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I pull on my swimsuit, staring at myself in the mirror. I look like hell.

My light brown hair is in a bun at the top of my head, but it is frizzy and greasy. My round face is red, my nose runny. I wipe my face again, pulling on shorts.

  There is a knock on the bathroom door. I sigh, opening it, ignoring my brother standing in the doorway and walking past him.

  He grabs my arm.

  "Brooke, I know you're mad at me—" He starts, but I cut him off.

  "I don't care anymore, Bradley. If you want to be reckless, fine. Just don't do it while I am in the room." I sigh, rubbing my arms, as if I caught a chill.     
"It's not your fault I had a panic attack, brother. It's really not. We both know I am prone to panicking and...." I trail off, sighing. "It's just.... Maverick doesn't deserve your anger for dad. He lost a friend too."

  He stares at me, his eyes widened a bit. I pull my arm out of his grasps, starting down the stairs.

  "I'm going for a swim." I say. "I'll be back in by four."

I grab a towel, stepping out the front door, not even bothering with shoes. The heat from the sidewalk causes me to move fast, making it too the sand in what I'm sure is record time.

   "Hot, hot, hot." I mutter, prancing around in the hot sand.

  "You okay?" A voice asks, and I look up at Jake with a dorky smile. He sitting in the sand next to Coyote, who is sound asleep, his arm draped over his eyes. Jake tugs off his aviators, looking me up and down with concern.

  "My feet are burning." I mutter, tossing my towel at him and running towards the water. I jump into the wet sand, sighing in relief.

  "Why didn't you bring shoes?" Jake asks, standing next to me. I frown, kicking at a wave as it comes rolling in.

  "I was just being a brat and forgot, I guess." I say, shrugging. "Trying to avoid Rooster."

  "You guys need to sort out your family issues." He says, crossing his arms. He is wearing a grey naval academy shirt, which is dusted with sand.

  "No shit, Sherlock." I say. "You're little comments and quips don't help."

I make my way farther out into the water, the waves rolling up to my knees.

  "I'm just stating the obvious, sweetheart." He says, tugging off his shirt. I glance away, my face heating.

"People don't like the truth." He says, following after me.

  "They don't really like you, either." I say, and he shrugs.

  "No one ever really has, it's nothing new." He glances at me, before his eyes return to the water. "You and Coyote seem to be the exception."

I look over at Coyote, who is still asleep on the sand.

  "We're just build different." I say, shrugging. The afternoon light flashes off the water, and as another wave rolls in I start swimming out deeper, my arms moving in arcs in a quick and smooth stroke. The current slows me down, trying to push me back to shore.

  I make it out as far as I dare, stopping to tread water. I feel weightless. I let out a breath, watching the sun sink down towards the horizon.

A hand grabs my arm, and I squeak as I am yanked down, my head submerged for a half a second before I re- surface.

  I sputter, coming back up and glaring at Payback.

  "What the hell?" I ask, splashing him. He holds up his hands.

  "I'm sorry, I thought you where Fanboy!" He says quickly, just before two hands grab his shoulders, and he is yanked under the surface.

  He pops back up, and Fanboy is swimming away as fast as he can. As he gives a chase, I glance towards the beach.

  Behind them, I spot Phoenix and Bradley wadding into the water. Jake is not far from me, bobbing up and down in the water.

  "You okay, sweetheart?" He asks, and I roll my eyes. He nears me, and I laugh as he struggles to stay- afloat.

  "I'm fine. I've had much worst happen to me."

We stay out for a long time, swimming and splashing each other. Once we are finished, we are all sunburnt, laughing as we climb out of the water.

I let out a yelp as Jake picks me up, throwing me over his shoulder as if I weight nothing.

"Don't want you burning your feet, do we, Brooke?" He says, and I laugh.

"Put me down, Jake." I say, trying to wiggle out of his grasps.

"You all are so mean to poor Brooke." Bob remarks, wrapping a towel around his waist.

I point at him.
"See? Thank you!"

"I'm helping her." Jake says, and I sigh in defeat.

"Rooster, help me!" I cry, trying to squirm out of his iron grip. My brother shrugs, grabbing my towel off the ground.

"You are the one who didn't bring shoes, Brooke." He says, and Coyote laughs.

"You're on your own, B!" He says, before glancing at Phoenix. "Do you need a ride, too?"

"Ah, hell no!" She says, picking up her stuff and bolting, with Coyote chasing after her up the steps.

"Come back, Phoenix!" He calls, and I hear her curse at him when he catches her, his arms wrapping around her waist.

She elbows him in the stomach, and he groans, loosening his arms. She pulls away from him, laughing as she starts running again.

"You doing okay, Hangman?" I ask, patting his shoulder as we near the house. "Tired yet?"

"Not even a bit, sweetheart." He says, setting me on the deck.

"Thanks." I chirp, moving helping Payback fold up the umbrella.

***

I walk down the stairs, surprised at how empty the house is. I pat at my damp hair with a towel, still wet from my shower.

"Jake?" I call.

"Yeah?" He says, his head peering around the kitchen door.

"Where is everyone?" I ask, peeking into the living room, which is vacant.

"They went to pick up dinner." He says, shrugging. "They said they would bring you back something."

"I'll call them, tell them I will just have leftovers."
I say, picking up my phone. "Do you want me to make you some?"

