One Year Special

Author Edit: Hey everyone! It has officially been a year since I started this story! I hope that you all are enjoying it so far, and don't worry the final chapter isn't for another year and a few months. For any of you who don't know, I update this story every week on Sunday and have been doing that for a year so far (obviously). But my plan is to keep on updating this story weekly until I graduate high school in June next year. So I hope you all will enjoy what I have planned over time! Also, if some of you are wondering, my name is Porscha Anne Aubrey, my Instagram is @dark_night_wolves and I am a published author. As of writing this I've recently published my first ever novel that I wrote back in 9th grade. It is called 'Deathchill' and you can find it on Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. I'm also working to put it on Audible. If you'd like to read it, you can copy and paste this link: https://www.amazon.com/author/porschaaubrey and without further ado, let's get into today's special!

It's so hot outside today. My entire body is drenched in sweat and I'm slouching everywhere I go. I wish my parents would set up the air conditioning already so then I don't have to eat ice chips and take three showers a day. At least with cold showers I don't have to worry about pissing off the rest of my household for using all of the hot water.

"Eh, Afia!" Keita's head pops into my room, it looks like he just spent an entire hour styling it. Classic. Growing up he used to take over the bathroom for hours just so he can look good for Alina, not like she ever noticed him anyway, she's far too focused on Knox.

"What do you want?" I ask, glaring at him from behind my phone. "I'm in the middle of watching a league of legends stream."

"I don't care," He rolls his eyes and laughter rises from Knox's room. Alina got here about half an hour ago and just like always, they're in his room. "Anyway, we're going to the beach, wanna come?"

"Anyone else coming?" I ask, instantly sitting up and turning off my screen.

"Alina invited Daniel," Keita shrugs. "He might be bringing his sister too, but we're not positive yet."

The memory of Daniel and his kind smile the day Keita brought him and Alina over for lunch replays in my mind. I always spend my lunch at home, especially in the winter. I'd rather not spend more time around people I don't like than I already have to. That boy is amazing for Alina, but it makes me sick with exactly how nice he is. Sure, I doubt he's so nice that he'd sleep with any girl that shows interest in him, if anything he may still be a virgin, but he should at least be a little rude towards other girls, especially since he and Alina have been together for months now.

"Well?" Keita asks with a sigh. "Are you coming or not?"

I nod and lazily get out of bed, "Yeah sure, I'm coming." Though I'd probably just bring everyone else down, and it's not like I'm any fun to be around. Even my own friends don't like having me around, they don't invite me to parties and when I bring it up to them they always respond with shit like 'we would but we forgot' or 'you'd probably enjoy parties with the younger kids.' Like bitch, I'm the same age as you the fuck is that supposed to mean? Do my friends seriously think that I've never gotten high? Never gotten so drunk that I just spend the next two days suffering through a hangover? I hate this city. I can't wait till I graduate so then I can go to university in America and act like I never knew any of the two-faced cunts here.

Keita snorts and walks out of my room, heading straight back into Knox's room. Knox goes silent but Alina continues to talk and laugh, most likely not even noticing Knox's distance every time his brother appears. I don't blame her, she must not know how much more he actually goes into Knox's room whenever she's around. When she's not here they're basically more like roommates than brothers.

I shut my door and begin to get undressed so I wear my bathing suit underneath my clothes. The sounds of laughter and arguments continue in the background.

"I wonder if Alina would be able to save you if I were to try and drown you," Keita chuckles with his usual cocky demeanor.

"Shut the fuck up, Keita," Knox grumbles and Alina finally goes silent. The room is completely quiet for about a minute, not even the slightest creak of the floor boards.

"What? Are you scared?" Keita finally speaks with a chilling tone.

"Guys, don't," Alina chimes in with an unamused tone, cutting off Knox. "It's too early to argue right now."

"Fine," Keita mumbles and stomps off, almost slamming his door behind him.

There's something that I've always admired about that girl and it's that she knows how to make people behave. Though with those two it's obvious that they do as she says because they have had feelings for her for years. I wonder exactly how much it must be killing Knox to see Alina and Daniel together, especially with how close they are. Though he seems to be putting up with them all pretty well, but I can tell that it's taking a toll on him.

Literally the moment I finish packing up my bag for the beach Keita comes bursting into my room, telling me to hurry or else they'll be leaving without me. I rush out of my room and sprint up the stairs to catch up with everyone else. Climbing into the passenger seat of the car as Knox and Alina get into the back. Mom and dad are out on a date for the first time in months since their schedules finally lined up, so I guess that it is a pretty good idea to go to the beach and such. Though I'm sure that they would all have so much more fun without me.

Keita blasts the radio and rolls all of the windows down, we all sing at the top of our lungs as the wind blows through the car. It's still hot but not as bad with the coolish air punching us in the face. Today's also a good day to go to the beach since yesterday was way too hot for anyone to even be able to move. I basically just filled a bowl with ice and covered my entire body with it. Sure, it definitely soaked my clothes and bed, but at least I wasn't overheating. I can only imagine how many people were rushed to the hospital yesterday due to the boiling heat of the sun. Hell if we went swimming then we probably would've boiled alive.

The beach is swarming with people, children chase and splash each other in the water, teenagers play beach volleyball in their bathing suits, and parents sip on beers and margaritas while laughing and watching their children in the shade. There are also a few swimmers in the deeper regions of the water, and some people on paddle boards and boats far out in the water.

