Class dragged to an excruciatingly slow pace, which wasn't surprising because it was a Friday. Ms. Bustier passed out a worksheet with an apologetic smile in the last half hour of class. Nathaniel Luka and I finished first because we split the work between the three of us, so now we had fifteen minutes of free time before dismissal.
Nat was quick to pull out his sketchbook and start drawing. Luka leaned back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head, he turned his gaze to me. I looked into his eyes which made a distant smile cross his face.
"If you want to come over and hang out a bit, the band is gonna be there too."
"I'm down, I just have to stop home first."
"You can sleepover if you want to, Rose is already."
Juleka commented with a concentrated look, not looking up from her paper. I nodded and reached under the desk to pull out my skateboard, flipping it to the designed side. Luka looked at me and sneered at it, his face twisted in disgust before he turned it to the blonde sitting in the front of the class.
"You shouldn't have let Chloé treat you that way."
"You can say that again." Nat, similar to Juleka, didn't look up from his mission to finish his drawing before Ms. Bustier dismissed us but agreed nonetheless. My brows furrowed, and I turned to face Luka.
"Isn't this a little off-topic?"
"Why put up with her? What she did isn't okay, she should be punished for it."
I looked over at Chloé, who was sitting on her phone while Sabrina did her schoolwork. I bit the inside of my cheek trying to find a way to put it into words.
"I've learned that with people who need attention that badly it's usually because they're lacking it from the people they care about."
I looked back to the blue-haired boy. A knowing smile spread across his face, he ruffled my hair.
"Luka stop-"
I whined and swatted his hand away.
"Just checking that you're not becoming a pushover. You're still just a good person."
He chuckled deeply, before squealing when I pinched his side to get him to stop messing with my hair.
I repositioned the strap of my duffel bag, trying and failing to get it to sit comfortably on my shoulder. Juleka's boat was already in my sights, so I started to take out my AirPods. After school I grabbed some clothes and a toothbrush, quickly fed, and took Snickers for a walk. The ship was already bursting with noise, and the group would probably get the police called for disruption.
Kitty Section was playing the chorus by the time I reached the steps onto the boat deck. I waved at everyone as I stepped on cautiously. I was alone on the sidelines today because Marinette was busy with something happening at the bakery.
I plopped myself down on a beanbag and started recording them as they played just as they finished. Sending it to my group chat with Caleb, Jake, and Trevor. Most of them were in class right now, it was 10:41 in New York and Vermont. As for Trevor, he was in Bali for a band interview because homeschooling meant he could travel.
I looked up from my phone just as Rose ran up to me, hugging me tightly.
"We're gonna have so much fun Tonight!"
"For sure"
I stood up with her and she started pulling me toward the rooms inside.
"Come on, let's go to Jul's room to set everything up."
Luka laughed at me and waved as I was tugged rather harshly past him. Juleka in tow.
Jul's room was exactly like I expected. Purple and black wallpaper adorned the walls. Various rugs, pillows, and a makeup table in the same color scheme. Her bed was built into the wall almost like a bay window without a window. The two girls already blew up an air mattress that was taking up most of the floor space.
Juleka rummages through her dresser drawer grabbing some clothes out, while I set my bag down in the corner.
"I'm gonna change into my PJs, we're probably not going anywhere right?"
I nodded, in agreement and Rose did a giddy little hop.
"Let's do it!"
The three of us grabbed our pajamas and changed, I struck a pose in Juleka's mirror. In reality, I was wearing a simple white tank top and blue flannel PJ shorts. Jul wore a black t-shirt with purple sweatpants, and Rose wore a pink flowy nightgown.
"Aww, we look adorable."
Rose commented, blowing a kiss to herself in the mirror reflection. Juleka rolled her eyes with a laid-back smile. I giggled
"She's not wrong."
"Let's go, we have to pick up the pizza soon."
Juleka motioned to follow her, and we made our way back to the main deck. Luka and Ivan were already in their PJs as well, jamming out to some Jagged Stone on the makeshift stage. I laughed at them a bit before sitting down on one of the beanbags.
