I WAS ALMOST dry by the time I got into the estate. Nothing felt liberating like swiping your own card to pay for something or to use your own access card to open the gate. But I wasn't naive to think it would always be that way. Naivety wasn't my thing. Musa gave me a little headache when I flashed him my new access card. He had a lot to say about troublemakers being handed freedom on a silver platter. In this case, a gold and white plastic. His words, not mine. And it didn't take a genius to know who he thought the trouble maker was.

Isabel nearly died when she saw me walking into the house all wet and dry in some places. Waddling around like a penguin. Those choice of words belonged to someone else. What mattered was that I wasn't even cold.

"Oh my God. What happened to you?"

Her lips twitched like she didn't know whether to laugh or be concerned. I appreciated neither.

"She fell into the school pool and ended up making out with our basketball team captain. Real nice one sis." The problem spoke.

Ashley was on my number one hit list. I knew I was going to get him.

"Laynie are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm all good. I just drowned that's all." I slipped past her to get on the stairs to my room.

"Yeah and you made out with my basketball team cap..."

"Yeah I heard you so shut up about it already. And that wasn't making out."

Isabel followed me before I could get into my room. I stepped back when she started moving my face and arms around like she was looking for injuries.

"Are you sure you are okay? You didn't get hurt did you?" I snickered.

"Never been better. Water can't kill me. Even a truck doesn't stand a chance." I winked at her not sure where I heard that. Her eyes clouded sadly and I froze as she kissed my cheek.

"But water can kill you. Just be careful next time. I'll have Milane's trainer train you as well. She comes here on weekends. So swimming lessons from tomorrow onwards." My jaw dropped.

"Absolutely not."

There was no way I would be caught dead in a pool having swimming lessons alongside a two year old. Never happening. Water may not have been able to kill me but humiliation surely would.

"Oh but it's happening. I'm the parent so I say so."

I already had a plan formulated for when the time finally came. I was definitely getting myself out of that situation. But I had to take a moment to applaud Isabel's poker face and pretending like she hadn't just heard that I was making out with a boy at school. I mean I was an orphan but shouldn't parents be concerned about that little thing. I was an orphan but I figured that was part of the package. I shrugged.

Not that I would have liked it but still. I wasn't exactly bothered but I had to say it surprised me when she didn't even flinch when she heard it. Let alone mention it. But hey, it didn't bother me as I would simply brush it to the furthest corner of the room.

The next day, I didn't spot Alex anywhere at the school. Even for the next two days. Don't ask me why I noticed he wasn't there. The answer was pretty obvious. He was the only person that got a kick from riling me up so much. Especially after I had somehow ended up doing in my half dead state. Blame it on the delirium moment.

Okay Liam was back again at avoiding me. Which shouldn't have been possible since we had the exact same subjects. I found him where I did the last time. Apparently that was his favourite place to hide after attempting to murder me. He froze when I slid opposite him.

"So this is where you're hiding after nearly drowning me to death." He groaned.

"For the millionth time, I didn't do that on purpose. It was an accident, we both know that."

"And why on earth didn't you tell me you were a swimming champ?" He glared at me over a new book. Yeah the guy took book worm literally. Or just to a whole new other level. I could have sworn he was reading another one just yesterday.

"Why should I? We aren't friends."

Aaand we're back to square one.

"Ouch. That hurts my feelings." I pouted playfully and he shrugged with a huge sigh.

"So what happened to us offering each other lessons?"

He didn't respond. I grabbed his book.

"Hello! Anyone home."

"Would you stop?"

"No."

He put his book down and proceeded to stare at me. Like really stare at me, which would have been okay if my pulse hadn't started acting up on me.

"Okay. Whatever you're doing, cut it out." He smirked.

"Why? Am I making you uncomfortable?"

Yes!

"No. It doesn't bother me when people stare at me."

For the first time in my life, I felt unsettled by a boy's stare. I usually stared them down but the more Liam looked at me, the more I felt my cheeks warm up and....wait.

"Wait. Are you..." He moved closer as I moved my face away.

"Are you blushing?" The incredulous disbelieving way he asked made me want to...

Okay one disclaimer alert. As okay as it was to toss, kick, choke and punch Alex, it was completely different with Liam. Pushing him into the water had given me sleepless nights. His cute and adorable personality, okay he didn't have that great personality but there was something almost naive about him that made you feel like you had hurt something fragile after the fact. I felt as if I had kicked a kitten. Rude or vicious, it was still a kitten nonetheless.

I breathed in and out, visually aware of Liam's lips quirking up to a smile. Yeah definitely a kitten.

"Look. I don't blush. Whatever you just saw was a misconstrued vision. So don't get all mushy on me now."

"Okay fine."

So it would seem I hadn't learnt my lesson very well because I was back again at the swimming pool but this time it was very much occupied. It wasn't that time yet for any practice but someone was already doing laps. I admired the way his muscles bunched as he moved, going from one lap to the other. I had to admit that it was kind of mesmerising. I was positive that I'd left the swimming champion outside a while ago so who was this?

