I turn on the TV and put the Dance Central disk in to the wii.

"What song should we do first?" Bea asks as the boys flop in to the couches.

"Girls like you. That was our best one." I say with a grin.

"Ooo yes." Bea says excitedly.

I click the controller across to Girls like you. The music starts up and I grin to Bea.

This brings back memories let me tell you. And Bea and I were absolute BEASTS at this song.

Bea more than me by 20 points which is not a lot. We finish as we fall to the couches laughing.

"Man I missed this game." Bea says with a chuckle.

"Me too." I say with a satisfied grin as Luke and Leroy get up to do a round.

After Jacob and Seth have a go Jacob offers the remotes to me.

"C'mon Seth I'm going to kick your ass." I say handing Seth the remote.

"Big talk there." Seth says with a chuckle.

"Big talk, big game." I say with a grin.

"You know what they say. All talk no game." Seth says.

"I'll even let you pick a song." I say handing him the player one remote.

"Ok.." Seth says scrolling through and picking Come Get Her.

Yes we did have the teen edition not the Junior edition. That was my fathers mistake.

"Wow. This song is my anthem." I say with a chuckle.

"We know," Bea says with a laugh.

The song starts and the dance is a mission but it does make me laugh.

"SOMEBODY COME GET HER, SHE DANCING LIKE A STRIPPER." I sing along with the lyrics.

The game finishes and I'm ahead by 310 points.

"Good game," I say offering my hand out with a serious face. Seth goes to shake my hand but I quickly move my hand.

"SIKE," I say doing a little victory dance.

"You are such a loser," Seth says chuckling.

"Actually I am a Winner. You are the Loser here." I say sticking out my tongue at him.

"Say that again." He says with a laugh handing the remote control on to Luke, I hand mine to Bea strategically.

"This is how your girlfriends and I are going to be bonding," I say to Leroy and Jacob.

"That is genius thinking," Bea says to me.

"I thought so," I say as the timer starts going off.

"I'll get it," I say walking out of the room.

I pull open the oven and take out the mac and cheese. It's perfectly golden brown on top and smells so good.

I grab out six bowls and six forks.

"Come get your food!" I yell. The others make their way into the room quickly and dish themselves up.

I scoop some in to my bowl and pull myself up on to the bench as I dig in to it.

"This is so good," Seth says scooping some in to his mouth.

"Was that a compliment?" I say with a fake astonished tone. Seth throws me a look and I grin at him. He chuckles and shakes his head at me.

"Guys I need a prom date," Bea says out loud.

"Me too," I say with a sigh.

Seth and Luke look at each other and Leroy and Jacob barely lookup.

"I'll go with you, Lace." Seth offers.

"Thanks but I don't know how Bea would feel," I say to him.

"What about that girl you were talking to Luke about?" Bea asks confused.

"Dude! Who's the girl. You didn't tell me." Luke exclaims.

"No one," Seth says shaking his head.

"Wait I thought you.. Oh my god." Luke says with realisation of something. Seth shoots daggers at Luke.

"Isn't she away in Hawaii for Prom?" Luke says. Seth looks confused but then a small smile plays on his lips.

"Yeah she is so I'm free. As friends of course." Seth says to me.

"Alright I guess so. Is that alright with you Bea?" I ask her.

"I guess," Bea says an unsure look on her face.

"Can I go with Bea then?" Luke asks Seth. Seth and Luke start having an eye conversation before Seth sighs.

"Fine. But as FRIENDS." Seth says seriously.

"Ok but we want cool promposals," I say with a grin. And Bea grins to me.

"So hard to please," Seth says shaking his head jokingly.

"Whatever," I say rolling my eyes as I put my bowl in to the sink and doing the dishes while everyone chats casually.

At around 12am my dad rings.

"We're going to stay at the Nixon's tonight. We got into the booze cabinet." My dad says through the phone with a laugh.

"Ok that's all good. We haven't. I'll let Seth and Bea know. They can stay here right?" I ask.

"Yeah of course." My dad replies before we say our byes.

"Who was that?" Bea asks.

"My dad. They're staying at your guys tonight. So your welcome to stay here." I say casually.

"Sure," Bea says with a nod and looking towards Seth.

"Yeah possibly. Luke what's your plan man?" He asks Luke.

"I've got to be home by 1 at the latest," Luke says with a sigh looking towards the time. "I should probably head off now." He continues.

