Chapter 3
KELSEY
After I found Jessie, we talked and smoked with some of our friends from campus.
I keep checking my phone for any more notifications from him.
I haven’t received anything. I don’t know why I get a sliver of disappointment from that.
I mean, I did ignore his last text. I look over at Jessie, and she’s resorted to her phone too.
This bonfire chit-chat is boring. I type out a text and wait for her to respond.
Wanna go for a swim? I will need to borrow a bathing suit, though.
Jessie:
Hell yeah, and I got you, girl!
“Alright, guys. We’re gonna head out. Thanks for the smoke, Tristan.”
“No problem.”
I follow Jessie’s lead through the massive house. She takes us up an elegant curved staircase. I’m so captivated by her home, it’s absolutely gorgeous. Her parents must be pretty laid back, because I haven’t seen or heard of them the entirety of the night.
“My room is at the end of the hall, it’s the smallest room,” Jessie scoffs.
“My brother got the biggest room up here, which makes no sense since he’s never even home.
” She rolls her eyes and proceeds down the hall.
We pass a door at the top of the staircase and then another door, which I’m assuming is her brother’s.
“Welcome to my shit show.” She announces as she shoves the door wide open. My eyes go wide, and my jaw drops open. This is both nothing and exactly what I’d imagine Jessie’s room to look like.
First of all, she has a king-size bed fit for a princess and a balcony! I walk in and close the door behind me.
“Here,” Jessie calls to me and dumps a whole drawer full of bathing suits out onto her bed. “You can try on whatever you want and pick.”
I see a black and gold ruched bandeau style bikini that my eyes immediately fall upon.
I snag it up and proceed to try it on. It has the cinched bikini bottoms to accentuate my ass and the ruched bandeau top helps cover my tig-ol’-bitties and I won’t have to worry about them falling out.
It fits perfectly, almost like it was made for my body.
I leave the bathroom and see Jessie has also changed. She’s wearing a red bikini with thong bottoms. She looks hot as fuck. “Damn Kelsey,” Jessie looks me up and down and circles around me. “I think that bikini was made for you!”
“I love it!” I say, grinning and posing in the floor-to-ceiling mirror.
“Well, it’s all yours. I have too many anyway, and that one basically has your name on it.” She winks.
“Wait, really?” I ask, excitedly, and turn to face her.
She picks up an overflowing armful of her suits, “Uh, yeah, really. Does it look like I need it?” We both bust out laughing, knowing damn well she could spare one bathing suit.
Jessie had to take a phone call, so I took the opportunity to step out on her balcony and gaze off at the pool.
I spot Caleb and Hayden in the pool. I guess Hayden gave up on his bartending duties for the night.
Hayden is ripped, and I can’t help but focus on his perfectly sculpted abs and biceps.
Why do I feel guilty for looking at him?
It’s not like him, and I are anything serious right now. Just texting.
Jess has the perfect view from her balcony. You can see the patio too; our friends left, and a group of new people moved into the spot.
I make my way downstairs. At the base of the staircase, Jessie nudges my elbow, “Go on to the pool, I’ll meet you there. I have to go meet up with Zack real quick.” I smile, nodding.
After giving myself a tour of her house, because I’m a nosey bitch.
I decide to make us a drink for the pool.
Every liquor you can imagine is lined up along the counters.
I search for the Crown Royal bottle. Once I find it, I pour two fingers’ worth over the ice in the cups and top it off with Sprite.
Holding a drink in each hand, I head towards the doors.
Luckily, they’re already open, so I step over to the lawn chairs, careful not to spill any of the drinks.
“Are you lost?” A high-pitched voice asks right above my shoulder, making me jump and drink sloshes over the rim of the cups, splashing onto my bare chest and swimsuit. My skin breaks out in goosebumps from the ice-cold drinks.
“Huh?”
“I said, are you lost?” She gives a bitchy attitude, with her hip popped out as she eyes me like an outcast.
“No, are you?” I ask, returning the bitchy attitude. I don’t know this girl, but two can play this game.
She laughs like a psycho before saying, “Just watch your back, bitch.” Then she struts away.
What the fuck? I roll my eyes, shake my head, and take a deep breath.
Turning to face the chairs, I set the cups on the concrete under the chair.
At least the alcohol didn’t get on my regular clothes.
How the fuck have I been here less than an hour and already made an enemy?
Jessie said she would meet me out here at the pool, but it’s been twenty-three minutes, and she still hasn’t come out.
I’m just sitting here in the lounge chair watching the boys toss a football back and forth.
They’ve cat-called me five times, saying ‘we won’t bite’ and ‘the water’s warm’, but I’m not getting in without a witness here.
What if they drown me or something and stash my body where nobody would find me?
I’ve heard many stories like that. So, I’ll just sit here and sip on my drink until Jess decides to show up.
“You look bored over there. I can fix that for you.” Hayden waggles his eyebrows from across the pool.
I roll my eyes and continue scrolling through my socials on my phone.
He seems like the type to use a girl, then disappear onto the next.
Maybe I want to be used. That doesn’t sound too bad after all.
“How do you suppose you could fix that?” Tilting my head to the side, feigning innocence.
Guys are so predictable. I already know what he’ll say before he says it.
His smirk falls, and his eyes snap to the glass doors.
I follow his line of sight to find Jessie stepping out.
I guess she really holds some weight over him.
“Sorry, it took a little longer than expected.” Biting her bottom lip and smoothing her hair down.
She looks freshly fucked. She’s a lucky bitch.
She pulls her oversized T-shirt over her head and tosses it towards me.
