I glance from my school tablet to my watch. It's difficult to concentrate on typing an essay when the party was only last night. The terror on the cousin's faces haunted me throughout the night. They refused to speak another word after the lady left. We basically stayed in silence until the adults informed us the party was over. I had to drag Eva home while Cody and Jared fled as soon as the lady was out of sight.

Emitting a soft sigh, I glance up from my digital notebook. The teacher wears a bored expression, palm pressed against her cheek. Her inky hair curtains her face as she taps away at her tablet with her other hand. The students are silent, obediently typing their essays.

Every day of the week, my schedule is the same. The last class of the day is always language, where we type up essays and learn about the English language. It's a boring, monotonous routine that agitates me to my very core. The classes are dull and straight to the point. The popular cliques are the teacher's favorites. In my opinion, the system just isn't fair.

Finally, the bell rings. Students hastily gather their belongings and dash out of the classroom. The teacher offers the class a small smile before she begins to pack up her own things. Lazily, I grab my notebook and amble out of the classroom. My flats scrape against the linoleum floor, eyes dropping and shoulders sagging.

"Hey, Autumn!" Eva greets, looping her arm through mine as I trudge towards my locker.

"Hey, Eva," I yawn, letting her arm drop as I pry open my locker.

As Eva rambles on and on about her day in an overexcited manner, I shove my notebook into my locker and pull out my bag. With a swing of my arm, the small door flies shut, causing Eva's feet to leave the floor. She lets out a squeal of surprise as her shoes touch the ground once again.

I roll my eyes, letting out a small chuckle. "It was just a locker, Ev."

She scoffs, lightly elbowing me in the side before stalking ahead of me. I follow her out the door, glancing up at the overcast sky. The sun struggles to peak through the thick gray clouds and a nasty wind nips at our flesh. Eva shivers, wrapping her arms around herself as her chocolate hair whacks her in the face.

The boys lean against the wall, their hoodies shielding their hair and upper bodies from the harsh breeze. Cody grits his teeth while Jared openly complains about the climate. Eva immediately rolls her eyes, stalking towards Jared with her hand raised to slap. Hastily, I grab her hand and jerk her to a halt. She grumbles under her breath, yanking her hand away from mine and shooting Jared a steely glare.

"Guys, chill," I shout as Jared inches towards my dauntless friend.

Cody's hazel eyes roll themselves as he grabs his cousin's arm and drags him towards the street. I trudge behind and Eva easily catches up to me. For a while, we walk in silence, destination unknown. The cousins seem to be feeling better today, yet I restrain myself from bombarding them with questions. Now's not the time.

After strolling in silence for quite some time, I nearly trip over a fluffy orange cat. It glares up at me before scurrying towards the mansion in front of us. Of course, it's Jared's mansion, as he yanks open the gate and proceeds to unlock the doors. Once again, I enter his gaudy home.

This time, my eyes don't linger on the interior. We walk straight to the backyard, jogging down the stairs to the deck. A steady trickle of rain graces our already goosebump-ridden flesh.

I nearly gasp at the sight before me. Jared's huge pool is rippled by the rain, nearly hissing from the temperature difference.

Suddenly, Jared commands, "HomeAssist, raise the pool roof."

In about ten seconds, a metal roof is covering the sparkling blue water. You can slightly hear rain pounding off the roof, the sound amplifying as the rain comes down harder. Quickly, we all race under the cover, which extends comfortably on each side of the pool.

Once we're all under the roof and the light drizzle turns to a thunderous pour, Jared exclaims, "HomeAssist, block the sides!"

A grid of red lasers hum to life on the right and left sides, surprisingly blocking out the rain. The other sides are already blocked by support beams holding the roof in place. Immediately, the space is warmed by a heater and outdoor recliners rise from the ground. I'm mesmerized and shocked as I watch these changes take place. My eyes feel like they're about to pop out of my head.

"Who's up for swimming?" Jared smirks, snapping me out of my daze. Eva snaps alert as well, but Cody and Jared both seem unaffected.

"Wha- oh my," I stutter, yanking a hand through my hair. "What was that?"

"Oh, this?" Jared feigns ignorance, gesturing to the roof above our heads. "Just some rich people technology."

