I just hope that nothing goes wrong.
Erick pulled me to his chest, pulling me out of my thoughts. Andrew looked at us and then went back to keeping the pizza box in the kitchen. Soon, Xanthus and Isabela walked into the house. Only our close group of people and a few classmates who have not gone anywhere for summer vacation were invited.
"Erick" Isabela ran to Erick and wrapped her arm around his hand.
"How are you, kiddo?" he said with adoration in his eyes. I smiled, looking at her. Daniel walked in, and his first gaze landed on Isabela. She stared back at him, making him clench his jaw. Daniel is Xanthus best friend. Sort of mine too. We have known each other since kindergarten. Both of the boys did a fist bump with each other. It's their kind of thing. Then they said hello to Andrew, who was back from the kitchen.
"Guys, we need to get ready. The pool is over there. Enjoy yourself," Evilyn said while taking mine and Isabella's hands. She dragged us to her room.
"Let's get ready," she said excitedly. Isabela was excited too. I just smiled, looking at their excitement. I pulled out my swimsuit from my bag.
"You are not wearing that." Evilyn gasped in horror.
"Where is the bikini we bought yesterday?" she asked, looking at me with her wide eyes. I have it in my bag, but I'm not confident enough to wear it.
"I have not brought it," I lied with a small apologetic smile on my face. She looked at me with narrowed eyes, not believing me. Her narrowed gaze moved to my bag, and before I could stop her, she picked it up from the bed. She pulled out the bikini from the bag.
"What is this?" she asked with her eyes still narrowed in my direction. I bit my lower lip with a sheepish smile on my face.
"I don't think I can wear it. I know I won't look good in it," I said with a slumping shoulder.
"I don't think so. I know you are not confident in your body, but trust me. It will look good on you," Isabela said when she walked out of the bathroom. I was surprised to see she was wearing a bikini too. She was still in a developing state. Still, she was wearing it so confidently.
"Do you think I will force you to wear it even if it doesn't look good on you?" Evilyn questioned me.
"No," I mumbled under my breath. I bite on my lower lip. I know she will not. She exhaled.
"Get ready," she said, handing me the bikini.
"I need to doll up a bit. Alex is going to come too," she said dreamily, talking about the boy she has a huge crush on. I decided to trust her words. She pushed me into the bathroom to change. She was going to change in the bedroom. Isabela got busy taking the pictures. I removed my clothes and wore them. My stomach was not flat, and my hips were wide with thick thighs. I didn't have a perfect body like Evilyn or confidence like Isabella.
"Grace, come out and stop staring at the mirror. You look great," Evilyn said, making me look away from the mirror. She knows me like the back of her hand. I exhaled deeply and then walked out. I decided to wear a t-shirt over it, but Isabella threw it back on the bed.
"You look great. Stop doubting yourself," she said, and then took my hand. They both drag me down. They know my struggle with my body, and they always encourage me to be body-positive. I try my best to believe them, but my negative thoughts always make me change my mind. All the boys were already chilling at the pool. Enjoying drinks and snacks.
"Hey guys, already having fun without us," Evilyn announced our presence. I was walking behind them. In short, I was hiding behind them. I could see all of them looking at us. Evelyn smiled, looking at Alex, and she went to talk with him. As soon as she walked, I was exposed to many eyes. I felt his burning gaze on me. I didn't lift my eyes to look in that direction. Isabela, who was walking carelessly, stopped walking, and her body stilled for a few seconds. It made me bump into her. I followed her gaze and found her looking at Danial, who was looking straight at her with a clenched jaw. Across from him stood Erick. His ocean-blue eyes looked directly into mine. A big lump formed at the base of my throat.
"Grace, let's go and play in the pool," Isablea said while grabbing my hand. She dragged me to the pool. The guys were already playing volleyball in the pool. We decided to make two teams. Me, Evilyn, Isabella, and Andrew were on one team. Xanthus, Erick, Danila, and Alex on other teams.
"Hey," Andrew said to me with a smirk on his lips.