I stood at the edge until he came over, removing his glasses or whatever those goggles, oh yeah that's what they were called. He chuckled looking up.

"Nice view."

Of course I was that terrible of a person.

"Oh come on. Really?"

He smirked as he easily pulled his body up from the water. I raised an eloquent brow when I came face to face with him. More like face to chest with a very much naked Alex. I was starting to believe they were the only ones real in this school, the rest of them were just for decoration. The only thing adorning him were red and black trunks. Just that and he was ready for the red carpet.

"You can look at me all you want. All day long. I won't bite. Unless you tell me to." He said in a husky voice which sent alarm bells in my head.

"But it would be much better if you stripped down as well. Those clothes look rather... uncomfortable on you anyway."

Pervert.

I frowned as I stared at him and faked a look of total horror, even went as far as to release an exaggerated gasp as I continued gaping at him.

"W-what? What's that funny look on your face? Wipe it off I don't like it. What's wrong?"

"Oh my God, why is your face looking like that? Are you allergic to something in the water perhaps? You're literally shriveling right before my eyes."

His eyes bulged out of his head as his hands flew to his precious face.

"What?! What are you talking about? I'm not allergic to anything. What is it?" I sighed while wrinkling my nose, my earlier shock replaced with that of indifference.

"You're turning yellow."

I causally informed him with a shrug. He stood rooted to the floor in complete shock, choking on his saliva and my resolve cracked as my lips twitched. I nearly burst out with laughter when he ran his hands and eyes all over his body, no doubt looking for any changes.

"How can you be so gullible? I can't believe it was that easy to fool you. You should have seen your face. Saves you right." I said with a chuckle. His eyes flew to my face making me laugh even harder. His face slowly transformed from pure relief to amusement as he laughed alongside me.

"You little cute prankster. You had me unnecessarily worried there. For a second I was sure I was experiencing jaundice or something."

"Yeah I thought I told you not to call me cute." He smirked opening his mouth.

"Do it again and I swear you'll gravely regret it. I wouldn't want you unnecessarily getting hurt."

"Especially when you look so...."

I looked down at him and made sure not to linger anywhere else on his body. That was definitely my mistake as I felt my stomach churning with something I was unfamiliar with.

".... exposed." I recovered quickly before jabbing a finger into his abs uhm ribs. Yeah they were the target. He raised a brow following my finger like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. I pushed it deeper into him and he barely looked like it hurt at all.

"Careful. I wouldn't want you to break a nail or something."

"Not if I break you first."

I smirked pushing my nail into him until I broke the skin. He winced when I withdrew and a tiny stream of blood made it's way down his torso and we both followed it. A wave of guilt hit me and I wondered why I had done that. Alex had other thoughts because he chuckled moving his finger around his wound. I schooled my features so I wouldn't reveal too much.

"Great. I've been marked." Then he raised his head and gave me a deadpan look.

"Good thing I was planning on marking you first." He said slowly stalking towards me like a predator with its prey.

So let's just say the day went to hell from then onwards. Well more on Alex's side anyway. I got a WhatsApp message from Isabel asking me to pick up Peter from school. I groaned reading the message.

"How on earth am I supposed to do that? It's not like I have a secret car lying around somewhere."

I was fully aware that that was a lame excuse since there were tonnes of other transportation means that catered for people like myself. But for some odd reason, I always forced myself not to be too involved with Peter. There was something about him that drew him to me. But not in a strange and creepy pedophile way by the way. Just to put it out there.

He was already at the gate when I arrived anxiously looking around like he couldn't wait to get out of there. He saw me then relaxed a bit when I approached him.

"Hey Peter I'm here to pick you up."

He shrugged moving towards me. The bag seemed awfully too big for his small frame so I grabbed it off his shoulders and slung it on my front. I didn't even care how that made me look.

"Where are mum and dad?" He asked in his calm and collected voice, so low it was hard to hear him at first.

"At work. They said they would be late so you're pretty much stuck with me." He nodded and for some reason he grabbed my hand when we were a little far from the school. His sagging shoulders relaxed the tiniest bit more and I frowned down at him.

I hailed a taxi when we got to the bus stop which was just five minutes away from the school. When we had been in the car for about two minutes, I grabbed my phone and started looking around. Then turning to him, I said,

"Do you like to skate Peter?"

********

I love Peter. We've seen more of Lanaya and Mila a lot. So I thought of giving them some attention as well.

So let's have some sister and brother time.

So let me let you in about myself. I have three little brothers from my mum and step dad. One older sister from my stepdad. Two actually.

And eight sisters from my dad🤣🤣🤣🤣 and I'm not making this up. So only two of them are older than I am and I am in the middle of it all. Hahaha but I love them all the same.