"Oh I see him!" Alina shouts, leaning forward and pointing towards the edge of the parking lot where we see Daniel standing and waiting for us, he smiles and waves towards us as Keita pulls into a parking space. I lower the volume of the music and start closing all of the windows.

Alina leaps out of the car as we all slowly climb out as well, Keita is the first to catch up to them, then Knox, then myself. Alina launches herself into his arms and Daniel spins in a circle, kissing her on the lips before he finally puts her back down. They gaze into each other's eyes as the rest of us decide to start heading towards the sand and find a place to put our stuff.

"Where's your sister?" Alina asks once she and Daniel decide to catch up with the rest of us.

Both Keita and Knox seem to listen in, still acting as though they don't care. "She said that she can't, her friends invited her to go swimming with them at their pool."

"That's understandable," Alina agrees, and I gaze backwards at the perfect moment to see them link arms. He stares at her with a love that I can only wish to experience someday. It's a shame that everyone at my school are either assholes, taken, or don't care for a relationship. Whatever, I'm going to university soon anyway, so I'll be able to meet someone in America. Hopefully.

Keita and Knox basically rip their shirts off once we find a place to set our stuff, and the sight of it all nearly makes me vomit. Once we're all in our bathing suits everyone else basically sprints towards the water, Keita even pants like a dehydrated dog seeing liquids for the first time in weeks. But I stay back, not really knowing what to do. I don't feel comfortable leaving our stuff unattended but I'm also aware that it's perfectly safe to do so. I don't know why, but I have a random sense of being uncomfortable and anxious, but these are my brothers and friends, I shouldn't be uncomfortable around them.

"Afia, are you coming?" Alina asks, shouting from the water. The groups around us all stare at me then go back to whatever they're doing. Though there is a group of boys that whisper to each other and point at me, I feel like I recognize a few of them too.

"Yeah, I'm coming!" I shout in response, swallowing my irrational anxiety and getting up from my beach towel. I don't run for the water, I'm not comfortable running especially with this much skin showing, but I do speed walk. The hot sand burns my feet and I begin to limp slightly, counting down the steps till I'm finally in the water.

It's warm, but still better than staying out in the boiling hot sun. It's like a different kind of refreshing. Though I'd say eating an entire watermelon would still be better than this or even going to the beach in general. Ooh, or maybe even have a watermelon cocktail or a smoothie or a milkshake.

"It's so relaxing," Alina says with awe as Daniel drags her through the water by her arms. "I'm so glad you guys suggested this."

A few hours pass by and we've switched between swimming in the water and heading to the nearby burger shack to grab something to eat. Surprisingly, things weren't all that awkward with Daniel around as I'd initially thought it would be. Sure, he has spent time with the three of us before, but it was never in this type of situation. Before we'd usually be heading to the movies or Daniel would be walking Alina home and we'd all walk together since we live in the same area. Plus in the warmer weather Keita isn't forced to give anyone a ride so he usually just takes his car and goes on a joyride with his friends.

"Oh, hey, what are you guys doing here?" A girl asks and I instantly know her. Adelle Sharp. The girl that warned Alina about Zack and also the girl that took her to the cafe where she met Daniel. I respect her for those instances, though she doesn't seem like the type of girl I'd want to be friends with.

"Adelle!" Alina shouts, sprinting away from the group and wrapping Adelle up into a huge hug. The rest of us are taking a break right now, eating ice cream and sitting on our beach towels. Their laughter makes me nostalgic as they break apart, still focusing on only each other. Daniel stands up and makes his way over to them, slinging his arm around Alina's shoulders. "What are you doing here?"

"At least answer my question first," She laughs, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah, right," Alina chuckles. "It was so fucking hot, so Keita and Knox suggested that we come to the beach, well mainly Keita. So I invited Daniel to come as well."

I bet she's upset that Alina didn't invite her.

"Well clearly great minds think alike," Adelle smiles at Keita and he smirks a little. "Though I came here with Zack and the other idiots, so it'd be best for me to get back to them before they see me talking to you."

Zack? Zack's here?

"That's perfectly understandable," Alina nods. Daniel seems to tense a bit at the mention of Zack's name, like he's testing out if he can be intimidating or practicing defending her. "I wish you luck."

They both break apart and Alina and Daniel head back to us while Adelle sneaks her way back to a group of guys with a few girls. Zack has his arm around a girl and smiling cockily like she's a model or something, though it's obvious she's not, she's way too short to be a model.

Once Alina and Daniel sit down, I catch sight of Keita and Knox next to me. They're both tense and neither of them are blinking as they glare right at Zack and his group of assholes. Luckily Zack doesn't seem to notice us or else a fight would definitely break out, and I sincerely doubt that Zack has gotten any better at fighting.

I smack both of them, they both glare at me, Keita looks at me like I'm stupid, "Quit staring, or else he's going to see us."

"I don't see an issue with that," Keita grumbles, poking at the sand and moping. "We all already know that we can easily kick his ass."

"We're also in a public area with children around," I point out and Knox's eyes go wide in realization. "So contain yourself."

"Fuck," Keita mutters. "Fine."

"Hey guys," Alina chimes in, looking excited all of a sudden. "I heard there's an arcade somewhere around here. They have air conditioning too."

Knox jumps up to his feet, already grabbing his stuff, "Let's fucking go."