"Yo shut that off so we can play truth or dare!"
Jul managed to yell over the blasting music. The boys complied, turning off the speaker. They arranged the other beanbags and mix-matched chairs so we were all facing one another in a circle. Luka took the small amount of space left on my left so we were squished together, and Jul sat on a wicker chair with a plush red cushion to my right.
"So Ivan, truth or dare?"
I asked, breaking the small moment of silence caused by everyone looking up dares on their phones.
"Truth."
He replied with a smirk, I matched this.
"How long have you and Mylene been talking?"
His face crumbled immediately, a rosy blush blotching over his face. Rose squealed with joy.
"...A few months now."
He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, and Luka slapped him on the back in approval.
"You guys are so cute!"
Rose almost rolled off her beanbag a little from squealing so much. Ivan took this chance to get back at her.
"Rose truth or dare?"
"Dare"
"I dare you to show us the last person to DM you on Instagram."
Rose's eyes widened, and a blush started to creep across her face. I looked over to Jul who was also turning red for some reason. Rose pulled out her phone and showed us the DM. It was something along the lines of Juleka cheesily hitting on Rose after she posted a mirror picture.
I broke the awkward silence by bursting into a fit of laughter, the two boys doing the same. Jul reached over and slapped my arm trying to get me to stop.
After my laughing fit finally ceased, Rose attempted to change the subject.
"Luka truth or dare?"
"Truth."
He shrugged nonchalantly, leaning back on the beanbag while Jul booed at him for being boring.
The blonde rubbed her hands together deep in thought before her face lit up.
"Do you currently have a crush on anyone?"
A look of surprise crossed his face before he schooled himself, a small smile falling on his lips.
"Something like that."
Rose's smirk grew wider.
"Awww that's so cute, who is it!"
"Ew, I don't need to know that."
Juleka simply rolled her eyes in disgust, cutting off any further questions effectively saving Luka from the fourth scrutiny. Said the blue-haired boy turning to me with a Cheshire smile.
"Y/n truth or dare?"
I thought for a second, weighing out my options. I eventually settled on the truth which caused a chorus of groans.
"Why did you move here?"
He subconsciously leaned in closer to me in anticipation. My eyebrows knitted together, as I chewed over my words carefully.
"I was born here, but put up for adoption by my parents. It's always been a dream of mine to live here, so my guardian helped set me up here. I'm used to living alone, she's almost always busy with work."
There was a pulse of stunned silence before I quickly changed the subject.
"So Juleka Truth or dare?"
"Dare."
An evil look must have passed my face because she almost looked a little scared, repositioning herself in her chair.
"Next time you dye your hair I dare you to dye it pink."
The look on her face was priceless and broke the group's tension, all of us bursting into a fit of giggles. Jul scoffed.
"Fine. Luka truth or dare?"
"Dare."
She laughed wickedly.
"I dare you to jump overboard."
He took this as a challenge and without a word stood up and started to walk over to the side of the boat. Everyone except Juleka sat dumbfounded as he began to strip his shirt off near the side of the boat. I couldn't help but stare as he exposed his chest to the slightly chilled air. He took off his shoes and socks and without a second of hesitation jumped overboard with a yell.
We all stood up when he finally hit the water and a huge splash broke the silence. I walked over and leaned over the edge just in time to see Luka resurface, I laughed at his now soaking-wet blue fringe, he flipped it out of his eyes and beamed up at me.
"y/n truth or dare?"
"I don't think anything could be worse than your dare, so dare."
I made out between giggles, trying my hardest to etch every feature of this moment into my memory for later. His eyes lit up with mirth.
"I dare you to join me down here."
My confidence shattered after that, I shook my head holding my hands up in defense.
"No way I concede."
"Do it or one of us is gonna have to throw you in~"
Juleka all but purred, and Ivan looked about ready to do it himself. I backed away from them slightly, before pretending to look behind them.
"Pizzas here!"
They turned to look at the nonexistent pizza man and I took the chance to run away.
