Julie Bane

Chapter Thirty-Nine

  I finally feel his shoulders with my hands and wrap my arms around his neck and cling onto him so I can wipe the water from my eyes and get my breath back.

  "Are you okay?" I hear him ask and I nod, still coughing. "I'm sorry, I thought you would jump farther. You didn't." He apologizes.

  Once I'm better I nod and pull away, still holding onto him though.

  "It's okay."'I give him a small smile.

"Good."

"You can let go now."

He slowly unwraps his hands from my body and looks at me.

"How deep is this pool?"

"I don't know. Maybe six feet."

"That's really deep for me. I can't touch."

"Can you swim?"

"Sometimes." I say and he chuckles. "I'm so glad you have an indoor pool. What if we were outside swimming."

"Well, the water would probably be frozen. Literally."

"You have a hot tub?!" I gasp, seeing the hot tub against the wall.

"Uh, yeah. Do you want to go in it?"

"Yeah. I've always wanted to go in a horrible!" I swim over to the latter and climb out. "I've always wondered why everyone liked them so much." I walk over to it quickly, but carefully so I don't slip and fall and get a concussion.

"Julie, have you ever used a horrible before?" He asks walking with me.

"No."

"Oh."

"You get in first." I say nervously.

"Are you scared?" He smirks.

"No... maybe. Just get in." I roll my eyes.

He chuckles before stepping in.

"Is it really hot?"

"No. It's relaxing. It's like a really warm bath but with cool lights and bubbles."

"Oh."

"And chlorine." He adds before taking my hands and carefully pulling me in with him.

When my toes dip in I jump at the warmth. How is it so warm? I step in, then place my other foot in and stand there.

"You have to sit." He chuckles.

I slowly sit down and he sits beside me.

"Isn't this nice?" He asks quietly as he tilts his head back and closes his eyes.

"Yeah." I nod. He looks at me.

"You have to relax, Julie."

"Oh." I say and try to relax until I succeed. "Oh, this is nice." I smile. "I could sleep in here."

"Me too." He laughs.

"Now what?"

"Want to play a game?" He sits up and looks at me.

"Sure. What game?"

"Truth or dare."

"Sure." I say, remembering how Carlos and I played that game just the other day.

  "Ok. Truth, or dare?" He smirks.

  "Truth."

  "Ok." He thinks. "Is it true that you like Carlos?"

  "What? Yeah, I like him. He's my friend."

  "But do you like him, like him?"

  "You already got your question. It's my turn to ask you."

  "Fine."

  "Truth or dare?"

  "Truth." He shrugs.

  "Is it true that you have a cool house?"

  "Oh I don't know. That's an opinion."

  "Well, it is true." I say.

  "Thank you. Truth or dare?"

  "Dare."

  He sighs and thinks.

  "I dare you to go under water for five seconds without coming up. And you have to open your eyes."

  "What? Aw, that could hurt."

  "You don't have to." He shakes his head.

  "Ok good."

  "But you have to do a truth."

  "Fine."

  "Is it true that, do you like Carlos more than a friend?"

  "No." I shake my head.

  "Ok." He nods.

  Why does it matter to him?

  "Truth or dare?"

  "Dare."

  "I dare you to do a flip in here."

  "A flip?" I nod. "Ok." He pushes off the seat and does a flip. I smile as I watch him. He's good at this. As he sticks his feet up I grab one of them. He stops and sticks his head up, scowling at me playfully.

  "That my foot, silly." He says.

  "I know." I nod.

  He wraps his arms around my waist and sets me back down on the little bench as he stands indexing of me.

  "Who's turn is it?" He asks.

  "Yours."

  "Ok." He thinks. "I dare you to..." His eyes slowly move down and he smiles. "Kiss me." He whispers and I tense.

  "What?" I ask.

  "That's your dare."

  "Kiss you?" I ask quietly, looking him in the eyes as he nods slowly. "Really?" He nods again.

  I look down at his lips. It is tempting.

  I slowly lean in, my heart beating so fast I wonder if he can hear it. Or feel it.

  I shut my eyes as I inch closed and closer.

  "I have to warn you, I'm not very good at-"

  "Oh just kiss me." He whispers, grabbing my face and pulling me to him.

  A wave of energy flashes through my body, from my lips to my toes, making me sit up. A smell I didn't really notice before enters my nose, making me relax. It's a good smell, it's his cologne.

  I feel his arms wrap around me and pull me closer, so I wrap my arms around his neck and run my fingers through his wet hair.

  If I'm being honest, this may be better than when Carlos kisses me.

  I suddenly break the kiss and he looks at me.

  "Wow." I feel my face beat up.

  He smiles as he brushes a strand of hair behind my ear.

  "What time is it?" I look over to the clock on the wall. "It's late. I should probably go. Carlos is waiting on me to pick me up." I stand up.

  "Carlos? Why don't I just take you home? I can take you home?"

  "I know. But Carlos made a big deal about how he doesn't want to leave me alone somewhere, so I told him he can pick me up."

  "Oh." He nods.

  "Thanks for having me over. I had fun." I give him a smile.

  "Me too."

  "Talk later?"

  "Yep." He nods.

  "Ok. Thanks again. Bye Sam." I wave before getting out.

  I did not expect that to happen tonight.