Swimming is so much easier

"This is so beautiful, with its growing bushes covering everything animals lurking around waiting to pounce. What a beautiful day it is," Oliver said his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Stop being a buzz kill. Everyone is happy to be out trekking and enjoying the scenery,"Diana told him.

"In this freezing weather and not indoors enjoying Mason's hot chocolate, like every normal human being,"Oliver continued totally ignoring Diana.

Its Friday, the day after Christmas – boxing day. I woke up to Jason shaking me awake excited to open presents. Yanking me out bed he raced us down stairs where everybody was gathered grabbing their presents and tearing them open.

I took a sit by Diana my stomach churring just remembering  her look yesterday. She hadn't talked to me since and stayed away as if I was a plague. And she did the same thing that morning. Get up and went to Sam and sat by her pretending to show her the present she was holding. Slowly i slide my eyes to Mason, he was already staring. He quickly looked away. He has been avoiding me since.

Jason pushed my present from him to my laps. Inside was a set of moon shaped necklace and bracelets and a picture of a waterfall. Taking it out he announced we going on a waterfall adventure.

Two hours later we were trekking the forest heading for the waterfall with Oliver grumbling about it. 

But I agreed with him. It was freezing. It might not be snowing but it was definitely cold. Despite the sun being high up in the sky, an hour ago it was decided the sun was just for show today. Pulling my jacket tighter around me i wish we were in back LA locked in my room stuffing my face and finishing the vampire diaries.

"Mason will make it for you when we get back," Jason waved.

"No I won't. Don't you have your own hands to do it?" Mason asked a smile playing at his face.

"I knew you both were conspiring to kill us, with all the sketchy things-," Oliver started.

Tuning him out, I went back to mulling over yesterday. I really have no idea why Diana was so mad. She had made it clear that she no longer loved Mason any more then why get upset when i kiss him? She has Kevin why can't i have Mason? And why in the world is Mason avoiding me? Does he still love her-

"You don't seem like you are enjoying yourself?" Jason pulled me out of my train of thoughts.

"No. No. I am. It's just this place reminds me of back home and i gues am a little bit home sick," i said with a little laugh. Lies.

I wasn't thinking about back home. I have never even thought about that place since i set foot here and i never want to go back there. I was happy here. I was happy staying with the Miller's, been friends the McSmith daughters, Oliver and his cousin. And i am definitely happy liking Mason. I have to talk to them.

"Lets play Never have i ever" Jason yelled for everyone to hear.

"Never have i ever?" 

"Yeah. Someone says something he or she has done and usually others who haven't done it drink but in this case, they give the next never have i ever," he explained before starting the game.

"Never have i ever fallen down the window of a second story house running away from being caught,"Jason says.

"Guys you should have been there, the rager was sick,"Kevin says with a laugh.

"Am next," Sam pipes in. " Never have i ever been caught using a fake ID," she laughs.

"For real where?" I ask.

"We -the cheerleaders had gone to Club Sundown for Sheryl's first night as an eighteen year old and we got a little to drunk and the bouncer found out my ID was fake while i was flirting with him," Sam explains.

"Never have i had a crush on a teacher, specifically a maths teacher,"Olivia continues.

"Never have i ever been betrayed by someone i considered my friend," Diana takes my turn while glaring at me.

"Never have i ever been accused of betrayal for having something my friend didn't want," i counter.

"Never have i ever been treated as an object," Mason says looking at me face coated with disappointment.

I'm hurt. I can't believe he is saying am objectifying him for just saying my piece.

"Never have i ever been in a love triangle," Oliver continues with a laugh.

"You? Love triangle? That's a lie," Kevin asks laughing.

"It happened in nineth grade, with Stella and Milkah. I liked Stella, but Stella liked Milkah and Milkah liked me-" I tune Oliver's story out and focus on Kevin.

I know for a fact that he likes Diana a lot, and how he is smiling about and having fun makes me wonder if he actually has a problem with been ghosted by Diana hours after their make out session.

"You have been down today, what's up?" Olivia asks slowing down to match my pace.

"Am okay," i try to brush her off.

"I heard the argument between Diana and Kevin," she  pauses.

Am pretty sure the whole house heard it. I sigh," I get that she once liked him and they dated when she was in freshman year, but that was two years ago and she likes Kevin now,"

"Trust me i also dont understand but you cant unless you talk to her and sort this out," she says.

Just then Mason turns around and our eyes meet only for  a brief second but that is enough to see the guilt cross by.

"Today is a great day and we are going to enjoy ourselves, and not let what we Can't control dampen our moods, okay?" Olivia nugdes my gaze away from Mason's back.

"Okay," i sigh.

The game has stopped but Oliver is telling a story of how he got chased down by a monkey for teasing him with bananas.

"Are you going back home after the holidays?"

"Yes but its just a state over so i can come down whenever i get time,"

"Really?? Oliver is lucky to have a cousin like you,"

"Yes but am not coming down for Oliver alone, am kind of seeing someone and she stays here," she gives me a smile before pulling me down the small slope to the a clearing.

The waterfall was falling down and pulling  around into a small lake. The sight was beyond beautiful.

We set up our picnic supplies on the ground as the bouys  grabbed a ball to play around while Olivia and i rounded the waterfall checking it out and looking for a cave hidden behind the waterfall.

"Hey" I find Diana on her own working on her art of the waterfall.

"Hey," she replies not looking up from her book.

"The art looks beautiful," i comment honestly impressed by how realistic it looked.

"What do you want?" She snaps putting her book down.

"You said i betrayed you, why would you think that?" I ask.

"Why would i think that? I tell you what he did to me but you still go ahead and kiss him,"

"You two aren't together. And you have kevin,"

"So what? I still trusted you about it, my feelings and how he hurt me. You knew i still loved him but you just had to go do it,"

"You cant have you cake and eat it. And it selfish of you to want to string around Kevin and still keep him-"

"Don't talk to her like that," Mason interupts glaring at me.

I look between them and i still can't believe what i heard or what am seeing. And looking at Mason i am really hurt. Why would he make me feel like there is something between us if he knew he still loved Diana.

I want to cry. I can feel the tears pricking me wanting to be let loose, but i can't. I just can't let them see how much it hurts. I look away from them and into the water.

Without thinking i quickly strip out of my clothes as i head in the direction of the stream.

"Ayla? What are you doing?" i hear Jason ask.

"Swimming is so much easier then fucking people," i grumble before jumping into the freezing water.

I let a tear out. It feels so nice to let it out even though its in a freezing stream.

Coming up i hear Oliver shout as he jumps in the water," Oh my god this water is freezing," he adds with a laugh.

Sam jumps in next with the rest joining as we laughed splash each other with the cold water.