When You Got a Good Thing

[Sadie's POV – Dec. 11th, 2011 – 1:50 P.M.]
The boys had actually done a decent job setting up (which was really just putting out food and cleaning up). No doubt Suzy and McKenna were the supervisors and were on their asses about everything.

I followed Val upstairs to put my bikini on. Val threw me a towel with Hawaiian-style flowers on it. The bikini top was purple with black straps and the bottom was also purple, black hearts at the points of my hip bones. I wrapped the towel around my waist and turned to Val.

She had on a bikini as well, sky blue with white straps. I noticed how flat her stomach was and how perfectly tanned she was.

"Uh…Val. I'm chubby." I poked my stomach. I had just a bit extra at the waist and around my stomach area and I hated it. I was also white as could be, a result of getting sun for only half the year from living in Massachusetts.

"Shush! You are not. You look great! So what if there's a little extra. There's more of you to love." She smiled and wrapped her blue towel around her waist.

"Besides…you have great boobs and a great ass. That's all that really matters to guys when they look at a girl's body."

"Really?"

"Really hon, now c'mon. I bet Brian can't wait to see you in a bikini." We ran down the stairs, Val's towel falling not once, but twice, resulting in our loud laughter as we entered the kitchen. The boys all stood there in board shorts with beers in hand. A long whistle was heard from the door way and we knew that Zack was in the house.

"Damn Sadie…you uh…look pretty good in purple." He smirked.

"Hey. Don't be pushin' up on my woman Vengeance, you have your own." And as if one cue with Brian's words, Gena appeared.

"So where's this new girl I've heard so much about?" Gena asked and then spotted me. She nearly tackled me, hugging me tight.

"You must be Sadie! I'm so happy to meet you finally!" She took a step back and locked at me.

"Girl, you look great in that bikini." She laughed, joined by Val and I.

"Aright kids. Zack, Gena go put your shit down and get your bathing suits on. We have a party to get to. Everyone else will be here in like two minutes. Everybody else go out back!" Papa Gates commanded and everyone complied.

Brian's free hand drifted down to my hip. I turned to kiss him tenderly. He smiled and pulled me into his strong body.

"Brian you look very sexy." I whispered as we walked toward the back door.

"So do you. I can't wait to see you without the towel." His voice was low and husky. Like he was daring me to take him right then and there.

Matt was in front of me and he stopped short at the door, pushing his rear-end into me. I slapped him on the back.

"Ew. Matt! Don't put your ass near Sadie. She doesn't want it." Val yelled and pulled him forward. Instead of making too much more of a scene, I simply made a comment that had both Matt and Brian in stiches.

"Matt…why does your ass gravitate toward me?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[2:45 P.M.]
The party had officially started and I was introduced to a few more of the guy's friends. Guys from the studio, a few of their high school friends, people they knew from around Huntington Beach. And then there was Brian's little sister McKenna.

She strode over, Suzy and Papa following close behind.

"Sadie, this is my little sister, McKenna. Kenna, this is Sadie." I shook her hand and then for some reason she looked surprised.

"Oh my god. I recognize you!" McKenna said, jumping up and down a bit.

"You do?"

"Yeah! I've seen you. You ride horses. You did a big Grand Prix last year out here that I went to with my mom! I ride too!" She was genuinely thrilled and I saw Brian shake his head. Clearly his little sister annoyed him.

"Oh. Yeah. I did. It was no big deal. Maybe you can come out to the east coast and ride some of my horses."

"No big deal?! You almost won!"

"Alright McKenna. That's enough. Let's not scare Sadie away. We're going to get something to eat. Are you?" Brian's stepmother, Suzy, asked. I nodded and looked back at Brian who smiled. We followed them to the table, Papa Gates deciding instead to stop and talk to Johnny.

As we took plates and grabbed food, McKenna turned back to me.

"How many horses do you have?" I heard Brian sigh. I closed my eyes and shook my head.

"I have five. How about you?"

"Five?! Wow. I have one. I don't like her very much. She's not very pretty."

"McKenna. He was expensive for Dad to buy. Try being grateful." Brian said harshly, earning a hard look from his step-mom.

"Why's she not pretty? What don't you like about her?" I asked, curious as to what she would say. Very rarely did I find a horse that I didn't like, but then again, I loved horses to death.

"I don't like her color. She's this funny grayish brownish color. I think it's called grullo." She explained, her expression changing from happy to gloomy.

"What breed is she?"

"A Zweibrucker. Her name's Czydeca. I call her Czya. She's thin and tall. Mom says she's a really pretty mover but I don't think so." I snorted slightly. Brian and his step-mom looked at me like I had three heads. I laughed softly.

"She sounds gorgeous. I find it very hard to believe that you don't like her. I bet she's a great jumper."

"You should come see her then. And ride her." McKenna looked distraught and Brian gave me one of those sorry-my-sister-is-so-stupid looks.

"When do you want me to? I'd love to. I miss my own boys as it is." I said, and when I say McKenna nearly dropped her food, I mean it.

"Really?! You would do that? Oh my god, thank you!" She placed her plate on the table and hugged me tight.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[3:10 P.M.]
As Brian and I sat at the poolside eating, he poked my foot with his own.

"You don't have to go see my sister's horse if you don't want to. She's just being a spoiled brat. My dad picked the horse out for her and she hasn't liked it since they brought it to the barn. On the other hand, my step-mom loves it."

"No Brian I don't mind, really. I miss my horses. Besides…I feel like I can change your sister's opinion of the horse. She just needs to see that the horse doesn't have to be beautiful to be good. Perfection isn't everything."

