Arabella's POV

"You're selfishly hogging all the food, Ace. Look you already have a potbelly, few more bites and you're FAT!" The lobster slipped from Ace's fingertips and slammed back down onto the tray, he stared at Max in disbelief and in a complete moment of silence he brought his fingers to his mouth and sucked the butter off of them slowly, his eyes never tearing from Max's.

"I'm sorry, did you say I was getting fat?" He spat, his voice cracking slightly as he cocked his head sideways, a disbelieved huff escaping his lips. "This is why I say you talk too damn much." Aaron scolded Max as he shook his head lightly, biting into the flesh of the lobster and chuckling at Ace's wounded face.

"Okay, babe he did not mean that. Max apologize!" Erika hissed as she slapped him behind the head. He cried in pain and pouted cutely, turning his attention to Ace who glared at him playfully although I think it really did hurt him inside that Max said he has a potbelly.

Although he really didn't, all that's on his body was a pack of hard steel. "I'm. . .not sorry!" Max exclaimed as he grabbed Ace's lobster and dashed across the room, disappearing into the walk-in closet and slamming the door shut behind him.

"Did–did he just lobsternap my lobster?" Ace muttered in disbelief as he gestured towards the closet in confusion. "It's okay, have mine." Erika smiled sweetly as she outstretched her piece towards him, he pouted and leaned towards her but to our surprise, she yanked it backwards and laughed loudly, "sike!"

"Ou burn!" Max's muffled voice echoed through the room and I couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter, ignoring Ace's laser glares through my head. "Okay stop playing with the guy's food, men–strong men need to eat!" Aaron exclaimed as he opened the closet and gestured for Max to get out.

I watched in amusement as Max lazily strode across the room and slowly handed the lobster back to Ace who took it with a tight-lipped sarcastic smile and resumed eating, ignoring Max's eyes trained on the butter leaking down from the seafood.

"You guys are an interesting sight," Tyler exclaimed beside me, a smirk stretched on his lips as he chuckled. I agreed with him, shaking my head in disbelief from what I just witnessed, not that I'm complaining, if anything these guys have been my main source of entertainment since we came here.

"Yeah okay Mr too good for lobster and Mrs. I-only-eat-chicken-and-fish," Erika mumbled as she flipped off Tyler, butter trailed down her finger and she quickly licked it off the back of her hand. Tyler groaned in disgust and turned his head away, muttering how that wasn't a pleasant sight at all.

"Hey! I eat seafood. . .sometimes and plus I wanna go to the pool so I'm gonna eat afterwards." I said as I leaned into Tyler's chest and caressed his hand draped across my chest absentmindedly.

"Shouldn't we all go to the pool together though? I mean since we are celebrating thanksgiving–eve with one another we should do everything together, meaning Tyler get off the bed and have some crab cakes and lobster and Arabella have a crab cake!" Max exclaimed.

"I'm sorry I don't think anyone wants to get as fat as you!" Ace spat, Max scoffed, his eyes widening in shock as he swivelled his head towards Ace. "Here we go again," Tyler mumbled, earning a round of giggles from me.

If this is how 'thanksgiving' will go every time we're together I'd much rather be here every thanksgiving rather than with my parents.

I just hope everything goes well tomorrow.

~ ~ ~

"Now I feel bad." I pouted as I lowered myself into the water and tried my hardest to ignore the harsh way my teeth chattered against one another because of the sudden chill that rushed through my bones. "Well, I'm not," Tyler said as he swam towards me, I frowned deeply and leaned against the edge of the pool.

"And why is that?" I asked. He came up before me, a quarter of his body buried beneath the water and only his eyes remained above the surface. I peered down at him, feeling the sudden urge to run my hands through his wet curls. "Parce que je peux passer plus de temps seul avec vous." He mumbled as he emerged from beneath the water, half his body now visible to my eyes. ("Because I can spend more time alone with you.")

I don't know what that means but it sounds hot.

"What did you say?" I tried my hardest not to let my gaze drop to his chest or stomach as water slowly cascaded down his tanned skin as if it were mocking me. He smirked and leaned in close so that his nose brushed up against mine and then he trailed his lips to my ear, "et je peux le faire sans être confié dans une pièce." ("And I can do it without being confined in a room.")

Before I could respond I jolted in shock when his hands suddenly came under my butt and he swiftly hoisted me up. I squealed loudly, quickly wrapping my legs around his waist and clasping my hands behind his head.

His smirk deepened and he wasted no second in attaching our lips. There it was again, that jolt of electricity whenever his lips would melt against mine. Sometimes kissing Tyler felt as if I was running through a valley of millions of roses, one because he always smelt so sweet and two because when I imagine myself in a valley of millions of roses I imagine myself being blissfully happy and peaceful.

My mind free of all thoughts except the sweet aroma that wafted off these flowers or the way I would sink into the bed of the earth. That's how it felt whenever I kissed Tyler.

And I never want that feeling to go away.

"What are you thinking about." He mumbled as we pulled away. "Can you teach me French one day? It's funny how people say Spanish is the language of love but French is so mysterious." I whispered in awe. Tyler chuckled deeply and tucked a strand of my wet tendrils behind my ear.

