Chapter 37
The weekend flew by, and Monday brought us back to Lava Springs. Fulton was a beast, for the first time I was glad to get away from him and deal with the members' kids. I didn't envy Joey and Jesse the day they were going to have. The kids were getting better at least, more than a few could hit the ball straight, and the number of clubs flying at my head was smaller. I got clipped by one though, when Ryan showed up for a personal lesson in a tight green polo shirt and matching hat, not that he needed one.
"Ow." I rubbed the spot on my head where the club had impacted me.
Ryan snickered, and pulled his golf bag off his cart.
"Hey." I said, glaring at him.
"Sorry, I didn't know I was so distracting." He said with a smile as he carried the bag up to the driving line.
"Liar." I said, picking up the club and returning it to the little terror that seemed Hell bent on killing me. The kid didn't even apologize.
Ryan pulled a club from his bag, and grabbed it by the wrong end. "I'm ready for my lesson, Mr. Bolton." He said, pitching his voice up to sound like a little boy.
I sighed. "You're not going to make this easy for me, are you?"
He shook his head. "I have to make sure you're earning the fat paycheck my parents are giving you."
I stuck my tongue out at him, and took the club from his hands, flipping it over as I did so. "Try holding it this way, you'll hit the ball way farther."
He smiled, and took the club from me, then proceeded to knock the ball to the end of the small range. "Hey, you're right." He said.
I punched him in the arm. "I know I am. And you're a brat, you know that?"
He leaned in and placed a kiss on my cheek. "And you love it." He said after pulling back. He hit another ball to the end of the range.
"Yeah, I guess I'm a masochist." I said with a laugh.
The week sped by, just as the weekend had. Even though we all knew that Paul was coming for us, we didn't spend much time preparing. There wasn't much we could do; there was no telling what bizarre powers he might have, so there wasn't anything we could do to prepare. To make matters worse he'd be attacking when only Sharpay, and maybe Jesse, would be effective against him. The only thing in our favor was the hope that we'd be able to use the whistle to either distract or get rid of any winged henchmen he brought with him.
For one week, at least, we focused on just being normal teenagers spending their last summer together before college. Of course, as normal teenagers, that meant I was focused entirely on my impending nineteenth birthday. I didn't want to make a big deal out of it, but Ryan and Sharpay wouldn't be satisfied with anything less than a spectacle that could qualify for a Tony Award. I tried convincing them that a barbeque at my house was all I wanted. Yeah, that didn't work so well. My birthday was Sunday, but they scheduled the party for Saturday night so we'd have time to recover. They booked the area at Lava Springs where the talent show and their last birthday had been held; also the place where our State Championship party had been held. I noticed that for once they weren't planning an exclusive after party at the Lava Springs pool, which made sense seeing as the last one had ended with Sharpay becoming a Nagual and Zeke dying, but we were planning on hanging out at their house after. It was amazing any of us were comfortable at Lava Springs. So many horrible things had happened there, though for Ryan and I at least there were a few happy memories to hold onto; like the night I'd given him my class ring, the night he'd accidentally bitten me.
Sharpay and Ryan, mostly Sharpay, invited as much of the East High senior class as they could find, but most didn't show. I was still the Son of the East High Slayer after all, and most of them wanted to forget about me. Ryan talked to me about inviting Chad, but I wouldn't let him. I didn't think Chad would show up anyway, and even if he did I had no idea what I'd say to him. I knew Ryan and Chad had become friends the summer before, but that chapter of my life was closed as far as I was concerned.
Despite being my birthday, Ryan and Sharpay felt the need to perform. They did a pepped up version of Happy Birthday, with distinct salsa overtones, that Sharpay claimed Kelsi had written for them, but I couldn't see Kelsi writing something like that, not unless Sharpay had been standing over her shoulder with a bull whip anyhow, which I realized was a possibility. Sharpay wore a tight red dress with a long slit up the side; it didn't leave much to the imagination. Ryan wore a black pinstripe suit, with a red shirt, red and black wingtips, and a black fedora with a red band. He was breathtaking as always, and I noticed how hot his butt looked in the dress pants.
The party was small, as I'd expected it to be. Apart from my pack mates only about a dozen kids from school, almost all of them from the drama club, were in attendance, leaving most of the tables that the twins had setup empty.
After the dance the club's chef brought out the cake he'd baked. Nothing as dramatic as the ones Zeke had made for the twins' birthday, but a simple flat cake with baby blue frosting and nineteen candles. I made a silent wish that no one else I knew would die, closed my eyes, and blew out the candles on my first attempt. After the cake and ice-cream it was time for presents, which left me a little terrified; I hate it when people spend too much money on me, but dating an Evans made that inevitable.
