Tessa Keene was a sweetheart through and through- pure-hearted, kind, and incapable of cruelty. She didn't have much, but she had Robby, and that was all she needed. He was her rock, her safe place, the one person she could always count on. But when...
Her lips pressed into a stubborn pout as Tory and Hawk shot down the twisting slide, Tory bursting out of the splash zone first, laughter bubbling from her lips like pure victory.
"What the hell? You guys cheated!" Hawk shouted, holding up his deflated tube. "There was a hole in my tube!"
Miyagi-Do was quick to jump in, their voices rising in unison as they chanted, "Cheaters! Cheaters! Cheaters!"
Hawk stormed out of the pool, water dripping from him, glaring at Kenny. His jaw was tight, fists clenched at his sides as he quickly squared off against him. "Hey dipshit, I know this was you!" Hawk spat.
Kenny smirked, a cocky grin spreading across his face as he took a step closer, clearly enjoying the confrontation. "What are you gonna do about it?"
Hawk's gaze didn't waver; his voice was steady. "I'm not gonna strike first if that's what you're thinking. You don't have the balls to anyway."
Kenny pretended to turn away, a sly glint in his eyes, then suddenly swung a punch at Hawk's face. Hawk leaned back effortlessly, eyes flashing with amusement. "Is that all you got?" he taunted, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Kenny threw a rapid series of punches at Hawk, but they were easily blocked. Tessa's breath hitched when a sharp punch finally connected, landing on hard on Hawk's face. Her eyes widened, heart pounding. Kenny swung his leg for a kick, but Hawk was quicker—his hand catching Kenny's foot mid-air with a firm grip.
Then Robby slammed both hands into Hawk's chest, sending him flying backward into the pool with a loud splash. The second Hawk hit the water, Tess was already moving. "Jerk!" she screamed, shoving him—hard—both hands slamming into him. He staggered, lost his footing, and toppled in right after Hawk. She stood at the pool's edge, fists clenched so tight her knuckles had gone white. Her chest rose and fell in heavy, furious breaths, shoulders squared like she was ready for round two. Water from the splash still speckled her legs, but she didn't move—just glared down at Robby as he surfaced. "And stay down!" she shouted, pointing at him angrily.
The shrill blast of a whistle tore through the air again. "Hey! Everybody get out and leave the park immediately!" the lifeguard barked, his tone final. He stormed toward the group, glaring at the teens like he was ready to personally drag them out if they didn't move fast enough.
Tessa crossed her arms tightly, shoulders tense, turning on her heel without another word, storming away.
"I mean it!" the lifeguard called after them. "Everybody out now!"
Footsteps quickened beside her, and Tess glanced up just as Anthony caught her—still holding his Dippin Dots, his chest rising and falling with a soft, nervous rhythm. "Hey, is your wrist okay?" His voice was low, gentle, and his eyes searched hers with quiet concern.
Tess blinked, caught off guard. She hadn't even thought about her wrist until now. Slowly, she flexed her fingers, then looked back up at him, her anger softening for just a moment. "It's okay," she said quietly, grabbing her things and starting towards the parking lot.
Anthony matched her pace, not letting her distance herself. "Are you okay?" he asked again, quieter this time, like he didn't want to push too hard.
Tessa slowed, her eyes flicking up to meet his for a brief moment. "I'm okay, Ant." she said, her voice sad but steady.
Anthony's lips curved into a hopeful, shy grin. "Wanna come swim at our house?" he offered gently, like he was afraid she'd say no.
Tessa hesitated for a heartbeat, then nodded softly. "Yeah, okay." She quickly sent a text to Miguel and her dad, then fell into step beside him as they walked toward Sam's car. The heat of the day hung between them, but the tension had softened.
As they walked, Anthony leaned in just a bit, offering her the rest of his Dippin' Dots like it was a rare treasure. Tessa's lips curled into a gentle smile. She dipped the spoon into the colorful dots, the cold sweetness a small comfort. "Thanks," she whispered, her eyes meeting his for a brief, warm moment.
"Anytime," Anthony said quickly, grinning like a fool.
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authors note!
I'm over the karate war. and editing. there's more I could post but I literally can't do it anymore. next chapter will be cute though :)
