AUTHORS NOTE
A lot of people are confused so I'm gonna make this clear in the beginning: the italics are a flashback to the what happened after the cliffhanger of the previous chapter.

----------

"Aren't you just adorable." My eyes flutter open to see the face belonging to the voice, deep from slumber.

He pulls away briefly, only to kiss me again. I lean closer him, almost as if vowing not to leave again.

I reach up with one arm and run my arms down the strong muscles of his bicep and smile into our kiss when I feel them ripple beneath my touch.

"Loser." I mutter, pulling up on the comforter.

He chuckles, "I could warm you up, if you'd like."

"Sounds nice, I'll pass." I smile softly.

He smiles back, once again not only with his full lips but his eyes as well. My favorite look on him is definitely this, beyond comparison.

"How'd you like the water?" I murmur.

He rubs small circles with his pinky onto my wrist, "A lot better with you in it with me."

I fight back a blush.

He presses me into the side of the pool, my arched back pressing against the gritty cement of the pool wall. The waves lap quietly against the sides, and his voice intoxicates my mind, not so quietly. His touch lingers on my skin, as his hands move to my hair. I want more. I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck, as I raise myself upward and continue pressing myself to him, as close as I can get, without letting go.

Pausing, I pull away, "I don't think we're just friends." I stutter out, my body still constantly aware of him, my voice raspy and gravelly sounding.

His blue iris's stare into mine, "I was never just friends."

"What are we going to tell Elle?" I chuckle, "She thinks I'm dating Jared."

"You can do whatever you want. Jared won't touch you."

"Jeez, you say that as if I'm not repulsive enough already to ward him off." I chuckle, glancing down at my disheveled pajamas I'd quickly grabbed from my room.

"You're nothing less than beautiful." He mumbles, "The only thing warding off Jared happens to be a fist that can easily be clenched, pulled back, and released."

"Calm down, we're just friends." I smile.

"I know."

"Parker and I are just friends too. It's just- it's complicated. I don't know. I didn't know what we were, or where we are, I just don't know when it comes to him." I finger brush my hair.

"It doesn't matter. You don't belong to him."

"I don't belong to you." I raise an eyebrow.

"You belong to yourself, idiot. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise."

I nod, slowly.

"I'm not what I'm made out to be, you know." Mason mumbles.

"What?" I look at him, unable to comprehend his mumbled probably nonsense.

"I'm not what I'm made out to be. At school and all." He says, this time more comprehensively.

Oops. Guess it wasn't nonsense.

"Who are you made out to be?"

"I don't do drugs, or smoke, or any of that shit."

"So you're not bad?"

"Oh, I'm bad." He smirks.

"Maybe bad in bed, but that's about it." I try not to laugh.

"Don't make me show you." He winks.

"I'm not making you do anything. It's not my fault you're bad in bed."

"I'm not and you know it." He replies, a knowing tone in his voice.

"I guess I wouldn't know." I chuckle.

"You're not going to. You're different than the pointless lays I've had. You're like a drug to me, if I was an addict of course. You're new, you're amazing. You're like the shiny new toy at a toy store that all the little kids want. You're what all the boys want."

"Nope, pretty sure that's just you." I tease.

"You're just, ugh." He grins leaning foreword and pushing me back into a pile of pillows as he runs his fingers through my strands.

He leans down to kiss me.

I smile, feeling a lingering kiss placed on my lips. He pulls away slightly, and I pull him towards me again, pressing my lips to his, harder.

"See?" He pulls away, "You're different. With your intelligence, humor, and my god, the kissing. I can't get enough of you." He blushes.

"You haven't kissed in relationships?"

"I don't think my relationships follow the same rubric as yours."

I blush, "I dated my last boyfriend for three plus years."

"I dated my last girlfriend for three plus days."

"Player."

"Life's a game, what can I say."

"Am I a game?" I question, outloud, looking into his eyes subconsciously.

He looks down at me.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

"Lex, you would never become so little as to be a stupid game to me. You're worth a lot more than that."

"Am I? Because right now, I really don't know."

"I'm not playing you. I wouldn't do that."

I turn, and bite my lip.

"Ugh." He groans, "Lexie, c'mon."

I turn, "You swear?"

"Fuck."

I mock glare at him, "I didn't mean it that way."

His face stretches out into a smile as he dives forward on me, tickling my sides. I squeal and swat at his hands, "Mase, stop it!" I laugh.

His hands run up and down the bare skin of my sides. I push off the wall and he walks into the deeper end of the pool.

"Mason!" I laugh, "I can't touch here."

"Then swim." He abruptly drops me. I wave my arms back and forth in the water, and stick my tongue out at him.

"You're adorable." He chuckles.

I throw myself forward, latching onto him, my arms clinging to his shoulders.

What can I say? Treading is a lot of work.

He takes my face in his hands and pulls me forward yet again. I lean forward, about to press my lips to his, but instead he dodges me. My lips land in his hair and his place a light peck on my cheek. He moves downward, kissing along my jawline and nibbling at the bottom of my ear. I turn my head, letting it drop back, as he takes advantage of the full exposure of my neck. He kisses it slowly, swirling his tongue between his lips, all the while peppering light kisses around. A soft longing sound comes from within my chest, a low, quiet moan coming from deep within. I walk my fingers up his chest and pull his chin towards me again, staring into his eyes.

"Boxer boy." I smirk.

"Yes?"

"I think it's about time we got our feet in the water."

AUTHORS NOTE
thanks for 76k and 59 in teen fiction
I love you all so much! Pm me anytime, I love talking.

WATTPAD AMBASSADOR
I recently applied to be a wattpad ambassador because it looks like a very exciting opportunity to have. I sent in an application, and I guess we'll see! Wish me luck!

FANART
I  love all of the fanart I've been getting, you guys rock!! Keep sending it and il keep using it.

QUESTION
do you think Alexa made the right decision between Parker and Mason?

SOCIAL MEDIA
kik | tinylighthearted
instagram | @prollywriting
email | [email protected]