"Wait- we ordered for pick up!"
Rose turned around first yelling at my retreating form, and the chase began. While I wish I could say it lasted long, Ivan caught up to me within five strides. He threw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and I squealed.
"Ivan I swear to god don't you dare!"
"Rules are rules y/n. You picked dare."
He chuckled hoisting me up a bit so he could position to throw me. Rose started taking my slippers off.
"Sorry y/n but a dare is a dare."
She snickered mischievously, while Jul snaked an arm around her shoulder. With that last sentence Ivan put both hands around my waist and threw me overboard, I shrieked while airborne and hit the water with a huge splash.
After being surrounded by darkness for a few seconds, I surfaced to see the three culprits laughing holding my slippers and Luka's shirt.
"You guys have fun, we're gonna go pick up the pizza!"
Juleka smirked at me and the three of them disappeared from up top.
"Could you at least grab us some towels!"
Luka yelled up to the space they once were, receiving silence as a response. I looked over at him as we tread water, bursting out into a fit of giggles at what just transpired, he joined me soon after. I pushed strands of wet hair away from where they clung to my face.
"That did not go how I planned."
"It almost worked-the pizza guy trick I mean."
"I can't believe they fell for that. I should have known I couldn't outrun Ivan though."
"To be fair you are like half his size. His strides are longer than yours by a long shot."
I couldn't help but laugh harder at our situation. Luka raised an eyebrow with a grin.
"What do you think this is funny?"
"Someone has to laugh at our antics, you're just acting smug because you dragged me down with you."
I snickered at him, but he quickly shut me up by swimming closer. He ducked under the water when he got within arm's distance of me, I swam in a circle trying to see through the pitch-black abyss. When something grabbed my ankle and pulled me down I cried out in surprise, getting pulled underneath.
I didn't open my eyes underwater, I knew it would be too dark to see, I felt around while I rose to the surface. I could feel Luka's hands grab my waist and pull me up. When I broke the surface he was already there staring at me with a childish grin.
"What took you so long?"
I rolled my eyes and gave him a fake dirty look.
"Some sea monster was pulling my leg."
"You're not even treading water, I could drop you right now."
Luka, eager to show his dominance let go of my waist for a few seconds, I kicked to stay afloat until his hands returned. I snorted, we were close now a tension had built between us, the space between us a few inches wide.
"I can manage myself."
"I know but I like helping you."
It was meant to be a retort but the feeling it left after burned with underlying passion. My face burned, and my mind finally caught up to the position we were in. I chuckled nervously.
"S-So how do we get out?"
Eventually, we made our way out of the water and back on the boat, there waiting for us were two towels. We laughed at Jul's soft side while we attempted to dry the droplets clinging to us.
"Don't tell me you're changing back into your school clothes."
Luka leaned against Juleka's doorway while I sat crouched across the room rifling through my bag. He wore a new dry pair of pajama pants and a simple white t-shirt, a damp blue towel around his neck catching the water from his hair.
"Stop being such a butt, I have clothes."
"Only crazy people sleep in jeans."
I couldn't really argue with that statement. He walked over to me and handed me a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt, I looked up at him unsure still halfway through rummaging in my duffel bag.
"I don't want to steal your clothes-"
"y/n change."
He left the room before I could battle him further. I sighed in defeat, standing up and starting to change into the clothes. They were unbelievably soft, but extremely loose on me. I tied the black sweatpants as tight as the string would go and rolled up the sleeves of the cyan sweatshirt to combat this. I did a once over in the mirror, deciding to leave my hair the way it was because it was still soaking wet.
When I finally walked out of Jul's room I could hear the faint guitar in the otherwise silent houseboat. I looked around and followed the sound down and across the hall to the open door. Unsurprisingly Luka was the source of the sound, sitting nonchalantly on his bed strumming a tune on his guitar.
I listened for a bit in the doorway, until he paused to look up at me and patted the space next to him. I wordlessly walked over and sat down leaning against the wall. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the soft tune, we stayed that way until the others returned with the pizza.