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Chapter 5: Heat Rising
The sun was blazing by noon, the pool glinting like a sheet of liquid glass.
Lila tossed a towel onto one of the loungers. Zara had music playing, something fun and loud. Jade was already in the water, flipping her hair like a mermaid audition. She wore a red bikini that looked more like lingerie.
Mia stepped out last, towel draped over one shoulder, quiet.
She'd chosen a dark green swimsuit — simple but flattering, hugging her curves without screaming for attention. Her hair was still damp from the shower, and her skin gleamed in the sunlight.
Eli whistled low when he saw her.
"Damn, Mia," he said, not even trying to hide the smile spreading across his face. "You trying to kill someone today?"
She rolled her eyes but felt her cheeks flush. "It's just a swimsuit."
"Yeah. And I'm just a guy with eyes."
Zara smirked from her chair. "Careful, Eli. Ethan might throw you in the pool."
"Where is he anyway?" Lila asked, adjusting her sunglasses.
"Back inside, grabbing drinks," Eli said, then turned to Mia again. "So… you swim much?"
She raised an eyebrow. "What kind of question is that?"
"The kind that lets me show off," he said, diving clean into the deep end.
Mia laughed and followed, sliding into the water with a small splash. It was cool, refreshing, perfect. She surfaced with a grin as Eli popped up beside her.
"Not bad," he said. "But let's see if you can race."
"Seriously?"
"I never joke about pool races."
"Oh, it's on."
They kicked off the wall, slicing through the water, laughing and yelling halfway through like kids. When they reached the edge, breathless and soaked, Eli leaned back with a smug grin.
"I let you win."
"You did not."
"Okay, maybe not. But I made it look good."
She splashed him.
From the patio, Ethan stood holding two bottles of water, watching.
His jaw was tight.
He hadn't said anything when Mia came out in her swimsuit, but he'd seen the way Eli looked at her. Heard his tone. Watched them laugh.
He hated the way it made his stomach twist.
Jade swam up beside him and took one of the waters. "They're cute, aren't they?"
He barely heard her.
She followed his gaze. "Don't worry. I think Eli's too much of a flirt to be serious. Mia needs someone stable."
Ethan blinked, snapping out of it. "What?"
"Nothing," Jade said, smiling sweetly. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Just tired."
He stepped toward the edge of the pool and sat down, feet in the water.
Mia noticed. Her eyes locked on his for a half-second — just long enough to feel the air shift.
She swam over casually, water dripping from her chin.
"Didn't think you were joining us," she said.
Ethan handed her the second water bottle, avoiding her eyes. "Thought I'd hang for a bit."
"You missing the old days already?" she teased lightly.
"Some things were simpler back then."
She raised an eyebrow. "You mean before I grew up?"
His eyes met hers, finally. And for a heartbeat, neither of them said anything.
Then Eli swam up between them and smirked. "Is this a private pool party, or can anyone crash the tension?"
Mia laughed. Ethan didn't.
Eli picked Mia up
Don't you dare!" she shrieked, half-laughing, half-panicked.
He just smirked, walking straight toward the pool with determined steps.
"You wouldn't!" she protested, gripping his well defined shoulders
"Oh, I would," he said smugly.
Before she could wriggle free, he launched her into the air—she hit the water with a splash, shrieking as she disappeared under. She popped up a second later, soaked and breathless, pushing her wet hair from her face and glaring up at him.
"You're dead!" she shouted playfully.
He bent down, extending a hand to help her out. "Need a hand, princess?"
She grabbed his hand—then yanked with all her strength.
He slipped with a shout and splashed in right beside her.
"Payback!" she giggled as he surfaced, coughing and blinking the water out of his eyes.
"You little—!" he started, but before he could finish, she jumped on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck.
They both went under again, laughing as they came back up, water dripping down their faces, laughter echoing across the pool.
"Truce?" he asked, grinning.
She smirked. "Maybe… if you admit I won."
"Not a chance."
They laughed again, splashing at each other like two kids, completely soaked and completely happy.
Jade rolled onto a float, sunglasses on, pretending not to listen.
He leaned against the fence, sunglasses hiding his eyes but not his emotions. At first, he thought it was nothing—just a bit of poolside teasing. But the second he saw her squeal and kick as the other guy scooped her up and ran toward the water, something twisted in his chest.
She was laughing—really laughing, the way she only did when she let her guard down. The guy holding her was grinning like he knew it too. And when he tossed her into the pool, her shriek echoed, followed by a splash that sent water flying into the air.
Ethan clenched his jaw.
She surfaced, laughing, hair dripping, eyes shining. And when the Eli leaned down to "help" her out, the way she smirked right before yanking him in—it made his stomach drop.
They were both soaked now, tangled together in the water, splashing and teasing like they were the only two people in the world. She jumped onto his back, and he held her like it was the most natural thing.
And he—watching from the edge—felt like a shadow.
He should've been the one making her laugh like that. The one she pulled into the pool. The one she clung to, smiling like she didn't want the moment to end.
Instead, he was just… watching.
Jealousy burned quietly under his skin—not loud or messy, just heavy. He looked away, pretending it didn't matter, pretending he didn't care.
But God, he did.
And somewhere beneath the sunlight, the splashing, and the music — something dangerous was beginning to build.