Alley-Oops I Think I'm Falling in Love (With the Wrong Guy)

|  ARIA  |

I shrank into the pool depths, pressing my back against the wall, my head tucked under the tiled lip. There was one benefit of being freakishly tall — I could keep my head above water, even in the deep end. It wasn't a perfect hiding spot, not better than my clothes, but it'd have to do for now.

To my horror, every guy in Roscoe's crew — my crew — trickled down the steps. They paused to admire the sprawling vista below, then turned to us, the real quarry.  They hadn't spotted me yet, blessedly, but it was just a matter of time.

I was lying in wait, biding my time until I could slip out of the pool and into my clothes. That task was looking more and more futile though, because there was simply no way to cross the pool deck without being seen.

I wiped at my eyes, pretending to be a human submarine was making them burn.

Why in the hell was Roscoe here?

I could tell by the easy carriage of his shoulders, the smoothness of his features, and the cool glint in his eye, that he was the arbiter of this grand plan. Withe a sickening feeling, I realized that also meant that I had been the leak. He only knew about the party because I didn't know how to keep my damn mouth shut.

If it were anyone but Katie, they might crucify me. Or more aptly, if it the intruders were anyone but the Princes of Pepperwood, she might crucify me. Once I got out of here, I was going to light Roscoe up.

Within moments, the brute squad had all cast their shirts aside. Everyone except Roscoe. He was chatting with Katie, arms crossed over his chest. She flourished her hands excitedly as she spoke and he listened intently, like there was no one else in the room. He was good at that. Maybe it was the sheer weight of his presence that blocked everything else out or maybe it was sincere. He was infuriatingly perceptive when it suited him.

My guy friends barreled into the pool and water sloshed all over our faces. The other girls yelped and tried to shield their hair, but it was no use.

The atmosphere of the party had shifted in a single moment — gone was the utopian feel that only women can create. Now, there was a discernible tension in the air, sexual tension, not fearful, but anticipatory. I knew the guys I rolled with — they'd be on the prowl, and every other girl could sense it too. Everything we did from this point on would be a competition, not a collab.

Taylor, Preston, Amari, Garrett Nash, and Aziz retrieved a ball and lifted the pool hoop into place. They began arguing about the teams.

Preston let his eyes wander, no doubt in hopes of sneaking a peek at all the girls he hoped to impress. Then his eyes panned towards me. I cowered in the corner, dipping my face so low in the water I resembled a crocodile.

"Aria?" He mouthed. I panicked and dropped beneath the surface.

All that did was make it weird, because eventually I had to come up for air, and when I did, Preston was treading water right next to me.

"We need one more for three-on-three." He said, with zero question in his voice as to whether or not I would join them.

I unceremoniously spat some water out of my mouth, and swiped away the ribbons of hair that encroached on my facial real estate. His brow furrowed minutely, wondering why I was being so cagey.