"Thanks for all of your help, guys." Rikki grumbled while sitting at the counter of the JuiceNet Cafe. Cleo sat beside Rikki while Emma stood behind the counter in front of them, handing them each a glass of freshly mixed juice.
"It wasn't our fault, Rikki." Cleo protested.
"You were the one who fell in so carelessly. You're lucky no one paid attention. Didn't you think someone could see you?" Emma scolded. Rikki rolled her eyes.
"Well maybe if we didn't stand so close to the edge of the dock, I wouldn't have fallen in."
"How could have you fallen in anyway? Didn't you know where we were standing?" Cleo asked.
"How was I supposed to know?"
"I don't know, maybe actually turn around and look behind you?" Emma suggested icily.
"Your family was crowding around me! I had no choice but to step back!" Rikki whined.
"Your aunt seems very nice, Emma." Cleo quickly changed the subject. "And your cousin doesn't seem all the bad either."
"Yeah. You didn't tell us how hot he was." Rikki wiggled her eyebrows at Emma. Emma's frustrated expression immediately twisted into disgust.
"Are you serious? It's Percy! He's not attractive at all!"
"No, he is. I love his eyes." Cleo let out a pleasant sigh of daydreaming in thought of Percy. "It's a shame he has a girlfriend."
"Who brings their girlfriend on a family trip anyway?" Rikki pointed out. Emma shrugged.
"I don't know why she came. Percy's never mentioned her before. I thought all girls who weren't blood related to him stood in a fifty meter radius around him." Emma explained. Rikki and Cleo giggled.
"I can see why they couldn't stay away, though. He's so handsome." Cleo giggled to herself again.
"Who's handsome?" A fourth voice cut in from behind Cleo and Rikki. Cleo and Rikki swung their chairs around to face Lewis, who stood carrying fishing supplies.
"Emma's cousin. He's so hot." Rikki answered brightly.
"Cousin? You never mentioned a cousin before, Emma." Lewis reminded.
"That's because he lives in New York with my mum's sister." Emma said. "But don't worry. You're not missing out on much."
"What do you have against Percy? Did he used to take your animal crackers?" Rikki joked. Emma glared.
"He did, in fact. He's like having an annoying brother. He's messy and he stole my animal crackers, and he always wanted to roughhouse. He was always running around and not even caring about other people's feelings." Emma complained.
"He seems different now. He seems like a really nice guy." Cleo protested.
"I think, um, I should maybe be the, uh, judge of that." Lewis chimed in. "I wanna meet this Percy."
"He and his girlfriend are resting now and adjusting to the time difference." Emma informed.
"Oh? He has a girlfriend?"
"Unfortunately."
"Rikki, you have a boyfriend. Please stop hitting on my cousin." Emma grumbled.
"I'm not hitting on anyone, Emma. Can't I admire another human being's beauty?" Rikki joked. Emma sighed.
"You're-you're not...hitting...on him, are you, Cleo?" Lewis stammered.
"Is it a problem if I am?" Cleo countered, narrowing her brown eyes at him. Lewis shifted uncomfortably.
"No! No, no...no problem here. I was just...curious, is all." Lewis said.
"Good thing it's not a problem then. I might just flirt with Percy and have some fun."
"Cleo!" Emma squeaked.
"Hey, you." A redheaded teenage girl walked up to the group and immediately linked her arm with Lewis's. Emma, Cleo, and Rikki frowned.
"Hey, Charlotte." The trio muttered.
"Ready to go fishing?" Charlotte asked Lewis.
"Oh, yeah! Yeah! I'm ready. You're ready, right?"
"Of course, Lewis." Charlotte giggled playfully. "I'm always ready."
"I'll see around sometime guys. And remember, I want to meet this Percy guy and see how great he really is." Lewis insisted, prompting Cleo and Rikki to laugh and roll their eyes. Lewis and Charlotte turned away and pushed through the beaded doorways outside.
"Hey, if Lewis and Percy had to fight it out in a ring, who do you think would win?" Rikki asked.
"Oh, definitely Percy! Lewis isn't really that strong, and Percy looks so strong." Cleo answered.
"Guys! Can we please stop talking about Percy now?" Emma hissed.
"Who's Percy?" A voice asked. Emma closed her eyes in frustration before slowly turning around to face her boss, Ash.
"Percy's...no one." Emma answered.
"He's her boyfriend." Rikki chimed in.
"What!? No he's not!"
"B-boyfriend!?" Ash choked out, raising his eyebrows. Emma glared at Rikki, who returned the look with a grin.
"Ash, Percy is not my boyfriend. He's my cousin." Emma quickly assured.
"You've never mentioned a Percy before." Ash pointed out.
"That's because he lives in New York. I haven't seen him since we were eleven."
"He'll be staying at Emma's for quite a while, actually." Rikki added.
"And he's staying with you? Aren't there plenty of hotels around here?" Ash grumbled, unconvinced by Emma's story. Emma scowled.
"Ash, he's my cousin. He and my aunt are just trying to save some money is all. They only have American currency." Emma explained.
"Well, then. I guess that's that." Ash was unsure of what to say next. "Can you wipe down tables outside?"
"Of course. Anything for you." Emma muttered sarcastically. She shot an irritated look at Cleo and Rikki before storming off. Ash walked away from the counter, disappearing through the doors to the back. Cleo and Rikki both looked at each other and then burst into giggles.
"We shouldn't do that to Emma. She really likes Ash." Cleo pointed out.
"All the more fun it makes it!"
"Well what if I told Zane?"
"And what exactly are you going to tell him?" Rikki's playful demeanor was starting to falter.
"Just tell him that you have the hots for Emma's cousin." Cleo innocently twirled a strand of her hair.
"You'll only make him mad."
"Isn't that what you're trying to accomplish with Ash and Lewis?"
"Well, yeah, but it's funny to see them get jealous. It means that they have feelings. Lewis obviously still has feelings for you, and Ash has feelings for Emma."
"Ash and Emma are actually dating each other, Rikki. Lewis is dating Charlotte now."
"For now." Rikki winked at the frowning Cleo.