Recovery

Chapter 37

        He smiles. "So I see you two met."

        "We did. She's- sweet," I say.

        He smiles, not noticing my hesitation.

        "Apparently, everyone is going swimming," I say. "You want to go?" 

        He shakes his head. "I'm good." 

        I grab his hand and start to drag him out of the barn.

        "Come on! Don't be so antisocial!" I urge.

        "I don't really feel like swimming," he says lightly.

        "Whatever." I say, dropping his hand. "Although, I will remind you that I will be swimming whether you go or not. And I do have a very cute bikini- you remember, don't you? And there are- one, two,- three other guys who I will be swimming with, two of which have flirted with me in the past."

        "Grace-"

        "But, whatever. If you want to be antisocial while I go swimming in my very nice bikini then whatever," I say passively, smiling when I see his expression.

        He groans, and pulls me towards him, crashing his lips into mine. His hands move up my sides and into my hair. For a moment, I kiss him back. But then, I push him away, still toying with him.

        "Well, I'm going to go change," I state lightly. "Have fun being antisocial!"

        Before he can reply, I turn on my heels and bound away, swaying my hips teasingly.

        I run up to my room and quickly change into my blue bikini, before grabbing a towel and heading down to the pool.

        When I get there, I smile when I see that Avery has in fact decided to go swimming.

        I see my teasing has worked. This is one of the few times where his jealousy works out in my favor.

        I frown when, seconds later, I spot Tessa sitting beside him in a bright red bikini. Of course she looks flawless. I sigh, and shake my own jealous thoughts out of my head. 

        'They're just friends,' I tell myself. 

        "Grace! You found the pool!" Jesse calls.

        I chuckle and shake my head. "Jesse, I'm not an idiot. I know where the pool is."

        He flashes me a large grin, his eyes fixated on something behind me.

        I start to turn my head, but before I can, I feel hands on my waist just before I'm thrown over someone's shoulder.

        "Marc put me down!" I yell, pounding on his back with my fists.

        "Ow! Stop it, that hurts!" he whines.

        "Then put me down!" I continue to hit his back as hard as I can.

        "Put you down?"

        "Yes," I growl.

        "Okay."

        He throws me towards the water, my arms flailing in the air. Before I'm submerged, I let out a loud shriek.

        I sink into the deep end, the cold water enveloping me.

         I hold my breath, staying under as long as I can in the hope that I'll freak him out and make him regret throwing me into the pool. I used to swim on the school team, and I can hold my breath for almost a minute and a half.