If I Was Perfect Than This Would Be Easy

I stood outside of the Zacky and Koadii’s door with Jimmy, Leana, Val and Matt behind me. Johnny had gone back to his house to change and Brian had to go pick up Michelle. They’d be here soon.

Jimmy hit the doorbell for a third time and reached out to hit it for a forth when Val grabbed his wrist, “Are they arguing?” she asked furrowing her brow.

We all listened and we heard the faint sounds of Zacky and Koadii’s voices a little raised but soon followed by laughter.

“No…just being Koadii and Zack.” I replied with a smirk.

A few moments later the door opened to a smirking Zacky who wordlessly moved aside and let us pass.

“So where’s Koads?” I asked setting my bag on the couch.

“She is upstairs changing. She’ll be down in a few.” Zacky replied.

“Great. Well I’m heading out to the pool. C’mon Jim.” Leana said with grin and the two of them ran through the house like a couple of five year olds, Matt and Val right behind them.

“So how are you doing Mr. Vengeance?” I asked as I raided the fridge finally pulling a beer from the back and perching myself on the counter.

“I’m good considering it’s only been what? 24 hours since I last saw you?” he asked.

I rolled my eyes. Since the day we’d all met it had been a rare occasion that any of us went more than 48 hours without speaking or seeing one another. Something Zacky playfully pointed out any chance he had.

“Hey what were you and Koadii yelling about when we were waiting out front?”

“Oh that. Just about who’d get the door. I was doing something on the laptop I was busy with and didn’t want to get off and she wanted to get changed.” he replied.

“And just what was so important that you were going to leave five of your best friends in the entire universe out on your front porch to finish? Porn perhaps?” I smirked.

“No! You’ve got a dirty mind Lilly. No…I uh…can I tell you something and you won’t say anything to Koadii? Like at all?” he asked rubbing the back of his neck, his teeth tugging on one of his snakebites.

“Zachery James Baker if I find out that you’re cheating on Koadii you’ll be changing the sex on your drivers license.” I said knowing that my eyes were spitting fire.

“Lilly don’t get your panties in a bunch. I love Koadii and I’d never cheat on her. I was on the computer looking at rings I thought Koadii would like….I’m thinking I might propose to her.” he said.

I had chosen the wrong moment to take a sip of my beer because the moment ‘propose’ passed Zacky’s lips I did a spit take all over him.

“You’re going to what?!? When?!? How!?!” I asked.

“Uh…I don’t know when quite yet. I want it to be special.” he said pulling a towel out of a drawer to wipe the beer from his face.

“Yeah sorry about the beer.” I said hopping down from the counter and taking the towel from him so I could mop up the beer from the floor and counter.

“So do you think she’d say yes?” he asked.

There was a knock on the door, “I’ll get it.” I said hopping up and tossing the towel in the sink.

“Lilly you didn’t answer my question!” he laughed.

I sighed, “Are you crazy? Of course she’ll say yes! She loves you.” I said and hugged him.

“Okay…thanks.” he replied.

“Welcome now I’d better get the door before who ever it is knocks it down.” I replied and hurried to see who was knocking.

I opened the door and saw Johnny smiling back at me and Syn and Michelle pulling up into the drive behind Matt’s huge Escalade.

“Ready to swim?” Johnny asked with a smile.

“I was born ready Short Shit.” I said.

“Hey! You’re the same height as me!” he said sticking his lip out.

I laughed and grabbed his hand pulling him inside and to the back of the house. When we got back there Jimmy and Matt were wrestling in the water while Zacky sat on the side of the pool with Koadii egging them on. Val and Leana were watching the scene from the lounge chairs.

“Go Matt!” Johnny whooped as he tossed his towel and sunglasses to the side.

“Please Jimmy’s gonna get him.” I replied rolling my eyes.

“C’mon Lilly seriously? It’s fucking Matt! He out muscles Jimmy by a ton.” Johnny replied.

“So what? Jimmy’s scrappy…Matt’ll be under in no time.”

“Wanna bet on it?” Johnny asked.

“Fine $20 on Jimmy.” I replied.

“You’re on.” he said.

“Are you two betting again? Johnny you know you always lose.” Brian said walking up behind us.

“Don’t you remember when you lost $500 to her over who could out drink who between Jason and Brian?” Michelle asked.

“So I didn’t realize how well Jason could hold his liquor. C’mon though it’s between Matt and Jimmy! I mean how is-” but he stopped as Jimmy dunked Matt under the water.

“I believe that you owe me twenty bucks Mr. Seward.” I replied with a smirk.

“Fucking Jimmy.” Johnny grumbled and pulled at twenty from his wallet and handed it to me.

“It was nice doing business with you.” I said with a smile.

“How’d you know that Jim was going to win?” Michelle asked once Johnny was out of earshot.

“Val was texting me earlier and told me that Matt was hungover like hell after that party last night.” I replied

“That was such an unfair bet. You’re evil. I knew there was a reason I liked you.” she said with a smile.

“Yep. Now I’m going to go put my winnings away.” I said and walked inside to get my stuff.

