*Damien's P.O.V*

Today Rhea and I are going to Six Flags. My older cousin Lebanon is taking us and is hanging out with his other high school friends. Soon Rhea and I are going to be just like them; acne-ridden, hormone-filled, angsty high schoolers. Over the summer, not much changes, except for relationships and hairstyles. I had my growth spurt in March and ever since girls have been on my phone like crazy. I don't pay them any mind though. I only have feelings for Rhea and by the end of the day, she will know.

Early this morning, I couldn't fall back to sleep. I woke up to use the bathroom and after, was reading messages between Rhea and me. She read my last text that I sent then fell asleep. I had butterflies in my stomach thinking about the day. I keep dropping small clues that I like her, but she doesn't get the hint at all. It is frustrating because she is so smart when it comes to school, but when put in real life situations, she acts like an oblivious child. I just want to tell her how I feel so we can date and I can take care of her forever. I want to be the man that she needs.

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"Lebanon is picking us up in a bit," I tell Rhea while she is laying across me whining about the time.

"But we are gonna be late Day," She takes her phone from her back pocket and checks the time again. "We can only stay till eight then we have to come back home."

"We will be fine love," I say in a strong accent.

"Don't call me love, babes," Rhea bops me on the nose and I thank God for my darker skin tone so she can't see me blush.

I tickle her on the stomach and she giggles and snorts. She starts tearing up from laughing and kicking at me, so I stop. She is so small compared to me. At six foot one, I tower over her small five foot four body. I wish we could cuddle. She would probably be okay with that, but I can't find a good reason to. I stop tickling her and I get lost in her eyes. She has light brown eyes and I can't stop staring.

"Whaaat?" She asks and makes a funny face. "Do I have something on my forehead."

"No," I try to find a good excuse but I decide to be honest. "You have pretty eyes."

"Awwww," she teases. "You have a pretty face."

"Rhey. I'm being serious," I fake whine.

"Thanks," She sits up and leans on the pillow. I miss her weight on me. "I always wanted eyes like you. Dark."

She likes my eyes. I look out the window and see Lebanon sitting in his car, about to honk.

"He is here." I get up and slap her thigh. Thick.

"Don't do that." She rubs her leg. "You are heavy-handed."

We go outside and get inside the minivan. Lebanon's friends are in the first and second row, so Rhea and I crawl to the back. We have to sit really close because everyone's backpacks are in the seat next to me. I'm not complaining.

"Sup black kids," Lebanon says to us and turns on music. "Alright no kicking, screaming, hitting, biting, kissing." 

"Shuddup," I say back and throw a bag at him. "Don't turn on this trash. Play music off of my playlist."

"My car," Lebanon says then drives off without even checking behind him. "My music."

The entire ride Lebanon's friends keep staring at Rhea like she is a piece of meat. She falls asleep and I get my jacket out of my bag and lay it across her. She stirs and leans on me. I feel like she feels safe when I am close. I love her so much and it kills me that I am too chicken to tell her how I feel. The car is a little cold with the air conditioner blasting so I stretch the jacket out to lay over the both of us. Rhea lays her arm across my torso and I almost melt. We are cuddling.

"Yo. Your girl is fine," a guy in front of me says. "How old is she?"

This guy seems like a total loser. I mean ginger hair, braces, clout glasses, a Thrasher t-shirt, and khakis. He looks like an Irish Post Malone in high school.

"She isn't my girl," I respond with annoyance. "And she is fourteen so back off creep."

"Chill I'm sixteen. She is fair game," he says then high-fives his friend next to him.

I groan and dread having to deal with these guys for the rest of the day.

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When we arrive at Six Flags, Rhea is still asleep. I really don't want to wake her up but it isn't like we can just stay in the car despite how much I want to.

"Rhea. Come on, we are here," I say gently and move the jacket off of her. "You have to get up."

"Day. Give me back the jacket it is cold," she whines and grabs at the jacket. She is like a baby.

"You act like such a baby," I say back in her voice and keep the jacket away. "You need to get up."

She unbuckles her seatbelt and pounces me, grabbing at the jacket. Even though she is short, she is powerful, and her weight on my chest almost suffocated me. I push her back and she hits her head on the car door. Oh no. 

"OWWW!." Rhea yells and rubs her neck. She moves her hand from her neck and I see blood. The adrenaline is keeping her from feeling the real pain.

"Oh my God Rhey." I lean towards her and she flinches. I would never try to hurt you.

"Dude. What the heck." Lebanon rushes over, opens the door to the back seat, and pushes me out of the way to get to Rhea.

"I...I didn't mean to hurt her." I stutter while shaking all over. "I couldn't breathe...I just wanted to move her."

