Uh...I'm Lovin' It?

Aria

The cabinet open up and hits my head, slamming me into Simba. We fall on the floor and I land on top of him. My head is right on his chest. I do not hear the what the others are talking about. Oddly enough, I like being this close to Simba, it feels right. I shake it off and roll off of him onto the floor beside him, not getting up. “So are you two going to make out or what?” Bambi asks.

Yep, my cheeks are flaming red. “Okay girls come back. Aria go change and get your running shoes on. I want you to run around the lake six times. That should be two miles and them beam. I want India to have a chance to do tennis.” She says I nod and get off of to change. I shut the door and get my cheer shorts and a tank top. I pull my hair up and and tie it with a ribbon. I lace up my shoes and stretch my legs again. I put a bottle of water in the fridge so it will be cold when I get back. I smile at Simba and walk out the door and begin to take off.

Simba

The moment Aria and India left the room, I turned to a smoothie-cover Bambi. She gave a sheepish come and get me smile.

I chased after her, grabbing her by her wrist and putting her in a headlock, "Bambi, what did I tell you about that?"

Looking innocently around she asked, "About hiding in cabinets, falling on people, or saying things I shouldn't?"

"All of the above." I say, a small laugh coming from my mouth.

"Hmmm..." she thinks. Then before I even knew what happened, she yelled, "Be gone you evil spirit!" And I got a face full of glitter.

"Bambi!" I say, letting her go and spitting out silver glitter, "I'm gonna be finding that for weeks!"

She laughed and tured to Miles.

"Sorry I fell from the cabinet and ontop of you and spilled smoothie on you!" She said, patting his cheek, then licking her fingers.

I watched as my sister laughed, and hoped my blush had gone away.

Miles

Bambi sauntered off, and I couldn't help but chuckle, "She's one piece of work, Simba."

Simba chuckled, glitter falling from his hair, and went to the sink to wash off. Following him, I picked up the spray hose and began to rinse off my face/head/neck/arms.

As Simba finished getting the majority of the glitter off, my sister said, "Water will make it stick more."

Sliding his eyes over at her, he shook his head and went back to washing the glitter off.

Drying my head with a dish towel, I tossed it to Simba and said, "Let's go change, dude."

Five minutes later I was in a pair of purple swim trunks and an orange t-shirt, Simba was in a pair of orange trunks no shirt and a gray beanie, and the rest of us went to go change into their swimsuits.

Aria

Everyone, but India comes out with there swim suits. I can hear them from the other side laughing. The dive into the lake. “The way you make me jealous.” I call to them. They all just waved at me. I grunt loudly and try to pick up the pace.

Simba

Swimming over to Miles, I slung an arm over his shoulder and whispered a plan into his ear. He began to chuckle, and agreed to help.

Miles and I swam over to the edge of the lake, messing around until we could fulfll our plan.

As Aria ran by, Miles and I exchanged glances. Miles cupped his hands and sent a huge splash at Aria, drenching her and causing her to stop. Once she stopped, I slid out of the lake and wrapped my arms around her, pinning her arms by her side and pulling her into the shallow part of the lake.

"Let's go swimming, Ar! Screw training."

Andra

"So, Stephanie," I said, "What's it like to be in your family? You know, two Olympian sisters and crazy obsessed parents?"

Aria

I run around the lake, watching them swim, I am actually glad I have training, because it would have been embarrassing for them to figure out I can't swim. All of a sudden, water splashes on me. I stop and look around. Simba comes up behind me and wraps his arms around me, pinning my arms to my side so I can't break free. I toss and turn trying to break free, but can't. I am trying so hard to ignore the fact that I like being so close to Simba. I shake it off fast. I can feel my foot on the ground, but soon can't. He takes me out into the center of the lake, still holding on to me. He lets go and quickly grab his arm clinging to him.

He floats backward and I lose grip on him. I can feel myself sinking in the water. I throw my hands in all directions. I try to kick my legs, but I can see the sunlight slowly fading away. My lungs scream for air. The are on fire. I'm going to die. It feels like everything is in slow motion. I can hear my heart beating. My lungs feel like they are on fire.

Bambi

“You don’t seem to understand, Miles. THIS is a Toad.” I say holding up my mudding, but oddly compliant amphibian friend. I point at a mushroom near the edge of the lake “THAT is a TOADstool. Therefore, the Mario characters should not be called ‘toads’ or at least portrayed more accurately as a chair. Furthermore-” Unfortunately, I could not outline the logical fallacies in having HUMAN Princess PEACH as the ruler of the toads, because my best friend was drowning. And having your Brother be the one responsible for her death could be kind of a bummer.

