Chapter Two: New Friendships

Lil smiled at what Tommy said. She wasn't sure what he meant by that, but she guessed she would find out soon enough. She was going to say something to him but she heard Phil yell something and she turned around as he came running up to her, picking her up, and carrying her into the water. "Phillip! What are you doing?!" she yelled to him as he threw her into the water.

"I'm wanting to spend some time with my sister while here. Why not force you in the water?" he flashed her a smile and then turned her around to face where the girl was "She's over there, Lillian."

"She has a name. Kimi, I do believe it is."

Phil looked at her "How did you know that?"

Lil turned back around to face Phil and then motioned over towards where she had been standing "Tommy told me. He knows her."

Phil looked back over at Kimi. "What else do you know about her?"

"Nothing, Phillip. Now if you don't mind, I'm getting out of the water"

**
Kimi looked over towards the shore where Tommy was standing. l "Why doesn't Tommy ever get in the water?"

Chuckie started hesitating and Kimi noticed "Chuckie... What are you hiding?"

"Nothing. Why would you think I'm hiding something? I'm not hiding anything."

Kimi rolled her eyes and started towards Tommy. When she reached him she noticed that he had a smile on his face and was looking over at some girl "Tommy Pickles, have you already found the girl who you're going to go after?"

Tommy looked away from Lil and over at Kimi "This girls name is Lil. She lives in New York and she wants to transfer here. So if she does end up transferring here, you can count on me going after her." he gave Kimi a wink before she got out of the water and stood in front of him.

Kimi couldn't lie. At one point she did have a crush on Tommy for the longest time. Then she realized how big of a womanizer he is and made herself get over him. They've been nothing but friends since. "So, why aren't you in the water?"

"I just don't feel like going in." he shrugged and crossed his arms and looked over at Dil and Chuckie. Kimi gave him a look. She knew he was hiding something, she just didn't know what "I'll come in later."

Kimi sighed and was about to start making her way back when Phil and Lil made their way out of the water. Lil walked back to where she was standing before Phil had grabbed her "Tommy, this is my brother, Phil."

Tommy gave Phil a smile and then looked over at Kimi "And this is my friend, Kimi."

Kimi held her hand out to Lil and smiled "It's good to meet you"

Kimi met Phil's eyes and smiled at him, holding her hand out to him "Tommy told me that you two are from New York."

He took her hand and gave her a smile, not really sure what to say her. He nodded and out of the corner of his eyes watched Lil roll her eyes and she elbowed him "Use your words, Phillip" she looked back over at Kimi "But yes, we are from New York, and as nice as it is there, I want out."

Kimi giggled and pulled her hand away from Phil "California is the place to move to then. I've been here my whole life and so has Tommy, it's really nice here."

"So I've heard" Lil said with a smile.

"So, my question is, how exactly did you two meet?"

Tommy crossed his arms and looked down at Kimi "I tripped over her."

"Literally. He was running and tripped over me"

Kimi turned to Tommy and shook her head "For a quarterback you're bad a multitasking."

Lil smiled at him "Quarterback, huh?" she nudged Phil with her elbow to get his attention from Kimi "Did you hear that, Philly? He's a football player, too."

"Oh yeah? Quarterback?" Tommy nodded and Phil smiled "Linebacker."

Kimi put an arm on Tommy's shoulder and leaned on him "Tommy here got a football scholarship. He'll be playing in college."

Phil laughed and nodded "Yeah, me too."

Chuckie and Dil were watching from a distance and started calling to Kimi and Tommy trying to get them in the water. Kimi gave Phil and Lil one last smile before going back over to them. Lil took Kimi's spot on the other side of Tommy and Phil kept his eyes glued to Kimi. Tommy looked at Phil and laughed "Kimi's a nice person. I've known her my whole life."

"Really?" Phil and Lil asked in unison.

Tommy nodded "Her brother, Chuckie, is my best friend, and has been since I was one."

"Is her brother one of the guys out there?" Phil asked, a little hope in his voice.

"Yes actually," Tommy said pointing towards Chuckie "the one with the red hair and glasses. That's Chuckie, her step-brother. Kimi and her mom moved here from Paris when she was one, and Kira, her mom, met Chas, Chuckie's dad, and it went from there."

"So hypothetically speaking, if I were to go after her, what would her brother do?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Chuckie's not as protective as a brother should be." Tommy said with a shrug.

Lil smiled and walked up behind Phil pushing him towards the water "Go get her, Phillip." Phil rolled his eyes but made his way into the water anyways. "So, why aren't you in the water with them?" Lil asked Tommy with a smile.

"Honestly?" Lil nodded "You can't tell Kimi."

"I don't even know her" Lil said with a laugh.

Tommy shrugged "I can just see you two being friends. I'm scared of the water."

"Why?" she raised and eyebrow and stepped into the water "Water is relaxing." she said splashing him with it.

"You can say that. But when you're only a few years old and almost drown, it's a different story."

"Oh? You almost drowned?" Lil asked standing in front of him, her feet still in the water. Tommy nodded and Lil grabbed his arms and started pulling him towards the water "You're older now. You're what, eighteen? Nineteen?"

"Eighteen." he said and raised his eyebrows at her.

"You're able to stand in the deep water now. You don't even have to go that deep, water isn't bad."

Tommy shook his head and stood in front of Lil in the water "The fear will never be gone."

Lil shrugged "Too bad. What's going on in three days?"

"Oh, that, " he said getting out of the water and shaking his head "A bonfire. I want you there, bring your brother." he said looking over at Phil and Kimi.

The two were laughing with Chuckie and Dil. From what Tommy and Lil could see, the two were getting along and Phil was probably going to get what he wanted. "Will Kimi be there?" Tommy nodded and Lil smiled "We'll be there."