Chapter 16

A/N: I own nothing.

Front gate in five.

I text Emily when the last of the Huckabee pool go-ers are packing up and heading to their car. When the last of them have left the parking lot, I creep back out of my car and meeting her at the gate.

"You ready?" I ask as I pull my lanyard with my keys out and use one to open the golden lock keeping the gate closed.

"Maybe? I don't know," Emily groans, resting her warm head against my shoulder. "Are you sure everyone's gone?"

I pull the chain out, trying to normalize my heart rate. "Positive," I say, using my foot to tap open the gate. It opens to reveal a dark and empty pool deck, not a soul in sight. We hurry inside, stopping at the edge of the water. This is the most beautiful the pool has ever looked, completely quiet, the moon reflecting off the water. I enjoy being the closing person just for the chance to see the water like this, almost serene, because it reminds me of the water at home.

"Why would she want to skinny dip in this? I definitely don't understand this one. I bet the water hasn't been cleaned since my mom swam in it," Emily says and I laugh. She's not wrong.

"Not very well, I can tell you that." I shrug. "Maybe you just have to do it. Maybe there is no why."

"Count of three, we take off our clothes. Okay?" Emily looks over at me and I nod in agreement.

"Deal."

"One."

"Two," I say back.

"Three." Emily starts to pull off her sundress and I definitely didn't think this through. I'm about to see her entirely naked and I can feel my heart pulsing erratically in my chest. She stops suddenly when she realizes I'm watching her and I see her face redden.

"Blake? I swear to god, don't look." Emily hits my shoulder, breaking me out of my reverie and I step back, clapping my hands over my eyes, the both of us laughing. But something lingers under the surface, like she's thinking about this in the same way I am.

"I won't. Here." I turn around, motioning for her to do the same. "We'll both turn our backs, okay?"

"Okay," she says, following my instructions. We stand in silence and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest

"Do we have to count down again?" I ask, breaking the tension as both of us burst into giggles.

"Let's just go for it," Emily says and I can hear the rustle of clothes behind me as I pull off my shorts and bikini bottom. Two seconds later, my t-shirt joins the pile of clothes on the pool deck. "Is it cold?"

I untie my bikini top and toss it before turning around to answer her question. "It's-"

I catch Emily's eye for a second before she snaps her eyes away and raises her arms across her body. "Blake," she squeaks and loses her balance, falling into the water completely.

"Freezing," I finish when she comes up for air, her hair slicked back, coughing. I cannon-ball into the water right next to her.

"Really?" Emily says when I surface and she pushes water at me, the two of us laughing as we start a water fight.

"Alright, alright," I say when she gets me right in the eyeballs, holding up my hands in defeat. "Truce! I call truce."

She stops splashing and all of a sudden it's too quiet here. My eyes lock with Emily's and without realizing it, I move closer to her, desperate to kiss her. I see her eyes trail down to my lips and I do the same, tracing the delicate pink of hers before slowly drifting my gaze lower on her body to her neck, her collarbone, her…

"Emily?" a voice asks and I swing my eyes up to see Matt, his eyes wide with surprise, his phone flashlight on us. Shit! I do not want to lose the job at the pool. I don't want people to think I'm irresponsible.

"Matt! Don't look," Emily says as we paddle to the edge, flattening ourselves against it. Matt quickly squeezes his eyes shut.

"I just came back before I forgot my-wait. Are you skinny dipping?" he asks, incredulous. We clamber out of the water and get dressed. I stay silent, hoping their relationship will keep us from getting in trouble.

"Maybe?" she squeaks back. Matt starts laughing and I think that probably means he isn't pissed and going to report me.

"That's actually pretty bad-ass," he says, his voice sounding impressed. He has no idea how bad-ass she is and the thought makes me sad, her friends not knowing this side of Emily I've seen all summer.

"You won't tell anyone?" I ask. He opens his eyes slowly, one at a time, looking relieved to see us dressed.

"Matt doesn't snitch," Emily says and I think maybe he does know, that maybe this was the Emily before her mom died. "He won't even rat you out when Mr. Benson threatens detention."

The corner of Matt's mouth ticks up in a smile. "Not even then." Their eyes meet and he nods to the main road.

"A patrol car drives past in ten minutes to check in on the place after a couple of freshmen broke in last month. You may want to get out of here." He holds up a key ring, his eyes flicking to me. "I can lock up. I've got a spare."

"Thanks, Matt," Emily says, reaching out to give his arm a squeeze, but he winces at the gesture.

I grab Emily's hand and the two of us sprint to the exit, still dripping from being in the pool, the both of us laughing. I try not to think of that moment in the pool as we hold hands, that moment when I thought maybe she would kiss me. She doesn't think of me that way, I remind myself, thinking of the way she looked at Matt with hope. I see her glance back at Matt, who shakes his head but is smiling at her and I feel a piece of lead in my throat. She thinks of right as being with Matt.

She doesn't think of being with me as right.