Miley's POV
After finding out my summer would be spent with Nick and Alex, a part of me died. It was like a kick in the face. Like as though every ground I had stood over the trip to California was gone, lost and pointless.
"Great." I muttered under my breath. I looked at my watch and it was just hitting 7:30pm. I looked up to see Nick and Alex shuffling their feet and fumbling with their bags. They were just as annoyed as I was. "I'm gonna go and unpack, better it's done now."
I sighed deeply and grabbed my bags, heading up the stairs in hunt for the triple room. The others stayed in the lower level, chatting and talking about the house and how excited they were to stay the summer in California.
I eventually found the triple room, there was a set of bunk beds where the top was a single mattress and bottom was a double, and one single bed. I bagged the bottom bunk and started to open all my bags to unpack; better it be done as soon as possible so I could enjoy myself sooner.
The room also had a three door wardrobe, a bedside cabinet by the single bed and one by the bunk beds, a set of drawers with 4 draws and a tall floor lamp. I put all my underwear on one side of the draw which was now mine, and tank tops and bandeaux tops on the other side because hanging them up would be pointless. I hung all my other stuff up, folding my shorts and stacking them in the bottom in the part of wardrobe that was mine, and laid the empty suitcase under neath the bunk bed where it fit nicely.
All my other stuff like chargers, books, and stuff like that were put in the bedside cabinet and I placed all my toiletries in the bathroom in one of the many compartments to store stuff in, and my toothbrush in the holder. Luckily, there was a large supply of towels there for everyone to share. I got into some clean pajamas while in the bathroom, quickly dampened and dried my face, and brushed my teeth ready for a proper nights sleep without an alarm awaking me.
It was now about 8pm and everyone was starting to file one by one into their rooms for the night to get themselves sorted out. The living area of the beach house didn't have a ceiling, so you could look over a balcony down into the living room and kitchen area from the top level where the bedrooms are.
Nick was sat at the dining table alone, fumbling on his phone. I assumed Alex had gone down the lower level with Jack and Selena to check out the private pool we had, the door was down there to access it. Demi, Joe, Ashley and Zac had all gone into their rooms. I rolled my eyes at Nick and then turned to go back into the room and closed the door.
I fell back onto the double bed and let out a sigh. Finally relaxed and alone for a little while. The comforter (quilt/duvet) was a thin one, to cater for the muggy nights L.A. had in story for us, yet super soft.
I grabbed my headphones and put on "That's What You Get" by Paramore. I fell asleep to the soothing voice of Hayley Williams.
"Miley!" A loud whisper awoke me. A fully dressed and ready Alex was peering down at me with a large smile on his face.
"What time is it?!" I said, looking around.
"It's 11am!" He replied. I sat up and looked around. The single bed was a mess of blankets and empty, and I could hear a soft snoring; Nick had the top bunk.
I sat up and looked around, "Why do you need me right now?" I asked quietly. He sat opposite me on his single bed.
"I was gonna take the first hit of grocery shopping and wanted to know if you would come with?" He asked sincerely. He was trying to make our relationship like the old times, he was trying.
I smiled at him and nodded. "Give me a few to get ready."
About 20 minutes later, I went down stairs and saw Alex sat on the sofa watching the news. I'd quickly washed, brushed teeth, got dressed, did make-up lightly, did hair and slipped on my shoes. I was wearing a pair of light wash denim shorts, white tennis shoes and a plain white crop t-shirt with a little pocket on the chest. I'd let my hair down in it's natural waves but pinned the bangs back.
"Ready?" Alex asked as he switched the TV off and I nodded, walking out the front with him to the car. I assumed everyone else was either still asleep, in the pool or on the beach already.
We both got in the car, Alex in the drivers seat, and he started to reverse out of the driveway and commenced into driving in the street.
"Finding Walmart will be funny." He said in light conversation.
I nodded with a chuckle and admired the beach we were passing on the road.
"So, uh, I figured we could half whatever the amount comes to. We'll just buy the raw basics, if anyone wants something that isn't necessary like Reese's pieces or Red Vines they can spend their own money on it." Alex stated.
"Yeah, I agree. We should literally get like bread, milk, butter, soda, fruit - all those sorts of things." I replied. Alex nodded and tapped his thumb on the steering wheel while he drove. I leaned over and turned the radio on, it was "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke, Pharrell and T.I.. I put it on low volume so it was just background music.
We eventually found Walmart, and it was fortunately only about 5 minutes away from the beach house. Alex parked up and we got out, grabbed a cart and entered the store. The cool air conditioning immediately hit us after the beating heat of the sun outside.
I pushed the cart around the store and Alex walked in front, taking things off the shelves and out of fridges and placed them into the cart. He turned around and smiled at me as we walked in silence around the store.
