Shawn POV
The Next Evening;
The kids were all fast asleep, but Julia was in her room too. I was so bored and the movie was not helping matters at all. Just then, Julia walked down the stairs in her swimsuit and I was flabbergasted. She looked stunning and sexy and my mouth watered. She narrowed her eyes at me.
"Why are you staring at me that way?" She asked.
"N... Nothing" I stuttered. "Can I accompany you to the pool?" I asked and she shook her head.
"Expect me there," I said running up the stairs; taking them in twos.
I had been dying to swim with her since I saw her in the pool with Erastus. Now is the opportunity, at least if Erastus catches us, he would be jealous. That way, I will have my revenge on him.
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I rummaged through my clothes and found what I was looking for; my swimming trunk. I quickly put it on and rushed to the swimming pool, where I found Julia. Seems like she was waiting for me or maybe it was my imagination. When she saw me, she quickly turned away and I felt my cheeks heat up. It was probably because of what I was putting on.
I got into the water and glanced at her, she just pretended as though I didn't exist.
I poured out the drink I brought into two glass cups and handed one to her.
"Do you want?" I asked.
"Hope it's non-alcoholic."
"Yeah," I replied and she swam towards me and collected it.
"Thanks." She said and swam far away from me.
"Why was she behaving like this?"
We kept quiet all along and I couldn't help stealing glances at her. She removed her hair from its bun and let it down, using her fingers to comb it. She was really beautiful. I had never seen her hair like this; only on that night when we were having slight differences. I couldn't see it well because it was night.
Not knowing what else to say and being tired of the silence, I said,
"I love your hair."
She looked at me and smiled.
"Thanks." She replied and faced the other way.
"I didn't tell you to come here did I?" She asked without facing me.
"Uhm..." I trailed off. "I'm sorry, I...I...I" I stuttered not knowing what exactly to say.
Just then, she burst into fits of laughter and I was shocked. I found myself smiling as her laugh was infectious.
"What was funny and why was she laughing?"
"Why are you laughing?" I asked
"You looked like you were caught trying to steal a piece of meat from the pot."
"So, you were pretending all along?" I asked pretending to be angry.
"Serves you right." She said and stuck out her tongue at me.
I scooped up water with my palms and poured it on her. The water found its way into her nose and she sneezed.
"What was that for?" She asked and I grinned at her.
Then she started pouring water on me, while I did the same. I quickly gulped down my juice and used it to scoop water and poured it on her.
"That's cheating." She said and rushed to get her glass cup. I quickly swam towards her and grabbed her, my arms snaking around her waist.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"Can I kiss you?" I asked and she struggled to free herself from my grip.
"No way."
"I want to be the first to kiss you before Erastus does," I said and she turned to face me, yet I didn't let her get off my grip.
We were now facing each other, my arms around her waist.
"You and Erastus had a bet?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah. To see the first person who would get to kiss you."
"None of you would win the bet, you would both lose." She said and I smirked.
"How about we give this a try."
"Give what a try?" She asked.
"I'll kiss you and see if you'll be able to resist."
"No way." She said and hissed.
"Ever since the day I met you, I have always loved you. I'm glad you like me too." I said and pecked her cheek. When I saw that she didn't react, I moved to her neck. That was when she reacted. She moved swiftly away from me and started climbing up the pool.
"Why are you chickening out?" I asked and she stopped dead I'm her tracks, but she didn't say anything.
"Did I do anything wrong? If yes, I'm sorry."
"The fact that I let you do that doesn't mean you should go too far."
"One step at a time?" I asked and she blushed as she understood what I meant.
"Silly brat." She said through clenched teeth.
I swam towards her
"Do you know that you blushed when I pecked you?" I asked and she hit me lightly on the shoulder.
"I was just teasing you, hope you're not angry," I asked and she shook her head.
I wrapped my arms around her waist and she didn't protest.
"You know what, since I started my music career about four years ago, ladies have always been attracted to me because I am famous, rich, and handsome," I said and she sneered but I ignored her.
"I didn't pay any attention to them, why?" I asked and she twitched her brows.
"Is that a rhetorical question?" She asked.
"No, it isn't."
"How do you expect me to know?" She asked.
"I didn't pay any attention to them because I knew you were mine."
"Bloody liar." She cursed. "It was probably in your wildest dreams." She said and I chuckled.
"I was in India then, so how did you know me?"
"India?" I asked. "What were you doing there? You went for a vacation or what?"
"I'm a citizen of India." She said and I was shocked.
She didn't even look like one, not really. Also, she didn't bear a strange name
"Oh! Her uncle; Anas, was an Indian. I didn't even think about that."
"My mom was from Hindu, while my dad was from Bombay, both in India. I had two siblings; an elder sister and a younger brother."
"But... Your name is Julia."
"Yeah. I had to change it."
"Why?" I asked.
"That was the best thing to do. I bear my uncle's surname."
"Which is?"
"You're asking too many questions."
"I told you about myself, remember," I said and she pushed me away, softly and swam far away from me.
"Priya Gomez is my actual name."
"So, what made you come to America?" I asked curiously.
"Survival. I needed to survive."
"Why is your uncle after you? What did you do?" I inquired and she sighed.
"My dad gave me something to hold; something which Anas needs to conquer the whole world. He entrusted it to me, for reasons I don't know to date. He told me to go far away from home, but I couldn't bring myself to leaving. I was just seventeen then." She explained and laughed bitterly.
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Flashback:
Julia (Priya POV)
"Lie down flat, else I'll shoot." A man said in a thunderous voice.
I, my parents, and siblings lay face downwards on the floor. My uncle, Anas Gomez took off his mask and made my dad stand up.
"Where's that stuff? Where did you hide it? Tell me, else I'll kill your family."
"Do whatever you want, I'm telling you one thing; you'll never get me to do your bidding," Dad said and was awarded a slap. I shook with terror when I heard it.
I stole a glance at dad to see that he was bleeding.
"Since you don't want to talk, I'll take your wife's life. Seems like you hate your family." He said and dragged mom up by her hair and mom shrieked with fright.
"Are you gonna do my bidding or do you want to pay with your wife's life."
Dad was quiet, while I saw mom signaling to him not to give up. She was a brave woman.
"Do whatever you want with us but let me make this clear; I wouldn't do your bidding," Dad said and I heard a gunshot. My eyes widened with fright.