No, no, no, no, no, NO.
"Alice!"
Splash.
Her cry was immediately muffled off as she was submerged in the ice cold water. Temporarily baffled, it took the brunette a little longer than usual to regain her bearings. There was water everywhere. She could feel it in her ears, nose, even her eyes.
Oh, she thought, this bitch is going to pay.
She kicked off of the hard bottom, shooting herself up to the surface above. That was always her favorite part. Zooming through the water faster than she could normally swim gave her a sense of power. Something she never had in her world full of supernatural beings. Breaking the surface she spat out the chlorinated water, ridding her face of it as much as she could.
"Alice!" she roared, though to the vampire it sounded more like a kitten meowing at its mother. Bella scowled at her, already plotting revenge for the pixie sitting at the edge. She had only a split second to make her decision; otherwise the vampire would see it and be too quick for the human to conquer. When the soaked brunette spotted two pale, pedicured feet hanging off the side into the water, she knew what must be done.
Already too close before she had made up her mind, Alice didn't have enough time to dodge the attack.
Bella had leaped forward with all that she had and clung to Alice's ankles like the black haired girl was her life force. The vampire squealed, and while she could easily fight the fragile human off, she would do anything to see that smile. So when Bella tugged with all the strength her five foot seven form could muster, Alice allowed herself to fling dramatically into the pool below.
The resonating splash was joined by Bella's loud victory cry as she swam proud circles around the sputtering vampire. It was Alice's turn to scowl and she pushed her short, wet hair out of her face. She turned quickly; barely giving Bella enough time to register what was happening before she was once again surrounded by water.
Bella fought against the strong hand currently holding her under. Emmett's booming laughter could be heard above, unmistakable even though it sounded like he had cotton balls filling his mouth. The brunette's eyes flashed open and – realizing quickly that struggling against a vampire was just that, a struggle – she launched herself instead around the pixie's small waist, using the girl to climb back to the oxygen that she was desperately beginning to need.
Breathing labored, she came face to face with those honey gold eyes and button nose she had come to adore. At the sight Bella let her competitiveness slide. In its place a strong affection was clear as the brunette placed her forehead against Alice's.
The bell-like giggle she received in return was well worth the failed victory.
"Hello there, beautiful," Alice murmured and wrapped her arms around Bella's neck, mimicking the position the other girl had around her waist.
Bella tried her hardest not to blush, knowing it could have an unwelcome affect on the vampire in front of her. But the gold eyes didn't flicker in the slightest, so she relaxed and let the heat flush her face.
"I got you," she grinned. Bella was not about to let her one, however short lived, win against Alice be forgotten. It had taken careful planning and skill!
Well, not entirely, but it still counted for something.
"And I got you twice." The shorter girl shot back, baring an adorable grin of her own.
"That hardly counts! You could've dunked an entire SWAT team if you wanted!"
"But I didn't. I wanted to dunk you. And I did, multiple times." Amusement was clear in her voice.
"I don't think two qualifies for the word 'multiple'."
"Don't pout, Bells! It doesn't suit you." Emmett laughed again, piping up from his place in the pool. He was chest deep in the water, arms hanging off the concrete on either side of his head. Rosalie was in a tanning position, sunglasses and all, on a lounge chair directly behind him. She hadn't spoken at all until said brunette stuck her tongue out at the bear-like boy, which evoked a scoff from the snarky blonde.
"What are you, five?"
"Oh, knock it off, Rose. Don't get your fangs in a twist." Alice scolded, shooting her adopted sister a look.
"Hey, Rosalie, why don't you come on in?"
"Yeah!" Emmett added, to which Bella smirked, "the waters great!"
"That's such a stereotypical human thing to say."
"Good thing you already have the stereotypical human girl act down." Bella retorted.
Cue classic Rosalie glare. Bella could feel the intensity of it through the girl's sunglasses. Usually it would've spiked a bit of fear in her, but being in Alice's arms made her feel virtually invincible.
"There it is!" Bella laughed, "Come on, before me and Emmett push you in."
"Put your filthy hands on me and I'll rip them off."
The brunette deflated slightly at that. She knew better than to brush off Rosalie's threats.
Emmett, apparently, did not.
He launched himself out of the pool in record time; though Bella had to remind herself that it was not record time to the bodies around her, especially if Bella could actually see Emmett doing it.
Bella buried her head in Alice's neck at the exact same time a sharp shriek pierced the air.
1…
2…
3 –
"EMMETT!"
Even Alice didn't stick around for the aftermath of Emmett's terrible mistake. She launched out of the pool as soon as Rosalie's wave hit their bodies, and she pulled Bella with her. The vampire grabbed two towels and ushered them inside, but even the walls of the Cullen house couldn't block off the sound of Emmett's screaming. Bella almost felt bad.
Almost.