Motel 6 // n.h

[35] Trouble in Paradise

  Avery Holmes

  Despite what I originally felt towards Marcus, I decided to not be so quick to judge and give him a shot. It had only been two days, but so far he'd proven himself to be a worthy bodyguard- although he had shot me some crude comments and spent his time looking at me too much.

  "Niall, we should go to the pool soon." I suggested. "I think Darcy and Harry are up there with Oliver, and Aimee's going to want to see her new best friend." I giggled, setting a plate in front of my daughter, who was at the table and ready for her lunch.

  "Yeah, okay." He nodded. "Aimee, want Harry to teach you to swim again?" 

  She nodded enthusiastically.

  For my past few days, all we had done is spend time together in the living room, or up at the pool. So far, all that Harry had gotten accomplished was being incredibly frustrated after trying to teach Aimee to swim, but it was a work in progress.

  "I think I'll join, too." Marcus said, crushing his empty soda can in his fist, startling me.

  "You can take a break if ya want," Niall suggested, but I could tell that something was bothering him.

  "It's fine, I wouldn't miss out on seeing your girlfriend in a bikini." He shot me a smug look and then stalked off to his bedroom. I was frozen in my spot and glanced down at Aimee, who thankfully was too busy eating her peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

  "Ave, a word in the kitchen, yeah?" Niall asked.

  "I know." I said as soon as we were alone in the kitchen. "I think he's just trying to mess around, he's not actually serious. It's fine." I rubbed my temples, already feeling a headache forming.

  "It's been what- three days? I'm so sick of the comments." Niall groaned. "You need to stop egging him on, too." His eyes narrowed at me, taking me back.

  "Excuse me?" I nearly laughed.

  "Just don't pay him any attention." Niall said, obviously aware that I was taken aback. For the past three days, it had been like this- we'd been less affectionate, and he'd been on edge. All because of this bodyguard that meant nothing to me.

  "Whatever." I muttered, spinning on my heel and returning to the grand room. I wasn't sure if I should have been mat at Niall or not, because I knew he was trying to watch out for me, but come on. I wasn't egging Marcus on at all, and we'd barely even spoke.

  "Everything alright in there?" My head snapped to the right, where Marcus now stood in swimming trunks. His chest was incredibly toned, but I willed myself not to look. I nodded curtly and sat next to Aimee.

  "I swim good." Aimee told me. "I good at swimming."

  "Of course you are, baby." I smiled. "Now eat all your lunch and we can go up to the roof and swim with Uncle Harry." She nodded, her pigtails bouncing around as her head bobbed. I tried not to look, but I could tell that Marcus was watching us.

  "Unca Hally teached me to swim." Aimee said. I chuckled and nodded.

  "Maybe he should teach Zayn." I suggested to her, stealing a Cheeto from her plate and sticking it into my mouth, which made her pull a face at me.