Saving Finnly Cage

Chapter 18- Jerk

Comment away to help promote SFC for the Wattys porfavor :) 

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We finally arrived at the lake house, after a 3 hour car ride wedged in between both Anna and Colton listening to songs ranging from Yellow Submarine by the Beatles to Mickey Mouse Club House by who knows what.

Overall, I was more than happy to be here.

As Max and Colton unloaded the car, I glanced around at the lake and the all too familiar vacation house. I had promised myself I wouldn't think about the past, but the old memories came flooding back to me and I couldn't help but frown a little.

My mom was in Paris- probably at some business meeting, the idea of Thanksgiving totally erased from her mind, and my brother- well he was in a better place...but still not here, where I needed him.

"Check out his muscles"

I moved my attention from the lake to Anna, who was standing next to me, eyeing the two guys lifting suitcases from the car.

My eyes darted to Colton, "Yeah" I said simply.

"Yeah, Colton's are alright but look at Max's!" Anna said in a hushed whisper.

I glanced over at Max, the tall dark-haired boy, with broad shoulders and may I add- a very structured jaw line.

All I could do was nod. When Carol and my dad had mentioned Max, I had pictured him as some scrawny kid with glasses and anxiety about talking to people. I guess that image went along with how a kid feels when their parents are going through a divorce- helpless. But now, taking a long look at him, he didn't look helpless, he looked strong.

Anna snapped her fingers in front of my face, "stop staring! Colton might get jealous" she joked.

I gave her a small laugh and drew my eyes away from him, looking over at Colton, who was carrying Anna's luggage toward the house.

"Don't worry, I don't think that'll be a problem" I said.

"Hey, where would you like your suitcase?" Max asked, carrying my suitcase over to me with one hand.

"Uh whichever room is closest to yours" I said, smiling at him.

It took me a second to realize what my sentence could be implying and I quickly brushed my hair behind my ear, "Uh, just so you don't have to walk too far" I said, "my suitcase is pretty heavy" I added.

Max gave me a warm laugh, "It's not too bad" he said, "and Carol said I could take one of the rooms on the bottom level, is that ok?" he asked.

I nodded, "yeah, that's great" I said, returning his smile.

Max opened his mouth to say something else, but Colton interrupted, "There's still plenty of stuff in the car, Max, why don't you bring it up?" he shouted from the porch.

"Sure!" Max called back before turning back to face me, "Sorry, duty calls" he joked, "I'll talk to you guys later" he said, before running over to the porch to drop off my bag.

"If my heart wasn't already set on Evan, I'd definitely be all over him" Anna said, as she looked over at Max with an awestruck look in her eyes.

I laughed, "Ok, Anna"

~*~*~*~

Shortly after everything was unloaded and all the rooms were claimed, the four of us kids decided to go down by the dock.

"It kind of stinks it's too cold for us to go swimming" Anna said, throwing yet another rock, picking up another as she heard it plop into the lake.