"I can see you Drayton."

I turn my head towards him with wide eyes and find him wearing a defeated yet slightly amused expression. To say I'm confused right now would be the understatement of the century.

"Hey Aunt Cass," Drayton calls out, furthering the confusion that's beginning to make my head spin.

"There's a couple of towels hanging on the gate here," the woman calls out and it sounds like she's smiling. "Come in and see me when you're done with whatever it is that you're doing."

The two of us stay where we are, our heads down as if we've just been scolded by the principal. We listen to her footsteps head back inside and once the doors closed Drayton hoists himself up on to the edge of the pool.

"I'll grab your towel." He jumps to his feet and I keep my head down, offering some modesty until he's wrapped a fluffy white towel around his waist.

"Here." I glance up and strain through the dark to see him holding either end of another towel so it's opened wide. "I won't look."

My teeth start to chatter when the breeze hits my skin as I climb out of the pool, my sopping wet hair sticks to my face, shoulders and back. I clamp down on my jaw to prevent the sound as much as I can and stand on the other side of the towel that Dray holds up, creating a curtain between us.

He turns his head back in my direction as I step into the towel and although I'm not sure what the hell is going on, or what's going to happen next, I can't stop thinking about the fact that we'd almost kissed. And this time, I don't think he was going to pull away at the last second.

I turn my back to Dray and he slowly wraps the towel around my body, his warm hands grazing my shoulders and the top of my bust as he folds it over at my front. Every single touch feels sensual and is giving me mild heart palpitations. I inhale a deep, quiet breath before I turn back to face him and tuck the towel in at the top so it stays put.

His hooded eyes travel the length of my body with a slightly pained expression and in all honesty, I'm mirroring his action as I soak in his water droplet covered body. The moonlight glistens on his wet torso, the sharp definition of his V line is disappearing into the low hung towel on his hips and there's not a chance that I can deny - even to myself - that I'm insanely attracted to him.

"Come on," he sighs after a silent moment of the two of us clearly admiring each other's half naked bodies.

He leads the way up towards the house, both of us snatching up our clothes on the way past. When we get inside I admire the interior decor. It's a classic style home but it's recently been renovated with fresh coats of white paint and stained hard wood floors. The marble counter tops are impossibly shiny and the French doors don't show a hint of smudge despite the fact that children obviously live here.

The woman known as Aunt Cass stands at the kitchen bench preparing two hot coffees in her robe and slippers. She's middle aged but strikingly beautiful with natural blonde wavy hair that's pulled up in a knot on the top of her head. Her skin shows signs of ageing with little crows feet at the corners of her blue eyes but that doesn't mar her flawless face.

"I want to ask," she suddenly speaks with a humorous tone as she slides the drinks across the counter top that separates us. "But I'm also not sure that I want to know."

"Don't tell Mom," Drayton laughs nervously, running his hand through his wet hair.

"Don't tell your Mom that you're meant to be tucked up in a hotel room but instead your swimming butt naked in my pool in the middle of the night?" She raises her brows and points in the direction of the back door. "Yeah I don't think that's a conversation that I want to have with your Mother."

"I'm so confused!" I interrupt. I can't take it any longer. I need an explanation because standing here in nothing but a towel while my hair drips droplets all over this stranger's kitchen floor is giving me major anxiety.

The two of them glance in my direction wearing knowing grins. I hate being the only one not in on the joke.

"Dallas this is my Aunt Cass," Drayton finally explains as she gives me a wave and a small smile. "Aunt Cass was married to my uncle. The one that-"

"The one that slept with his ex-girlfriend," Cass finishes with a hostile tone.

"Yeah. My Dad's brother. Anyway," Drayton waves his hand dismissively, "sorry you had to meet a member of my family like this."

"She hasn't met your parents?" Cass points at us with a dropped jaw.

"We're not" - Drayton casts an unreadable glance in my direction - "we're just friends."

"Do you swim nude with all of your friends?" Cass asks, leaning against the counter top with both palms flat against the surface.

She sounds like Nathan.

"W-w-wait-" I shake my head, staring at nothing in particular. "Why'd you let me think we were skinny dipping in a stranger's pool?!"

"I wanted you to feel like you were being crazy and reckless" - he shrugs his toned shoulders - "without actually getting you into trouble."

My stomach does little flip flops under his heated gaze. The fact that he'd wanted to help me have a good time but keep me out of immediate trouble, is so sweet that I almost can't believe this is the same Drayton that was annoying the shit out of me less than a month ago.

"But someone" - Dray breaks our eye contact and turns his head towards Cass - "ruined my good deed."

"Don't look at me!" Cass holds her hands up defensively. "You could have texted and warned me and I would have left you to it."