Also unfortunate? I’m short and not a great swimmer , so there wasn’t much for me to do besides watch Miles paddle over and Simba freak out before going in for her. Bright side- no one died today! Aria didn’t seem very happy when Simba brought her over to me. She seemed kind of shaken, so I hugged her and glared at my brother.

“I know you love her to death Simba, but don’t take sayings so literally, jeez.” Aria stiffened, and Simba glared.

“Bambi, not a good time for your…. Youness.” My brother says, his stare firm. I cocked an eyebrow and gave him an ‘oh really? Stare, before throwing more glitter at him.

“Wait, where did you…?” Miles says looking at a sparkly Simba.

“Throwing glitter at him is like spraying a cat with water, which he is. If you aren’t firm with your discipline and training, he might kill Aria with his love and literalness.” I say gravely, a completely serious look on my face.

“Yeah, okay… but where’d the glitter come from? We’re in a lake.” Andra asks, looking genuinely confused. I stare at her for a few seconds.

“The Spirits of course.” I say before sinking under water, laying on my back, and spitting a mouthful of water out like a geyser.

Aria

Simba grabs my arm and Miles helps me get to the side of the lake were Bambi. I am terrified and over come with happiness at the same time. I almost died and I did not. Horrible and great at the same time. I have never been so grateful to breathe before.

Bambi hugs me once I reach her. Simba and Bambi fight and all I hear is something about Simba loving me. I some how manage to get up, Bambi and Simba gripping me fore support as I walk into the house. Who knew swallowing a bunch of water could make you so weak. Bambi get me a blanket and wraps it around me once we get into the house. Simba's exception was horrifying. He could not even say anything to me. “It was my fault. I was going to tell you, but I was,” I begin. “distracted.” I say looking at him. If I was embarrassed before, I am most defiantly embarrassed now. I get up and manage to walk to my room. “I need to change.” I say walking in and shutting the door.

Simba

I almost killed Aria. I shoud've known she couldn't swim! I mean....I've sat behind her in classes for years now....I'm sure she mentioned it once...Okay, so maybe that isn't good justification, but still. She nearly died at my hand. Does that count as murder? Manslaughter?

Once I noticed she was drowning, I was quick to grab her by her arms and pull her out. The next thing I knew, Bambi was talking about my loving her to death and taking it to literally.

After being a crutch of a sort for Aria 'til we got to the house, I found a note from our mom's: Gone grocery shopping.

I watched as Bambi gave Aria a blanket, as Aria sat there staring at me. I couldn't even look at her. I couldn't talk to her. I just kind of...shut down.

“It was my fault. I was going to tell you, but I was...distracted.” She says.

After a moment, she gets up and says, “I need to change.”

She walks to her room and shuts the door behind her.

Walking up to my own room, I changed into a gray t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and my gray beanie.

I don't think I'll be able to forgive myself for this one.

As I made my way to the kitchen, I started to root through the cabinets. We really didn't have much. But we did have spaghetti noodles. And bow-tie noodles.

Taking the boxes out, I found a pot and filled it with water, setting it on the stove. Ripping the tops off the boxes, I dumped them into the pot not even caring it wasn't even warm yet.

What was it Bambi said? Something about...love? How can you love someone that you haven't talked to besides, "Here's my notes" and, "I got letter B," and, "You dropped your pencil". At least before the vacation.

As I pondered this...love concept, Aria walked in, her hair still wet and curling a little like India's hair in the front.

After a silent moment, she asked, "You can cook?"

Staring at the pot of noodles, I said quietly, "Sure. I can cook pasta. Pasta. And...pasta."

Aria

I come back into the room, my hair still wet and curling a little. I see Simba cooking and walk over to see what. “You can cook?” I ask.

“Yes pasta, pasta and pasta.” He says, looking down.

“Yum, one of the things I can have.” I say. He still looks down, not able to look at me. “Am I that ugly you can't look at me?” I ask.

He looks up. “It's not that.” he says.

“Then what?”

“I almost killed you. You could have died on my behalf. I should have known you could not swim.” he said.

“No. No. No. There is not one person on this earth besides India and Stephanie know I can't swim. Not even my parents know. I never told anyone because it is sort of embarrassing.” I say.

Stephanie

Great. So much for being a GREAT SISTER! Doesn't Aria know she can't swim and she was almost dying there? And two boys turn their back towards her, and doesn't know what's happening until they hear me screaming at them and bubble sounds coming in. I swear I could have punched them! India on the other side, being all ready to accept Miles challenge. Everything's great. Awesome life. NOT.

All the same, the most normal person here is Andra. Seriously. She's the only one who bothers to at least talk to me and no one else does. Simba has this huge crush on Aria, which is no surprise. Its been going on forever! So, yeah. I see Aria storming off to change her clothes and I just look at them, frowning.