"I've never heard that one before, mysterious? You're hilarious but okay when we get back to school after thanksgiving I'll give you a un à un lesson." He winked, his lips curling into a smirk. It took me a second to realize what he meant and when it finally dawned on me I had no time to react before he burst into laughter, I slapped him across the arm and for a moment lost track of everything as I focused on his face.

It was almost peculiar seeing Tyler laugh, for the past month I've witnessed a different Tyler, a person that I knew existed before we met but always thought we'd never meet, but now that I see the person he kept hidden from me it scares me more to lose him because especially after he told me himself he was going to do something that might make me hate him.

I don't know what it is and I don't want to find out soon either, I just want to enjoy being with my boyfriend.

"Despite you two blatantly ignoring our suggestion of going to the pool all together I still felt like I should be the only one with some dignity here so I kindly brought you some mimosas, courtesy of the very handsome chef downstairs!" Erika exclaimed as she approached us with a tray of mimosas sitting on the silver platter.

Max, Ace and Aaron followed behind her, each of them clad in swim shorts that for some reason clung to the edges of all of their hips, revealing their very much defined v shape torsos. Even Tyler was in on the trend and I wondered for a second why these guys never considered being models. 

"Oh? How cute was he." I purred, teasing Tyler on purpose which seemed to work because he shot me a glare, mumbling 'watch it' under his breath. I rolled my eyes and took a mimosa from Erika's hand as she leaned over the pool, "he's extremely cute." She whispered.

"I heard that!" Ace and Tyler exclaimed simultaneously. Erika and I chuckled silently and I cleared my throat before turning towards Max and Aaron who slid into the pool–well more like dived but it's not my head on a stick if they get hurt by doing so in such a shallow pool.

"Mmmm if only I could live like this every day." Erika sighed as she lowered herself down at the edge of the pool, her feet sinking into the water. "What? You mean sit out in the sun and get a tan, that's every day for you." Max exclaimed as he swam towards her, she flipped him off and flickered her gaze away from him before sighing.

"No! I mean to live like this. . .this lavish life with hotels and private planes and ugh curse everyone who gets to live like this by choice. No offence, Arabella."

"All offences taken," I mumbled as I took a swig from the wine glass. Tyler's arms slid around my waist from behind and I smiled as he laid his head on my shoulder, his familiar manly scent enveloping my nose. "To live or to not live like this. . It will never be special unless it is spent with the people you love."

"Precisely, so babe instead of sunbathing and complaining about your mediocre life, why don't you put down the mimosa and get into the water like all of us. Goddamnit even Bella's in the pool!" Ace exclaimed as he swam towards her.

"Toss her in!"

I snapped my head towards Aaron and chuckled softly as he continued chanting for Ace to toss her in. Max joined in as well, followed by Tyler and eventually I was chanting along. Erika's eyes were wide in fear and she shook her head vigorously, "no, no not again!" She squealed and I couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter as I suddenly remembered the time when we pushed her into the pool back in New York.

Good times.

"I'm gonna toss you in if you don't get in here willingly."

"Come on, Erika stop being so uptight and take that stick out your ass and get in here," Max shouted from the other end of the pool. Erika shot him a glare and let out an exasperated sigh before she placed the mimosa onto the tiled floor and stood up, "fine! Want me to get in? I'll get in!" She exclaimed as she marched towards the glass doors and then took off towards the pool.

Tucking her legs to her chest and wrapping it tightly around her, she dived into the pool and we all let out a whoop as she disappeared under the water and seconds later resurfaced with a very amused yet annoyed expression that lingered on her face.

Guess someone already regretted joining the party. "Finally now we can all play chicken fight!" Ace squealed as he swam towards Erika and grabbed her by the shoulder, "who's up for it!?"

"Me!" Aaron squealed as he grabbed Max's arm and swiftly climbed onto his shoulders. I watched in amusement as he flexed his muscles and winked towards me and for a second I was caught off guard but played it off with a smile.

God, I've missed him.

"C'mon Tyler let us put those big boy muscles to use." I said as I hiked myself onto the tiled edge of the pool and beckoned Tyler towards me, "next round I wanna be on top." He said, no hint of amusement on his face.

"How am I–"

"You're strong, you'll figure it out love and plus I'm not heavy, I weigh like 200 pounds." Is he for reals right now?

"Ha, fatass!" Ace exclaimed as I climbed onto Tyler's shoulders, my arms resting against his head to keep myself balanced. He clutched my ankles and ran his hand up my leg, teasing me. I knew he was teasing me because why the hell not, it's Tyler after all.

"How do you get a pass at calling someone fatass. . .fatass." Max retaliated and I shook my head, laughing softly under my breath as we approached them.

"Never thought I'd see the day when guys call one another fat asses." Erika sighed in defeat, clearly as exhausted as I am to hear these guys insult one another on their eating habits when they all eat like pigs.

"We're gonna smoke y'all asses and have you guys for dinner." Ace smirked as we all gathered around one another in the centre of the pool. "Ew don't say that ever again, that sounds extremely gay," Max exclaimed, we all burst into fits of laughter, including Aaron who seemed to find it more amusing than any of us.

"Yeah don't forget to say no homo after shit like that." Tyler slapped him on the back and Ace shot him a glare before he tightened his hands around Erika's thighs and smirked mischievously. 

"Are you guys ready?"

A chorus of yes's rang around us and Ace nodded his head, his smirk turning more devilish by the second. "On your mark, get set. . .GO!"