"Well now she has to go to the hospital." Lebanon checks her neck and head to make sure that nothing is broken, scooping her into his arms in the process. Of course he knows first-aid. "Okay maybe not the hospital, but she has to lay here for a bit. You and him stay here with her. If she starts to throw up and if she passes out, take her to the hospital."

"Okay," I say back quietly and sigh.

"Good. This is Kylan. He will drive if things go wrong." Lebanon says while pointing to the guy who was pining over Rhea. Lebanon gives Rhea a sympathetic smile and keeps the car door open.

"She is in good hands." Kylan says with a smirk.

"She isn't a baby. Stop cooing over her." I say and try to find a way to sit next to Rhea.

"We will be back with some water and an ice pack and bandages. See ya." Lebanon looks between the both of us with the "can I trust you two with her" face then walks away with his friends.

Rhea listens to music on her phone and lays down until the pain goes away. Kylan keeps trying to get up next to her by asking her what she is listening to and stuff like that. Believe me I've tried. 

"Don't touch her," I say quietly. "She doesn't know you. That's weird."

"I'm just comforting her dummy. You slammed her against a car door. I'm pretty sure she doesn't mind." He responds back and gives me the "I'm gonna kill you" look.

"It's hot in here," Rhea complains. "And I'm fine."

"Yes you are," Kylan says like a creep and Rhea laughs. "So what school do you go to."

"Um I go-" Rhea starts but I cut her off.

"Camden High," I say then press my lips into a tight line.

"Let her speak dang. You aren't her dad or her boyfriend so stop being overprotective," Kylan says then turns to Rhea. "Is he your brother?"

"No!" Rhea responds then blushes. "He is my best friend. A.K.A undesignated older brother."

Ouch!

"Ha ha ha ha ha," I say sarcastically and rub my head.

Off in the distance, I see Lebanon running back to the van with a bag full of first aid stuff. I groan at the sight of him running across the parking lot like a lifeguard on Baywatch. His eyes light up when he sees that Rhea is sitting up and talking to Kylan. All of a sudden, he stops like twenty feet away, and starts wheezing. It is extremely hot outside and he wasted all of his energy trying to look cool.

"Your cousin is hot," Rhea says and starts laughing hysterically. 

"TMI," I say then frown.

"I mean because it is hot outside...yeah," Rhea responds then looks side to side dramatically.

Lebanon starts running again and basically dives into the car trying to get to Rhea.

"We get it Lebanon. You are preparing for pre-med, but she just has a scrape on the back of her head so stop playing doctor so we can get on a rollercoaster," I say as he lands on her lap. "And stop touching all over her. Have you ever heard of personal space?"

"Bold words from the same kid who almost gave her a concussion," Lebanon says in a tone that keeps me from saying more.

"Can we play now?" Rhea asks and everyone "awws" at her. She isn't a child why is everyone acting like this? 

I pull Lebanon to the side of the van while Kylan applies the ice pack and bandage to Rhea's "wound".

"Um riddle me this," I say and Lebanon gives me a confused look. "Why is everyone cooing over her?"

"Hello," Lebanon says in a sing-songy voice and waves in my face. "She is smoking hot and adorable as heck. Admit it."

"She is smoking fourteen."

"I'm smokin' seventeen."

"You are a smoking senior."

"I don't smoke," Lebanon quips matter-of-factly while looking for a way to get back to Rhea. The fact that he isn't even paying attention irritates me extremely.

"Guys please chill though. She is the closest to my age and y'all kind of look like perverts right now," I whine exhausted from the conversation.

"I'm not making any promises, but I will back off a little. I can't say anything about Kylan though," Lebanon sighs and points toward Kylan who is two inches from being over top of Rhea. "He fell in love."

"He knows nothing about love," I mumble to myself.

"What was that?" Lebanon asks with a smirk.

"Nothing."

"Mhm."

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Most of the time, everybody was trying to find ways to stay close to Rhea. It was so bad that Kylan held his bladder all the way until Rhea had to go, so that he could walk with her. I wasn't thrilled with letting her go alone with him, but she seemed okay when they came back. We got on some of the roller coasters, but Lebanon is terrified of the Drop Towers. His dad took him on it once when he was thirteen, and since then, he has been scarred.

"Hey did you guys bring your bathing suits?" Rhea asks the group as we walk towards the waterpark area.

"Yeah," the rest of say almost in unison.

Kylan slings his arm around her neck and remarks, "Are you wearing a bikini?"

"Um yea," Rhea says quietly while turning red. "Why?"

"No reason beautiful." Kylan winks at her and you can practically see the red hearts popping over her head. Gross.

"All right Casanova that's enough for today," Lebanon groans and wedges his body in between Rhea and Kylan's. "Okay guys let's go get changed now I guess. Kylan no trying to follow Rhea around. They won't let you in the girl's bathroom."

