It was a dreamless, peaceful night. Two of my best friends by my sides just like old times. I slept.

It's was Sunday. I woke up to find myself wrapped by a pair of strong arms. I looked at my left to see the side was empty which meant that the hands, enclosing me was Arlo's. Adrian left. I took my time to look at Arlo sleeping peacefully, his hair was on his forehead, falling over his eyes, his lips were parted slightly.

'He looks so calm and peaceful' I thought. I didn't know why, but I wanted this moment to last forever. But at that exact moment my alarm rang like a siren.

"Shit" I groaned.

"Uhhh" Arlo groaned.

I somehow snatched the phone off the nightstand and switched the alarm off.

"Uhh come back" he groaned again.

'What is he talking about?' I think.

His grip on my body tightens and he pulls me closer to his chest. I softly stroke his hair.

"Mhhh" he makes a sound.

"Aurelie?" he asks groggily.

"Mmm" I hum back.

"Thank you" he didn't even open his eyes fully. He must have been very tired.

"Why?" I ask softly.

"For giving a wonderful night of sleep"

"Welcome. Want to sleep more?"

"No just stay like this for a few more seconds" he said. 

I continue to stroke his luscious blonde hair as he closes his eyes and enjoys the sensation.

"Do you know every Sunday we join at the swimming pool, still now?" he asks, he eyes still closed.

"Really, then please come on I wanna join them" I said trying to sit up but unsuccessful to do so as his 'strong' arms were around me.

"Not till I wake up"he smirks. By now he lost the last tendrils of sleep completely.

"Please Arlo" I plead.

"Fine than kiss me"

What the fuck? What the actual fuck was that? Did he just ask me to kiss him? Should I use my self defence to get rid or should I kiss him. Though I would very much like to kiss his plump lips, I don't think that will be a very good choice.

'Aurelie he said kiss me, kiss him on the cheek. That's a platonic gesture' my conscience said to me.

'Good idea consy'

"Okay" I said before planting a kiss on his cheek and as expected he was surprised by that.

He shoot his eyes open and stares at me.

"What?" I ask.

"No you can go, I'm gonna go to my room" He said before sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Okay, meet you in the pool?" I asked, slipping my feet in the slippers and standing up.

I glance at Arlo to find him staring at me like yesterday with dark eyes. I clear my throat.

He leaves the bed and walks over the door. He opens it and slips out.

I stroll over to the bathroom basin and start brushing my teeth, going through last night's activities, me sitting on Arlo's lap twice, having a sleep over, Adrian leaving early, Arlo wrapping his hands around me in his sleep, we having that small but intense conversation.

I rinsed my mouth and splashed some water on my face, rubbed it dry with the towel and went to the toilet to pee my heart out!

After that I quickly change into my swim suit and redo my tresses as they became loose at night. I dashed out of my room and hopped up the stairs, two at a time and burst into the garden. Everyone was there, including Arlo.

"Good morning Elle" my mom waved at me from the pool.

"Good morning mom, I mean everyone" I corrected my self and everyone laughed.

"Come to the pool" Adrian said.

I see so this was the reason why he was up early.

Dad, Tony and Cami were on the easy chairs.

"I'm coming!" I shouted before running and diving in the water.

"Whoa be a bit graceful" my mother shrieked.

"Chill mom" I retorts.

"So? I heard that your a national level swimmer" Adrian says.

"Mhh so what?" I ask floating.

"I want you to have a little race with Em" he said.

On no. Racing with your inspiration is not a very good idea.

"No I'd rather float like this"

"Why? Afraid to loose to old bean?" my mom taunts me.

"You'll lose and you know that 'old beans'" I return the taunting

"Defeat me" 

"Fine I will. Clear the pool now" I holler.

Both Arlo and Adrian leave the pool and I mentally imagine where lane four would be. I swim to the center and take my position. The best swimmers are always given the center lanes because  it's believed to be the "coveted" lane. This is due to the fact that from lanes 4-5, you have the greatest visibility of swimmers in the other lanes. This is an advantage because in competitive races, athletes are known to perform better when they realize a competitor is close.

"Smart girl" mom muttered as she came near me and took her place.

"On the count of three" Tony shouted. 

"Three. Two. One. Go" he said and without hesitating I started stroking forward, in my most powerful domain- Freestyle.