"Alright man. I'll see ya tomorrow." Seth says dapping up.

"Bye." Bea and I say as Luke waves as he closes the door.

"We should go for a swim," I suggest.

"Nah it's too cold," Bea says.

"Aww c'mon Bea," I say pleadingly.

"I'll get in the hot tub, but not the ocean," Bea says.

"Ugh anyone else?" I offer.

"Nope." Leroy and Jacob say.

"Sure I'll come." Seth offers.

"Yay. Thank you. You are all losers." I say sticking my tongue out at Leroy and Jacob.

"I'm gonna go get changed," I say before making my way upstairs.

I pull on a casual pink and white striped bikini letting my hair out.

I grab two towels and make my way back downstairs.

"You can borrow anyone of my bikini's by the way Bea. Except you know THE one." I say mentioning a bikini I got given as a gift for doing a shoot one time.

This bikini was insane. It was black and glittery and extremely showy. I had never worn it. I don't know when I was saving it for.

Something special maybe.

"Ok thank you!" Bea calls out to me as I make my way outside, down the patio steps and towards the ocean, Seth close behind me.

"What's THE bikini?" Seth asks me.

"It's this designer bikini that I got given as a gift for doing that bikini shoot a while ago. It's insane I just haven't had an opportunity to wear it yet." I say with a shrug.

"You live on the beach and you haven't had a chance to wear it," Seth asks me confused, as I throw the towels on to the sand and wait for him to pull his T-shirt off.

"Yep," I say popping the P. Sneaking a look at his toned torso in the process.

Jesus.

I walk towards the ocean.

"I don't get that. Why not wear it." He asks me.

"Because I don't want to waste it," I say with a shrug.

"Where would you wear it?" He asks me as I dip my toes into the sea. Goosebumps envelop my legs.

"A beach party probably," I say unsure as I make my way deeper.

"What about that graduation thing you and Callie added a bunch of seniors to that Group chat." He asks wading in beside me.

"Oh yeah something like that probably. I think we are going to put money together and split the cost of renting a bach down the coast for a week. And then have a girls bach and a boys bach." I say thinking out loud.

"That sounds cool as. The boys would definitely be in to that." Seth says with a thoughtful nod.

"Yeah. I'm excited. Hopefully it pans out." I say hissing through my teeth as a wave crashes over my body.

"A bit cold for you?" Seth asks me.

"No way," I say throwing him a look.

"You're holding your hands up like a little T-rex," Seth says mimicking my stance.

"Shut up," I say pulling the finger at him. Seth ducks under a wave that I jump over.

"C'mon it's not even that bad," Seth says to me.

"Shhh. Your warm and bigger than me, and a boy, boys are warmer than us." I say rolling my eyes at him.

He swims close to me and I raise my eyebrows at him threateningly. He holds his hands up in surrender before he lurches out and dunks me.

"Oh my god." I splutter pushing my hair out of my face and lunging after him as he swims away from me.

I stop as my feet leave the ground, unable to stand I tread the water carefully. Seth stops as well and grins at me. Still able to touch the ground.

The waves come occasionally, but we're past the break so we easily float over them.

"How's it hanging shorty," Seth asks me chuckling at my constant treading of water.

"Shut up," I say splashing him slightly.

"That was weak," Seth says as the splash barely hits him in the face.

"You try being unable to touch the ground and splashing someone," I say rolling my eyes at him as I spit out a bit of water.

"Here. You can hold on to me." Seth says moving over to me scooping me up in his arms.

"Wow this is so much easier," I say breathing out slightly.

"That's because of my muscles," Seth replies with a wink.

"You and your muscles, we both know the water is taking like 90 per cent of my weight," I say rolling my eyes at him.

"You'd like to think that," Seth replies dunking me again. I reach up and sling my arms around his neck.

"Don't do that," I say smacking his arm. He chuckles down at me.

"Sorry princess," he says fake doing it again.

"Oh my god," I say wriggling out of his arms.

"I'm sorry I won't do it again," Seth says grabbing my hips and pulling me closer to him.

His touch around my waist sends butterflies straight to my stomach.

Stupid stupid butterflies.

I hook my legs around his waist and my arms around his shoulders.

"If you drop me again. I will take you with me." I say looking him dead in his eyes.

"Got it," Seth says with a grin.

"Fuck I love the night," I say looking up with stars.