Everyone laughs including Rhea and I try to slip in a joke myself.

"Yeah unless you wear a dress to cover up those hairy legs!" I remark while laughing but I don't get much of a response.

"Hey you wanna say that again. Maybe someone will laugh next time," Kylan replies in a sarcastic tone.

"Don't be a rat," Rhea scolds and Kylan backs down.

After we got changed, we stayed in the waterpark area for about an hour until Rhea got tired of it. Now, we are going to get some food from the Primo's Pizzeria Food Court.

"Is this your first time at Six Flags?" Lebanon's friend Giovanni asks me while we eat.

"No," I reply and smile at the memory. "Rhea and I went two years ago. We got lost and couldn't find her parents for almost an hour. Rhea was crying and complaining about the heat and everything. She was and is such a baby. I love her though. As a friend."

"As a friend," Giovanni says back in a mocking voice. "Dude. I don't think anyone could be friends with her and not catch feelings. Especially you, Mr. Back Off That's My Woman. Just being honest. Tell her."

I drop my head and mumble out an "okay" right before taking another bite to signal the end of the conversation. Giovanni gives me a knowing look and I shrug it off.

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Right when it is time to leave, Kylan tried to find an excuse to sit next to Rhea on the ride back. Something about resting his head on the bags.

"We can move a bag next to you," I offer and start to push a bag up towards him.

"No it's okay, I'll just sit next to Rhea," Kylan replies between gritted teeth and shoves the bag back towards me. "Why don't you switch seats with me."

"The air vents aren't back here and it gets really cold." I say and glare at him. "I think we should sit where we were before."

"Well my legs need to stretch out and there is more space in the back," Kylan argues.

"Guys! Guys!" Rhea yells over the both of us. "Kylan come back here."

Kylan gives me a smug look and plops down next to Rhea. She then grabs her backpack and steps over the row of seats to sit in the second row. Kylan's smile disappears as realization hits.

"Damien stay there," Rhea says exasperatedly. "See now you both can sit in the back row."

Giovanni, Lebanon, and the other guys laugh at us and Rhea gives them the mom look.

"What's funny eh?" Rhea scolds and jumps at them, making them mumble apologies. "Children ugh!"

I was relieved that Kylan wasn't close to her, but at the same time, I wanted to sit next to Rhea. Instead, Lebanon traded driving duty with Giovanni, and he is sitting next to her.

"Ouch mami don't hurt my feelings. I just wanted to sit next to you," Kylan says with fake innocence. "I didn't want to come off too strong but I like you."

My heart immediately sinks and thoughts run through my head like a track team. Oh no. He is going to woo her and they are going to get married and have a bunch of cute curly headed, hazel eyed kids. Rhea blushes and all the guys in the car "ooooo" except for me. Anger seeps through me and I can't control it. I can't tell her how I feel but some guy who only hung out with her for one day can.

"Pedophile!" I yell then cover my mouth, surprised and everyone's reaction worsens how I feel.

"Damien what the-" Rhea starts then is interrupted. 

"Not cool man," Lebanon scolds and looks at me in disgust. "He is sixteen there is nothing wrong with that age difference. What is your problem Damien?"

"No its okay. I'm sorry that I said anything." Kylan began. "I'm too old for her I get it. Leave me alone. I'm no pervert."

Rhea doesn't say anything back and Kylan looks out of the window dejectedly.

"You got what you want," Kylan quips, barely above a whisper, his eyes watering. Now I feel bad.

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During the entire ride back, Lebanon and Rhea talk and laugh. They listen to music together and she even falls asleep on his shoulder. I thought that was our special thing. Meanwhile, Kylan is doing his best to silently show how much he hates me. Passive aggressive much?

When it is time to drop off Lebanon's friends, everyone kind of ignores me when I say goodbye. Even Rhea gives me dead responses and annoyed looks when I try to talk to her. When Kylan steps out of the car, Rhea says bye and waves energetically then sighs when he leaves. Rhea and I are the last stop and Lebanon gives her a hug when we step out of the car, then he gives me a dead "see ya".

"Don't talk to me," Rhea sneers under her breath while she gives a fake smile and waves to Lebanon as he pulls away from the curb.

"Excuse me?" I  blurt surprised by her ability to sound so mean while smiling. 

"You heard me," she says then turns to walk into the house. "I actually really liked Kylan and then you went and had to blow it!"

"He was being a creep." I say flatly.

"He was being nice!"

"Too nice!"

"What do you care? You are my best friend. You aren't my boyfriend!" She frets. "Please stop being overprotective. I'm tired of it."

"I love you." I say under my breath, hoping that she might've heard me.

"Just go away." she hisses then slams the door on me. I can't tell if she didn't hear me, or if she doesn't want to answer. I'm not going to argue. I'm just going to walk home.