Misty walked over to the pool area, her steps starting to get slow as she got close to her destination. A little five years old boy running toward her made her jump up. She stopped in her tracks and laughed as he trapped her legs in a hug.

"Aunt Missy! Let's go swim!"

Misty chuckled and bent down. She patted him on the head. "Okay, Aiden, okay."

Ash appeared from behind her and picked up the boy. The latter was giggling loudly.

"Who's going to swim with Uncle Ash?"

"Meeee!"

"I can't heaaar youuu."

"Meeee! Meeee!"

Ash turned around, gave Misty and wink and headed toward the pool. Misty signed and followed after him.

How did she get herself into this mess again?

Misty took a seat at the table they were all gathering around. Well, except it was just her and Eric, Ash's brother-in-law. Stella was making sure her son Aiden doesn't drown, and Ash has left the pool area to answer a work phone call.

Misty didn't know why he left. There weren't any strangers around. Eric has just fixed and filled the pool in his beach house in Cerulean. His little sister and his mother were around, and he told Ash about it, knowing his little obsession with pools Misty never knew about until recently.

Oh yeah. Ash was obsessed with pools (beside cars and his face). He's begged her to go with him the whole time, and she agreed in the end. It was a mess. 

Add it to the fact that she didn't really felt comfortable showing so much skin in front of people. Misty hasn't worn a swimsuit in years. Well, it indeed was a one piece swimsuit (Misty picked up a black polka-dot'd one. The printing would work as camouflage, she guessed) but it still showed her legs and stuck to her skin. The swimsuit could barely contain her ugly big chest. She knew no one really cared, but still, she was just not feeling well.

"So, your last name is Williams? Stella told me." Eric wasn't really the muscular type, but he was charming. He and Stella made a wonderful couple. Misty wouldn't take her eyes off of them when they're hugging or kissing, or when they're playing with their son together. They were a beautiful family.

"Yeah..."

"Is Daisy your sister?"

Misty's eyebrows rose. "Uh—yeah... how did you..."

Eric chuckled. "We were classmates in my senior year. I used to drive her home sometimes too. You can say we were friends."

"Oh..."

"Is she okay? I didn't see her in the last class reunion."

"She is. She's just busy with the children. She has three." Misty chuckled a bit.

"Already? Oh, good luck with that. I have one and he's already wearing me out. Stella wants a girl but I'm not ready to have another kid, honestly."

"Eric!" His little sister Mariah yelled as she walked toward them. "What are you doing?"

"Just talking to Misty, over here."

Mariah eyed the redhead and giggled. Stella has told Misty she was her age and a lot like her. The redhead wasn't really sure about that. Mariah was skinny and pretty, and she was wearing a bikini too. Misty could never do that. How could Stella even compare her to this girl?

"Oh, where is Ash anyway?"

"I think he went inside the house to answer a call—hey! Leave him alone! Come back here!"

Mariah left the pool, ignoring completely Eric's threats. He kept chucking. "This girl just won't sit down."

Misty was just watching the scene, trying to figure out what was going on. In the meantime, Stella was back at the table with Aiden who looked pretty tired now. 

"Where is Ash?" Stella asked Misty instantly after she sat down beside her. Why was everyone wearing two pieces bikinis and making Misty feel bad? Stella gave birth. She wasn't supposed to look the way she looks now—well, fine, Misty felt a bit jealous. No one could blame her.

"Still talking on the phone. Mariah went to check on him." Eric answered instead.

Stella turned toward Misty. This latter didn't like the way she was looking at her.

"Remember Daisy, Stella? The girl you saw at the reunion? Misty is her little sister," Eric said as he looked down at his son and ruffled his hair.

"Oh, really?" Stella glared at Misty. The redhead still had no idea what was going on. Why was Stella glaring at her?

"Yep. We should go see her sometimes."

"We will."

Stella stopped glaring and turned to look the other way. Misty was completely confused.

She shrugged the thought off for now as she noticed Ash walk back to the pool again. She beamed when she saw him.

"Took you too long!" Stella shouted to him.