I walked back out a few minutes later and no sooner had I done so than I was lifted from the ground and engulfed by the icy pool water a few moments later. I surfaced sputtering and coughing only to see Johnny standing at the pools edge laughing.

“Jonathan Seward!” I growled and from my shorts pulled out my now soaked (and useless) brand new Ipod.

I glanced at it once before I threw it at him, “You. Are. A. Dead. Man!” I yelled and climbed out of the pool as he took off.

“Get back here!” I yelled as I chased him around the pool.

“No! You’re gonna kill me!” he yelled.

“You deserve it! You murdered my ipod!”

“How was I supposed to know it was still in your shorts?!?” he asked.

“Whoa! Lilly calm down!” Matt said and scooped me up as I ran past him and Val.

“Put me down Matt!” I yelled struggling in his grip.

“I’m not about to let you kill our bassist! We sorta need him!” Matt laughed.

“Please! I’m sure you could find a replacement!” I replied.

“C’mon Lils you know you don’t wanna kill Johnny.” Matt said.

“Fine I don’t want to kill Johnny.” I said with a sigh.

“Good.” Matt replied and sat me down.

“I’ll just maim him!” I replied and lept at Johnny.

Somehow he caught me and we fell back into the grass with me on my back, my legs on either side of his waist and him on top of me, his chest pressed against mine and his face inches from mine. The smell of the mint from his toothpaste and the AXE he used filled my nose as his eyes met mine. I felt my heart began to pound in my chest. I had to get out of this before I did something I regretted.

“Get off me Christ.” I said and tried to shove him off of me but he grabbed my hands and pinned them above me.

“Only if you say that you forgive me.” he said.

“No.” I replied.

“Don’t make me do it Lilly.” he said.

“Do what?” I asked.

“This!” he replied and with one hand still pinning my hands above me he brought the other hand to my sides and started tickling me.

“Do you give yet?” he asked.

“No! Never!” I laughed.

“C’mon Lilly give up you’ll know I’ll win!” he said.

“Fine! Fine! I give!”  I laughed and sat up.

“See you may win the bets but I will ALWAYS win the tickle fights.” he said with a smirk as he helped me up.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah but you owe me a new Ipod.” I said looking at him.

“I know. Black correct?” he asked.

“Yes. Same color as the last one.” I replied.

“And your soul.” he muttered with a grin.

“I despise you.” I said looking at him with a searing glare that I knew was falling very short.

“You know you love me Lilly. Just give into your feelings doll.” he said kissed my cheek.

I felt my cheeks heat up and all the girls smirked in my direction, the guys oblivious.

I wasn’t sure what to do until I was saved by Jimmy.

“Lilly! You’re phone’s ringing!” he yelled from across the yard.

“Coming!” I yelled mentally thanking Jesus and whoever made cell phones.

I dug my purple and black Iphone out of my bag and hit talk.

“Hello?” I asked not recognizing the number.

“Lilly?” a female voice asked.

“Yes….who is this?” I asked.

“Oh thank god your number hasn’t changed! It’s Gena!”

My jaw dropped, “Gena?”

“Mhmm.” she replied.

It had been a long time since any of us had heard from Gena. She and Zacky had broken up under…difficult circumstances. Gena had cheated on Zacky a few times during their 2 year relationship the last time being the day that Koadii and Zacky kissed. It had been then that Zacky had realized he wanted Koadii and not Gena. Of course Gena had been ‘heartbroken’ by the whole thing. Basically it meant she was pissed off that he had decided that he was tired of him running around on her.

“Wow…uh…hi.” I said.

“Hi! I just wanted to let you know that I was back in town! I tried calling the others and it said that all their numbers were out of service or someone else had them. So I was wondering if you wanted to hang out soon and catch up?” she asked.

“Uh…sure but I have to get back to you on that.” I replied.

“Oh! No issue! Just give me a call and we’ll set something up! So how are you and the others doing?” she asked.

“Fine. I’m working in a tattoo shop….Koadii’s a DJ at an awesome club downtown. I’m sure that you know how the guys are doing and the girls are right there with them.” I said.

“Awesome. Well I’m going to let you go and I’ll talk to you later I guess.” she said.

“Yeah later.” I said and hung up.

“Who was that?” Koadii asked as I joined her by the pool where she was tanning in the unusually warm February sun.

“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.” I replied.

“C’mon who was it? Tell me! No wait let guess give me a hint.” she said.

“Okay it was an ex.” I replied.

“An ex? Hmm…ooh! Was it that ex boyfriend of yours what was his name….David?” she asked.

“The bartender. No. Someone else’s ex anyhow…one of the guys.” I replied.

“Was it Lacey?!?” she asked.

“Nope. Try again.” I said popping the ‘p’

“You don’t mean…” Koadii said after a few moments looking at Zacky.

“Yep. Gena’s back in town.” I said looking at her.

“Seriously?” she asked.

“Mhmm.” I replied.

“Oh…how…nice.” she said and looked back at Zacky.

God I hoped that Gena wasn’t coming back to screw things up.