Since the pool was not as big as my school's, I reached the end, flipped and push the wall with my feet. My mom just touched the wall when I was half way towards the end. Another two long strokes, and I was the winner.

"So how was th-at" I was panting.

Splash! My mom splashed water at me.

"If you think you can win olympic with that. I think you better do your studies properly" 

"I gotta call the media...just defeated the former world champion Emilie Newfeld" I boast.

"Oh shut up" she said, pulling herself up from the water.

"Okay okay enough of this squabbling" Cam said laughing.

"What's the time Dad?" I asked.

"Nearly 9, you woke up pretty late today" he commented.

I grinned at that.

"Autumn's coming so what's the plan?" I ask them.

Autumn is my favorite season. They say that the season matches with my personality.

"Well you're here this time so you plan and we follow" Tony cackled.

"Fine then first Cam will teach me how to make a pumpkin pie. I don't know that"

"You're talking as if you know how to cook most things" Mom rolled her eyes.

"When you live in a fancy place like Paris for half of your life, you will know these things" I rolled my eyes at her.

An eye for an eye!

"Let's see can you make coffee?"

"You know what? Go to a hospital, ask for a baby and then ask this same question to the baby. Do you know what you will get as an answer? A slap" I snickered.

"So today Aurelie Simona Newfeld will serve us coffee. Please make sure you don't miss this out" she stated.

"Aurelie if you want I can help you" Arlo offered.

Oh so sweet of him! He offered to help a master chief? Fuck everyone knows how to make coffee. But today I'll serve something else...a recipe of coffee.

"Sure I'll give you a list of things, and you'll buy them" I smiled. A part fake and part genuine smile.

"Ok" he responded.

I got up from the pool and looked around for my towel.

Shit! In excitement I forgot my towel! 

I think Arlo saw me searching of it as he came from behind me and handed my a white towel.

"What is it?" I asked...autumn was coming and the wind was making me shiver slightly.

"Wipe yourself or else you'll catch a cold" he whispered and went back to where he was standing.

With a bit, a tiny bit of hesitation I wiped my self dry and went down the stairs to change.

In few last days I settled my closet and my luggage. I picked a summer dress and wore it before reopening my wet braids and  drying my hair. I looked out of my glass window and saw the sun shining...Why not take a tour of these busy city? I pull out my curling machine from the drawer and put them on my bed, before extracting my makeup box from the closet.

I put a thin layer of rose powder, mascara before eye liner.

I send a quick text to Arlo-

"Come to my room...will talk~ Aurelie"

Within a few moments there was a sharp knock on my door.

"Come in" I said, wearing my lip gloss.

"You called?" Arlo said standing near the the washroom's entrance.

"Can you take me out? Just want to see NYC, plus we can shop for the things I told you to" I tell him.

"Hmm sure" he says after thinking a bit.

"So I'm going to get ready. By the way you should keep your hair down, that suits you" is all he said before leaving the room and closing the door behind.

I just smiled at that. I took my purse.

I took my shoes and wore them before marching down the stairs and slumping on the sofa.

"Tired so easily?" Adrian asked.

"Nope just lazy"

"Going somewhere?" he asked sitting beside me.

"Yep"

"With?"

"Arlo?"

"What the fuck? What's going on?" he asked all curious.

"Nothing just some shopping. I could've asked you but then I remembered you and shopping is equal to a perfect recipe for disaster" I smirked.

"Oh that's wrong"

"Come on I'm ready let's go" Arlo said at the same as Adrian did.

"Okay" I stood up.

"Will talk later Rian" I said.

"You'll tell me everything" he whispered back.

I checked everything again and found that I left my phone.

"Arlo wait for a sec" I said before rushing up my room, taking two stairs at a time, and grabbing my phone off the nightstand and again striding down the stairs.

"That was pretty quick" he observed.

I just nodded and went along with him towards the garage.

He opened his car, the Audi he took to pick me up. I sat in the passenger seat and strapped the seat belt.

"So we're we going?"

"Time Square" I squeal in delight like a child.

He just smiled at.

Aurelie's look. Her hair is golden, not black.

Her dress.

The shrug only...couldn't find one which looked good with the dress, but then I found this and I liked the jacket, so the jacket only. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Her footwear.

Her hair.

All pictures are taken from Pinterest.

A surprise in the next chapter for my lovely readers!

Your comments fill my heart.

All my love~Lily