"It was important." Ash walked toward the table.

"Wasn't Mariah with you?"

"I'm right here! Yay!"

"W—WAAH!"

Everyone gasped and stood up as Mariah threw herself at Ash from behind and made him lose balance. The two ended up splashed into the pool as they were near it.

"Oh damn! This girl just doesn't sit down!" Eric slapped his forehead and the three went to check on them. They bent down at the edge of the pool. "Mary! Ash!"

"Ash! Mariah! Are you okay?"

Ash was the first to swim to the surface. Mariah soon joined him. She was giggling. "That was fun!"

"Oh yeah, it was! You scared the hell out of me!"

"Sorry, Ash!"

Eric and Stella signed in relief. "Don't do that again. It's dangerous."

"I just wanted to mess with him!"

Misty was just watching the whole scene curiously.

Was it what she was thinking about? Really?

Nah, she was probably just being herself: jealous, again.

The two got out of the pool, chuckling. Mariah was trying to throw herself at Ash again, not literally, this time. The girl was trying to be all cute and lovey—

No, it was it.

This girl was going after Misty's boyfriend.

And this wasn't the same as going after her Oreo's.

Ash was hers. What was this Mariah trying to do? Was Misty invisible? Was she that ugly that she didn't care she and Ash were together?

Misty didn't care if this girl was Stella's sister-in-law. She was going to crush her if she lays a finger on Ash again.

Well, not really. Misty thought she'd have a nice talk with the girl.

The redhead has had enough by the time Eric's mother brought drinks and Mariah kept bumping shoulders with Ash as they were at the table drinking their lemonade. It was clear now why Stella was glaring all the time. She kept pinching Misty's thigh during the whole time Mariah was bumping shoulders with Ash, who'd just pull away and crack a smile.

Ash started picking up the glasses after they finished. Mariah started too. It was Misty's chance.

"It's fine, Ash. I'll do it." Misty made Ash sit down and grabbed the glasses instead. It was only her and Mariah, walking toward the kitchen in complete silence.

On their way back to the pool, Misty started the conversation.

"Excuse me, Mariah?"

"Yeah?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Okay?"

The two stood facing each other. "I noticed you have your eyes set on Ash."

"Oh!" Mariah let out. "No! Of course not! He's just like my brother!"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am! Oh, please." Mariah rolled her eyes. She jumped up when Misty's face expression turned serious and she said,

"Brother or not, I don't want you coming near him and jumping at him, okay? He's my boyfriend, got that, sweetheart? He's mine. We love each other, so stop trying to act all cute around him and stop trying to seduce him with your nonexistent boobs, am I clear?"

Mariah was completely speechless.

"I ASKED A QUESTION! AM I CLEAR?"

"You—you got it wro-"

"Am I clear?"

"Yes."

"Good. If you're Ariana Grande, I'm Tara Lynn. Now, back off." Misty pushed her chest up and smirked. She gave the girl one more last glare before she headed back to the pool and joined Ash's side, smiling this time.

"Where were you?" 

"I had to take care of something."

"What—oh."

Misty leaned forward for a kiss. She ran her fingers through Ash's damp hair as she brought him closer. Both could feel each others' warm breath.

Ash pulled away just slightly. His lips were still brushing against Misty's. "You're learning fast. Someone's been watching Youtube videos."

Ash's lips' movements were sending shivers through Misty's whole body. The redhead pulled her right hand down and started brushing it teasingly over Ash's toned abdomen.

"Don't be silly."

Their kiss lasted enough for Mariah to gather her stuff and leave the house without having Ash know or hear anything about it. Even Eric's or Stella's shouts didn't make him pull away.

As soon as Ash pulled away, he couldn't help but notice something just slightly different about Misty.

"You look beautiful."

A long time ago, Misty has read somewhere that self-confidence makes you appear more attractive, but she could never get what that really meant.

Now, she could. She even attempted to answer in an Ash-manner. "Of course I do." 

Ash chuckled and hugged her. 

To be continued

... be confident, STAY confident! c;