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Water droplets spilled from the side of the pool as excited children plunged into it. Max and I sat in sun loungers covered by parasols, using them as a shield from the powerful sun. Max had her tinted sun glasses balanced on her freckled nose as she applied sun cream to her legs and arms before leaning back in her chair and shutting her eyes.
"Why do you always want to come to the pool? Why can't we go to the arcade or something more fun? I mean it's not like you actually go swimming while we're here." Max whined, lifting her sun hat slightly.
I turned to look at her, my long brown hair washed over my back like a wave. "Why do you always get so fussy? You don't have to come with me, I just thought you would want something to do?" I replied, pushing myself from the lounger and placing my feet on the floor. "I love you, y'know."
"I know," Max nodded, taking off her sunglasses and placing them beside her glass of lemonade.
"And you know I'd never make you do anything you don't want to do."
"I know."
"Well now I'm telling you, you don't need to come with me if you don't want to. I'm only doing it to get you away from Neil," I explained, grabbing her hands.
"You sure? Because every time you pull up to the house you seem to be looking for something. You sure it's not an excuse to see Billy—?"
"No! God no, I'm here for you and you only. You know what he did, Max," I exclaimed, gasping and then looking away from the girl. "Angel ... he really misses you—"
"Hey ladies!" Steve's shadow blocked the sun from my vision, he then looked from Max to me in an awkward silence, "am I interrupting something?"
"No, I was just telling Max how good the ice cream here is. Speaking of ice cream, will you come with me to get some?" I looked up at Steve and smiled a toothy grin.
He nodded slowly at first, almost looking in a daze. "That's actually, what I came here to ask. Max, do you want to come with us?" Steve looked down at the girl.
She smirked slyly and shook her head, "no I'm good thanks, maybe you should go with Angel."
And with that, she placed her sunglasses back on her nose, leaned back in her chair and took a long sip of her ice cold lemonade. Steve inhaled through bared teeth and looked to me, offering me his hand. I smiled and took it, placing my flip flops on and walking away with Steve by my side.
"Did something happen?" Steve asked, looking around at the laughing children that were dotted all over the pool area.
"No, she's just a little upset over something." I lied, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear awkwardly.
"Oh? What was it?" Steve turned to look back at the girl.
"Oh look we're here!" I laughed, speed walking towards the counter, knowing Billy hated it when people ran by the pool. "What flavour are you getting?"