"Hey," I mumbled under my breath.
"You look great," he said, looking down at me. I was still feeling Erick's burning gaze on me.
"I never realised how you grow up so fast. Now you have become quite a woman," he teased me, and then once again pinched my cheek. My face turned red when he did that. His actions didn't match his words. He still treated me like I was five.
"Andrew," I whined, and it made him tease me even more. He always enjoyed teasing me.
"Let's start the game, guys," Isablea yelled. Andrew stood beside me with his hand over my shoulder. I decided to meet my eyes with Erick. His jaw was clenched, and his ocean-blue eyes were looking at my shoulder, where Andrew had his hand. The game started, and then a ball was thrown in our way. Andrew jumped high and slapped the ball. It went back to them. We all started to have fun. Laughing whenever someone falls or misses the ball. We were having lots of fun. Andrew lifted me up when the ball came my way. I slapped it, and it went back to their side. Evelyn even did cheating in counting, which made boys make a fuss about it, but Evelyn won the argument like she does every time. In the end, we ended up winning the game.
"Guys, I'm hungry after that hard-earned victory," Isabela said loudly. Sometimes cheating in games was fun.
"Yeah, which you got after cheating," Danial mocked while looking straight at her.
"Victory is a victory. Stop being a pussycat and accept it," Isablea said boldly, making us laugh. Danial glared at her with that knowing look in his eyes. She looked away and got out of the pool to grab some pizza. I was now sitting at the edge with my legs in the water.
"Hungry," Andrew offered me a slice of pizza. I took it and mumbled a small thank-you. I took a bite. "Is he your boyfriend?" Andrew asked, hinting at Erick, who was still looking in my way but had made no effort to come to me. It makes me think I don't look good in this bikini. I knew he would change his mind to be with me when he saw me in it.
"Why do you think that is so?'' I asked, taking one more bite of my pizza while averaging eyes from him.
"Because he has been burning in jealousy from the moment he saw me standing beside you," he answered while eating his pizza. His words made me look at him with furrowed brows.
"Jealous why?" I asked with that confused look still in my eyes. Even if I had a crush on him, it was childish. It was no longer there. He was only my best friend's big brother.
"It's a man thing," he said, not explaining any further, pushing me into more confusion. It made me look at Erick. He got out of the pool and started to head home.
"I will be back," I said, getting out of the pool to follow him. I walked into the house, but he was nowhere. Where did he disappear? Did he leave? My heart started to beat fast at the thought. I turned around to check one more time when my wrist was held in a vice grip and I was pulled into a dark room. My heart was already beating so fast. My bare back was pressed against the cold wall. A gasp left my mouth. He grabbed one arm and pinned it above my head, and the other was possessively on my waist. His lips slammed on mine even before I could utter a word. His kiss was demanding and fervent.
"You are mine," he said possessively between the kisses. He kept pinning me to the wall with his hard body. I could feel his hard muscles against my soft body. He was kissing me hard and fast, showing his claims to me.
"You only belong to me," he said possessively, then bit my lower lip. His calloused fingers squeezed my bare waist. I moaned in his mouth. He shoved his tongue inside my mouth, tasting each and every corner of it and claiming it all his. I was breathless when he let go of my mouth. I took deep breaths to fill my lungs. My chest was heavily raised and filled with needs. He was evoking something inside me. He started to kiss me all over my face. Making goosebumps form all over my body. His fingers slowly started to move to my back, and his fingers played with a hook.
"Stop me now, doll, or else I won't stop until I have marked you as mine," he said in his deep voice, making me feel a rush of adrenaline in my blood. My heart was beating wildly.
"Stop me," he urged me once again when I made no effort to stop him. My heart was beating so fast. I swallowed hard, looking into his determined ocean blue eyes.
"I don't want to," I whispered. With a snap, he undid the hook, making the straps loose on my shoulder. He looked down at me with his possessive, dark ocean blue eyes. My permission was enough for him to unleash the beast inside him.
The beast, who was on a quest to mark me as his.
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A/N
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