Exchange For a Year

Chapter 43

Aaron's POV

Life's starting to settle a bit, we still don't know what happened with that whole lockdown, the school refuses to tell us anything. One more month, then she's gone. I'd be lying if I said I wanted her to go, I don't think she knows how much she changed my life this year and I'll never forget that. She's been what I've needed since freshman year when my life was trashed.

"Aaron, don't drop me!"

"Why would I do that?"

"Cause you're mean."

I contemplate dropping Aph into the pool after that comment, she's nestled in my arms contently and stares at me as I stand on the edge of the pool. Eric took little Abigail for the afternoon because he wanted us to enjoy our last days before exams and graduation and the end of high school. Which is also when Aph has to head back to Spain.

I toss Aphmau into the middle of the pool and her small body makes quite a large splash, soaking Lucinda and Melissa who were lounging on the poolside.

"AARON!" They both glare at me and with an exchanged glance they grab two water guns the boys had discarded when they went to get snacks.

"What, no, don't you dare,"

The soak me before using their combined strength to shove me into the water. I reach out to grab them however only manage to get my hands on Lucinda's gun and drag her down with me. Katelyn wanted to have fun now that she didn't have a pregnant belly to work with and hands down she's enjoying it.

We both land in the water and resurface before a small body jumps on my shoulders and almost sends me back under.

"Sooooo, when are we going dress shopping?"

"Next weekend cutie, I'm chaperoning you lot so none of the guys get any ideas."

"Thanks Melissa,"

They wanted to get dressed without us as a surprise. They only gave us a colour base and we have to pick our suits from that. Exhibit A, Travis needs to find a suit and it has to look good with baby blue, which is the colour dress Katelyn is getting.

"Wassup we got snacks galore here." Dante calls out.

Dante, Garroth and Travis walk in through the back door, they each bare two full bags of food and snacks and drinks for out 'pre-exam party'. The pull out and assortment of crisps, lollies, and multiple bottles of soft drink as well as Travis and Eric made sandwiches and some other munchies earlier.

"Please please please tell me you got sour straps"

Katelyn jumps up and is instantly by the table scanning, she's been dying for sour straps over the past couple weeks yet she kept getting denied them.

"Course I did, I know you really like them,"

Immediately she's munching them down. Aph still clinging to my back and Lucinda grumbling as she pills herself out of the pool and uses a spell to be dry again.

"Cheat,"

"Oh please I'm a witch, it's what we do."

The rest of the afternoon is filled with food, games, and a whole lot of joking around. Despite what's happened this year, these will be the best memories, of us, together as a group of friends. Its gonna be hard for all of us to see her go, but we all know she'll be back one day.

"Kaiden's setting up the screen and projector in the lounge,"

Its dark out by the we all are dry and inside gather on different chairs, bean bags and the two sofas that make up the lounge room at the Fyre's place. Aph snuggles up with me and we settle in with a bunch of options and all night long.

Halfway through Bridge to Terabithia people start dozing off around me, while the rest of us continue the movie, not quite staying up all night but eh close enough.