"Never mind." He picks up the coffee and I can't help but watch his arm muscles flex with every movement. "But you've got bigger balls than me" - he gives me a proud grin - "I wouldn't have skinny-dipped in a strangers pool."

"Great," I mumble and fold my arms across my chest. "You're really not living up to this badass reputation you supposedly have."

"Don't be fooled by the brooding attitude and motorcycle." Cass grins. "Dray here is a big ol softie."

This is all far too much to process while I'm naked. Not to mention Dray's naked, which is a distraction all of its own.

"Do you have a bathroom I can use to change?" I ask Cass, picking my clothes off the table that I'd placed them on when we'd come in.

"Yeah darl," she points to the door at the far end of the room, "through the corridor, first door on the left."

I apologise for the puddle that my hairs created on the hardwood floor before I dash through the kitchen and into the bathroom. I finish drying off and change back into my clothes, appreciating the feeling of modesty more so than I ever have before. I towel dry my hair as much as I can and then pull it into a ponytail.

When I walk back into the kitchen, Dray is clothed, seated at the small kitchen table with a little boy on his lap. The little guy is dressed in an adorable panda onesie while he rubs his tired eyes.

"We woke this one up apparently." Dray rolls his eyes at his Aunt who's heating up a cup of milk.

"You did! He heard your voice. You know how much he loves you."

"This is Coen," Dray tells me as I sit down in the seat beside him. "My baby cousin and the best looking kid in the family!"

Dray starts tickling his sides, causing a bubbly laugh to escape the toddler's wee lips. He's so adorable, his blonde hair matches his mothers and he has huge bright blue eyes. I watch the two of them interact with absolute awe. This night has gone from weird to weirder in so many different ways.

"Alright Coen," Cass shakes the little sippy cup and he jumps off Drayton's lap, running towards her at full speed, "time to go back to bed little guy. Say goodnight to cousin Dray."

"Nunight Dray-Dray." He waves his little hand and my heart turns into a puddle of goo as he and Cass disappear through the door I'd just come from.

"Dray-Dray..." I grin with a cheesy smirk as Drayton rolls his eyes and sighs loudly. It's still blowing my mind that this is the same stone-faced boy that's intimidated me countless times over the past few weeks.

"Don't," he warns with a small smile. "Only Coen gets to call me that."

"Oh." I slowly nod, trying not to burst out laughing. It doesn't work though and I'm soon curled over in side-splitting laughter for more than one reason. There are so many things about this entire situation that simultaneously make me want to laugh and yet cry as well. I go with laughter because that just feels better.

Cass reappears a few minutes later, dragging her feet with a wide yawn.

"Are you two going back to the hotel now?" She asks, wiping the already clean bench down with a sponge. "I can call you a cab?"

"Nope," Drayton stands up and slides his phone into his pocket, "we have another stop to make. I ordered an uber, it should be here by now."

"Where are we going now?" I ask with a little bewilderment. I'm not tired or bored per se. But I'd asked him to do this entire thing on a whim. How many plans can this boy possibly make spontaneously?

"You'll see."

•

The uber pulls up in front of a park that's illuminated by fairy lights dangling in the trees and solar lamps creating a little pathway through the grass. When Dray and I get out of the car and my eyes scan over the enchanting space I notice the large projector screen set up about fifty feet away and all the people that are laid out in the grass which is slightly elevated in a natural hill.

People are cuddled in blankets, eating popcorn, kissing under the starlight. It's all a little bit cute and I'm wondering if Drayton bought us here to do something hideous like set the projector on fire or spray everyone with a hose.

"What's the wild activity we're doing here?" I ask cautiously as we make our way towards the occupied space. As we get closer I notice the movie that's playing is Monsters Inc and I internally jump for joy.

"Actually we're just here to watch the movie."  He chuckles lightly when I stare at him as though he's grown two heads. "We're a little bit late but I heard a couple of the guys talking about this place today. Some of them planned on bringing the girls down here. It's romantic so they figured it'd help them score."

"Of course." I clack my tongue and roll my eyes.

"This was going to be our wind-down activity before my Aunt ruined the thrill of our skinny dipping," he explains. "But I figured we could come anyway."

I smile and nod approvingly. I don't want to let on how adorable I find this whole thing incase he worries that I'm reading too much into it. I know that he's simply trying to help me have fun with the limited options that he has.

There's a small basket a few meters to the left of us and Dray lightly jogs towards it, shuffling through it and returning a few moments later with a large throw.

"Don't worry," he tells me as he starts spreading it on the ground. "I checked it over for jizz stains."

"Oh Drayton, gross!" I whine quietly. "Do you think that people actually do that on these blankets?"

He stares up at me with a look to imply that I'm completely clueless. "Of course they do."

"People are disgusting," I mumble and sit down on the blanket. Dray stares at it with his hands on his hips, looking thoughtful for a moment until he disappears in the direction of the basket again.

