Chapter 21

Weeks of hard exercise, continuous work and exam prep past by. Not fast at all, but slow with almost everyday spent at Kevin's house, where I was usually grilled by George or sometimes on nice day, I spent in relaxation.

On these days George and Kevin would suggest swimming which only George would take part in whereas me and Kevin would sunbathe- I wouldn't bother changing, but the boys would.

Today was one of those days thankfully. My body releasing all the stress of exams and frustrations that pent up during the week. George tapped my shoulder as he handed me some lemonade.

His tan skin all but glistened in the sun and his dark locks fell loosely on his face dripping with water.

"Thanks" I muttered, sitting up and grasping the glass from him. It was as delicious as always. "Since when did you start working as a butler for Mr Wright?" I wiggles my brows at him.

"Oh fuck off Hamper" his eyes filled with disgust at the idea as he sat on the sunbathing chair next to me.

"Enjoying yourselves?" Kevin walked out of the dressing room in his trunks. His hair always sparkled in the sun making it seem like a halo was around his head. His white skin seemed to only burn in sunlight so it took him some time to lotion himself.

"As long as George stops trying to make me swim" I chuckled.

"A swim is always good for you" the said boy muttered.

"He's not wrong" Kevin smirked slightly causing me to narrow my eyes. He looks... suspicious... he moved to my side where I squared off with his movie star smile.

"What are you?- ahhh! Put me down!" I was suddenly lifted up by the blonde as he walked towards the open pool.

My body started panicking knowing what was about to happen. "No! No! No! Please don't!" But my shouts of objection were futile as I was suddenly thrown into cold water.

The water slapped my body before it came rushing towards me. My head sinking beneath the water, drowning out the laughter that came from above.

I gasped for air, finally managing to grab onto the ladder which I climbed up. A murderous glare on my face.

I'm going to kill him!

The blonde was busy gasping for his own breath as he held his stomach. I ran and pushed him into the water with a satisfied smile. But alas, another pair of hands pressed against my back, pushing me forward along with Kevin.

I went from pushing the blonde to clinging to him for my life as my body prepared for the hell to come. Pun intended.

As we fell towards the freezing hell, I suddenly realised that Kevin was the worst person to cling onto in this situation. Fear gripped my heart within a mere nano second as I tried to push away the blonde I once clung to before we hit the freezing water.

Maybe it was the imagery of the boy forcefully pushing my head under the pool but the fear of death immobilised me. I was going to be killed... I closed my eyes tightly trying to shake out of the shock, when a pair of unexpected arms pulled me above the water.

My eyes opened at the air that hit me. Kevin was pulling me up the ladder.

I stared at him for a solid minute before I grabbed my bearings.

I wasn't going to be killed.

I laughed in disbelief as I climbed out of the pool.

"Oh my god..." I gasped as my knees gave out.

"Elliot, are you okay? Do you have a phobia of pools? I'm so sorry I had no idea", Kevin, who was worried by my state, grasped my face so I could make eye contact with his concerned face.

"Y-you pulled me out..." he nodded at my croaking voice, "you pulled me out..." his expression turned to confusion, but soon his face darkened as he realised what my words meant.

His arms slowly embraced me as he drew closer to my head. He said nothing but he didn't need to. Kevin wouldn't kill me,... until I actually believe he won't.

"Better?" He asked with soft smile. An unfamiliar expression was on his face. As if he had just been stabbed.

I stared at him bewildered, but before I could ask anything, he laid down on the sunbathing chair and bought up an unexpected topic.

"Do you believe in love?" He asked while his eyes dazed off into the sky.

George crinkled his nose, "don't be fucking gross Wright" he groaned.

My mind also became distracted by the question. Love? As in platonic? Or romantic? I was used to platonic love, maybe not from the Uncle Bernard and Aunt Clair, much less Jennifer, but my Grandma and my cousins who took care of me and felt emotions on my behalf.

"Platonic love" I answered truthfully.

"And non-platonic?" He asked.

"No." I answered immediately.

Maybe it was because I was unfamiliar with it. I saw it with other people, but until you really feel something it's not real for you. How sappy...

George laughed at my answer, "never met a girl so romantic!".

"Is that just because you haven't felt it?" Kevin gently asked.

I bit my lip, glaring holes into the tiled floor and shook my head.

"No... it's impossible for a freak like me" I muttered, contradicting my earlier thoughts. That's right, even if I felt it, it wouldn't matter. It wouldn't be real.

"What do you mean?" George asked this time. His interest peaked by my answer.

"I'm a skitzo or something like that anyway. I'd have to keep "that" to myself so it wouldn't break up our relationship, but it would only get harder to keep in. If they find out they might try to understand, say I need help and when I explain it to them... I'm a psycho..." I rolled my eyes. It was too complicated which is why I couldn't bother with romance books or movies.

They all made me feel sick.

"George and I had no trouble believing you" A gentle voice broke my train of thoughts.

"Ha!... that's because you guys have black bracelets. I wouldn't choose a partner who took somebodies life..." I paused, "if that's what they mean that is." I looked up at the boys who silently stared at the blue sky before them.

A thoughtful silence over came us.

"I don't believe in platonic love..." George suddenly confessed. "But I think non-platonic love is real"

"Why is that?"

"I've felt one of them, non-platonic love... it's warm and makes you want to protect them, always keep them near, always see their smile" he smirked as if he remembered something and then noticed my curious gaze, "stop staring at me Hamper it's gross" Kevin laughed at his words.

"I agree with you George" my head turned to the blonde in shock.

"W-wait so both of you have felt non-platonic love for like an actual person?!" These two?! And yet the most normal person here! Alright fine maybe I'm not the most normal person here but still!

They both chuckled at my reaction.

"Still too young Hamper" George shook his head condescendingly.

"A late bloomer at heart" Kevin said in feigned disappointment.

"Alright! Ha ha! Very funny! But you know both of you are still single. I think you're just as sad!" I laughed out of sheer bitterness.

George rolled his eyes at my words.

"That's because she's an idiot..." he muttered and Kevin laughed at his words as if an inside joke was being passed between them.

"But you know what? It's a bit different for me." Kevin suddenly said.

"Hm?"

"I want to keep them to myself."

A shiver ran down my spine as I pondered the possibility of a girl being locked in one of the many rooms in his mansion.

"I want to destroy every obstacle in the way of our love." I furrowed my brows.

So he loves pretty hard then?

Kevin's gaze seemed to be directed at George who glared back at him. A strange indistinguishable air between them.

I narrowed my eyes as I tried to analyse the situation. A thought seemed to linger in my brain. One a dismissed countless of times.

Were their words personally directed at each other. I recalled how they agreed with each other. Suddenly the idea that their might be a secret bromance going on seemed plausible.

"Elliot"

"Hamper"

The boys called me simultaneously.