“Who needs a house this big? This place could serve as a fucking hospital.”
She chuckles, which makes me laugh as well, and she seizes my arm again, walking me around the mansion's side as if she knows where she is going. As soon as we enter the backyard, I notice a small group of people lounging by the pool, some swimming, others chatting on the sun loungers, and nerves rush over me right away; I can feel myself shrinking into the recluses that I am as curious eyes watch our every move.
The closer we get, one of the guys gets up from a sun lounger and he seems a bit older than us. I can’t help but notice his tannedbody is covered with brightly colored tattoos, and his thick, wavy light blonde hair falls over his piercing blue eyes.
His physique is ripped with muscle and his wet swim shorts hang low on his hips as he strides towards us casually with a cigarette tucked between his lips. When we have closed the gap, he immediately wraps his strong arm around the back of Lucy's neck and draws her in close to his body before kissing the side of her head, and I immediately know this must be Cody, the guy she is dating.
He is not at all what I expected when she said he was sweet. They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and they're probably right, but if you did, Cody would be a book with all the fucking trigger warnings. There is an intensity about him, and his vibe is undeniably dark, the opposite of Lucy's cheerful and bubbly nature, but maybe it's an opposite-attract phenomenon.
As they continue to embrace, I shift on my feet, from one foot to the other, feeling slightly uncomfortable and acutely aware of my single status. When they eventually break apart, I cast a glance their way, noticing Lucy's grin as she gazes up at him, completely smitten.
“I hope you don't mind that I've brought a friend with me. This is Charley.”
I offer a tiny smile as they both look at me, but Cody's gaze is filled with suspicion as he scans my eyes before nodding silently in approval. I reciprocate with a small nod in return before he roughly drags Lucy away, his arm still wrapped around her neck, and she giggles as she stumbles. I slowly follow behind them until we reach the rest of the group, and everyone gawks at me as if I am some kind of intruder.
There is a small group of beautiful, model-like girls here, along with maybe five very attractive guys. I try not to let my awkwardness show as I give them modest smiles while passing by, eventually settling beside Lucy on a free sun lounger.
After a couple of cold beverages, Chaos' music plays gently from the speakers in the background, and I lay back, relaxing under the beaming sun rays while listening in on Lucy and Cody's quiet chat beside me.
“So, Luce, are you coming in the pool with me today?”
She giggles before responding to his deep, smooth, and composed voice.
“If you want me to.”
When I turn my head ever so slightly to peer at them, I notice she is lying on top of him, their bodies entwined, and his hand is softly sweeping up and down the curve of her bare back. The sun casts a warm glow on their figures, adding to the intimacy of the moment. I let out a tiny sigh before glancing away, feeling a pang of longing mixed with a hint of envy until suddenly, all the boys jump up and race towards the pool, their laughter echoing through the air before they bomb into it and all the girls scream.
As soon as Lucy and Cody stand before darting to the pool and diving in as well, a small smile creeps over my lips. They seem so carefree and happy together. As I observe them goofing around from afar, I realize that I am the only one who has not gotten into the water yet and once the splashing has subsided, Lucy calls out to me.
“Are you coming in, Char?”
I shake my head slightly, still not fully at ease, until my attention is drawn to someone walking out of the house. When I notice it's Chaos, my heart skips a beat and as I watch him, I start to feel like a little schoolgirl admiring an icon I've followed on social media for many years. My eyes wander over his shirtless, toned, and tattooed body as it moves effortlessly, each muscle defined and flexing as he steps forward.
I must fight the urge to approach him like a fucking star-struck fan and ask for a selfie like any normal person would, reminding myself that it will be childish of me considering I am in his home. I try to play it cool and stay in my same relaxed posture as he heads to join everyone by the pool. His aura commands attention as he greets everyone, casually taking a joint from behind his ear as if it is the most natural thing in the world.
As he lights the end of the joint, wisps of smoke curl and ascend into the air as he strolls to the pool's edge. When he is close enough, he leans over and shakes hands with all the guys, the joint dangling from his lip, then crouches down with his forearms resting on his thighs. As I observe him, I notice his demeanor radiates a calm, cool confidence as he interacts with the guys in the pool. Meanwhile, the girls remain silent, their eyes glued on him with fascination, just as I fucking am.
I have been listening to Chaos's music for many years. His lyrics are more than just words; they are poetry that resonates deeply with anyone who listens. He is not like other typical rappers who spit about drugs and violence, Chaos speaks to the soul with his raw, heartfelt words and he delves into topics like mental health and real struggles. He creates words that could strike even the coldest of hearts and that is what sets him apart since he makes his music so powerful and relatable.
His gaze drifts across the pool, scanning the girls until he lifts his eyes, and they land on mine causing my breath to unexpectedly catch in my throat. At that moment, it is as if time slows down, and I can feel his intense stare boring into me. His deep brown eyes hold mine steadily for a moment, studying me as if in fascination.
He calmly takes a long drag from his joint, the smoke swirling around him before he subtly raises his chin; a sign that he acknowledges my existence, and the gesture sends a shiver down my spine in the most delicious way.
Without warning, my lips twitch into a small smile in response before he draws his gaze away from mine and stands. For some time, he strides up and down the pool's edge, chatting, smoking, and occasionally glancing my way, and I struggle to stop the butterflies in my stomach from fluttering.
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the pool shifts and some of the guys hoist the girls onto their shoulders, evoking playful laughter. I observe with a mix of amusement and disbelief as the battle unfolds and the girls begin to wrestle one another while balancing on the guy's shoulders, and I cannot stop myself from giggling at the absurdity of it all.
I notice Chaos stepping backward, then with a sudden burst of energy, he flicks his joint away, runs, and bombs into the pool fully clothed, creating a wave that reaches me, splashing up my legs and drawing screams from the girls. When he emerges on the surface, he rakes his fingers through his wavy, brown hair as droplets cascade down his sculpted body and as Lucy shouts out to me, I am entirely zoned in on him.
“Charley, get in!”
My attention shifts to Lucy as she sits on Cody's shoulders, and then return my focus to Chaos, who is already watching me intently while wiping water off his face. Despite my nerves, I know I can't say no without seeming odd, especially after coming here uninvited. Mentally noting to address Lucy's pressurizing bullshit later, I rise from the sun lounger and strip down into my bathing suit, acutely aware of everyone’s eyes on me since the silence is suddenly deafening.
As soon as I am done, I approach the pool and Chaos's gaze sweeps down the entire length of my body very blatantly, causing a tingling sensation wherever his captivating eyes wander. Attempting to maintain my composure, I stride forward with as much confidence as I can muster, before lowering myself down on the edge of the pool and dipping my tanned legs into the water, enjoying the soothing warmth that envelops them.
When I notice Chaos drifting towards me with the water at his neck level, I gulp hard, and as he gets closer, we make deeper eye contact. We both maintain a blank expression as my heart starts to pick up speed, and I am swooning by the time he is directly in front of me. As he rises, I must tilt my head back so that I can look up at him, and he takes a step forward, nudging my legs with his hips and I instinctively part my thighs to allow him to squeeze between them as if he has me under his spell.
Our intense eye contact remains unbroken, the obvious tension between us seeping into every pour of my veins and as soon as he places his wet palms on my warm, dry thighs, I fight the urge to flinch from the unexpected connection. With deliberate slowness, he glides his hands upward, and the higher they go, the deeper I inhale.
