Sorry it took me so long to update! I was on a road trip for almost 2 weeks and I almost never had time to write this next chapter, and when I was done, I didn't have internet access! But I'm back for good now. Anyways, read on to find out who the mysterious stranger is!
Massie screamed like never before. All the while, the figure grunted as he righted himself and started lumbering towards her. When all the air was gone from Massie's lungs, she seemed to remember she was holding a trash bag in her hands. She lifted up the bag and swayed a bit from the sudden movement. And when the stranger was only a few feet away from her, she swung and hit his knees, causing him to buckle and fall. As you could probably imagine, getting hit by fifty or so metal cans in the knees would most likely cause a lot of pain. The person groaned in pain as he rolled around for a moment and then suddenly laid still.
Massie faltered for a second and her heart started to flutter very rapidly. Did she just kill the man? She lowered her arms and her hands trembled at the very thought of going to jail for murder. She frowned as another thought entered her mind. No, that's not possible. I hit the person with a freaking bag of soda cans. How much harm can that even do? Massie cautiously crept forward and gently nudged the fallen stranger with her foot. There was no response and despite the low temperature of the night, sweat started breaking out on Massie's cool forehead. She stood there for a moment without a single clue of what to do. Should she call the police? Call her friends?
"Gotcha!"
Massie screeched as she jumped about a foot high. Instinctively she raised the bag once again and struck down, this time on the head. The figure swore and as Massie raised the bag once more, he dodged by rolling to the side and cried out feebly.
"Wait, don't!"
He had rolled next to the patio door, the lights illuminating his face finally revealing his identity. "Mass, it's me." He croaked and put his arms over his head protectively just in case Massie decided to hit him again. When a moment had passed and he felt no crushing blow, he peeked out from behind his arms.
Massie stood there slack-jawed as she gaped at the familiar person in front of her. That flop of blond hair with those piercing blue eyes. Those muscular arms that she had been so accustomed to being wrapped around her waist. And his perfectly sculpted abs that peeked out from under his shirt when he had rolled over onto the patio. "Derrick," She breathed as she dropped down to him. "Oh my God, are you okay?"
Derrick Harrington winced as he sat up and gingerly rubbed his forehead. "Yup, I'm totally fine, Mass. Getting hit by a bunch of cans twice surely does not hurt at all."
Massie grimaced. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was you! I thought you were still in California. How did you even get here?"
Despite a throbbing headache that had already begun to form, Derrick smirked. "I hopped on a plane the day school got out. You're lucky our schools got out at the same day. I went to your school actually and tried to find you, but I guess you'd already gone home. I heard about your little party and thought I'd drop by to see you."
"Yeah, you're a few hours too late," Massie laughed, "If you haven't noticed. Why didn't you call me or anything?"
"Well, I wanted to surprise you and I even knocked and rang the doorbell. But I guess you didn't hear because you were out here all along. It's been too long," Derrick sighed and looked Massie directly in the eyes with a tiny hint of sadness.
"It really has been too long," Massie agreed.
The two had met in eighth grade and having the same English class led to many late night (last minute) revision of each other's essays over coffee and scones at Starbucks. And that tradition carried on through high school even though they didn't have the same English class together.
Freshmen year, Derrick had asked Massie to homecoming and ever since that night, the two had become an inseparable couple. But near the end of junior year, Derrick broke the news to her that he had to move to California for his father's new job. Devastated, Massie tried to persuade her parents to let Derrick stay and live with them but her parents objected.
So come senior year, Massie was boyfriend-less. They had decided that a long distance relationship would not work out too well and they should be given the chance to date other people. Massie had a couple relationships but neither of them lasted too long. Deep down in her heart, Massie knew there was no one that could make her feel like she did when she was with Derrick. And no one could ever replace him. They had stayed very good friends of course, but both knew they would never have the same kind of relationship as before.
"So is this how you welcome me?" Derrick smirked. "Screaming and attacking me with a trash bag? I didn't know you turned so violent. I deserve a hug, don't I?"
Massie slapped Derrick's arm instinctively and he winced and shot Massie a look. She rolled her eyes and apologized. She leaned in and gave Derrick a long, warming hug. She was glad for Derrick's body warmth because she was still soaking wet.
"And where's my kiss?" Derrick dead-panned. "It's the least you can do after hurting me, right?"
Massie blanched and stared at Derrick blankly. He winked and turned, pointing to his left cheek. Massie quickly gave Derrick a peck on his cheek and she felt herself blush.
"You really should have come earlier," Massie sighed and leaned back, "At least before Alicia, Josh, Kristen, Kemp, and everyone else left. They would've been really excited to see you. It's been like, what, five months since we all last saw you?"
Derrick nodded and then looked down at his shirt which now had dark, wet stains. "Yeah, probably. Why are you all wet? Did you go swimming in this temperature?"
"No, I had to pick up soda cans. They were all floating in the pool," Massie explained and shivered.
Derrick shrugged off his jacket and handed it over to Massie. "Here, take it. I don't want you getting sick."
