Chapter 21

40 2 2
                                    

I invited everyone to come swim with us. Of coarse Micheal was the first to know; he happily agreed.

We stopped back at all three houses to grab swimwear.

We plod up the stone path to see Micheal, his feet in the water.

"Who dat?" Rylie asks.

He looks up and walks over with the key. "Rylie, this is Mikey. He's my friend." I say.

The gate swings open and Rylie waddles up to Mikey.

"Hi, Mikey!" she says. She hugs his legs. He looks up and smiles at us.

"Hello, Rylie." he says, gently picking her up.

"I wike your gwasses." she says. She slides his sunglasses off his face and I giggle.

We set our stuff on the chair next to Micheal's.

"How old is she?" he asks with a smile.

"Two anna haff!" she interjects.

She pokes his nose and he makes a honking sound. She smiles and does it again.

Calum tosses me the sunscreen and I spray Austin. I smear sunscreen on my face and rub it in.

"You've made a new friend, Micheal." I say, smiling brighter. I take her from him to put her swimmies on.

"No!" she squirms towards Mikey.

He takes her back and helps put her swimmies on.

"Is this Rylie and Austin?!" Charlie coos, walking up to the gate.

"Chawie!" Rylie giggles.

"Oh my God! Let me in so I can hug her!" Charlie says.

I haven't stopped smiling since the aquarium and my cheeks hurt. I take the key from Mikey and open the gate. Charlie runs in and Luke walks after her.

"What have you done to her?" I ask quietly.

"What?"

"Tattoos, piercings! What did she get?"

"Oh, a rose." he says.

I smile wider, "That sounds like her."

She picks Rylie up and twirls her around. When she stops, Rylie points to Luke.

"Who dat?" she asks.

"That's Luke." Charlie says, kissing him on the cheek. Rylie leans over and kisses his other cheek.

"C'mere you little cheater!" I say.

I snatch her up playfully and set her down. She goes over and hugs Luke's legs.

"I wove Wuke!" she giggles.

"So we aren't special anymore?" Calum asks.

"You're special to me!" I tease. I go over and hug both of them and they smile.

"No!" Rylie shouts. She runs over and hugs them, trying to push me away.

"Tough crowd." Luke says.

Austin gets in the pool and skulks in the deep end.

Luke and Charlie get in, then everyone else. Luke swims over to Austin and they start talking. Charlie and I take turns catching Rylie as she jumps in.

I go up to catch Rylie, "No, jus Chawie."

"Alright." I say, holding up my hands in surrender. I swim over to Mikey and Calum.

Love Hate RelationshipWhere stories live. Discover now