Oleander

Chapter Four:

WARNING: Big cliffhanger!

I will be posting on Thursday hopefully.

~Casey.

I PULLED ON a baggy white Hanes t-shirt, a red and navy blue flannel and a pair of jeans I didn't give a shit about. In my socks, I scampered down the hall, slipping a few times. Truth was, I was excited. I had my bathing suit on underneath my work clothes, ready for swimming.

I bit my lip, giddy. I loved four wheelers, swimming and muscular guys without shirts on. I mean... I loved four wheelers and swimming.

At the top of the stairs, I composed myself. Also, a little pep talk was in order.

You can lift heavy things. Wood is heavy, so this should be no problem. You won't look like an idiot, you won't. If you lift a hunk of wood without groaning, they'll accept you into their crew...

Damn it.

I ran back to my room, changed into a red tank top and a pair of short shorts, finding myself in defeat. There would be nothing I could do but sit there and look pretty.

In a grumpy gloom, I shuffled down the hall. At the top of the stairs this time, I gave myself a different pep talk.

You are capable of being über hot. You can make a four wheeler look sexy. Yes, you will look unprepared, and dumb - but...

I fought myself. Did I want to come off as a slut that wanted to sit back and watch a bunch of sweaty guys work, or did I want to look smart and contribute. Don't some guys actually like smart, hardworking girls?

A light bulb flickered on in my brain.

Why not both?

I backtracked to my room and put my jeans back on, kept the tank top, slid on the unbuttoned flannel and put my curly hair up into a bun. I brushed on some mascara, lathered on some Chapstick and left the room for the last time, content.

Downstairs Raiden was doing dishes, and the guys were waiting at the counter for me.

"Try these on, hun." Wesley held out a pair of work boots for me to put on. I made myself comfortable and sat in the middle of the floor, lacing up the boots. They fit alright. Big, but the right amount of big. I, myself, don't like shoes that fit too snugly anyways. "They good?" He asks me and sticks out a hand to help me up.

"Yep, just fine." I beam, sticking my tongue out.

He chuckles, nodding towards the sliding glass door."You all ready to go, guys?" He asks above all other voices. A chorus of agreement rang out and we headed outside. Leo came up beside me, and bumped my shoulder playfully so I stumbled sideways a bit. I bit back with a ram just as hard, which made him run into Anthony. Anthony brushed it off by shaking his head and giving Leo a nice shove.

"Jesus fuck, you guys." Leo laughed, skitching to a halt. "You're gonna get it." He pointed, and ran at me, eyes daring, work boots thundering the gravel.

"Shite." I groaned, stuck in doom for a second, then hauled ass and nearly escaped him. My legs weren't long enough for me to, in time, hide behind Anthony.

I ended up over Leo's shoulder, my own shoulders slumped. This was not a victory on my part, but a downfall. But, if I could lean over, so my arms could reach the waist of his jeans, I could pance him. Then he'd have to put me down, so he could pull his pants back up. Then I'd run.

I braced myself, hands on his lower back, and tried to weasel a little bit out of his grip. I managed, without him noticing and pushed down hard on the back of his jeans, but his pants didn't give. I got a handful of ass instead.