"I'm good." He says, holding up his bowl of ramen. I nod, feeling his hand brush against mine as he moves into the living room, turning on the Tv.

***

I stand on the deck, my back to the house, watching the waves roll in and out. My hand plays with one of my earrings, my brain in a frenzy as my hair whips around in the wind.

I pause as his hands fasten onto my waist, tugging me into his chest. I lean back into him, my hands placing themselves on top of his.

"Did you get bored of Tv?" I ask.

"Nah, you just looked so lonely." He jokes. I laugh.

"Yes, I'm just so lonely."

"I can't figure you out, Jake." I say after a minute, and he spins me around, pressing me into the door of the barracks, the wood flush against my back.

"What can't you figure out, baby?" He asks, his voice husky as he leans towards me, his breath fanning out across my face. "Because I'm pretty sure I've got you figured out."

I roll my eyes, my nose brushing against his. The ocean breeze is playing with his hair, and I run my fingers through it, trying to tame it. He hums in contentment, eyes closing a bit as he leans closer to me.

"Because everyone else seems to think you are an asshole, but you are all I can think about." I glance at him, before looking away. "You are kind to me, and when you kiss me, I feel like I am on top of the world. But to everyone else, you are arrogant, loud."

His breath is ringing in my ears, and I meet his gaze again, my breath hitching in my throat. He is looking at me like I am everything he has ever wanted and more. Like I'm absolutely perfect.

Butterflies explode in my stomach, and I want him to kiss me.

"I want you." He says slowly. "I want you to love me, Brooke. Fuck, I think about you all the time. You're stuck in my head." He leans forward, kissing my mouth. "I want you to crave me like I crave you. To feel your skin, to have your lips on mine."

"God, Jake." I breath, my mouth parted. He smirks, leaning forward to kiss me again.

"I will make amends with Rooster. I will keep my mouth shut. I will do anything to have you." He says, and the butterflies explode.

"I'm all yours, Jake." I say slowly, my arms wrapping around his neck. He smiles, pressing his forehead to mine.

  "This is moving so fast." I whisper, my heart pounding in my throat. "This is risky."

  "Baby, I will make this work. Anything for you." He says, his mouth meeting mine.

I turn into putty in his hands, molding to him. He picks me up, surprising me again with his strength. My long legs wrap around his waist, and he laughs.

He deepens the kiss, his hand moving to cup my jaw. He bites at my bottom lip, making me moan into his mouth.

"We have to be quiet." I say, tugging back slightly. He shakes his head, his eyes dark with need.

"Be as loud as you want, baby. I want to hear you." He says, and I laugh. His hands card through my hair, lowering his mouth to my ear.

"You drive me fucking feral." He whispers, his mouth moving to my neck. I feel his stubble brush against my jaw, making me shudder in anticipation. I pull at his hair, my eyes closing as he bites at my skin.

"That's a dirty mouth you have, Hangman." I mumble, and he laughs, the sound rumbling through his chest to my fingers.

"Only for you, sweetheart." He says. "Only for you."

***

I roll over, yawning. Jake's arm snakes around my waist, tugging me towards him. He pulls the blanket upward, covering me up to my chin.

  "What time is it?" I mumble, his lips brushing my temple. He is quiet for a second, and I open my eyes, sending him a smile.

"God, I love you." He whispers, and I laugh.

  "You've already told me that." I say, and he props himself up on his elbow, the grey blanket falling off his muscular shoulders.

"And I will tell you over and over again." He says, reaching over me to grab his phone. "It's midnight, baby."

  He puts his phone down, pulling me impossibly closer to him, and I rest my head on his pillow.

  "The other's should be back by now." I say, laughing as his hand creeps up my side, tickling my skin.

  "So?" He asks. I shrug.

  "My brother is not going like like this, you know." I say, giggling as he buries his head in the crook of my neck.

  "Do I look like I fucking care, sweetheart?" He says, his thumb stroking my waist. I shake my head.

"Nope." I say, popping the 'p', drawing circles into his forearm.

We are silent, listening to the quiet sounds of the house: Coyote snoring: Bob's sound machine: the sound of Bradley tossing and turning in his bed.

"I think I'm going to apply for a job at The Hard Deck." I whisper. "I need to get out of the house, and some steady income would be nice."

He frowns.
"When this whole thing is over... what are you going to do?"

I turn, laying on my side, facing him.

"Maybe go back to Hawaii. I usually just go wherever Bradley goes." I say, frowning. "Where are you going?"

"Hopefully somewhere with you." He says truthfully. I flush, running my fingers through my hair. He gives me a small smile.

"I'm supposed to be sent overseas, to fly on some aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean." He speaks slowly, quietly. "It would be for about a year."

"Oh," I say. What else was I expecting? "That's really cool, Jake. It's an amazing opportunity."

He frowns, his eyes searching his face.
"We can make it work." He says determinedly. "Long- distance relationships work all the time."

"And you will have leave." I say, biting my lip. "You can come back to the states to visit."

He smiles, kissing my forehead.
"See, sweetheart? It's all gonna be okay."

I'm so screwed.

  Like for life. If a guy doesn't treat me like this I don't want him.

Heuwjowkdiwpalaldh

Bye ya'll

-❤️Kena