Page 44 of Ruse
“I think I’ll sit this one out, there are a lot more people in the pool now and I just don’t want…”
Dee cuts her off with a smack of her lips, “Come on Darcy,” she whines, shimming in her neon orange bikini highlighting her golden tan. “You look smoking,” she coos, lifting Darcy’s tank over her stomach and revealing a tan and toned abdomen.
“Oh my god, Donovan!” Darcy squeals, tugging her shirt back down.
From the pool, Brooklyn and the guys hoot and holler annoyingly, chanting for us totake it offand jump in the pool to join them. A bright red flush covers Darcy’s cheeks as she nervously fiddles with the hem of her shirt, tugging it as far as it can go, stretching the loose material further.
Dee scoffs, flipping the guys off. “Darcy, we already saw your banging body. It’s a shame you don’t show it off more. If you would have seen the way the guys were practically drooling over you, just like they are right now, you’d change your mind.” Dee winks at her, and Darcy’s cheeks darken in embarrassment.
“No one was drooling over me, especially not when the two of you look like that and are standing next to me, which is totally fine. I would prefer it if they don't.”
“Whatever,” Dee says, dipping her toes in the water. Ryan swims up to the edge of the pool reaching his hand out for her to take. She does, slowly descending into the turquoise water. Tate’s pool is not only Olympic size, but the bright turquoise bottom reflected through the clear water, gives it a gorgeous tint. “I’m going in with or without y’all.”
Slowly she fades under the water, a drunk Ryan wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her in deeper. From the corner of my eye, I can see Darcy shift uncomfortably where she stands, her gaze following the rest of the group still egging us on.
“What is it, Darcy? I mean you can’t be uncomfortable, we were in the pool just a moment ago?”
“There weren't this many people and…” she pauses, and I can tell she’s staring directly at Fitz who’s gaze also watches her with a strange expression. “I think it’s time I head home. This is way out of my element and it so fucking obvious I don’t belong here Phoenix.”
“Come on Darcy, you belong here just as much as any of them do. We’ll chill in the pool for a while and then I promise we’ll head out. Believe me, I can’t stand being in the presence of Tate much longer anyway, without shriveling up and dying.”
My sarcasm relaxes her, and she laughs slightly, nodding as she removes her T-shirt and slips out of her shorts. Dee’s right, Darcy has a cute body she hides beneath her ill-fitted clothes, but I don’t judge her for it. To each their own.
“Yeah baby, woo-hoo!” Cole and Ryan both shout out as Darcy and I step into the water.
The pool is crowded with obnoxious teens with drinks in their hands, giant pool floaties, and some including Dee and Ryan, getting a little too cozy underneath the water.
I have noticed nothing between the two of them before, but the way Dee’s gaze is focused on Brooklyn despite Ryan’s hands around her waist, makes me believe there’s a method to her current state of madness.
“Don’t be a dick Cole,” I scoff, splashing his face as I slide in beside him. Brooklyn scoots in closer to Darcy but just before he throws an arm over her shoulder Fitz shifts sending a wave of water toward them.
“Why don’t we play a game of truth or dare,” Fitz says, everyone’s eager attention shifting to him.
Cole slides up next to Fitz throwing an arm around his shoulder, “Ooh yes, let's make it strip truth or dare. You pussy out of the dare or refuse to answer with the truth and you gotta strip an article of clothing off.”
“We’re in fucking bikini’s moron, stripping would mean we’d be completely naked,” Dee interjects, but based on the look on all the guys faces, that was exactly their plan.
This time my brother slides in between Ryan and Dee and pats the top of her head like you would a dog or a small child. “My goodness, Donovan Kennedy, you are a genius,” he mocks, “Blonde, beautiful, and brilliant.”
None of us miss the sarcasm in his statement, well none except Donovan, whose blush creeps across her face and neck, surely from the fact my idiot brother, despite insulting her, called her beautiful.
Quickly realizing everyone’s looking at her, Dee shakes it off and flips him off. “Fuck you to Brooklyn,” she curses, pushing away from him and getting as much distance as possible.
“Kids come on, we’re missing out on the fun. Let’s see, I'll go first.” Cole’s gaze flicks back and forth between the group, silently playing eenie, meenie, miney, moe before landing on me. “Yes, my darling Phoenix,” he murmurs, swimming up beside me and lifting me in his arms.
“Oh, no you don't, Sheppard. I never agreed to your stupid little game.” I try my best to wriggle out of his arms but it’s impossible. The guy may be long and lean but there is no doubt his entire body is made of pure muscle. Hours and hours spent on the beach, in the water, and surfing every wave he can ride, Cole is ripped. “Let me go, Cole.”
“Truth or dare, P?” he asks, ignoring my pleas. There’s no use. Everyone’s watching me, even a group of my classmates whom I have no idea what their names are, swim over to us, eager to see what I will decide.
But before I can respond, the last two people I want anywhere near me, swim through the crowd, bodies falling to the side making room for their arrival. Arm in arm, well more like limbs entangled around one another under the water, they make their way directly to Cole and me. Even Fitz and Brooklyn shamelessly move to the side to make room for them, but their glares prove they're just as happy as me to see them.
“Well, this ought to be interesting,” Tate murmurs, her shrill voice figuratively making my ears bleed. Her blue eyes, just like Chad’s beside her, are bright red and glossy, but whereas hers stare at me with a deep hatred, his don't leave Cole’s hands still wrapped around me. “Why don’t I go first,” she says when no one else speaks. “Tell me Phoenix, why is it you and Chad broke up after two years of unconditional love?”
I can’t speak, my throat’s constricting, bile rising inside me. Not just because I have nothing to say to the bitch, but I’m physically incapable of verbalizing a simple coherent answer for her question. I bet she knows exactly why we broke up, and Chad’s fear-stricken expression proves me right. "I know, he divulged that information the other day when we were um, hanging out,” she coos, with a fake ass wink.
“Tate,” Chad warns, but the bitch doesn’t hold back. Her eyes flare with anger, and I’m trying my best not to combust or erupt in flames.
“Well, I guess we all know it’s because he cheated, am I right?” she asks but she doesn’t expect an answer. She knows. “But tell me dear did you ever discover who it was he cheated with?”
