The sun was searing my skin, still damp from the pool, while the tree's leaves provided a fleeting respite over my face. A contented sigh escaped my lips, accompanied by the lazy tunes of chirping birds, setting the backdrop for my moment of relaxation.

But peace was never meant to last. A startled yelp escaped me as icy droplets of water splashed over me, and I quickly opened my eyes to find Saul, the mischievous culprit, emerging from the pool. As if that wasn't enough, he cast a shadow over me, and the gentle breeze reminded me that autumn was creeping in.

"You're such an idiot," I growled, playfully kicking his leg without getting up. Propping myself up on my forearms, I shot him an unamused look while he laughed and collapsed on the towel next to mine. "I was perfectly comfortable, you know."

With his eyes shielded from the sun, Saul fumbled blindly for the bag of chips placed between our towels. I was quicker and tossed it away, just to get back at him. My smile faded as I heard a faint complaint behind me. There was a girl in a black bikini and a denim skirt standing with her hands raised, staring at the bag and the scattered chips around her feet, forming a little mound.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I mumbled, mortified. It was only then that I realized I wasn't alone – Alex was standing beside her, wearing sky-blue swim trunks.

Stop looking there.

"Lena, how's it going?" he greeted, recognizing me.

I sat up to join them. "Alex," I said, puzzled. I'd never seen him at this pool before. It was a private one, and my access was only thanks to Saul, who lived there. But apparently, Alex had connections too, judging by the girl he was with.

"I didn't see you there," I apologized, pointing at the bag of chips.

The girl bent down to pick them up and handed them to me. "No worries, I toss food away from me too to avoid temptation."

Damn, did she have to be so nice? It would be easier to dislike her if she wasn't.

"Do you live here?" Alex asked.

"No, Saul invited me," I replied, pointing my thumb at Saul beside me.

Alex nodded slightly, casting a curious glance at Saul. He definitely didn't miss the scene where Saul got me wet; he probably thought we were involved.

"They're gonna warm up your beers," Saul pointed out, eyeing the cans they both held. He sat down with his legs crossed, making part of his towel available. "Get comfortable here."

Alex didn't hesitate and sat on the grass, allowing the girl to use the towel.

My friend eyed her with interest. Damn, that meant she was attractive. I wasn't sure, as he had very particular tastes in women. Mila Kunis was at the top of my hypothetical list of "Famous Same-Sex Crushes."

"I'm Sarah," she introduced herself.

"Lena and Saul," I replied, knowing that would give the impression of a closer connection between us. Mwahaha, tough luck for Saul, but very convenient for me. I felt like Alex saw me as the inexperienced virgin I was, and I didn't like that.

Alex had his feet on the ground, his knees bent, with his forearms resting on them. His torso curved forward, muscles defining his ribs. Even though I played soccer with him, it was the first time I saw him shirtless, and it was hard to tear my eyes away from all that magnificence.

"Do you live in building 4?" Saul asked Sarah.

"Yes, I've seen you around too," she recognized with a smile.

"You don't go to Aberdeen, right?" Alex inquired. I wondered if he was jealous that Saul and his little girlfriend were neighbors. If he was, he didn't show it. "I haven't seen you there."

"No, I go to a private school about half an hour away from here."

Alex nodded. "And how do you know each other?" He asked his next question.

I bit my lip. I preferred my relationship with Saul to remain a mystery. Mysteries were attractive.

"A friend of mine is dating a friend of his," Saul answered casually.

Thanks, dear Saul. Why not just whack me with a stick?

But I couldn't be mad at him; he didn't know I had a crush on Alex. His impersonal way of referring to me was understandable, especially since he seemed to have set his sights on Sarah on previous occasions.

"Alisa," I clarified, glancing at him sideways. I felt shy seeing him outside of school. "Her boyfriend, Roger, is Saul's friend."

Alex nodded and took a sip of his beer. I wanted to ask him how he knew Sarah, but I didn't want to show too much interest.

Sarah didn't attend Aberdeen Public School either and apparently knew Alex from a party. They were definitely dating, but they didn't seem overly affectionate.

In a moment of weakness, Alex caught me admiring his pecs, but instead of giving me a mischievous smile like anyone else would, he offered me a sip of his beer, and I gladly accepted.

"Forest Sciences," Saul chuckled. "What kind of studies are those?"

I had missed some of the conversation, maybe some juicy details about the enchanting Sarah. Ugh, seriously, why did I have those sarcastic thoughts? She was lovely, and her only sin seemed to be making me envious of her taste in men and her knack for winning them over.

"You're even weirder than Lena," Saul taunted. "She wants to be a hypnotist."

