Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 119152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
“We didn’t pop them! He dove into the pool and popped it.” She stabs her finger in Ben’s direction.
“Well, it was your idea to draw names.”
Which worked out for Hannah. By some miracle, she drew Levi’s name to share a float with. Hannah looks at me, guilt swimming in her eyes.
“Oh, stop being a baby. It’s a float. What, you scared to sit by me?” Ben asks. “As long as you don’t peck at me, we’ll be good.” I shoot daggers at him. He holds his chest and laughs. “It’s a joke. Come on. It’ll be fun. A game of let’s-see-if-we-can-get-a-whole-movie-in-without-trying-to-drown-each-other.”
I want to smack him with my towel. Maybe wrap it around his neck and squeeze. The glimmer in his eyes says I won’t last through opening credits. Well, he’s not winning this one. “You know what? Let’s do it. I do love seeing boys cry during the sappy parts.”
His smile falls. “I don’t cry.”
I wave him off and grab the double-seated float. “Don’t forget to grab the Kleenex.” I walk down the stairs into the pool and carefully climb into the raft so I don’t get—
“Where you going, partner? Not floating away without me, are you?” I squeal as Ben jumps into the hole of the floaty, splashing water and forcing me to grip the sides so I don’t fall over.
“Can you not do that?” I snap.
“Do what? The movie’s starting.” He starts kicking his legs out to push us deeper into the pool.
“I’m not ready!” I’m going to kill him! I hold onto the handles and almost fall into the pool. Ben reaches over and snags his arm around my waist before I barrel under.
“Slow down there, duckling. Swim time is over.” I catch my bearings and finally get situated. “You always this needy?”
“Are you always this jerky?” I snap. He wiggles his brows, and I debate holding his face under the water.
“Can you please be quiet? I’m trying to watch the movie.”
“You’re the one talking!” He’s infuriating.
“How am I supposed to be quiet if you keep talking to me? Honestly, it’s like you want me to keep talking to you.”
I scoff, digging my hands into the raft. He only laughs harder, irritating me more. “Seriously. I’d rather drown than spend this whole movie with you.”
“Wow, big words, duckling.”
“Chase, stop!” Hannah yells from a row of floats in front of me.
“Dude, no one cares about this part.” Chase fast-forwards the movie. “Now we’re talkin—”
“Chase!” Hannah yells again. Of course, he stopped at an inappropriate scene.
“What? You know this is the only reason you girls watch this stuff. Gotta learn somehow.” He laughs like an idiot.
Hannah whips an inflatable ball at him. “Yeah, right. It has an actual storyline, unlike the dumb stuff you watch. Oh, wait, I forgot cartoons aren’t considered movies.”
Kip and Levi burst out laughing as Chase splashes Hannah.
Ben leans my way. “You like this kind of stuff, duckling?”
I roll my eyes and scoff. “What stuff?”
“You know. . . the kissing, touching. . . Have you kissed a boy yet?”
I hate how he puts me on the spot. I hate how close he is. So close, I can feel his blue eyes as he stares at me, waiting for an answer. I’m too embarrassed to say no, I haven’t, and too shy to lie and say I have. “Oh, boy. I’m gonna take that as a no. Then again, you’re only thirteen. A baby—”
“Would you just shut up?”
“Whoa, feisty. Maybe these scenes do it for you.”
I squirm around in my hole to face him. “You really want to do this right now?”
His eyes light up, and the stupidest grin forms across his face. “Do what, duckling? I wasn’t offering to be your first kiss—”
“Oh my god, gross! Ben, put it away!” I shout, grabbing everyone’s attention.
Ben glares at me, his eyes asking, “What the hell are you doing?”
“What’s going on back there?” Levi asks.
“Ben totally has a boner watching the old woman on the screen! So gross!”
“What? I don—”
“Whoa, Wallace, you into milfs?” Chase asks.
“I don’t like the—”
“It totally makes sense now!” I taunt further. “I saw you looking at Mrs. Matthews, but, man, I didn’t—”
“I don’t like fucking milfs!”
“Dude, you have the hots for my mom? That’s messed up.” Kip groans.
“You’re gonna get it.”
“Milf lover—”
He cuts me off, and I squeal as he tips us sideways into the water. I barely have time to suck in a breath before I go under. Darn it, my hair! It took me so long to blow dry and straighten it for school photos tomorrow.
When I pop back up, Ben is in my face. “You’re gonna regret that.” Turning, he swims to the ledge and takes off into the house.
“And then the little rabbit jumped for joy when he spotted the basket full of—”
The fire alarm blares, and the children jump. “Okay, everyone. Just like we practiced. This is only a drill, but it’s important to pay attention. Sarah, what is your role?”