Seth mumbles something which I don't hear.

"Huh?" I ask him curiously.

"Oh, I just said agreed," Seth says with a small smile.

"Yeah. The view is beautiful." I say looking up at the stars with a content smile.

"It is." Seth agrees. But I can feel his gaze on me.

You're just imagining it. He's probably looking behind you. Arrogance.

"This. This is what life should be. Late-night swims. Laughs. Surrounded by people you love." I say thoughtfully.

"Yeah. And life is like this. If you had these moments all the time you would forget to appreciate them. Like the low's make the high's even more beautiful." Seth says with a content sigh.

"Exactly," I said looking towards the house.

"Can they see us?" Seth asks.

"No. Only if they come on to the beach." I say watching as the figures climb out of the hot tub and turn towards the beach.

"Speaking of which," I say unhooking myself from around Seth, keeping one arm hooked around his shoulder to keep me afloat without sore arms. Seth slings one arm around my waist to help me stay afloat as well.

Leroy, Jacob and Bea come running in to the ocean. And swim out to us.

"Hey, guys," Leroy says.

"Hey," I say with a smile.

"How can all of you touch the ground?" Bea splutters.

"I can't," I say gesturing to my arm on Seth's.

"Using my brother to stop yourself from drowning. Tactical." Bea says with a grin as she grabs Seth's other arm.

"Are you serious Bea?" Seth says with a roll of his eyes.

"There's no complaining when Lacey did it," Bea says mischievously. Seth shakes his head.

"That's because she's nice to me. You are not." He says letting her stay on his arm anyway.

"We should have brought out the floaties," I say thoughtfully.

"Oh my god yes let's go get them!" Bea exclaims grabbing my hand.

"Really, they're so far away," I say with a groan.

"I'll get them with you, Bea." Seth offers.

"Thanks," Bea says. I let go of Seth and tread over to Leroy and Jacob, and climb onto Jacob's back.

"Geez your fat," Jacob says pretending to stagger underneath my weight.

"Shut up. The waters literally taking most of my weight." I say smacking his shoulder.

"Whatever." He says.

"So. When are we going to discuss the whole you and Seth situation?" Leroy asks me.

"The what situation? Seth and I. There's nothing going on why does everyone think there is?" I ask looking out towards the shore where Bea and Seth are making their way up the beach. I watch Seth's back muscles move.

He is a god of a human, isn't he?

"The situation where you two are in love with one another but won't admit it," Jacob says juggling me up and down.

"We don't like each other like that," I say rolling my eyes.

"Sure you don't," Leroy says smirking at me.

"I don't. He just understands what I'm going through." I say giving him a look.

"Mental health-related?" Jacob asks me.

"Yeah," I say with a small nod.

"Then why does your face light up when he enters a room or speaks to you and how come he will do practically anything for you," Leroy says smirking at me.

"He doesn't and I do not!" I exclaim.

"Oh, you do," Jacob says.

"You guys are insane," I say rolling my eyes.

"So he didn't just offer to go get the floaties for you because it was 'too far'" Leroy says mimicking my whiney voice.

"That's different. He offered to help Bea." I say giving Leroy a look.

"I have never seen a worse case of denial," Jacob says shaking his head.

"It's not denial. It's the facts." I say as I hear splashing.

Bea is laughing and tugging a unicorn floating after her. Seth is laughing back at Bea, dragging two floaties one pineapple and one pizza.

"Oh my gosh I forgot we had the pizza floaties that one's my favourite," I say with a grin as Seth comes to a stop next to us.

"Here we are," Seth says pushing the pineapple floatie over to Leroy. I hop off Jacobs back and swim over to the pizza floatie, where Seth pulls himself upon. I climb up next to him.

"Pizza is my favourite," I say as he raises his eyebrows at me.

"Pizza's also my favourite." He says with a grin.

"Sharing is caring," I say surrendering my hands towards him.

"Fine," Seth says with a smile. I cross my legs and sit on one half of the pizza, while Seth sits facing the same way as me but his legs dangling over the end.

"Let's play truth or dare," Bea suggests from her unicorn floatie.

"Sometimes I think you guys forget that Jake and I are 22," Leroy says.

"Shut up let's play," I say shrugging at them.

"Ok, I'll start," Bea says.

"Seth truth or dare," Bea says to Seth.

"Dare," Seth says.

"I dare you to dunk Lacey for me," Bea says grinning at me. My mouth drops open in shock.

