Heartache to Happiness

4 - Like a fish

Its Sunday afternoon and me and Aunt Caroline are heading too supermarket to get some things for me starting school tomorrow. We are in the stationary section of the market picking up the usual pens pencils note pads, I see a nice diary so I pick it up, the basket is soon full when we bump into Blake and his dad. I stand awkward as they all talk. Blake introduces me to his dad and we make small talk. I get a bit fed up so I slowly move away and make my way back down the stationary section just browsing as Blake comes up behind me.

“You coming over to ours tonight?” he asks me

“What? Why?” I ask him. Not sure what he is getting at.

“Every other Sunday we have a BBQ at either mine, Nick’s or Kim’s place. We all get together and have fun by the pool and stuff” he explains

“oh. right. No-one had mentioned it to me" I tell him as Aunt Caroline comes back over to where we are standing.

“She’ll be there Blake, don’t worry son.” Aunt Caroline pats his shoulder. We say goodbye and head to the check out to pay for my stuff.

“I think he has a thing for you Emily" Aunt Caroline chuckles as we head out of the store.

“Hardly. He’s just being polite because I’m Nick’s cousin.“ I tell her as we climb into her car.

“Ok. If you say so" she jokes with me.

We soon make it back to the house, Aunt Caroline telling me we will be leaving in half hour to head up to Blake’s house. So, I head upstairs and ask Nick to call Kim for me as I need help deciding what to wear. About 10 minutes later, Kim appears at door just as I’m pulling out different clothes.

“Why you stressing out Em?” Kim asks as she sits on the edge if my bed.

“I’m not stressing. I just don’t want to look stupid in front of Blake" I tell her and instantly regret saying his name.

“You won’t look stupid in front of Blake. He isn't your typical guy who cares about clothes and makeup. Here, shorts, vest top and sandals and wear this bikini under it, in case you decide to go into the pool.” She says as she pulls my clothes from my closet and throws them at me. She leaves my room telling me to meet her downstairs. So, I quickly change into the bikini, making sure I don’t need to shave that area, I did get a wax the week before I left Scotland so it should be good and thankfully it’s fine. I put the rest if the clothes on, I grab my small beach style bag, slip in my phone, my earphones and deodorant and some underwear. I also pull out a long sleeve flowing shirt to put on top in case it gets chilly.

I head downstairs to the kitchen where everyone is waiting, and we soon head along to Blake’s house.

“Looking cute.” Aunt Caroline says as she winks at me while she walks up beside me. Nick and Kim are in front of me. I haven’t really spoken to Nick since last night, still a bit mad at him for telling his dad about Ben.

“Thanks. Kim helped me pick it out" I tell her just as we reach Blake’s house. We head around the back, Uncle Steven shouting hello to everyone as all heads turn around to greet us. I’m soon introduced to all the adults, Blakes parents and Kim parents, they seem nice enough. Asking all the boring adult question, you know, How are you settling in? and so on. I answer all their questions politely, and I am soon pulled away by Kim as we head to the pool. Blake and Nick are playing basketball with Blakes little brother and Kims little brother, at the other side of the pool.

Kim takes of her shorts and top revealing her bikini underneath, I soon see Nick standing staring at her as she dives into the pool. She swims over to where she left me standing, looks over her shoulder to Nick and waves at him as she says to me to get in or she will pull me in fully clothed.

I’m not insecure about my body, I am slightly shorter than most girls my age about 5 foot 2 or so, I’m slim but have a bit of a bigger chest and my curvy hips, so I slowly take my things off checking to make sure no-one is watching. As I slip of my vest top, I hear a wolf whistle from the basketball court and look up to see Blakes little brother standing staring at me. A tad creepy since he is like 10 or something. I ignore him and dive into the pool and swim over to where Kim is waiting for me. As I reach the side, I see Blake slap the back of his brothers head and pull him back to the game.

A wee while later my fingers are all shriveled up from being in the water too long, so we decide to get out just as Blakes mum shouts that the food is ready. We climb out and grab our towels and dry off. I grab my shirt from my bag to put on top of my bikini, I don’t need Blakes brother to whistle at me again.

“Emily, wait up. Sorry about my brother, he is a total douche” Blake says as he jogs up to meet me at the side of the food table.

“Its fine. Don’t worry about it” I say as I reach for a plate and start to fill up with some meat and salad. I head over to sit beside Kim and Nick and start to eat as Blake sits beside me. Soon the conversation leads to me starting school tomorrow, I admit to them that I’m a little nervous about it but they all promise to help out until I settle in. Blake seems very enthusiastic about helping me settle in, he is being a little bit flirty again, at the corner of my eye I can see Nick glare at him but I don’t pay any attention to him.