Massie smiled and took his jacket gratefully. "Thanks, otherwise I would have a lot of explaining to do to my parents. Getting sick in the summer? That's a little odd."
"Ah, that's right. I noticed your parents weren't home," He chuckled, "So did I miss anything?"
"No, not really. It was the usual-too much partying and craziness." Massie said, "It's probably a good thing you didn't come earlier actually."
"You're right, then I wouldn't have gotten to spend time with you alone." Derrick stood up and offered a hand to Massie. "Do you need any help cleaning up?"
"Nope, I'm all done. Thanks though."
"So what do we do now then? I didn't come here for nothing," Derrick joked. "Let's do something."
Massie stared at him. "Derrick, it's like two-thirty in the morning. What are we supposed to do at this hour? It's not like we can go out and eat or something."
"I never said we had to go out. Let's just stay here in the backyard, okay?" A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. "Let's go swimming."
"What the hell, Derrick!" Massie yelled, "I just went "swimming" and I do not want to go back in there."
Derrick stepped forward and tugged Massie closer to him. "So? Can you not go back in there? Come on, Mass, it's just you and me."
She looked up and could not resist that charming smile Derrick always put on when he wanted something his way. He had traveled all the way from California to her home to visit her. "Fine, I guess."
Derrick's eyes lit up as he chuckled. "I knew it." And in a flash he took off his grey shirt and dropped it on the chaise lounge. "Are you gonna come in?"
Massie eyed the pool reluctantly and tried to deter Derrick from swimming. "You know, the pool has soda in it. It's gross."
"Even better, we can drink while we swim." Derrick unbuttoned his pants and started pulling his pants down.
"Derrick!" Massie shrieked, slapping her hands over her eyes. "Keep your pants on!"
"Relax, Mass," Derrick cracked up. "I've got my swimming trunks underneath. I came prepared."
Massie uncovered her face and saw Derrick in his blue plaid swimming shorts. Her eyes traveled up and rested on his body. It looked like the California sun had done wonders to his body. He was so much more tan than the last time she had seen him.
"Besides, it's not like you've never seen this." Derrick turned around and waggled his butt at her. He walked over to the edge near the diving board and executed a perfect dive, entering the water without a single sound. He emerged from the bottom and swam up to Massie who was still standing outside in his jacket. "If you don't come in right now, I'm going to come out and carry you in." He threatened, waiting expectantly.
"Don't you dare," Massie said and took off Derrick's jacket and set it down on top of Derrick's clothes. She slowly took off her tank top which was sticking to her and her shorts, trying to stall. She knew there was no way out of this. She stuck a foot in and instantly recoiled. "It's cold," she complained with a frown.
"It's not that bad, once you get in and start moving, you'll be totally warm." Derrick assured her.
Massie slowly inched deeper into the pool and she let out a breath when she was completely engulfed in water up to her neck. The lights from underneath lit up their bodies as Massie and Derrick started swimming. Derrick was well ahead of Massie but the distance between them soon closed as Massie caught up to Derrick.
"You still cold?" Derrick asked as he treaded water.
Massie nodded timidly, "Yeah, kinda." She held onto the edge while she moved her legs, trying to stay warm.
"Then let me warm you up," Derrick whispered and leaned in, kissing Massie.
Massie was stunned at the feeling of Derrick's lips on hers but soon she moved accordingly as she remembered the familiar feeling from before. Their tongues moved expertly as Derrick wrapped one arm around Massie and pulled her closer. She nearly let go of the wall when Derrick then pushed her against the wall.
When they finally broke apart, the two were silent. Massie felt lightheaded and was trying to grasp what exactly had just happened. Derrick however, looked flush and rather pleased.
"Is that better?"
Massie nodded absent mindedly as memories flooded back from before.
"Good, I just remembered I have something to tell you." Derrick pulled himself out of the pool.
That snapped Massie out of her reverie and she eyed Derrick suspiciously as he walked across to the diving board. Oh God, he's going to tell me he has a girlfriend and he just made a huge mistake. She did not need to hear that coming from him. That was like the last thing she wanted to hear, especially since it was the very beginning of summer. She watched as Derrick jumped off the diving board and landed a cannon ball, sending waves and splashes that engulfed Massie.
She choked and sputtered as she cleared her eyes. Ok, that's enough. I'm done with swimming. She didn't wait for Derrick as she swam towards the stairs. But before she could get one foot out, Derrick's hand shot out and pulled her back in, making her stumble backwards.
"Don't you want to know what I have to tell you?" Derrick asked, catching Massie against him.
No, not really actually. "Just get it over with, Derrick," Massie muttered as she crossed her arms expectantly.
"I'm coming back," Derrick announced, "For good."
Yup, it's Derrick! :) Thank you tennisplayer, partyinpink, finding-forever, xxloverxx, HarryPotterandTwilightGirl257, SMARTICLEGIRL, and Fireworks Forever for all the lovely reviews! So now I've actually decided to make this into 3 chapters, not 2! Sorry, I couldn't resist! I SWEAR the next chapter will be the last. I just didn't want to story to end in this chapter. So what did you think of this chapter? Good parts? Bad parts?
Please REVIEW! :)