The Darling Boys (Rose Award Winner) (#Wattys2017)

Hello, Bikini Bottoms

I spent the entire morning cleaning up the yard and pool.

My mother, as kind-hearted as she is, thought only the best of the boys next door. She was sympathetic because they had lost their mother only a few months ago without forewarning.

Hence, how I ended up cleaning around and inside the pool and the rest of the backyard.

The worst part about it was the bikini's and swimming trucks that floated on the surface of the pool.

How many people had skinny dipped last night?

"Hey, Sally!" My face scrunched in disgust. Did none of the Darling boys care enough to learn my name? We'd known each other since we were toddlers, yet not one of them was able to comprehend that my name wasn't Sally.

"You need some help?" I lifted my head a fraction, sneaking a sideways glance at Robbie Darling.

Out of the three boys, he had always been the most tolerable. With his perfect grades, looks, and politeness, he was the school's Golden Boy for a reason.

"Sienna." I muttered without another glance in his direction.

"You sure?" He questioned, "'Cause I'm pretty sure your name is Sally." I shook my head, leaning down and picking up another bikini bottom, stared at it for a second, then tossed it into the garbage bag.

"Let me help." Robbie reached for the bag in my left hand, his eyebrows raised.

"It's fine. Just go inside and-"

"We're the ones that made the mess in your yard, Sally. Just let me help out, it's the least I could do." It would have been a sweet gesture, a sentimental one even, if he had gotten my name right.

"Fine." I shrugged, continuing on my path toward the giant dumpster and royal blue recycle bin behind the old swing set we had used so much as children that one of the chains holding the swing had rusted and snapped.

"You should have come to the party." Robbie was standing beside me now, sweeping up the garbage beneath him with one quick swipe, a grin stretching across his face.

"It was the best party of the year. And I'm not just saying that because it was at our place."

"I'm glad you had a good time." I mumbled, barely listening.

"I told Jai to invite you, but he kept insisting you wouldn't have any fun." I shrugged again, stopping in my tracks when I found some kind of dead rodent on the ground in front of the dumpster.

"He's probably right," I sent Robbie a look over my shoulder, "I'm not much of a party girl."

He stayed quiet as he held the dumpster lid open for me, helping lift the heavy trash bag from the ground and toss it in.

"Have you ever been to a party?" He asked.

"No."

"Then how do you know if you like to party or not? You're really cute, Sally. You think you know the ins and outs of the world, but you haven't even experienced half of it." I felt my cheeks flush in anger.

"Listen, Darling. I don't really need life advice from a guy that can't even get my name right." I snapped.

He chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest so I could see the flexing of his bicep under his tight white v-neck.

"Sienna, sweetheart. We all know your name," his fingertips brushed against my clenched fist, "we just have fun getting a rise out of you. What imbecile doesn't know the name of their next door neighbor, their competitor?" I stared at him for a moment, wanting to slap the amused look out of his brown eyes.