I Control Almost Everything

Now, every girl would love to think that after you kiss a guy whom you think is insanely attractive, the two of you will start dating and you’ll be an adorable couple and live happily ever after, the end. Please come back when you get a life. That doesn’t happen to people, sure didn’t happen to me.

Warren and I continued on with our lives. We didn’t have those awkward glances where one person suddenly looks away; it was almost as if the kiss had never happened. Oh believe me, I remembered that kiss alright. I’m pretty sure that he remembered too, he was ignoring the advances from girls. Not that he was a Don Juan before he kissed me, but ever since he became friends with my brother, girls weren’t seeing him as a scary guy in the shadows. No, he was the (and I quote) “misunderstood son of a villain who just needs to be given a chance. Deep down, he’s really sweet.” No joke, I have heard girls utter those exact words about Warren Nathanial Peace.

Now, my view towards Warren wasn’t that of those girls, but that doesn’t mean that I’m completely indifferent towards him.

Even now, as I’m in Magenta’s bathroom changing into my blue and black checked bikini for our end of the year pool party. I love pool parties, so much water… I looked at myself in the mirror, briefly admiring the fact that the suit fit and I looked GOOD. I walked across the hallway to Magenta’s room where she and Layla were already applying sunscreen. I grabbed one of the tubes and started to work on my legs.

“So,” Layla began casually, “what can we expect when we place you near a large swimming pool?”

“For me to turn into a mermaid and splash around happily,” I shrugged with a smile.

“Seriously?” Mag asked with a cocked eyebrow.

“Only the splashing part, turning into a mermaid would be cool though wouldn’t it?”

“Whoa, you’re a mermaid?” Came Zach’s voice from the hallway.

“No,” the three of us called back. Somehow without telling each other, we all decided that it was time to go and do outside pool party-type activities, in other words, try to get as much water on the pyro as possible.

Too bad that he was just as good a swimmer as I am. Being of the water controlling sort, I’m pretty versatile in the water, even without controlling it, so you can imaging my surprise when Warren dove into the pool. Now, you would think strong guy, older than you, of course he can swim. I didn’t, I thought that water + fire guy = not good. I went down the ladder into the pool and joined Ethan and Zach in what appeared to be a very pathetic attempt at volleyball. It just turned into everyone hitting the ball, then somehow into a water war.

We were actually divided into two teams, girls against boys, yes, we were one short, but their reasoning was that I could control water. Now I know that all of you are aware that I’m just talking because there really is no interesting thing to tell you. C’mon, we’ve all had our freshman year of high school, and although we learned a lot and it was interesting, no one really wants to re live it or hear about someone else’s. And although I would love to tell you, you would most likely get bored of reading the not so interesting key points to my freshman year.

By the time it was dark, we were gathered in front of the TV eating pizza and attempting to watch a movie. None of us were watching, I can’t even remember what it was called. We had long since changed from our swimsuits and into pajama resembling outfits.

We were talking about the past year, highlighting out favorite parts. “Cherry, you were so hilarious when we were dress shopping for homecoming,” laughed Layla.

“Funny how?” my brother asked.

“She looked more out of place than I did,” Mag said dryly.

Zach laughed at that, and then quickly sobered. “So about homecoming, what was going on there?”

The atmosphere got tense. I hadn’t even told Warren or Magenta about what had gone on. Thankfully, Will hadn’t told out parent’s either. I felt exposed, I knew that they wanted to know, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready to tell them.

My emotions had gone beyond my control and every nasty feeling I had towards my family had come through. During the year, I had started to question myself. Do I really want to follow in my parent’s footsteps? Every time it would come into my mind, I’d push it out, I had time. Now isn’t the time to talk about this.

“I don’t remember Zach, so much has happened since then,” it was only half of a lie.

“Like that guy asking you to the prom,” Mag said.

Ops, she was the only one who knew about that. Before prom, some senior had asked me out, and though most freshmen would’ve loved to go out with a senior, I wasn’t like most freshmen.

Warren glanced over at me; an unfamiliar look crossed his face.

“I turned him down ya know,” I laughed.

By the time the movie finished, everyone was asleep and I was in the mood for a moonlight swim. I changed back into my bikini and quietly went outside to the pool. I placed my towel on one of the chairs, then went into the water. After doing a few laps I started playing. A group of five water koi were dancing around in the air. They were flying around my head, and I was laughing.

“How long are you going to run away Tristen?” Asked the low rumbling voice of warren Peace.

“What are you talking about?” I scoffed.

He took of his white beater and got into the pool wearing his black pajama pants, “You know what I’m talking about.”