"What?" Miles ask me.

"You almost screwed my sister's life." I say plainly.

"I didn't know she couldn't swim."

I shook my head, "You were just next to her and you didn't see her drowning?"

"Simba was the nearest. I was swimming my heads off with India! Quit blaming me!"

"I'm not blaming you. I'm just saying!"

"Guys, stop it!" Andra cuts in and drags me away inside. She tells me to change my clothes and I slip into a light green top and a trouser. I dry my hair and straighten it up which takes around an hour. I spray on some of my hair-spray to make it not look too frizzy later in the evening.

I hear Andra knocking on the door, and I open to see her looking very chick-like. I was impressed. Brand new Andra. Lovely. She smiles at me and I tie my hair to a ponytail and come out of the room.

"I'm hungry. Wanna hit the kitchen?" I ask her.

Simba:

I tug on my hat, pulling it lower, the front portion of my hair hanging low in my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Aria." I say lowly, glancing up at her.

I shift my gaze to the pasta and turn the stove off, "Can you find a strainer?"

As she rattled around the the cabinets, Andra and Stephanie walktzed in.

"Ah," Andra said, "Good, men in the kitchen making food. It's about time."

Andra:

After changing into a black a-line skirt, a white blazer, a matching black belt around my waist, and a pair of orange flats, I tie my hair into a high messy bun and head over to Stephanie's room.

Knocking on her door, she soon opened it. As I give her a smile, she ties her hair to a ponytail and comes out of the room.

"I'm hungry. Wanna hit the kitchen?" She asks.

When we enter the kitchen, I see Simba and Aria. Making pasta.

"Ah, good. Men in the kitchen making food. It's about time." I laugh.

Aria places the strainer in the sink and Simba quickly pours the pasta into it, then pours the strainer's contents back into the pot.

"Bon appetite." He declares, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go play my guitar"

Aria


I see Stephanie come in, so I grab my plain pasta as go sit on the porch on the side of the house. I sit in the chair next to a window and look at the lake as I eat. I hear Simba start to strum his guitar.

“Do you hear me? I'm talking to you.
Across the water across the deep blue ocean.
Under the open sky, oh my, baby I'm trying.” he sings. I love this song, so I deside to sing to, thinking he can't hear me.

“Boy I hear you in my dreams. I feel your whisper across the sea. I keep you with me in my heart. You make it easier when life gets hard.” I sing.

“I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend. Lucky to have been where I have been.
Lucky to be coming home again
Ooh ooh ooh. They don't know how long it takes. Waiting for a love like this.Every time we say goodbye. I wish we had one more kiss
I'll wait for you I promise you, I will.” we sing.


His voice sounds beautiful. I love the way he sounds. A smile stretches across my face.

Stephanie

Andra and I stroll through the kitchen, smelling something lovely and delicious. I was speechless and was lost in thoughts to where the smell came from. I saw Simba almost done with the pasta and I couldn't wait to taste it. I grinned.

"Ah, good. Men in the kitchen making food. It's about time." Andra says, laughing. I giggle.

I saw Aria glancing at me, and looking away. That was weird. It seemed a little rude. What did I do to her? She places the strainer in the sink, and Simba did the process and transferred the pasta to a bowl. He kept it on a table, and wiped his hands on a towel.

"Bon appetite." Simba spoke. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go play my guitar."

"Not hungry? This smells great!" I compliment him.

"Thanks. I'll join you'll later." he said, and hurried off to get his guitar.

Aria grabbed a plate of pasta, and went to sit on the porch as if not to enjoy the dinner with me. Andra and I looked at each other, wondering what was wrong. I reached for a plate and sat down to eat, swiping the fork through my pasta. But now, I didn't feel like eating. It was not because of the food, it was great! Maybe the best pasta I've ever ate but I wasn't in the mood. I kept fiddling with the fork, and I could see Andra staring at me.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she asks.

I sighed and glanced over to Aria who was humming along with Simba who was on the other side of the room. Andra followed my gaze and looked back at me, another spoon of pasta going through her mouth. Bambi walked in and stared at us.

"Dude, why're you all so quiet?" Bambi asks. "Is it 'Silent Evening', today?"

Bambi sits with us on the table, happily eating her pasta. I get up with my plate as both of them look up at me, and go over to sit with Aria. I come by beside her and look at her.

"Hey, sis." I say, calmly.

"Sup." she replies, smiling

"Shouldn't I ask you that? You, all of a sudden, siting on the porch, in a lonely and beautiful night like this?" I say, grinning.

Aria laughs. "Yeah. But today, something seems different." closing her eyes and opening it after a few seconds. I raised my eyebrows back at her and look at the stars.