“You getting in or what?” She grins before diving straight into the water.
I’ve always been self-conscious of my body.
I’m five feet four and weigh around one hundred and forty pounds, so I’m not petite.
I inch my way to the edge and dive right in.
The water is so cold, it steals my breath and sends a shockwave through my bones.
When I reach the surface, my teeth are clattering.
It’s only mid-May, so the water hasn’t had the chance to warm up.
I should’ve considered that before diving straight in.
“I lied about the water being warm, but you get used to it.” Caleb laughs.
“Ha. Ha. So funny,” Sarcasm might as well be my second language. I’m quite fluent in it.
“I know a game that could warm you up!” Hayden beams. “You and Jess can get on our shoulders and play chicken.” Jessie and I share a look and smile.
“Hell yeah! Kelsey, you take Hayden, and I’ll take Caleb.”
Why do I get stuck with Hayden? I swim to Hayden in the shallow end.
“I hope you’re ready, because I don’t take well to losing. So, you’d better kick ass and hold on tight.”
He realizes this is just a pool game, right? What does he mean by ‘he doesn’t take well to losing’? What will he do? Throw a giant toddler tantrum? By the way he’s grinning, I’m going to assume he’s just amping me up.
“Are you gonna help me onto your shoulders or just stand there like a giant grinning idiot?” The words roll off my tongue involuntarily, and I pull my lips between my teeth, biting them to prevent whatever else might slip past them.
I think I’m feeling the liquor now, and it’s loosened my tongue.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to come out that harsh.
” I look back up at him through my lashes.
“Jessie’s rubbing off on ya, I see.” He descends under the water and hooks my legs over his shoulders. He lifts me as if I’m nothing more than a stuffed animal on his back. I swipe my hands over my face, flinging off the water that splashed me in the process.
Caleb walks up to us with Jess on his shoulders and begins counting down from three. “Three. Two. One. GO!”
Jessie grabs my arms, and I grip hers back.
Caleb leans her forward, which pushes me backwards, but Hayden is gripping my thighs so tightly, I believe my back would break before he drops me.
I think I understand what he meant by “hold on tight,” however, he’s the one gripping me like I’m falling off a cliff.
I tighten my thighs around Hayden, trying to steady myself, and his head rubs that sweet spot, almost drawing a moan from my lips.
I’m absolutely getting distracted by the wrong thing right now.
I shove Jessie’s shoulders hard, making Caleb stagger back from the force, but Jessie holds on tight.
Caleb charges at us, and Jessie’s got a menacing grin across her face. I smile back, just as devilishly.
“Bring it bitch!” I challenge, motioning her closer with my hands.
Jessie yanks my head to the side by my hair, and I fight to grab hers.
We’re both laughing like maniacs as we’re all but ripping each other’s hair out.
I use my other hand to shove her face to the side while I hold firm to the handful of her hair.
Hayden shoves Caleb at the same time, and it sends them both toppling over.
Jessie sputters water as she resurfaces, while Caleb points his finger in Hayden’s face, “You son of a bitch! You cheated!”
Hayden throws his head back laughing. “Dude, there are no rules in chicken. You just play like a pussy.” He shoves a wave of water at Caleb, splashing him before Caleb’s next words leave his lips.
“Hold your breath, sweetheart,” Hayden warns, but I have no time to question him before he grabs my legs, flipping me off his shoulders.
I resurface and shove my hair from my face. “Damn it, Hayden! Give a little more notice next time.” I shout, blowing out the water that went up my nose.
“I said, hold your breath.” The asshole shrugs while laughing.
I swim over to the corner of the pool, pushing my back against the cool concrete, and close my eyes briefly.
The hairs on the back of my neck rise, and I get that gut feeling I’m being watched again.
I assume it’s Hayden. I crack one eye open to find him, Caleb, and Jessie all huddled up, talking about something.
Jessie doesn’t look amused and has her arms crossed over her chest, pushing her boobs up.
Hayden smirks over his shoulder at me. I quickly shut my eyes and hope he didn’t catch me watching.
A few minutes have passed when I hear the water splashing. I crack open my eyes to see Hayden swimming my way. He comes to a stop and stands two feet in front of me. He’s much taller, so I have to arch my neck to look up at him.
“You’re not the type of girl to hang out with people like us, are you?”
“I don’t understand what you mean or how you came to that judgment after just meeting me a couple of hours ago,” I frown. Why the sudden attitude change? Were they talking about me over there, and that’s what triggered this?
“How well do you know your little friend, Jessie?” His tone is mocking, like he’s trying to prove something, but prove what? What should I know about her that he thinks I don’t?
“I know all I need to know about her, and that’s none of your business.
” His eyebrows rise, and his head tilts at my snarky response.
“I don’t know why you give a shit or why you’re interrogating me right now.
You made me some drinks, and we played a fucking game in the pool, and now you think you know me?
Get the hell out of my way!” I demand and shove his shoulder.
He grips my upper arm firmly, but not painfully, and pulls me to his chest. “I’m only trying to look out for you.” His mouth is so close to mine that I feel his breath against my lips. He leans in and plants a kiss on my cheek.
Shoving both fists into his chest hard enough to push him back an inch, “What the fuck are you doing?” I hiss before I yank my arm away and shove him even harder to move him back enough for me to exit the pool.
I stomp past Jessie, who’s still in the pool, and let her know I’m heading up to the room to get changed.
I don’t know what kind of bullshit Hayden is on or where he got the audacity to nudge his head into my business, but I need a moment to myself.
There’s one sure way to piss me off, and Hayden figured it out.