The Winner Takes It All

Chapter Six | Lava Prize

Apparently, getting a date is far more difficult than I thought it would be. The whole school day passed and not once did some random guy walk up to me and ask me out. I mean it didn't usually happen but my current circumstances had me believing that maybe some poor fool would trip and fall in love with me.

Instead, I needed to leave the bet and all date-related problems for next week. I didn't fancy the idea of finding a random boy on the side of the road. At least at school, a sort of background check could be done since there was bound to be someone who knew someone else who knew someone who sat next to the guy.

"Maya, are you ready to go?" Adam asked, peeking his head around the doorway. I was currently watching some random show on Netflix. Somehow I was already halfway through the final episode. I was definitely not ready.

"I need to shower and change still." I didn't take my eyes off the tv. I knew I was one snack away from looking like a hobo. My mother barely lets me throw the rubbish away dressed like this, I doubt she'd let me go to Easton's birthday party like this.

"You're going to make us late. I have plans you know." This time I glanced in his direction. My brother was dressed in navy blue swimming trunks and a cream polo shirt. The plans were obvious. He just wanted to go swimming with half the neighbourhood.

"They live three doors down, across the road. I don't need to hold hands to get there." That answer seemed to satisfy him because he disappeared, leaving me to watch the rest of the show in peace.

I took my time getting ready since I hadn't seen messages from Kim about her arrival. If I went too early, it would be me and a bunch of adults making polite conversation about the weather. It happened once, a few years ago. Easton's parents hosted parties with a mixture of neighbours and friends so the crowd was always familiar but that didn't mean I wanted to make conversations past the pleasantries.

The walk to Easton's house was short and I by-passed knocking on the door as I entered through the garden's side gate to see that most people were here and I was fashionably late. I made my rounds, greeting everyone before settling in a chair next to Kim.

"You live the closest, yet you're the last one here," Kim commented. The chair layout was a circle, but like a circle that a 3 year older drew.

"It's not easy to achieve my good looks." I brushed a wet lock of hair over my shoulder. I was always lazy to dry my hair, even though it was going to be a frizzy mess in an hour or so.

"You should at least have dried your hair," Kim scolded. She reminded me of my mother, who I have low-key been avoiding so she doesn't give me the same lecture about drying my hair.

"And be unfashionably late? Never." We laughed. Soon we joined the group conversation and eventually went to get some food. After we ate, we gathered around to sing Happy Birthday to Easton. His younger sister, Paige, make sure to smash a piece of cake against Easton's face as revenge. He didn't even try to avoid it because we were all expecting it.

Eventually, we moved to random board games. The party slowly died down when all the younger children were dragged out of the pool for bedtime, my brother Adam included.

The game of Jenga was intense. It was Nathan and Easton versus Rayanna and me. Nathan was a sore loser from scrabble and demanded he got to choose his team first, even though you didn't actually need a team when there were four people playing. Kim had left before he threw his tantrum, but I was sure to let her know that she was missing out on her baby, being a baby.

The tower was a few moves away from tumbling over. Most rows were on one block and in the last move, Rayanna managed to karate chop a block out without the tower falling.

It was Easton's turn and Nathan was putting a lot of pressure on him, "Make sure you have the correct angle and you the right amount of strength. Too much and we lose."

"Should I start my physics calculations too?" Easton responded. He was circling the tower, trying to find the best block to remove. As per Nathan's demand, I mean rules, Rayanna and I were currently standing behind our chairs about a meter away to prevent any cheating.

"Is your physics textbook in your room? I can go get it quickly so you know which formula to use." Nathan looked two steps away from going to find it. I wasn't sure if he was serious or not. Rayanna decided to take it as a joke and was laughing.

"Why would anyone want to take that book home? Don't you take pictures like everyone else?" I asked innocently, knowing very well that Nathan was usually that guy who asked for pictures the night before something was due.

Nathan paused, "Stop trying to distract us, Maya."

I was doing very little to distract them. If anything, Easton was distracted by Rayanna's laughter. I made eye contact with Rayanna and started laughing too. His weakness was on his sleeve and Rayanna was going to be his downfall.

As predicted, the tower of blocks tumbled and Nathan groaned at their loss. While Rayanna celebrated, by jumping up and down and cheering.

"Maybe you should've got that psychics textbook," I suggested, rubbing our win in, by patting him on his shoulder. Nathan glared at me and my offensive pat.

Meanwhile, Easton seemed to have other plans. He scooped up Rayanna and dropped her into the pool, with a splash. The whole thing happened so fast that Nathan and I only noticed when we heard the splash.

The evil grin that appeared on Nathan told me all I needed to know.

"I think my mum is calling me—"

But it was too late.

Maybe if I hadn't moved from behind the chairs, I might have had a chance. Maybe it was karma for being far too smug about winning. Maybe it was just unfair that Easton had come to help Nathan.

Nathan didn't manage to drag me close enough to the pool but Easton literally lifted my feet off the ground, leaving me with no hope.

Despite the pool being heated, nothing could prepare me for the splash.

When I surfaced, Easton and Nathan were laughing and exchanging high-fives. I brushed my wet hair out of my face. The hair that had only just dried.

"Did you enjoy your prize?"

"If this is the prize for winning, does that mean I can dunk you both is lava?"

This set off another bunch of laughter, which included Rayanna. The traitor.

I sighed, looking up at the night sky.

It wasn't long before I heard another splash. Easton jumped into the water, swimming towards Rayanna.

"Home time," I announced, trying to get out of the pool as soon as possible. I hadn't renewed my third-wheeler license and even if I did, no one wanted to chill with a couple in a pool in the dark.

Nathan handed me a towel and we were out the side door in a flash. I locked the door, knowing that we were likely the last ones to use it. Nathan handed my phone to me. Fortunately, all our phones had been left on the table so nothing was damaged by the impromptu swim.

"Shall I walk you home?" Nathan asked. Usually, he would drop me 3 doors down but my current state would just lead to his car smelling like a pool.

"Sure." You never know what axe murderer is hiding in what bush these days.