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“Do you want to go swimming? I don’t really want to be alone with Mason.” Her face screws up in disgust. She hates Mason. I don’t know why. He’s a new person at the Manor. She said he gives off bad juju. Whatever the fuck that means.

“Yerp. Let me go get in my swimmy, and I’ll see if any of the group wants to join us. I’ll be there in ten.” I kiss her cheek and head to the pool room, turning around when I forgot my water.

I walk into the pool room, and Mason is already in here. He’s in the water, and his head snaps towards me at the sound of me entering. A smirk plants on his face as he makes his way to the small staircase.

I slide my mask on, a smile creeping on my face as I play my part of a good girlfriend to him, just to piss off Riot. I sway my hips walking over, and he stands on the bottom step, his hands sitting on my waist. Eeeuuucyyyykk.

I turn around and walk a few paces away, his hands falling from my body, thank God. Turning around, I face towards the deep end and sprint towards the pool, only stepping in the dry spots before jumping off the edge and screaming cannonball.

I come back up laughing, swiping my hair back, and I look over to Mason. He looks annoyed. Before he has a chance to say anything, the pool house door opens, and my group of friends spills their way in, all of them cackling like evil witches about something.

I love them, and whatever the fuck is wrong with them.

*This book is an advance reader copy and is to not be distributed anywhere. [email protected]*

25

Chapter Twenty-Five

Rockstar - Post Malone

Penelope

“CANNONBALL!” I barely have time to react before I’m getting swept away by the waves caused by Kai’s fat ass jumping in the pool. I turned around to face him, and he was laughing maniacally.

“KAI JOHNSON WEBSTER!” I yell, and he freezes, looking at me like a kid caught taking the last cosmic brownie. Everyone else’s eyes snapped to mine before Kai raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, looking scared. “I don’t mean to sound like a pick-me, but I’m three apples tall. These waters will drown me with a jump like that.” I glare at him, and he chuckles.

“So sorry, Princess Penelope.” He bows to me, his head dipping slightly under the water, and I cackle. He started calling me that after we watched Wreck-It Ralph.

“But just so you know, saying ‘I don’t want to sound like a pick me’ just makes you sound more like one.” His hands sit on his hips like a scolding mother. Oh, fuck off.

“Also, I can’t see,” he said, pointing to his face. “So cut me some slack.”

I yelp as Anna jumps on me, her petite frame toppling me over in the water, us both going under.

We come back to the surface to the laugh-howling that our friends are doing. Anna’s wet pink hair sticks to every inch of her skin.

Mason stormed out a while ago when Kai started bullying him, and Mason got butt-hurt. When he left, I looked at Kai, and he just gave me a wink. My phone, which is being blown up by him, is set on one of the little glass tables by the door, surrounded by chairs holding our shirts, towels, and Melody’s bag.

“Guys, can we go get dinner?” Melody whines from her spot in the deep end with Kai. Kai has a huge crush on her, and she has an even bigger crush on him. They both know it, too. Just too scared to confront the feelings.

“YES!” Luna screams, sitting on the edge of the pool next to the stairs, her blonde hair pulled into a messy bun, pieces falling out and framing her face. She stands up, almost racing to get her stuff.

Melody laughs. Kai lifts himself out of the pool from where he’s at, bending down and picking Melody up out of the pool as well. I don’t see them interact like this a lot. It’s so cute how they look at each other.

“Can we go to Mystic River Cafe in Harrisville??” Luna asks, and an exaggerated groan comes from Kai’s lips. Melody elbows him in the ribs, causing him to wheeze a little bit.

“Lunaaaaa,” Destiny drawls. “That place is almost four hours away. What else are we going to do there?” She asks, hands on her hips.

Luna thinks for a second before clapping. “We could camp!” Destiny groans at that. She makes her complaints known before I cut her off.

“I think it’d be fun. You guys are telling stories. We roast hot dogs and marshmallows. And I have the boss’s card.” I wink at them, and they all grin.

“Then it’s settled. We’re going camping!” Luna exclaims. Destiny still grumbles, but says she’s fine as long as there’s alcohol or weed. Oh yeah, Destiny is a big stoner, along with Kai, Melody, and Anna.

I smoke with them sometimes, not wanting to make a habit out of it, but I love the way it makes me feel.

We all make our way out of the pool, drying off and heading to our respective rooms to get ready, agreeing to meet in the living room in an hour.