I liked this. Not walking around Walmart shopping for my friends, but being with Alex alone. It was just like the old times, where nothing was confusing and we just enjoyed one another's company. When we just spent time with one another because we could.
Alex had always had some sort of a crush on me, according to Jack, since we met in freshman year, but he'd never acted upon them. We'd acted like a couple though; holding hands sometimes, kissing now and again, always together, arms around one another.
"Hey..." Alex said, making me jump and come out of my daze. "You okay?" He asked with a smile. I nodded in reassurance and he nodded. "Good." He replied.
We got back to the house at about 12pm and had spent $100, $50 each. At least our turn of shopping was done for a few weeks now.
After unpacking all the stuff we'd bought, I'd realised that no-one was around on the middle level.
"Hello?" I shouted.
"DOWN HERE!" I heard Selena's distant voice from the lower level. Alex had disappeared upstairs to our room, probably to put swim shorts on.
I walked down the stairs and out of the back door to see Selena sunbathing and Jack and Nick in the pool playing water polo with each other. I assumed that the others [Zac, Ashley, Demi and Joe] had gone out onto the beach or for lunch somewhere.
"Hey guys!" I said happily, walking into the sun. Selena smiled at me and extended her arms for a hug.
"Thank you for going shopping this morning! We really appreciate it!" She said with a sincere smile.
"It was no problem, we only got the necessities!" I looked around and saw Jack and Nick making huge splashes, a small smile crept onto my face.
Alex came out from behind me and ran and bombed into the pool. Nick looked extremely happy today for some reason. A smile looked good on him.
"Hey Mi, if you want to save yourself from going up all the stairs to get a bikini, just borrow one of mine! They're in the second draw down." She said, pointing into the house. I nodded and went though the back door, past the stairs and into Jack and Selena's room.
I chose a neon blue bikini from the drawer, quickly slipped my clothes off and put it on. I tied my hair up with the scrunchy I had around my wrist into a messy bun.
I walked back out into the pool area and sat on one of the sun beds while applying some sun cream, watching the boys play with the ball in the pool with a smile on my face. The three most important guys in my life were finally getting along!
I figured Nick and I should talk at some point, so I decided to f*ck any morals that there were between us and didn't beat around the bush. I stood up and cleared my throat.
"I'll play to make even teams! Nick and I vs. Alex and Jack?" I said. Nick looked shocked, yet happy. Alex and Jack nodded, and I walked down the steps and into the water. It was so refreshing and cool!
I looked over at Nick very briefly as we stood on the same side of the net and he flashed a quick smile at me. I smiled back sincerely, despite the evident tension between us. I wanted to call a truce and leave all the previous antics behind with us, but we'd have to begin to get comfortable around one another again for that to happen.
"Alright?" He asked me quietly, assuring himself I was ready to play. I could tell he was slightly nervous of my presence. Like as if he knew he was in the wrong with the sudden kiss he'd committed a few days ago.
"Yes!" I replied. Nick smiled at me with his teeth (very rare), which I knew meant he was pretty content. He ran his hand through his wet curls and slicked his hair back. I almost died from the attractiveness that a single gesture had done.
Alex and Jack were stood with their backs to us, planning how they would defeat us.
"You know, I just wanted to apologize. I mean, I haven't spoken to you for almost two days because I'm such an indecisive dick." Nick said suddenly. I looked at him and nodded sincerely.
"Nick, that's all I wanted to hear." I said with a smile. I walked over to him through the water and hugged him tightly. "Just think before you act." I murmured.
I saw Alex see us over his shoulder briefly, but he didn't react. His eyes did seem slightly hurt but I think he was letting go of the 'protective big brother/lover' act.
The game of water polo soon started, and I hadn't realised how good the boys were at the game. Jack and Alex were scoring goal after goal, and ten minutes in Nick and I were ten points down. I was a bit fed up with the game by now so I raised my hand.
"I'm too tired now guys, I'll leave you to it." I said, exiting the pool; Jack and Alex were making multiple comments over me being a pussy. Nick bit his lip and smiled at me understandingly.
I noticed Selena had fallen asleep in her attempt to "catch some rays", so I ventured inside and up the stairs to grab some drinks.
As I went on my tippy toes to grab some glasses to put the soda in, I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist and a familiar body press up against mine. I gulped.
"Can we try this again...us...?" The voice huskily breathing down my ear. I nodded and turned my body around like lightning.
As just like that, I was making out with Nick in the middle of the beach house kitchen.
It felt right, and I, somehow, finally had faith in this 'thing'...whatever this 'thing' would escalate to be.
I'm so motherfucking sorry for this you guys. I'm awful at updating, I know. But I do try my best.
What with A levels beginning and my social life at its highest, I never have time to sit and write. But I hope this chapter suffices, I won't promise and update soon, but there definitely will be more.
Katie xx