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not beta'd

storyline - Malicious

prompt - point

It's still dark when I wake up to get a little pre-practice practice in. I grab a granola bar and sip my coffee in silence, appreciative of the dim quiet before officially starting my day.

At school, all is still except for the lights at the gym and the pool. I'm not the only athlete training this early in the day, and a little part of me – okay, all of me – hopes that you've beat me here.

You're standing at the diving block, ready to jump, when I walk in. We make eye contact and you falter, toppling in as you lose your balance. I swallow back and laugh and really hope you don't act all embarrassed because come on. I have definitely seen you in worse situations. Actually, you've probably seen me worse too.

"Hey," you say when you come up for air.

"Hey." I flutter my fingers in a wave. "Let me put my stuff inside and I'll come in."

Minutes later we're swimming together the way we have been for months. I push it to the point where my muscles burn and I can feel myself sweating underwater, not satisfied until then. We're doing our own thing, so it takes a while before you realize that I've stopped to rest against the wall for a bit.

You glide under the water like a sea snake, popping up right beside me.

"When did you get here?" I don't really care, but saying something is less awkward than just staring.

"About ten minutes before you did."

"Oh."

You push your hair back from your face, scattering water droplets.

"I'm surprised you didn't cut it," I remark.

"I decided not to this year."

"I see that."

"You like it short?"

"Doesn't matter what I prefer. I thought you buzzed it to keep it from your face while you swam."

"Well, yeah," you chuckle. "Obviously."

Sighing, I purse my lips and watch you. "And they say women are hard to figure out. You're ridiculous."

"You like longer hair."

The harsh fluorescent lighting reflects prettily off the water and I draw my hand through, watching it. "Who told you that?"

You shrug, but you're right, I do prefer your hair longer. "But I'm right though."

I reach up to touch your hair, my heart hammering wildly in my chest. "I like it both ways, but you have nice hair, so... yeah. I guess I do like the way it looks."

"Gives you something to hang on to." You waggle your eyebrows.

"For what, when I'm leading you around the school like a prize pony?" I tease.

"Naw. For when I – " You interrupt yourself to kiss me.

You've caught me off guard, but I catch up.

Yeah, I remember now.

I remember how good kissing you felt, how it feels right now. How much better it is because we're sober and this isn't just a onetime thing and we sure as hell aren't in a bathroom.

We're cold, skin clammy from swimming, but our mouths are warm. When you kissed me you moved closer and now we're pressed together. I'm distantly aware that this is the pool at school and people could walk in any minute, but it feels too good to stop.

You look down at me, running your hands up and down my thighs. "I thought you'd never let me kiss you again."

"So you stole one?" I ask, touching the scar on your forehead.

But you just kiss me, lifting me a little so I can wrap my legs around you.

"Hey," I whisper, moving my lips from yours. "We should chill."

"Okay," you mumble, kissing down my chin to my neck.

I guess you were right about your hair, because I end up grasping it. I can't stop you from kissing my skin. I won't.

Until, of course, the doors swing open and the quiet lapping of pool water is replaced by our loud and rowdy teammates.

"Holy shit!" Mike. Who else?

You let me down, subtly adjusting yourself.

Coach Clapp stops and looks down at us with slight disgust. "I don't know which is worse: the fighting or this. Go do some laps." He starts walking again. "On opposite ends of the pool."

"That was one of my fantasies," you whisper, blowing my hair away as you kiss my ear. We're at my locker again and I'm just waiting for a hall monitor or member of the faculty to yell at us for PDA.

"What, getting busted by Mike and Coach?"

You nip me, making me squeal and shove you. "Making out with you in the pool."

"I was just messing with you, gosh." I rub my ear, frowning.

You hold my arms down and kiss my ear again. "Sorry."

"'S'okay," I murmur, endeared by your immature yet irresistibly sweet behavior. "So where are you taking me tomorrow night?"

"It's a surprise."

"It's not the movies, right?"

You smirk, pulling away so you can lean against the locker next door. "No, but I do think we should go at some point to make new memories."

"Why do I get the impression that all you wanna do is get me naked?"

"What's wrong with that?"

I snort. "I'll let that pass. Only because you're cute."

"You're cute," you say.

"You're both sickening," Rose says, appearing out of nowhere. Her triumphant smile belies her words, though. "What're you two up to later?"

"I don't know," I say, looking at you.

You glance back at me and then look down, smiling.

Emmett shakes his head, not even trying to hide his amusement. He grabs Rose and forcibly pulls her away. "We'll let you two get back to it."

You're still looking at the floor. "Can I come over tonight? Is your Dad working late?"

"How'd you know about that?"

"Emmett told me."

"Oh." I nod. I forget that Emmett was sort of our liaison for a long time. Well, Edward's anyway. "Yeah, he is actually. You can come over after school. After practice."

"I'll go home and shower first."

"Whatever." I smile, kissing your cheek… because I can.

And because the look you get when I do makes me so, so warm inside.

yay! i love love, don't you? a few more in this plotline, methinks, before we wrap.

tiny t thanks you guys for your thoughts, well wishes and teething pain remedies. :) xoxoxo