I turned from him, trying not to focus on the guy in front of me. I may have pushed aside our kiss for sanity’s sake, but it would be impossible to resist a shirtless Warren. Hot would sound trite, but what else could I say?

“I don’t want to talk about it now,” I said tightly.

“What’s the problem?”

I spun around to face him, “There is no problem!”

“Then why is it bothering you?”

My voice cracked, “She was right!”

“Right? Right about what?”

“Everything. I hide so much just to be what people expect of me. I ‘m going to snap one day.”

“Then do something about it, I’d hate to be he one to throw you in jail.”

“Whatever,” I rolled my eyes and tried to get past him, but he grabbed my wrists. ‘’Warren!”

“No,” he growled, pulling me flush with him.

“What do you want with me?” I exclaimed exasperatedly.

He kissed me. Rougher than how he did then when we were at school, but we were both already angry, and that added to the hunger.

I heard what sounded like a door opening and closing, but before I could wonder who was seeing us, I heard their voice. I groaned in annoyance as my older brother began to speak.

“Warren,” Will said in a very measured tone, “what did I just see you doing with my little sister?”

I know that this must sound immature, but I laughed at my brother’s question. True, he was my older brother and possessed super strength and the ability to fly; threatening older brother was not in his job description. Especially against Warren Peace…or me for that matter.

“Will, what did it look like?” I drawled out boredly, resting a palm against Warren’s chest. My brother floundered for words, so I continued, “Yes Will, we kissed, you and Layla do it all the time.”

“But you, he, it’s…” Still not to great with words. Sheesh, was this really so odd. I had expected some form of reaction, but mostly from Dad about his daughter making out with an older guy, even if he was only a year older.

I sighed between gritted teeth, envying Warren’s decision to let the Stronghold siblings to work this out on his own, but I wasn’t letting him out of the pool. “Will, I’m fifteen, I will kiss a guy every now and then. What’s really so bad about that, he’s your best friend?”

Warren looked like he was about to add something, I shook my head, indicating for him to keep quiet.

“What Will?” My voice was completely void of any emotion as I suddenly felt very tired, too tired to really get into this.

I went around Warren and swam to the end of the pool where I got out and removed the water from my body, returning it to the pool. I grabbed my towel and wrapped it around my, it wasn’t particularly cold, but wearing a bikini at close to two in the morning isn’t exactly the warmest outfit a girl could choose.

I locked eyes with my brother, said “Good night,” very pointedly, and went into the house bracing myself for Layla and whoever else was waiting. If Will had seen us out of Magenta’s window, no doubt he had made sure that everyone knew why he was going out to the pool at such an ungodly hour.

Just as I thought, the lights in Magenta’s room were on, much to both her and my displeasure. Magenta was laying on her side, one eye open, glaring at Layla, Ethan was somehow still sleeping, as was Zach, but he could sleep through anything. Now, I, along with you readers find it very interesting that the author decided to have only the girls awake. Back in the present, Layla had one of those looks on her face. It was her matchmaker look, along with a hint of smug.

Sighing inwardly, I seemed to be doing that a lot tonight; I sat on my sleeping bag.

“This is all your fault,” Magenta grumbled. When I raised my eyebrow, she elaborated, “If you and Warren hadn’t decided to make out, I could still be asleep.”

I didn’t voice it, but I agreed with her…partially. I didn’t regret it, but I could definitely do without the aftermath, or my brother seeing it.

Layla however felt differently, “Warren huh?” she appeared to mull it over, but I knew better. She had been thinking that we would make a good pair all year long, I could tell just by the tone in her voice. “So for how long has this been going on?” she asked coyly.

“It hasn’t,” I stated simply. It was true, apart from our sparse discussions about feelings, along with those two kisses, there was nothing beyond platonic between the two of us.

She gave me a disbelieving look, then I suppose she had an epiphany, “Only you two.”

“Only us two what?”

“Only you two could act like that, and have it have no affect on your lives. How, I have no idea.”

“Because it happened, then we went on with our lives, neither of us are particularly romantic Layla.”

Magenta gave a snort of laughter, “No kidding.”

I glared over at her, but she was already trying to get back to sleep. Oh how I envied her for not being a part of this conversation.

“Look Layla, I’ll talk at breakfast, I swear to you, but I would really like to get some sleep.”

“Fine, I don’t want to be awake when Will and Warren come up either.”

That had not occurred to me, what was my dear brother doing to Warren now? But I decided that there was nothing that I could do, and I had already paid more than enough for making out with Warren. So without further interruptions, I wriggled into my sleeping bag and promptly fell asleep.