☆

THE FUNERAL HAD BEEN short, and it had been small, not more than thirty people had shown up. Her death had hit so quickly that if you blinked you would've missed it. Amara could still recall her grandmother clutching her hand tightly in the hospital room after hours, when it was only the pair of them. Of course, it was then that her body decided to give out. Amara had frantically screamed for a nurse and panicked, shaking Gloria as if to wake her. But she never opened her eyes. And she never would again.

It had been a month since the failed wedding. Twenty-nine days since her grandmother's passing. And everyone had moved on. Amara was attempting to do the same, it was like everybody had forgotten about what happened. Gloria's death had probably been the thing that inspired Amara to train for her new job position. If she couldn't save her, maybe she could save others.

"No running!" Amara shouted after a sprinting kid, climbing down from her post as her sandals smacked against the concrete. She walked over to the chairs, glancing over to make sure her post was covered like it should've been, and sat down next to James, who flipped up his sunglasses. "It's sort of weird that whenever we talk it's always at my job."

"That's because you won't let me at your house," James replied, and she rolled her eyes, kicking her legs up onto the chair. She was already pretty tan—lifeguarding everyday for the past month had made her skin three shades darker. It was nice not looking like a vampire anymore.

"That's because only friends are allowed at my house."

James scoffed and waved her off as she laughed. "I can't believe you just yelled at that kid for running. Since when are you a rule enforcer?"

Amara shrugged, and leaned down to grab her water. "Apparently we get sued if a kid falls and cracks their head open, so, that's why. And it comes out of my paycheck. If I have to yell at kids to not jog across the concrete to get money, I will."

"Also the whole saving drowning people thing, too, right?"

She nodded, heart deflating a little, but fixed her expression quickly. "Yeah, guess that has a part in it as well."

"Hey," a voice said from behind, and Amara turned her head to see Fiona standing there with Liam at her side. "Sorry to drop him off here with you again, you wouldn't mind watching him, would you?"

"Of course not," Amara stood. "Liam is great company."

Fiona smiled at her. "Thanks. I'd love to hang, but I've got a shift."

Amara waited until she was past the gate before turning to Liam. "Kiddy pool again?"

Liam shook his head. "Big pool."

"You've gotta wear your floaties for that. I can't work and babysit you at the same time."

Liam reluctantly agreed, and allowed Amara to slip them on around his arms. She watched as he pencil dove into the shallow end of the pool with an amused grin.

"That kid's got spirit," James mused, rising from the chair. "I've got an appointment."

"Hopefully that hair stars growing back soon," Amara tapped his bald head and he rolled his eyes. "There's like little stems of it."

"You're damaging my reputation."

She gave him a look of disbelief. "You're from one of the wealthiest families ever and at the public pool. Your reputation has already been damaged."

☆

"Ready to go home?" Amara asked hours later and when the pool was getting ready to close. She tugged Liam forward and began to lead him out the gate. "Want to stop and get pizza? I know you've got to be starving after all that swimming."

"I had a sandwich," Liam said. "Fiona packed it for me."

"That was hours ago," she shook her head, smiling down at him. "What if I promise to buy you ice cream afterwards?"

Liam's eyes lit up in excitement. "Okay!"

Amara smirked to herself as they kept walking. "So did you have fun?

"I want to do handstands like the other kids."

Amara pursed her lips and then nodded. "Okay. Tomorrow, I'll let you take off your floaties to practice doing them. Sound good?"

"School tomorrow," Liam frowned. "Last day is Friday. I want to stay at the pool."

"School sucks," she agreed. "But you'll be out before you know it. Besides, you'll be at the pool with me everyday for the next couple of months. You'll get bored of it soon."

"Never!" Liam poked her leg and rushed into the Gallagher's house.

She snorted as he ran up the stairs to his bedroom, and shut the door behind her, but stopped short once she saw Lip standing in the living room. There they were again. Those fucking bundle of nerves she got, like she had a schoolgirl crush on him. "You're back."

"I'm back," he echoed, stepping into the kitchen, and his eyes fell to her legs. "And you're a lifeguard."

Amara glanced down to her shorts, which read the word Lifeguard on them. She looked back up. "So you've noticed."

"Perceptive like that."

"Uh-huh," she felt her heart rate pick up as he neared closer. "I'm aware."

"Oh, you are?"

Amara glared at him as he came to stand directly in front of her, her entire body buzzing, aching to feel his familiar touch, before Ian appeared out of nowhere, and they both jumped back. She wanted to slap herself in the face, what was she doing?!

"Good, you're both here," Ian said. "Want to come on a spy adventure with me? Like old times?"

"Old times meaning we dress up in all black and race around the backyard at night, pretending we're secret agents?" Amara quipped, but Ian shook his head.

"No, like a real spy mission. I think Caleb is cheating on me."

"Huh," Amara muttered, and Lip glanced away.

"Yeah, sure," the blonde shrugged. "I'm in."

"Maraaaa," Ian smiled sweetly at her. "Come on. Join us. Remember when it was always us three? I miss it."

Amara rolled her eyes and ignored Lip's stare. It was awfully impossible to avoid him, that was for sure. When he was at college things were so much easier. Now he was going to be around permanently since he got expelled. There was no use in trying anymore. So, she shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Let's go."

☆

"This is fucking stupid," Lip stated when they were on the L, close to the front of the trolley where they could clearly see Caleb. Ian turned his head quickly to face them, and Amara leaned lazily against the pole, brushing his arm.

"Yeah," Ian agreed.

"Why didn't you just go to the dinner with him, meet this Denise?" Lip pressed on, and she could feel his gaze on her as she watched another attractive guy across the train stand up.

"I didn't want him to know that I don't trust him."

"But you don't trust him," Amara pointed out, breaking her eye contact with the hot guy to look back at him.

"Exactly," Lip agreed, nodding at her. She rolled her eyes and faced away as Ian glanced between them both with an annoyed expression. Lip clenched his jaw.

"I don't want him to know that I don't trust him," Ian sighed, glancing over his shoulder back at Caleb again. "All right, he's gonna get off."

They waited until Caleb was out from his compartment before stepping out of their own to follow after him. He turned suddenly, and the trio spun around so he couldn't see the front of them. Caleb made his way down the stairs, and they walked towards the window to watch him stalk down the road.

"See, she looks pretty fucking female to me," Lip announced as Caleb hugged a girl in a short flowered skirt. "Can we go now?"

"No, hold on," Ian demanded, raising a hand, signaling them to stop. Amara looked down at the arm Lip had grabbed, and yanked it out of his grasp.

"Sorry," he said quickly. "Forgot I can't touch you."

"Whose fault is that again?" She retorted, peering out the window, and raising her brows as Caleb pushed the unnamed girl against the wall, kissing her deeply.

Lip cocked his head. "At least he's not cheating with a guy, right?"

☆