Tied to Our Fate

As I sat down at the patio table, I lit a cigarette and watched my brother and his friends goof around in the pool. It was an unruly warm day here in Huntington Beach. We all decided to have a little party by the pool to cool off. My brother and the guys were home from touring for the summer and I was excited to have him home for a while.
“Stacy!” My brother Zack hollered from the inner tube he was lounging on.
“Get in here! I can see you sweating from over here!”
I giggled a little and put my cigarette out before walking over and sitting down on the edge of the pool, sticking my feet in, just sitting there for a minute enjoying the coolness of the water against my skin.
“Get it you weenie!” Val laughed from the other side of the pool where she was sitting close to Matt.
“Fine!” I smirked.
I stood up and backed away a bit before running full force and cannon balling straight in the middle of the pool. Coming up, laughter erupted in my ears as I brushed my now soaked hair away from my face.
“Happy now?” I asked them.
“Yeah!!” the all laughed.
I made my way over to the side, putting my hands behind my head hanging on while I moved my legs in the water. It felt nice just floating in the water soaking up the sun.
“Hey guys!” I heard Laney, best friend holler.
“Hey Lane!” they all greeted her.
Looking behind me I saw Laney opening the gate to the backyard, towel and sunscreen in hand. Laney had been my best friend since birth I think. As long as I can remember we had been together, partners in crime. She was a little thing but she was a spit fire. She also had a thing for my brother, always has. Ever since we were little, she always had a special look in her eye when she looked at him. We were the same age; Zacky was about six years old than us and he always treated her as I did, like my sister. Don’t tell her I knew, she’d have a cow.
Laney glanced over at Zacky, still lounging on the inner tube, before she came over to the side of the pool I was at.
“Hey, Stace!” She smiled, crawling in the pool.
“Oh my God, this feels freakin great!”
“I know! I’m ready for this damn heat wave to be over with already.”
“Aww, Stace can’t take the heat.” A voice said behind me.
Brian, my brother’s friend and band mate stood beside me and Laney, beer in hand.
“Hey Brian.” I smiled.
“What have you two been up to?”
“Oh, nothing special really. Glad to be home?”
“Yeah, I am. I was exhausted.”
“Where are you guys going next?” Laney asked.
Before he could answer we were interrupted by the massive splash by Johnny beside us.
“Johnny, you little shit!” I squealed with laughter.


Later that night we all gathered around the patio as Zacky manned the grill. The sun had started to set and it had cooled off some which was nice.
“I’ll be right back!”
“Where are you going?” Laney questioned, taking a sip of her beer.
“To change. It’s getting a little chilly.” I answered.
She nodded and I opened the sliding glass door and stepped into the kitchen. More of our friends had found their way over here and to join us for dinner.
“Hey Stace!” Jason waved.
“Hey Jason!” I smiled, hugging him.
“Haven’t seen you in forever kid! How ya been?”
“Good, just been working. You?”
“I’ve been pretty good. I’m fucking hungry!”
I shook my head and laughed starting for the stairs. When I entered my room I decided to just throw on a t shirt and some shorts because like Jason, I was hungry too.
Walking down the stairs, I peered outside through the glass off the door and noticed Laney and my brother chatting away; laughing and smiling and sitting awfully close to each other.
“Bout damn time.” I thought to myself.
“Yo! Zacky V! The food done yet? We’re all starving!” I asked, obviously breaking him from his concentration on Laney’s boobs.
“Uh…yeah, almost. Let me check…” he trailed off.
I glanced over at Laney who averted her eyes away from me, taking a long drink from her beer. Smiling to myself, I took a seat beside her.
“Who wants steak?” Zack hollered from the grill.
“Me!” I answered, throwing my hand in the air.
I went to get up but Brian stopped me.
“Don’t get up. I’m having steak too. I’ll get yours.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”
“Nah, don’t worry about it.” He winked at me.
I raised an eyebrow towards Laney who just grinned right back and rolled her eyes. Brian quickly set a plate down in front of me.
“A1?” he asked, holding out the bottle of steak sauce.
“Sure, thanks.” I smiled.
Dinner went on that night pretty uneventfully. A few cut out earlier than I would have wished because I was excited to have all my friends together again.

“Hey, could you grab some trash bags from the kitchen, Val?” I asked her, stepping outside.
“Sure sweetie!” she sang, as I stepped outside and tried to clear the tables of the dirty dishes.
“Need some help?”
I looked up to find Brian in front of me.
I smiled and keep on with what I was doing.
“No, it’s ok. I got it.”
“Here’s the bags, I’ll go start on the inside.” Val said coming from the kitchen.
“Thanks.” I smiled at her.
She just smiled and looked between us for a second and went back inside.
I shook it off and kept on cleaning. Brian started picking up paper plates and cups and tossed them in the bag.
“Really, you don’t have to. I go it.”
“It’s ok. I wanna help.” He smirked.

Notes

I hope you all enjoyed! There is more to come soon!!:)