Big is Beautiful

Chapter Six

Luckily the following day was a Saturday. I could at least take a breather before I had to face Tyler again at school.

Sigh. The calm before the storm.

What to do? What to do? I thought as I finished getting dressed into my black leggings and sequenced grey top with nude pumps. I looked out the window trying to decide what the most suitable activity for the day would be. Boy was the sun beating down!

Swimming! The idea suddenly hit me.

I had not done that in a while and I really missed the cool calm of the water. Although I didn't swim often, when I did it was like everything was right in the world. As my body took a physical beat down in the water, my mind was being rejuvenated and all my worries were washed away.

I was rummaging through my cupboards looking for my gear - and subsequently destroying all the order that had recently been achieved - when I heard a faint knock on the door.

"Just hold on!" I yelled as I tried to remove myself from the chaos of clothes and shoes I had just created around me.

When I finally managed to get the door I was pleasantly surprised to see a rather tame looking Chelsea - who for once was dressed in a flattering pair of skinny jeans with a baby blue tank top and had her usually wild hair manhandled into a neat pony tail.

"Who are you and what have you done with my friend?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Ha ha! Very funny Carmi," she pushed her way past me into the house.

"Please, don't wait to be invited in," I rolled my eyes as I closed the door.

"Oh please ho, I live here. I don't need an invitation to come in."

"Yeah yeah," I smiled as I plopped next to her on the couch.

"So, what are we doing today?"

"Oh yeah! I want to go to the pool today," I bobbed excitedly.

"Oh no! Really?" She groaned. Did I mention Chelsea hated swimming? She more like loathed it. I didn't even understand why because she was so good at it.

I made my best puppy dog eyes and pouted before nuzzling her in her shoulder. In return she condescendingly patted my face.

"Do we really have to go?" She asked resigned.

I nodded vigorously knowing I'd already won. Aha! I knew she couldn't resist the cute face!

"I'm assuming you are already packed."

"Yep," I replied popping my p.

"Ok then let's go home and fetch my gear then."

We made our way to Chelsea's red polo. The interior was a mess - as usual.

"Some people would think you live in here," I snickered. "But once they see your room, they realize that this is clean by your standards.

"Are you sure you want to go there?" she gave me a pointed look.

"Okay okay," I surrendered. I did not want to be walking to the pool in this heat.

As we drove to her house, Lana del Rey's Carmen was blasting through the car. Chelsea really enjoyed this "alternative" kind of music. I was more mainstream but who doesn't appreciate a little Lana del Rey?

"Like lightning, ooh oh oh, like lightning, ing,ing," we chorused, more like screeched, as we parked in the driveway.

"Ladies ladies please, save the torture for someone who deserves it," Travis, Chelsea's brother, yelled from behind the silver Lexus he was working on.

"Travis we admire your effort to not inflate our egos but we know you love our voices," I smirked.

"Only you, Carmi, only you could come up with such," his grinning face suddenly appeared as he straightened up.

It still amazed me how Travis' appearance could still leave me utterly speechless. In stark contrast to Chelsea's exotic beauty, Travis was like one of those Spanish or Italian models straight out of Men's Health. He had short curly dark hair which framed a perfectly angular face and held the most striking green eyes. Not many could compete with his well-worked physique either.

"Okay, you can stop ogling my brother now," Chelsea snapped interrupting my thoughts as she walked into the house leaving me alone with Travis.

"I..." I was saved from the mortification of answering by the ringing of a text onto my cellphone.

You busy today?

Uhm, who is this?

You don't remember who this is. I'm hurt. =''(

I'm sorry?

Sexy pizza guy, Sean.=P

Sexy -_^? Riiiight....How'd you get my number?

It's the number you left for the pizza. Duh. Your mind is working really slow today. =D

-_-

Anyyyway, you busy today?

Yeah my friend and I are on our way to the public pool for a swim.

Great! Meet you there in a bit ;)

I didn't invite you =\

I stood there staring at my phone debating whether or not I was going to send that last message.

"Your eyes look like they are going to bust out of their sockets."

"Oh, ha ha," I scratched the back of my head sheepishly, "just this guy..."

"What guy?" Travis asked suspiciously.

"Just the pizza guy I met the other day. He wants to go swimming with us. I'm sure it will be fine," I reassured both of us, "he seems like a nice guy."

Travis frowned before walking up to me and putting his hand on my shoulder and looking me sternly in the eyes, "I don't believe in nice guys."

Huh?

"Well i do," I managed to keep my composure, "you are a nice guy."

"No I'm not."

He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against mine. I was completely frozen in my shock and made no attempt to move from my current position. We stood like that for a moment before he pressed a soft kiss in my hair and wordlessly went back to work on the car.

What the teet??

I stared at him for a while, waiting for him to say something, anything about what had just taken place. When I realized that wasn't going to happen I proceeded to fiddle on my phone while waiting for Chelsea. I couldn't deal with how awkward the situation had gotten.

What did Travis mean by what he said? I don't understand what is going on at all...

"Stop thinking dirty thoughts about my brother," Chelsea snorted as she walked out the front door. "You are blushing so hard it's like you smeared red lipstick on your cheeks."

"Chelsea!" I squawked embarrassed, "it's just...uh...hot! I'm getting heat stroke."

"Yeah whatever."

"Hey girls," Travis straightened up before looking at me directly, "be careful okay?"

"Yeah yeah," Chelsea waved him off.

As we drove to the pool, Chels was chatting my ears off about the newest gossip but I couldn't pay attention. My thoughts were completely occupied elsewhere.

What the teet just happened with Travis?