?" His warm hazel eyes crinkled around the edges as he smiled at us.

From beside me, Mason spoke in a confident drawl, "I'll have a coke and rum." He looked at down at me for a moment, when my eyes met his a grin lit up his features at my semi peeved expression. "And my girlfriend will have a plain coke, thanks." I instinctively elbowed his stomach and shot him a glare. Douche.

I grabbed his hand with both of mine, once again attempting to escape from his iron grip. "Mason, let me go." He looked like he was contemplating it for a moment before the grin resurfaced, he shook his head and a strand of hair fell onto his forehead.

The blue of his eyes seemed to glimmer with delight, "Nah."

I threw my hands up and let out an annoyed groan, "Come on!" I heard someone chuckle from beside me and looked over to see all of them watching our exchange with knowing looks, even the bartender.

With a silent huff I crossed my arms and pressed my lips together, ignoring the amused stares of my friends, "That'll be seven dollars and fifty cents." The bartender slid our drinks over to us with the happy smile still on his face, Mason used his free hand to retrieve a ten dollar note from his pocket.

Once the bartender had handed back his change, Mason grabbed his drink and waited for me to do the same. When I didn't he leaned his face closer to mine and narrowed his eyes slightly at my defiance, "I'll kiss you if you don't grab the drink, buttercup." I leaned back and pursed my lips, I really didn't want to have to kiss him unless I really had to. He was serious though, that much I could tell.

"You are an infuriating human being." I grumbled before grabbing the cold glass, the ice cubes floating around in the bubbly liquid clinked against each other and the inside of the cup.

"I wouldn't be me if I wasn't." He all but sang before leaning against the bar with his arm still around me, sipping his drink leisurely.

Well he's not wrong.