The sun was bright kissing her skin with warmth. He was waiting under the table that sat under an umbrella. A smile spread across his lips when he saw her. She returned the smile as she walked to the table.
"So are you just going sit around like a little girly-boy? Or are you going to swim?" She asked with a smirk.
"Is that how it's going to be? I'm nice to you and you insult me?"
"Yeah, that's how it's going to be." She said with an amused voice. He got an offended look as he pounced at her. She squealed and kicked her feet as he picked her up over his shoulder.
"Put me down, Mark!" She laughed at the top of her lungs.
"Not until you apologize." He laughed as he carried her down the steps of the shallow end of the pool and started walking towards the deep end.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry."
"That's what I thought." He said triumphantly as he pulled her off his shoulder and lightly pushing her so that she dunked under water. He laughed to himself as she broke the surface taking a deep breath of air. She swiped a hand over her face and pushed the loose hair out of her face. As she pulled herself into the standing position, she glared at him, and he gave her a charming smile.
"You're going to pay!" She said.
He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could form any words she splashed him with the cool water of the pool. A fake shocked, offended look flashed on his face. She laughed at him as he wiped his face with his hand before pulling her into his arms.
"I hate you." He said trying to force a serious face.
"No you don't." She said just above a whisper with a small smirk on her lips putting her hands on his shoulders to keep a small distance between them.
"Says you."
"You said it yourself."
"I'm a sucker for a blonde. I really can't be held accountable for what I say." His lips got dangerously close to hers.
"At least I can say that I hate you without it being a lie."
"But you won't."
"Why is that?"
"Cause, secretly, you want me so bad that it kills you on the inside." With that, he closed the small gap between their lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her off the bottom of the pool deepening the kiss. After a few moments, they broke apart slightly panting. She stayed in his arms even after he set her back on the ground. Their eyes didn't break until a voice broke the silence the hung in the air.
"Meredith!"
They pulled apart quickly, and Meredith looked around to see who was calling her. Brandon appeared on the deck next to hers. She gave Mark a short glance before climbing the stairs out of the pool. She ran her finger along the band of the bottom of her bathing suit. Mark watched her the entire way before allowing himself to fall below the surface of water.
"Hey, Brandon-Boy." She responded with a smile as she climbed onto the chair by the fence.
"Meri-Girl." He returned as his popped up from behind the fence. "So is that your boyfriend?"
"Nope, my enemy." She said unable to keep a smirk from appearing on her face.
"You really know how to treat your enemies. Maybe I should cross to the dark side."
She giggled shaking her head. "He's my former enemy I guess. I really don't know what we are."
"I think I do."
"What are you implying?" She said pretending to be offended.
"Well, I did find you pretty cozy with your enemy… former enemy."
"Shut up." She laughed swatting his arm.
"Just you wait." He warned.
"For what?" She glanced over her shoulder at Mark. He was doing laps up and down the pool. His arms penetrating the surface one at a time and departed underwater before the other popped up. At the end of a lap, he flipped underwater and went back the other direction pushing off the wall on the way.
"You'll fall in love with him."
Her head whipped around. "Whoa, whoa, whoa sex… maybe. But love? Meredith Grey does not fall in love, you know that."
He rolled his eyes laying his head down on the top of the fence looking at her. "You know me, Mer. How often am I wrong about anything?"
"Go away Brandon."
"You can't get rid of me that easy, Mer. When it does happen, and it will, I'll be standing here rubbing it in your face."
"Whatever. I'm not going to fall in love. There's no such thing as true love and fairytale endings. When it happens, it just means the story isn't over yet, and people are stupid enough to play into it."
"Okay, Mer. Whatever you say." He gave her a charming smile. "Mom wants you to come to dinner soon. And I need you to give my girl a screening and let me know what you think."
"Who's the unlucky lady?"
Brand gave her a wicked smile rolling his eyes at the same time. "Lilly McAlister."
"I have to go."
"Have fun with your boy toy." He smirked before hopping off the chair.
"I hate you so much."
"I know." He chuckled as she turned and headed back towards the pool. Taking a deep breath she dived into the pool. He stopped midway through a lap as Meredith swam to where he was and popped up.
"What to race?" She asked.
"I don't like to beat chicks."
"Beat? In your dreams." She giggled. "More like you don't want to lose to a girl, right?"
"Yeah right." He laughed meeting her at the end of the pool. "Four laps? On 'go.'"
"Call it." She smiled.
"Ready, Set, Go!" He yelled. They both took off with Meredith slightly in the lead presumably because of her size. She made it to the other end and flipped just before he did. He came in just before she did on the next two laps. Seeing this, she picked up the pace and beat him in the last lap. She jumped up panting giving him a victorious smile.
"You got beat my girl." She chanted in an amused voice.
"Not fair. I've been doing laps for longer. I'm worn out."
"Yeah right. I…" She stated, but Mark cut her off when his lips crashed against hers.