Where to Begin

Chapter 4

"C'mon ladies, let's go!" Jackson said as we came down the stairs.

"Finally." Chase moaned getting up from leaning on the island in the kitchen.

"Shut up, you usually take longer." I heard Connell shout from the front of the crowd.

"I think you'll like this."

Suddenly Max caught up to my side.

"How do you know?"

"South Africa is hot right? So, you guys do a lot of swimming and you think I don't know who Chad le Clos is?"

"You're actually right, I do like swimming,"

"See! I know a thing or two," he said, smiling to himself.

"Are we getting along nicely here?" Chase asked mockingly as he stopped in front of us, watching Max and I.

"At least I'm trying to get to know Celine instead of making pervy comments, Jigsaw." Max said shooting his brother a look.

"Making pervy comments is my way of getting to know someone, Rainman." Chase smiled and shoulder butted Max.

"Hey," another voice said coming from the other side of me.

"Oh, you gave me a fright," I said, trying to see in the dim moonlight who it was.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to," the voice said quietly.

"It's ok,"

"I'm Moose – I mean, Calvin – sorry, I'm so used to my brothers calling me that, it's habit," he said with a small chuckle. At least he told me who it was so I didn't have to guess in the dark.

"Nice to formally meet you, Moose. I don't know how you feel about me calling you that since it's like a 'family thing' but I just thought since you're used to it that I'd – ''

"It's fine, it sounds natural coming out from you." he said, cutting me off. I could see him smiling, even in the dark. Then I heard one of the boys shout shortly followed by a splash indicating that we had reached the lake. All of the boys suddenly ran and jumped in, even Moose quickly left my side, jumping in the water with a small cry. They were splashing each other and tackling each other and dunking each other.

"Ready?" Aubrey re-appeared at my side near the edge of the lake.

"I guess...what do I have to be ready for?" I said giving Aubrey a look. She smiled at me. I looked for a branch to leave my towel on and then quickly took my towel off and headed for the water. I couldn't help but feel slightly body conscious entering a lake filled with gorgeous boys.

The splashing and tackling slowed and a whistle rang out through the forest.

"We got lucky boys!" I heard a voice laugh. I didn't even have to look up to know that it was Chase who was then hit over the head by Jackson because of his comment.

Aubrey gave me a small nudge with an even smaller grin as we slipped into the warm water.

"That's a nice bathing suit," Connell said, swimming cautiously up to us.

"Thank you but it's Aubrey's,"

"Not anymore it's not, you look better in it than I ever did and soon I won't be able to fit into so – '' she stopped suddenly.

"I can't take it Aubrey! That's not fair on you,"

"Why not? I'm giving it to you as a gift and you should take it because it's a pretty good gift if you ask me."

"Thank you." I eventually said quietly.

"So, are you going to get your hair wet or what?" Chase asked coming up behind me.

I spun around to retaliate and didn't realize how close he actually was. Our noses nearly touched. I could feel the heat coming from his chest sticking out the water. The cool night caused steam to rise off the lake.

"Yes but I like to take my time," I said moving away from him.

"Oh really?"

He splashed me as I started slowly swimming away.

I stopped and turned around to glare at him, my hair now completely soaked but he just had the sweetest, cheeky grin across his face. Another splashing war broke out, everyone splashing everyone and Lillian ran away to a small, out-of-the-splash-zone tree. She wasn't swimming because she said she had a date later.

After the splash war had calmed down, I felt a strong pair of hands suddenly grab my waist and throw me in the air. I came back down to find Max smirking at me. I didn't know what to expect at this point but I got the feeling that the family was really cool and easy going.

"Ok boys, I have to get to my date with Aaron," Lillian said, dusting herself off. "You know the rules! Don't stay out here after nine otherwise you will all be punished, including Aubrey and Celine," she said sternly pointing her finger at us. "Oh and Emmett is being dropped off when Aaron comes to fetch me." She quickly blurted out as she turned and started speedily heading for the house. The boys moaned.

"Who's Aaron?" Aubrey asked, turning to Sawyer after making sure Lillian wasn't in earshot.

"The Tool? He's the Ringleader's new boyfriend, total douche," Sawyer said whilst rolling his eyes.

"Yeah and Emmett is his douchebag son. We call him Jersey because they're from New Jersey and Emmett is a dick," Sage added. Ouch, even Lillian's boyfriend and his son get nicknames, not very nice ones either.

"He's even worse than Zero." Dale laughed and the rest of the boys laughed except Wesley.

"Hey!" Wesley shouted, throwing his hands up.

We spent another hour or so in the lake and by that time Aaron must have come and picked Lillian up and dropped off Emmett long ago.

"What's the time?" I called to anyone who had a watch.

"Why? Aren't you having fun?" Calvin asked beside me.

"No, I'm having the most fun I've had in ages but remember what your mom said, we can't be out here after nine,"

"Yeah, we never listen to that rule." Chase said nonchalantly.

"And mom never finds out." Sawyer grinned as he swam up next to Chase.

"Oh ok, cool." I said leaning back against a rock.

We kept swimming for about half an hour until I heard a cry of pain from one of the boys near the huge rock on the edge of the lake.

"Mm! Ah, yeah, that hurts!" Sage shouted as he came up from underwater.

"What did you do, Sketch?" Jackson quickly asked and everyone swam up to Sage who was sitting up against a rock on the edge of the lake, holding his right knee up to his chest.

"I think I cut my knee jumping from the rock." Sage said through gritted teeth.

"Let me see." Aubrey said crawling up besideSage. I could see a trickle of blood dripping down his knee, from underneathhis hand and when he lifted his hands from his knee, there was a huge, deepgash from the bottom of his kneecap to halfway down his shin.