"I can't believe you just said that." He smirked and shook his head.

"What? Why?"

"Because…Val told me what you said when you were changing. You aren't chubby. You're beautiful." He wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Brian. Look at my stomach. It's disgusting." I poked at it and he grabbed my hand, bringing it up to his lips, kissing it.

"Perfection isn't everything." He said, standing and pulling me up with him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[8:45 P.M.]
Johnny and Lacey had gotten everyone else in on a game of volleyball in the pool, of which I did not participate. I was not a fan of swimming or pools. I was a terrible swimmer.

By this time everyone had eaten and some people had even left. Matt was gathering everyone into the living room.

"Hey 'Chelle, no beer? That's not like you." He commented and I shot a worried glance her way. She looked nervous but thought of a good cover-up.

"Oh I'm just not feeling well is all. Don't want to make myself any worse." Matt nodded and seemed to buy it. I smiled and assured her that she was fine.

"I'm not ready for everyone to find out yet. Jason and I only just started dating, y'know?" She whispered to me when she saw that Brian and I had parted for a few seconds.

"I totally understand. I'd probably do the same."

"Especially since you're with Brian though. The fans don't even know about you yet." I nodded.

"Yeah really!"

We all sat around Zack in the living room, handing him present after present, most of them being alcohol or gift cards.

Val bestowed the bottle of Beaujolais upon him, gaining cheers from everyone.

"Yummy wine! Gena and I had been taking a liking to the stuff before we went on tour. Thanks Val, thanks Matt!" They both embraced Zack and that's when Brian pulled me into another room.

"Sadie. I didn't get Zack anything. I mean I was going to but I just….didn't have time."

"Have no fear. I've come to the rescue." I held a bottle of vodka up for him to inspect.

"Is this Russian writing?" I nodded.

"My brother brought it back from Russia when he was there a few years ago. Two bottles actually. I finished the one and it was a little strong for me, and knowing Zack, I figured he might like it." I explained and Brian kissed me on the forehead.

"I love you so much."

"Love you too." I lead him back to the living room. Zack looked to us expectantly.

"Have something for me, Gates?"

"Yes, we…do." I plopped the bottle down on Zack's lap. He picked it up gingerly. It had started to lose it's ice cold quality as it had been out of the fridge for a while.

"Is this legit Russian vodka? Like seriously from Russia?"

"Mhm. Only the best for Zacky Vee." I replied, grinning in satisfaction.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[10:00 P.M.]
Michelle and Jason went home. As did Matt and Val. Johnny and Lacey fell asleep on chairs by the poolside. Papa Gates took Suzy and McKenna home before we really started drinking. Zack and Gena had dug into the wine and vodka and Brian and I…we had different aspirations.

Zack had turned the lights on outside so that if anyone else wanted to hop in the pool they could. Brian took advantage of that. He came up from behind, attaching his lips to my neck.

"Come with me."

We stepped onto the back patio. I noticed Lacey was laying without anything over her, just in her bathing suit. I placed her towel over her, incase she got cold. It was probably about sixty degrees even outside. I shivered.

"The pool's heated. C'mon." Brian said quietly, whisking me toward the water. He stepped in, down the stairs and led me in. I kept my hands firmly in his.

"Brian can we stay up in the shallow end. I'm not exactly…the best swimmer."

"You don't have to be 'the best.' Just hold on to me." He walked us to where the floor of the pool dropped down.

"Brian, no! I'm scared!" I yelled, louder than I had intended. I glanced over at Johnny, who stirred slightly, but then resumed his quiet snoring.

"Hey, easy baby, calm down. You know I'm not gonna let you drown. Be happy I'm not my father. He threw me in and made me figure it out myself." Brian tangled his legs with mine slightly, and pushed us out into the deeper end. I clung to his body for my life. I trusted him but I was still afraid.

"Trust me? I won't let anything happen to you. I'm letting go." I protested with a whimper and flailed about. His strong hands stayed on my hips for a few seconds, keeping me afloat.

"Just swim towards me." I felt his hands leave my body and I panicked slightly before launching my self toward him. He swam backwards, away from me and I followed as best I could. He had to grab me and help a few times but otherwise, my nerves had simmered down.

"Not the most graceful but certainly the most beautiful." He mused, taking me in his arms again. My muscles felt fatigued. I probably hadn't been swimming in over two years at this point. "Told you I wouldn't let anything happen."

He kissed me and dragged me toward the shallow end. I stood, feeling slightly shaky, and he took my hips, lifting me up to place me on the side of the pool. He climbed up and wrapped a towel around us both.

"We should go in. I wanna make sure Zack hasn't drunk himself into a coma." I giggled and jumped up.

Making our way back through the door, we found Gena was just heading upstairs. Zack grabbed Brian's shoulder as he came into the kitchen.

"Dude. I'm goin' ta fuckin' bed." He said, sipping down the last of his beer.

"Yeah, we aren't driving home. Just to be safe. Mind if we crash on your couch?" Brian asked, rubbing the towel over my skin, helping me dry off.

"Nah, do wha-ever. There're blankets there fer ya. Enjoy the couch." Zack slurred his words slightly and I found it funny. He hugged Brian for a few seconds, a loopy smile plastered across his face, then sighed. He trudged halfway up the stairs before turning back.

"Thanks fer the party Bri. 'Preciate it." And he whirled back around, taking the bannister for support to get to his room.

Brian lead me over to the couch and laid down first. I snuggled against him and he threw the blanket over us. He placed his lips on my neck again. Those lips felt so good. So relaxing. My eyes began to close.

"Go to sleep Sadie-baby. Love you."