"Extra layering." He holds up a second blanket when he returns and then sits down next to me, throwing the questionable material across the two of us.

"So Bryan," he sighs quietly, "thoughts on your fun-filled evening?"

I lay down and stare at the stars, thinking about how to answer him. So many different elements contributed to the night and I don't think I hated any of them. Not even the dirty club dancing, which does make me wince a little now that the alcohol is well out of my system.

But how can I put into words how bizarre, yet incredible it's all been. The night trek through the city where we'd talked for a solid hour or more about anything and everything. The skinny dipping, the fact that I've seen Dray naked, the fact that we almost kissed, meeting his Aunt, cousin and now this. All of it feels like going from extremity to extremity and there hasn't been one dull moment all night.

"It's been, something else Lahey."

He lays down beside me and our sides brush. I'm not even surprised when the static surges through me in response to his touch.

"Is that it?" he scoffs. "Come on, what'd you think of going rebel and sneaking out. Basically being a normal teenager."

"I thought it was amazing okay," I laugh lightly as he throws his fist triumphantly into the air. "The entire night has been thrilling and exciting and I loved it. Thank you Dray." I turn my head to the side and he does the same. "I appreciate you risking even more trouble for me."

"I'm actually not in trouble," he admits quietly. "Coach told me before you came to see me that I didn't need to worry because he'd tell everyone I'm on suspension or something. But he won't be benching me."

His brows knit together in confusion as he stares past my face, as though he's zoned out and trying to understand how he'd been let off. Players fighting almost always results in a stand-down and major disciplinary measures. But I'm not surprised by his admission. I know why the coach did what he did.

"I might of had something to do with that," I tell him quietly. His attention comes back to my face and the confusion in his features starts to deepen.

"What do you mean?"

"I told coach about what that guy did to me and why you were so angry. I explained everything. That's why he was so understanding."

"Dallas, you didn't have to do that." Drayton's signature look replaces his puzzled expression, but this time when I see it, I'm not intimidated or afraid. "You didn't have to tell anyone about what he did."

"I wanted too," I tell him with a fierce tone. "Honestly it's the least I could do after you beat the crap outta him in the middle of your game. I didn't want you to take all the heat when you didn't deserve it."

His face turns upwards towards the sky again. The movie plays softly in the background, the people spread out in front of us munch on snacks and murmur quietly amongst each other. The trees around us rustle ever so slightly in the soft breeze. This a serene place and I'm beginning to realise that you can find peace in more places than just the confines of home.

Dray continues to silently stare at the stars. One arm rests behind his head, the other is draped across his chest. I want to know what he's thinking. I want to understand him and listen to him and I wish more than anything that he'd open up to me. But that concept in itself is scary to think about. Why do I want all of that so badly? Not all that long ago, I hadn't wanted a thing to do with him. He's still the arrogant, cocky, stone-faced boy that I first met, but I'm starting to see beneath that and it's leaving a craving for more.

"Thanks for getting me out of trouble cheer." He turns to me again and my heart almost gives out when his hand finds mine under the blanket. "That suspension could have really fucked with my future."

I nod my head, not sure how to respond. His fingers laced with mine certainly aren't helping to produce any coherent thoughts.

"But" - he grins - "it would have been worth it."

• • •

I don't think I've ever woken up to a crisp breeze ruffling my hair or the sound of birds chirping right next to my head.

My eyes fly open and for a moment I wish that I didn't have to go into panic mode because I'm curled up on Dray's chest and his arm is tucked around my back, holding me closely.

"Oh my God, Dray!" I abruptly sit up and slap his chest as I look around the now brightly lit park. "Wake up!"

We aren't the only ones who have spent the night here. But we are probably the only ones that are meant to be in our hotel and boarding a bus this morning. I can't see anyone else from school here and I swear if they saw us and just left us here, I'll damage someone. I pull out my phone to check the time when I see Drayton sitting up in my peripheral view.

"Shit." He gasps, his head whipping in all directions. "What's the time!?"

"It's eight!" I stand up, fretting as I smooth out my hair and pull my shoes on. I don't even have time to admire how dishevelled and fücking good he looks after sleeping in a damn park all night. I probably look like I live in the freaking park.

"Eight?!" Drayton snaps. Eight is late. It's super late. It's late enough that coach would have done rounds of the rooms, it's late enough that people would notice both Dray and I missing. It's late enough that if we show up together in last night's clothes, it won't take long for people to draw their own false conclusions.

"We are so fucked."

• • •

Thank you all for getting me to number 191 on teen fictions hot list. I actually can't believe it. You're all amazing. Thank you for 8k reads. Tew much. If you enjoyed this chapter. Please tap the star.

Much love. Until next time. x