Lovely

10. Like us?

I was contently listening to Callista explain the plot of her favourite book when Isiah ran into the room and jumped on us. We laughed as he wriggled around on our laps, trying to get comfortable.

"Isiah!" Callista yelped.

"I just wanted to ask if you wanted to swim," he pouted. I snuck a glance at the window of Callista's room. It was sunny outside and it was hot, just like every other day. Truthfully, I didn't know why I needed to check. "Sure," I answered and Callista nodded. Isiah then let us breath, and ran back out of the room.

"As I was saying!" Callista continued. "It's a story better than Romeo and Juliet because not only do the characters not die, but Jane is the one that makes all of the moves. Romeo and Juliet is a classic but there needs to be more representation of females being in charge. Women are just as strong and are just as capable of asking a man out to dinner."

My eyebrows raised on their own accord, and I wondered where she had found such insightful words. It took some time to come to terms with how wise and aware Callista was. Either way I agreed and touched her cheek before I went in search of Kahlo. He would know what Isiah meant by "swim". The man I was in search of was outside. He was scaling a fig tree. I yelled up to him. He ventured down but stopped to let his legs swing from the bottom branch. "What is it?" he asked.

"Are we going swimming?" He shrugged and revealed he wasn't aware of any such plans. "Well, do you want to?"

He clutched his chest dramatically.

"Rora is asking me to swim with her. I can't believe I'm witnessing her coming out of her shell! I need to remember this forever." I let out a breathy chuckle and told him to come down so that we could go. His face changed, I knew he had just had an idea. One he probably thought was pure genius.

"No."

Was that his grand plan?

"What do you mean no?"

"Not until you give me a kiss!"

My eyes narrowed. Not because I was against kissing him, but because I didn't think it was fair that he thought of this as a situation in which he needed to get something out of.  "And how am I supposed to kiss you when you are so far away?" I asked, thinking that his whole plan had been foiled. Suddenly, his face was hovering right in front of mine. A look up told me that he was hanging by his legs from the branch, we were the perfect heights for this manoeuvre. He puckered his lips jokingly. I was still shocked by his actions, and concerned about his safety, but advanced forward since I knew that a kiss would get him out of such a dangerous position. A peck, soft and quick, was placed on the lips of his upside down face before he coiled back up to bring his legs back over the top of the branch. He then hung straight, his hands holding on to the wood. Then he dropped completely down to the ground. "Warn me before you do something that puts your life in danger," I joked in return.

Kahlo hung an arm over my shoulders as we walked and kissed the side of my forehead. "It is so sweet that you are worried about about me," he said with a tone that bordered sarcasm. "Of course I'm worried about you, my love," I played along, grabbing his chin and shaking it vigorously. Caressing it would have been more romantic, but I was teasing to counteract his own teasing. "If you were to hurt yourself....oh, I wouldn't know what to do at all!"

He grabbed my cheeks with both hands and crashed his lips onto mine, with the intention of putting a stop to my relentless teasing. I giggled against his lips but only stayed for a few more seconds before shoving him and sprinting off. Kahlo laughed and chased after me. We were always playing a game, trying to catch up to each other or trying to prove each other wrong. He caught me in his arms in the doorway of the house. I turned to him and pecked his lips for the last time before I finally found guaranteed solitude in my bedroom. He wouldn't even wish to step into such a personal space without being explicitly invited in. We had raced past Mark during our game of cat and mouse, and I managed to croak out a fast "hi" as I hurtled past him at a speed I had only ever reached on bike.

After later learning that this time we would be swimming at the lake, and that the area was shaded by trees, I marched back upstairs to collect a sweater. Once I had gotten everything, we were off. Everyone, except me, decided to drop by Celia's house to see if she was free. I didn't agree, but there was no way I could protest. We can't ask her if she wants to swim with us because I think I may have feelings for her, and I never want to see her again so that maybe the feelings will disappear. No, I didn't think so. Unfortunately she was free and she did want to swim with us. Fortunately, so was Ash. They were attached at the hip, I hoped that Ash would keep her attention off of me. As I watched them climb onto their bikes, and Ash lean over to kiss Celia's neck like Kahlo had done to me, I realised that that wouldn't be difficult for Ash to do.

The lake was closer to the villa than town was, probably the same distance as the beach. Only, you turned to the right instead of the left. Callista was correct, it was shaded. Pretty heavily at that. But the lake itself wasn't shaded and the sun warmed the crystal water. I was the last to get in. Mostly because I wanted to admire the image of the landscape and the lake and the bodies floating around in it for as long as I could before I joined everyone else in the water. Partially because Celia was in the water. After some time I did get in, though, which delighted everyone. We swam and splashed and floated and played. The lake had its own charm with its flat water and beautiful forest surroundings, but I enjoyed it just as much as I would a day at the beach. Callista and the twins got out to retrieve the apricots we packed for little humans with big appetites, and Kahlo and I followed to supervise how much they consumed each which left Celia and Ash in the water. I didn't care. I liked being on the edge of the lake with Kahlo and his younger siblings. An old married couple watching over their hungry  grandchildren. And I liked Celia and Ash staying in their place in the water. In another world. Away from me.

As I sat down with the others, I couldn't help but watch. There was no harm in observing. I observed Ash wrap his arms around Celia's waist and lift her out of the water. She giggled and squealed when he went on to spin her around.

"Well, they seem to be quite in love." I tried to keep the annoyance out of my voice. I would not let myself be annoyed.

"Celia and Ash?" Kahlo asked surprised. "Ash, maybe. Celia, no way. Ash only dreams that Lia were in love with him."

"So they're..... friends with benefits?"

"You could say that," Kahlo answered, looking at the couple in question.

"Like us?"

This caught his attention.

His eyes were on me. He wasn't startled, or accusing. He just smiled warmly. "Like us."