"No way!" Eva squeals excitedly. "This is awesome."

Jared's smirk widens. "I know it is, Evelyn."

Eva's grin morphs into a frown faster than a recliner popping out of the ground. "That's not my name!"

"No fighting!" Cody interjects as Jared opens his mouth to fire back. "Why don't we all chill in the pool?"

"With our clothes on?" I query, placing my hands on my hips.

Jared lets out a huff. "No, Autumn. We're gonna jump in nude."

After rolling her dark eyes, Eva rushes towards the pool and lets her body fly forward. She enters the deep water with a splash. Seeing as she's never encountered a pool before, I realize she can't swim. To my horror, she begins flailing her arms, water lapping over the side of the pool.

Jared's icy eyes widen in surprise. In his arrogance, he forgot that Eva and I have never swam before. After gulping in a deep breath and kicking off his shoes, he zips towards the water, effortlessly jumping in and scooping Eva out. He drags her up onto the concrete, dripping water in her face as he kneels next to her. She coughs, clutching her chest as water flows out of her mouth. I rush over to her side, gently helping her into a sitting position. Cody crouches next to me, inspecting Eva's expression as her coughing comes to a halt. Her nose is scrunched and her eyes are watery. Each of our eyes hold concern and worry for our friend.

"Why," Eva whispers, interrupted by an abrupt cough, "did you save me, Jared?"

"A 'thank you' would suffice," Jared scoffs.

Eva shoves him aside, shakily climbing to her feet. "Fine. Thanks. Now, someone teach me how to swim."

I laugh. "How about we start with the shallow end?"

She grumbles under her breath, obliging as she trudges to what must be the shallow end. My friend shivers, kicking off her flats before dipping her toes in the water. She smiles, slowly letting the water engulf her body. It stops at her shoulders and she smiles in delight.

"How's the water, Ev?" I ask, slightly worried that she'll actually drown this time.

She takes her time in answering my question. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tips her head into the water. She stops when just her face floats above the silky surface. "It's so warm."

Cody jumps in next, clutching his knees to his chest in mid air. Of course, he splashes into the deep end, resurfacing seconds later. He smirks, grabbing an off guard Jared's ankle and yanking him into the water. With a yelp and an enormous splash, his body is engulfed by the smooth liquid. He pops back up a moment later, tackling his cousin under water. At first, my heart leaps into my throat. Then, they both resurface, laughing and splashing each other with water. Shaking my head with a smile, I let out a sigh of relief.

"Come on in, Autumn!" Jared calls, gripping the brick ledge of the pool. "The water's perfectly fine."

"I can't swim," I sigh. crossing my arms over my chest. "Besides, I'd like to stay dry. The rain outside soaked me out of my comfort zone."

Eva scoffs, pushing herself to the edge of the pool. "I can't swim either. Now, get in this pool before someone drags you in."

Defiantly, I plop down on one of the recliners. I've had enough adventure to last a life time. The memory of last night still replays in my head. Disturbed, I recall the boy's facial expressions after they heard the woman's voice. Next, I glance towards them now. They've swam to the swallow end and Jared seems flushed as Eva questions him. Cody's stifling a laugh with his fist, his shoulders shaking as he leans against the far edge of the water.

I smile, closing my eyes with a contempt sigh. My arms reach behind my head, legs stretched across the plastic surface. I can hear splashes and shouts of laughter. Jared and Eva don't seem to be fighting, but conversing in a civil manner.

I let out a shriek as someone grabs my legs. Two others proceed to grab an arm each. Soon, I feel my body leave the soft plastic, my eyes shooting open the stare at the gray roof. The hum of rain disappears as water covers my ears and hugs my entire body. I open my mouth to scream, but water instantly fills it. Once my feet find the rough bottom, my body shoots out of the water. My friends surround me, chuckling at my flustered expression. I cough, my fist flying to my mouth as my chest heaves. Their amused expressions switch to ones of concern. As soon as my coughing fit subsides, I spring at the nearest one, Cody, and submerge him in the blissfully warm liquid.

"This is why you don't toss me in the pool," I laugh, lunging at Eva next.