After we have all eaten and our food is settled, the four of us head back into the pool. We decide to have some races, girls v boy, this will be fun. I’m up against Nick first. I used to swim in the team for school so I’m kind of like a fish in the water. The adults are all around the pool cheering us on. Uncle Steven has set the rules, to the other end and back, I quickly place on my googles and take my place. Uncle Steven whistles to start the race and I dive into the water and swim like my life depends on it. I turn in the water and head back to the finish line. I won, Nick finishing about 15 seconds behind me. Close race but a win is a win. I push myself out the pool as Kim hands me my towel.

“Bloody hell, I forget you used to swim at school” Nick says as he grabs a towel for himself. We get ready to watch Kim and Blake race next, and again it was a close race, with Kim finishing just a few seconds behind Blake. So now I am up against Blake.  “I will warn you, Blake is a bad loser. He might not talk to you if you beat him” Kim whispers in my ear. I laugh as I take my position.

Again, Uncle Steven whistles and I push of from the edge of the pool, dive into the water and swim up to the end, turn and swim back to the finish line. I am up and out of the pool with a towel around me as Blake comes in nearly 30 seconds after I finished. Everyone is applauding my win and slightly laughing at Blake, who looks a little mad that I bet him, but swimming is what I love, as I said I’m like a fish.

Blake comes over with a towel wrapped around his waist, his muscle all covered in droplets of water, a very, nice view if I must say. He is gorgeous, but I know nothing will ever happen between us. He is flirting but it wont mean anything, he will just be doing it to break the ice or whatever.

“Congrats on the win” he says as he pulls me in for a hug.

“Thanks” I say as I pat his back gently. Feeling slightly awkward. “You not mad that you lost?” I ask him as we head back to the edge of the pool to meet up with Kim and Nick.

“Normally I would but I don’t mind you beating me.” He winks as he throws his towel at my face and jumps into the pool shouting “cannonball”.  I laugh as I sit at the edge of the pool and dip my legs into the water.

“He wasn’t mad” Kim leans over and whisper, I shake my head no as we watch Nick and Blake dunk each other in the water and splashing. “Weird, we all thought he would be mad, even his parents said it was a bad idea letting him do it. Maybe because you are special” she says as she turns her attention to Nick who has swam up and is standing in between her legs. He reaches up and pulls her head down for a kiss.

“Get a room, you pair” I say as I stand up through my towel at Kim and dive into the water and swim to the other side where Blake is.  After a while of swimming about and having a laugh. I decide to get out and go and change, the water is getting a little cooler and I don’t want to get sick on my first week of school.

Blakes mum showed me where I could get changed and left me to it. Once I was changed, I take my hair out of my bun and towel dry it. I brush it through and leave it to air dry. I head back outside to sit with the others as Uncle Steven and Blake and Kims dads are setting up the log burner. The air has turned slightly cool, but the fire will help keep us warm. Kim and Nick are nowhere to be seen, so I just sit by the fire and watch the flames and listen to the wood crackle in the distance. It nice and soothing. I feel someone sit down beside me but don’t bother to lift my head up.

“You ok?” I turn to see Nick watching me.

“Fine” I say and turn my attention back to the fire

“You mad at me?” he asks as he hands me a marshmallow on a stick

“A little” I say as I start to roast my marshmallow.

“I had to tell him, we have no secrets in our family. I couldn’t keep it from him, I’m sorry Em. I really am” he tells me sounding upset,

“It’s fine. He overheard my video chat with Sarah, seemingly Ben got a beating from a few older boys at school and his girlfriend dumped him, because of what he did to me” I tell him as Blake and Kim join us.

“Good, if I ever see him, he will get another beating, for being a f*****g douche” Nick says as he wraps his arm around my shoulder.

“Can we just forget about him. He is so not worth anyone’s energy” I say as I start eating my very burnt marshmallow. Sweet, gooey deliciousness.

The evening soon came to an end and everyone headed back to their homes. Nick and Kim hanging back to say goodnight to each other. Clearly going to snog but don’t want to do it in front of their parents, understandable.

I head straight up stairs to bedroom, need to get my bag ready for school tomorrow and pick out a cute outfit, first impressions and all that. I quickly run around my room gathering all my stationary and putting it in to my backpack and going into my closet and setting aside a couple outfits, will double check with Nick if they have any rules as I couldn’t see any about uniform of inappropriate clothing in the folder the principal gave me. Just as I was heading to my bathroom to brush my teeth, Aunt Caroline popped her head through the door

“Everything ready for tomorrow, sweetie?” she asks as she comes further into my room

“Yeah, bag is ready. Can you check my outfits for tomorrow, not sure if they are appropriate or not?” I ask her as I head to my closet. She says they are both cute, and explains the only thing not allowed at the school is short shorts. Which I don’t even have which is fine, I don’t like my thighs, so never bothered buying any. She says goodnight and leave me to get to bed.