As Alex raised the can for another sip, he paused and furrowed his brow. "It's not what it sounds like," I defended myself, glaring at Saul.

He placed the can back on the grass, his focus solely on me. "So, are you planning to hypnotize people on TV to make them believe they're ducks?"

I shook my head. "I want to study psychology and specialize in clinical hypnosis for athletes. Specifically, football players."

The three of them stared at me, silent and contemplative.

"How about swinging a pendulum in front of their noses to make them score goals?" Sarah quipped after a moment.

I tried not to roll my eyes. Clinical hypnosis was still widely misunderstood, and I was used to the jokes. People tended to treat it like some parlor trick, all thanks to television.

"That's charlatanism. Hypnosis is a potent psychological technique to tap into the subconscious mind. Steve Jobs used it, Mike Tyson used it, and I'm pretty sure Cristiano Ronaldo did too. He's been quoted saying he takes care of his brain as much as his body."

Alex regarded me with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity.

"Oh, come on, it's all just an excuse to whisper sweet nothings to Cristiano Ronaldo," Sarah said with a wink, believing she'd cracked the code.

I had to channel all my patience. People were often closed-minded about these things. If only they knew the true potential of this technique.

"My uncle tried hypnosis sessions to quit smoking," Alex shared, setting aside his skepticism for a moment.

"And did it work for him?" Saul inquired.

Alex shook his head. "Sort of."

"Addictions are tough to treat," I explained. "But I'm more focused on achieving athletic success."

Alex nodded, giving me the benefit of the doubt. "You'll have to try that technique on me," he said, and for some inexplicable reason, my heart raced.

The magical moment was rudely interrupted by Sarah, who jumped up and ran towards her towel, cursing at the thief who had been rummaging through her bag. The creep must have been lurking around, assuming she wasn't watching.

Alex got up and chased after her, but luckily, the thief had already fled through the nearest exit, escaping the scene.

"I thought this place was safe from theft," Saul lamented, searching for his iPhone in the small pocket of his blue backpack. He let out a sigh of relief when he found it, clutching it against his chest like a precious treasure.

I was at ease since I had only brought my beach dress and towel. I grimaced when I saw Sarah's pretty bag, so feminine and on-trend that summer. She had a striking scarf tied as a headband and long earrings of the same color. Who wears long earrings to the pool? They could get tangled in the pool drain and drown. Not me, of course. I had no intention of drowning just to look sexy, probably still a virgin, but not drowned.

Alex placed a comforting hand on Sarah's lower back. I knew they were together, but witnessing their public display of intimacy was something else. I turned to Saul, who was also observing them.

"Are they a thing?" he asked with a prying curiosity.

"Obviously," I replied, hoping I didn't sound as bitter as I felt. "And you trying to flirt with her..."

Saul looked puzzled. "I thought he liked you," he excused himself with simplicity.

I must admit, I flared up like a blazing Christmas tree, and I probably wore the dumbest expression ever.

"What?" I spluttered like a scared chicken. I cleared my throat to regain composure before continuing. "He doesn't like me. We're just teammates, and he's never made any advances."

Saul shrugged. "My bad," he offered, when I wanted him to say so much more, to defend his theory with concrete evidence.

"Why do you think that?" I insisted, even though he had already laid back on his towel and closed his eyes.

He shrugged again. "I don't know, Lena. It just seemed that way, so I thought Sarah might be available. I like that girl, and I wanted to convince myself she wasn't with him. But if he's never tried anything with you... that kind of guy doesn't beat around the bush."

And just like that, my heart shattered into a million pieces.

I slumped onto my elbows, too disheartened to stay seated. I put on my sunglasses and discreetly spied on them. Alex lay on his side, his back turned to me, his head resting on his hand. Sarah was beside him. Alex's fingers lazily traced her thigh while he gazed distantly at the pool. She caressed his cheek, turning his face towards hers, and they kissed ever so slowly.

"Saul, I'm heading home. I've got a headache," I announced, rising to put on the stupid athletic dress I had worn. My mother had bought it for me ten years ago, and I still wore it. Why did I never throw anything away? Why didn't I care a bit more about being fashionable?

Saul gave me a quizzical look, but I didn't bother explaining further. I was in a foul mood.

"Thanks for inviting me. Catch you later," I said.

"Are you feeling alright?" He seemed taken aback by my sudden change.

I nodded and embraced my silly Tweety Bird towel, as if it could shield me from the world. I tried to take a detour to the exit, avoiding the lovey-dovey couple. Not that they'd notice me, being too engrossed in each other, but I wasn't taking any chances. I reached the gate without looking back and headed home with determined strides, though deep down, I felt like dragging my feet.