Joey and Jesse got me a joint gift, I unwrapped the small package to find a new Xbox 360 game. It was a game that I'd been wanting to play for a while, but I guessed that they hadn't noticed that I didn't have an Xbox. Still it was the thought that counted I guess. Kelsi, of course, gave me a song she'd written for me. I'd have rather had a new basketball, but she gave me something from her heart, so I accepted it with as much grace as I could muster. Gabriella got me a get out of homework free card, promising that she'd do one assignment of my choice for me when school started. I was more than a little surprised that she'd condone cheating like that, but I made sure to put it in my wallet, I had every intention of using it. Jason told me that his gift wasn't appropriate for everyone to see, which got me interested. I wasn't sure what he could've gotten me that he didn't think was party appropriate.
After that it was time for the part I was dreading, the gifts from Ryan, Sharpay, and their parents. I unwrapped the box from his parents first. It wasn't as expensive as the car for graduation had been, not by a long shot, and for that I was thankful. They got me an Xbox 360, I looked from the box on the table in front of me to Joey and Jesse, Joey wouldn't meet my gaze, and Jesse flashed me a happy smile. The two bastards had known what the Evans were getting me, and hadn't said a word. I made a note to return the favor when their birthdays came around.
Sharpay's package was the biggest, but didn't weigh anywhere near as much as the Xbox did. I shook it a little, it felt like clothes. I glanced at her face and plastered on the most convincing grin I could before opening it. It was a new navy blue suit, Armani if the tag was to be believed, and coming from Sharpay I had no reason to doubt it.
"Wow, Armani." I tried not to let my annoyance show. It was a really nice suit, but she'd spent more on me than her parents had. Of course, she spent their money on me, but then again so had Ryan probably.
Sharpay smiled. "Only the best for my brother's boyfriend."
I smiled back at her, and then turned to look at the table where the gifts had been placed. It was empty. I looked at Ryan and raised an eyebrow. He winked at me. "Later." He said.
There was a little bit of dancing after that, Sharpay insisted, and then we ended the party. Sharpay told the staff to stay as long as the few guests who had bothered to come did, but the pack all headed over to the Evans's estate for some private time, not that we didn't get plenty of that after work during the week, but some sort of after party was now a tradition that I was used to.
Ryan and Sharpay's parents were out of town, off somewhere in Europe again like they were the last part of every summer from what Ryan said. We had the run of the house, and no uninfected people to worry about. Jason carried a large box from his truck into the house, but I still hadn't seen any sign of what Ryan had gotten me. I was beginning to wonder if it was sex, which wouldn't be bad. I'd already decided that there was no way he was getting to bed tonight without at least one romp on his silk sheets.
Ryan and Sharpay went upstairs to change out of the outfits they'd worn for the performance, and made Jason promise not to let me unwrap the box he'd brought in before they were back. Ryan was downstairs in a swimsuit only a few minutes later, but Sharpay took the better part of an hour. It looked like she'd taken a shower and redone her makeup. When she'd taken her seat and given Jason her leave to continue, he handed me the package while mumbling something.
I tore into the packaging and opened the long white box, uncovering a the sparkling shape of the sword I'd used on two occasions when we went down into the nest. I didn't quite understand why he was giving this to me, until I pulled it out and unsheathed it. I noticed that the entire blade was now a golden hue. I ran a finger along it. I heard Sharpay hiss from her seat on the couch, her eyes darted from me to Jason in a glare.
"Electroplated?" I asked.
Jason smirked at Sharpay and nodded. "I thought you might want something to use against Paul."
"That was all the gold I could get my hands on. It's not easy to come by, even when you have money." Ryan said.
"So is this from both of you then?" I asked.
Jason and Ryan shook their heads. "Jason all the way." Ryan said. "I just helped a little."
"So where's your gift then?" I asked Ryan while waggling my eyebrows at him in what I hoped was a suggestive way. I got the impression that I failed when he started snickering at me.
"You'll find out soon enough." He said. "But now it's time to hit the pool." I tried narrowing my eyes and pretending to be upset, but he saw right through me and laughed again. "Come on, let's get you changed."
