Out of Ink

Chapter 11

At the sound of his name, Zack turned around. Shayna was splashing over to his side of the pool. "Come on!" She was saying. "I'm bored! Let's play!" Bored? Well, he couldn't have that. Zack cast an eye around. Lucas nudged him.

"We could play water polo?" He suggested.

"Marco polo? Or the one with the horses?" Emmett asked.

"Kind of the horse one." Lucas said. One dark eyebrow raised. "We just need two teams, two goals, and a ball." After some set up and rounding up players. They had their two teams. Soda bottles had been set up at either end of the pool for goal posts. Most of the people who didn't want to play were sitting on the edge watching, but three had opted to remain on their floating rafts and act as obstacles. Zack was pretty sure they were going to get knocked off. Emmett, Serina, Sydney, Lucas, Bec and Paul were on one team. Zack, Shayna, Ryan, Billy, Carla and Brittany were on the other. They took up positions all over the pool. Mia, a tall black haired beauty, had volunteered to be the referee.

"Okay!" Mia yelled. Holding the inflatable basketball in her hands. "I want a nice clean game." She smiled like she knew the game was going to be anything but. "Go!" She threw the ball into the middle of the pool as Zack and Emmett, the two team captions, rushed to get it. There was so much splashing and yelling as Emmett managed to grab the ball before Zack. He tossed it towards Bec, but the light weight of the little ball had it falling short, and it hit the water with a little splash. Bec lunged for the ball, but Carla was faster. She grabbed the ball and managed to run it a few steps before Bec caught up to her and tackled her. The ball popped out of her hands and went spinning across the surface of the water. Since none of them actually knew the rules for water polo, it was pretty much a free for all. First team to ten points wins.

There was a lot of yelling and cheering going on. Zack's team was winning thanks to Brittany and Shayna's seeming endless energy and the fact that Billy was built like a barn. Sydney and Serina weren't much help, but Emmett, Paul and Lucas were really good players. The floating mats had been knocked over a few times, sending their riders into the drink. They'd also been pushed into the path of players and used as shields. Carla could hold her breath for ages and kept swimming under the water with the ball. She was quick and hard to catch. Emmett had grabbed hold of her a few times and hauled her up to the surface so Paul or Lucas could wrestle the ball away from her. Sydney had tried to get it from her once and earned a kick to the face. Luckily, she hadn't been hurt, but it had ended with a penalty shot that Sydney had made. There was a roar of cheers from the watching crowd. Bec managed to get the ball and as several opposing players rushed in at her, she desperately lobbed it at Serina. She caught it and nearly pitched over as she turned around in the water and started running at the goals. She didn't make it far however, before she felt a surge of water and strong arms wrapped around her waist. She was caught. Serina squealed as Zack lifted her half out of the water and started dragging her backwards. Panicked, Serina threw the ball at her brother. It was a high toss, but Emmett jumped high to catch it and took off. Zack put her back down. His arms loosening and his hands skimming over her body as she slid down until her feet touched the bottom of the pool. His hands gave her hips a light squeeze and pulled her butt back to brush his groin. She briefly felt his breath at the back of her neck before he suddenly pushed away. Heading in the direction of the action. Serina caught Zack's eye as he glanced back at her over his shoulder. A smug grin on his handsome face. Serina felt a fierce blush colour her cheeks. It was a good thing no one was looking at her.

Zack lunged around Bec and dived for the goal, arm outstretched. Half the crowd groaned while the other half cheered as he slammed the ball on the pool deck between the two plastic bottles that acted as the goal posts. "Yes!" Zack celebrated by jumping and pumping his fists in the air. That was the tenth goal for his team. They'd won. "You suck!" He yelled to his best friend.

Emmett quickly replied with, "You cheated!" There was no anger in their voices. In fact, both boys were grinning wildly as they started splashing each other.

"Come on." Sydney nudged Serina, who had been watching the boys. Sydney motioned outside the pool. The boys splashing was getting out of control, as more and more people started to join in. If they kept at it, there'd be no more water left inside the pool. Serina followed Sydney as she climbed out the side of the pool and moved out of the splash zone. They girls headed for the snack table. Some of the chips had started to turn a little stale as the day dragged on, but the big bowl of M&Ms were okay. Serina tipped some into an empty paper cup and sat down under the shad of a tree. Sydney skipped away and came back with their towels, which they draped around themselves. They shared the chocolate as they sat quietly. "Everyone looks like they're having fun." Sydney said, looking around. The water war had calmed down.

"Yeah." Serina agreed. "It's a good day for it." Serina’s eyes drifted to Zack of their own accord. He was out of the pool now. Drops of water sliding down his bare chest. Serina had the strangest urge to follow their tracks with the pink tip of her tongue, all the way to the waistband of his board shorts. A shiver ran through her body. Surprised at her own bold thought, she shook the erotic ideas from her head. Yes, Zack was attractive. And he had made some intimate suggestions to her. But that didn’t mean that she should take him up on her offer. Zack reached up a hand to push his wet hair out of his eyes. His muscles flexing with the movement. He was smiling, laughing at something Carla had just said, his whole face lit up. He was absolutely gorgeous when he laughed. Sydney nudged Serina’s ribs with her elbow, getting her attention.

"Why don't you go talk to him?" She asked.

"Who?" Serina asked, feeling a little embarrassed at being caught staring.

"Zack. Obviously. You like him." She was smiling secretively. Serina cast a quick look around. But Syd had been talking softly and no one seemed to have overheard.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Serina objected. But her best friend didn't believe her. Sydney shot her a knowing look. She opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out was a startled shriek. A stream of cold water had come out of nowhere and struck Sydney in the chest. Before Serina could react, another cold jet of water hit her in the face. She let out her own surprised gasp. Emmett doubled over with laughter in front of them. "Emmett, you A-hole!" Serina yelled, jumping up and running at her brother. With his own terrified yelp, he took off. She spied a bucket of water bombs and grabbed a blue one from the top. Emmett dodged around people and plants in the expertly sculpted yard. Since they'd spent so much time there as kids, they both knew every inch of the back yard. Emmett was headed down the side of the small pool house. So, Serina doubled back and shot around the other side to head him off. She caught him at the corner, where they collided. Gripping his arm so he couldn't excape, Serina brought the water bomb down on her brother's head. "Ha!" She yelled in triumph. A strong arm suddenly wrapped around her, and another swept up her legs. Startled, Serina screamed and gripped the shoulders of the boy holding her. She froze. Zack's grinning face was inches from hers. He carried her quickly across the grass.

"Kiss me or I'll toss you in." He told her quietly.

"What?" She was confused. Her brain wiped blank at his proximity. Then she realised where he was taking her. The pool.

"Last chance." He said, stepping up to the edge. Serina’s face heated. She was aware of people watching them. Her brother included. As tempting as his lips were, just centimeters from hers, she just couldn't do it.

"No." She whispered. Her face was bright red. A flash of mischief danced in Zack's eyes as he shrugged. He put his lips to her ear and all her thoughts fled again.

"I can wait." He said. She felt his muscles flex as he swung her back. Then suddenly Serina was flying through the air. She hit the water with a splash and the cold water swallowed her up.