𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤

Chapter Twelve

Summer isn't my favourite season. It's hot, it's humid, and it's buggy. But it is good for one thing.

"Pool party!" Bernie calls out, doing a cannonball into the pool. I shriek as the cold water splashes me.

"You are SO dead!" I laugh, jumping into the pool with him.

This isn't our pool though. I wish it was. No, we're at our family friend's house. Iris and Preston, the family friends, are in the pool with us too.

Iris giggles and hits me playfully with her pool noodle while her twin brother adjusts the goggles on his forehead.

Preston is the only guy friend I have. But I'm not even sure if it counts, since he's a family friend and all.

He's also a year younger than me, which he never fails to rub in. Normal people brag that they're older. Preston is not normal. Whenever I point out that being older means I'm more mature and have more wisdom, he always says the exact same thing: "You're one year closer to death."

To that, I always reply with a bop to his head, which usually shuts him up.

After swimming for about two hours, I pull myself out of the water and dry off with a towel. (A dull green one. It's like my mother doesn't know me at all.)

Preston follows me as I venture to the kitchen for a quick snack. Iris and Bernie stay in the pool, or "tanning" in Iris's case.

"Hey," He greets, sliding into a seated position on the counter. "What's up? You just seem kind of sad, so I thought I'd ask."

"Do I?" I shrug as I take a bite of an apple. "Well, you're only imagining it."

"Right." Preston gives me a look. "Come on, Nicole. I've known you since we were babies! I can tell when something is wrong."

I sigh. Preston knows I'll spill eventually. I tend to have a big mouth when people are nice to me. It's one of my weaknesses.

"Fine." I grunt, sitting next to him. "There's just been so much drama this year, and I hate it."

"What kind of drama?" He inquires.

"Friend drama." I frown. "You remember Talia?

"Yeah. She was the really sarcastic one, right?"

I laugh at Preston's description, then continue with my explanation.

"That's the one." I wring out my hair absentmindedly. "Well, she was put into a different class this year from me and my other friends. It was fine at first, but then TIEGAN came along and it all fell apart."

"Tiegan? The girl with bushy eyebrows?"

"You know, you don't give very flattering descriptions of my friends." I roll my eyes. "But yes, that's her. Anyways, Tiegan and Talia hated each other. And eventually, ALL my friends turned on Talia and-" I take a deep breath. "I went along with it."

"Why would you do that?" Preston gasps.

"Because!" I hurry to explain myself. "They pressured me! They made me think Talia was a terrible person."

"I used to think you were smart." Preston remarks.

"I still am!" I protest. "I'm just not good with confrontations."

"Right." Preston rolls his eyes. "You really have to get over that. Doesn't your best friend matter more to you than some silly fear?"

"Former best friend." I correct him miserably.

"You better fix that attitude before you lose yet another friend." Preston narrows his eyes. "Namely, me."

"And YOU better be a bit nicer to me and lose the arrogance before I push you into the pool, clothes and all."