"That's so mean!" I exclaim turning to Seth.

He grabs my legs and pulls me towards him. I squeal and bat at him. He gets in to the water and pulls me in afterwards.

"You're so mean," I yell as I clamour back onto the floatie.

"A dare's a dare," Seth says with a grin pulling himself onto the other side.

"Ok, Seth your turn," Bea says chuckling at me.

"Leroy Truth or Dare?" Seth asks.

"Truth," Leroy says.

"Was it you who hid all those sandwiches in the hot water cupboard and forgot about them and we found them weeks later after it started reeking way back when we were nine?" Seth asks with a sly grin.

"Yep." Leroy says with a grin.

"Oh my god, you got me in trouble for that!" I exclaim.

"Sorry, but I wasn't about to own up to that," Leroy says with a chuckle.

"Loser," I say giving him the L.

"Ok, your turn," Seth says to Leroy.

"Truth or dare Lacey?" Leroy asks me.

"Dare," I say thoughtfully.

"I dare you.. to make out with Seth for one minute," Leroy says with a grin.

"No way!" Bea exclaims.

"Yeah, that's not.." I start.

"A dare is a dare. Bea, just close your eyes if you don't want to watch." Jacob says.

"Oh my god," I say rolling my eyes as I move over to Seth.

I press my lips to his and he kisses me back warily, his hand rests against my waist as mine hold his bicep to keep me steady on the floatie. Seth runs his tongue across my bottom lip and without thinking I open my mouth letting him in, it's all too long before I'm lost in the kiss.

I hear a loud cough and I break apart from the kiss and back to where I was sitting previously.

"You guys are disgusting I hated that," Bea says with a gag.

"Did you guys forget it was only a minute?" Leroy asks with a grin.

"I was waiting to be notified of a minute," I tell Leroy.

"Well, it was more like four minutes. We actually had our own little conversation while you guys had your little moment." Jacob says with a grin.

"Proving our theory before," Leroy says to me.

"What theory?" Bea asks.

"Nothing," Jacob says nudging Leroy hard.

"Yeah don't worry about it," Leroy says to me.

After three or four more rounds, I feel it. My social battery is gone.

I can feel my mood shift. The feeling envelops my stomach and I want to cry.

It was doing so well.

I hate this feeling more than life itself. It always knew how to ruin a good time.

I ached for my bed, the blinds drawn. And I knew I wouldn't be sleeping tonight.

"Lacey. Earth to Lacey." Bea says loudly. I snap my head in her direction.

"Yeah," I ask.

"It's your turn. Truth or Dare." Bea says.

"Oh. I'm getting a bit cold and tired I'm going to head inside and go to bed." I say with a shrug. I move past Seth to get into the water.

"You alright?" He asks me quietly grabbing my hand.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I say shrugging and getting into the water.

I swim in as fast as I can, my body feeling heavy, before walking up the beach and grabbing my towel from the pile of towels.

I dry myself off and get in the house. I honestly just wanted to collapse. I get upstairs and pull my swimsuit off and pull on my hoodie and pyjama shorts that I had on earlier. And immediately collapsing into my bed.

Even though I was tired, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep.

I stare out of my window at the stars. Tears pricking my eyes.

I was so disappointed that a good time could once again be ruined by this stupid feeling.

After what feels like minutes pass I hear a light knock at the door.

"Lace." Seth's voice calls out softly, I roll over slightly to face him. His gaze lands on my tear stricken face and he immediately starts forwards. I sit up and he slides into the bed next to me, scooping me up in his arms and rocking me gently.

Sobs struggle their way out of my throat. Before I let them out completely. As they wrack my body.

"It's ok, it's ok," Seth says softly rubbing my back. I just cry harder.

It's not ok. I always ruin things. Seth would be having an amazing time if I wasn't here. He would be out laughing with the others. Not worrying about me. I'm just a nuisance. My own mother even thinks so. She would be so much better off without me. My dad pities me. I ruined her relationship with all of them. No wonder she hates me.

I can never seem to be fully happy. I have good moments that instantly come crashing down around me. I really don't want to live my life like this. Constantly hating everything, doubting myself, doubting others.

I'm so fucking tired.

After a while, no more tears can come out. The feeling of numbness replaces the pain. My feelings switched off like a light.

I sigh as I wipe the tear streaks off my face and sit up.