There was no point in fighting, so I let him lead me upstairs. My swimsuits had all migrated back to my house, so he loaned me one of his. It was a bit tight in the waist, and didn't leave much of anything to the imagination. I felt exposed in them, which was strange since I knew that every single person there had seen me naked more than once already. Somehow the too small trunks made me feel more naked then being naked. There was no way I could wear those. I took them off and pulled on some board shorts without underwear. They weren't ideal, but they were comfortable. Ryan headed for the door once I was changed, but I grabbed him by the waistband and pulled him back towards me and into my arms. "Don't you want to show me my gift now?"
He turned around and leaned in to place an almost chaste kiss on my lips, and then he pulled back and winked at me. "Later. There's still plenty of the night left to have fun first."
I nuzzled up against his neck, smelling his clean skin. "Bring the night on." I whispered into his ear and let him lead me out and down to the pool.
Jason, Kelsi, Joey, and Jesse were already wet by the time we made it downstairs. Gabriella and Sharpay were sitting on lounge chairs at the side of the pool, just outside of splash range I noticed.
I embraced Ryan from behind and whispered into his ear again. "You sure you won't tell me what my present is?" I asked.
He shook his head. "You'll have to wait and see."
"Okay, but just remember, you asked for this." I said.
"Asked for what?" He asked.
"This." I said and moved one of my arms from his side and swept him off his feet and up into my arms before he could react. Then I charged into the deep-end of the pool, taking him in with me. Our heads bobbed above the surface, we were both laughing. Ryan swung his arm along the surface, spraying me with a wave of water. I dove under and grabbed for his legs. He kicked one free, but I grabbed the other and started tickling it before he was able to kick free and head for the shallow end of the pool.
I followed him under the water, and then surfaced with the biggest splash I could muster, catching Jesse and Kelsi in the watery explosion. Ryan was prepared for me though and his own splash hit me in the face before I was even half way standing.
Watery Armageddon erupted at that point. Both Joey and Jason felt the need to rush to the rescue, sending waves crashing at Ryan and I from both sides. I spun around, trying my best to splash everyone. Jesse dove beneath the surface before the spray reached him; a high pitched squeal from the darkness beyond the pool let me know that my attack had reached Sharpay. I didn't have the time to enjoy my small victory though. The dark-haired beast that was Jason pounced on my back and dragged me under the water. I broke free of his grasp, and stood up gasping for air, only to have Joey land on me and try to dunk me again. He underestimated my strength though, and I pushed his head below the surface before releasing him and swimming backwards away from my assailants.
I felt my back press against the edge of the pool, and took stock of my situation. Jason was advancing from my right, Joey from the middle, and Ryan was hanging just out of reach to my left, all three looked intent on dragging me under. Kelsi and Jesse were watching from their seats on the pool steps.
"You're not going to get me without a fight." I said skimming my alarm along the surface enough to spray all three of them.
"I didn't think we would." Ryan said before throwing himself at me. He was small enough and light enough that he alone would've had trouble dunking me. But Joey went for my legs at the same time. I toppled sideways into the water, with Ryan on top of me; Jason pressed his hands against my chest and heaved me under the water.
I emerged from the water sputtering and turned to face the three grinning boys. "Okay. Fine. You got me." Then I focused my smile on Jason. "But I think it's Jason's turn next."
Jason's eyes widened and I saw Ryan nodding in agreement. Joey shrugged and attempted to trip the boy standing next to him. Jason lunged away from him just in time. And that's how our wet brawl went for the better part of an hour, three of us ganging up on a fourth to dunk him, then switching a new target as soon as the previous victim surfaced.
"You guys are such idiots, some times." Kelsi said when I emerged sputtering from the water for the dozenth time. I glanced from her to Jason.
"You know, those two look pretty comfortable. It'd be shame if someone happened to dunk them." I said while turning my back to the pair so they wouldn't hear.
Jason smiled. "It really would. You and Joey get Kelsi. Ryan and me will get Jesse." He said, and our other two conspirators nodded.
We pretended to be trying to dunk Jason again as we closed the distance towards the stairs, then turned on the two spectators. I snagged Kelsi's arms, keeping her from batting at me as she screamed in panic, and Joey grabbed her feet. We pulled her out to the center of the pool and submerged her. Ryan and Jason threw Jesse's struggling form into the water next to her. We all swam away from the struggling pair as fast as we could before they surfaced.
"Oh my God. You're a dead man, Jason." Kelsi said when she was done sputtering. Jason ran up the steps and out of the pool. He grabbed a towel and bolted for the house with Kelsi right behind him. Jesse took it a little better, jumping on his boyfriend's back and bearing him under the water in vengeance.