with love, always, michael clifford

playing with your necklace.

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I'm telling you. Stay the fuck away from him, Asteria.

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You'll be very sorry when I show everyone your secrets.

Being in a hot vacation house in the middle of summer wasn't for Asteria. The heat radiating on her slightly tanned skin, the sweat on her back—all of it wasn't ideal.

"Why do you look like hell?"

Asteria looked up from her pool floatie, the one she was laying on with a dry expression on her face. She looked up at Casper, who was in his swim trunks, and his hair floppy.

"It's hot as hell, Casper," She spat slightly. "Not that you would know. You're a fucking ghost."

"Jesus," Casper smirked slightly, stepping into the water. "You get rude when it's hot, don't you, love?"

"Leave me alone." Asteria put her head back and laid back gently. She closed her eyes and felt the heat burn on her skin some more. She heard water moving but didn't think much of it.

Casper came up beside her and leaned on her floatie. "You okay?"

Asteria opened one eye, observed him, and nodded. "Yes."

"Are you sure?" Casper mumbled. "You're playing with your necklace."

"So?" Asteria hummed.

"You only do that when you're anxious. Or nervous."

Asteria finally gave her full attention to Casper. She noticed that her fingertips were on her snake necklace, her fingers playing with the little chain.

"Right." She said softly. "What are you doing here?"

"I got hot, too." Casper said softly back, smiling. "Thought I'd pay you a visit. I saw you from the kitchen."

"Creep." Asteria said, turning her head back. She hadn't even noticed her fingertips against the small gold chain.

"If you're hot, why aren't you in the water?" Casper amused, grabbing the edge of the floatie. He slightly tipped it over, causing Asteria to squeal.

"Casper!" She warned. "Quit it!"

Casper only chuckled, tipping the floatie again. Asteria glared at him with an angry expression. Casper sent her an innocent look before letting go of the floatie.

He went underwater for a moment and then came back up, swimming around the pool. Asteria, going back to her normal routine of sitting and tanning, was finally calm.

Until she wasn't.

Casper came over, grabbed the edge of the floatie and tilted it toward him. Asteria squealed again, her arms flying to the nearest hard surface.

Which was Casper's chest.

She flew into his chest and he instinctively wrapped an arm around her bare waist, and they toppled over into the water.

They came back up and Asteria instantly splashed him. "What the hell is wrong with you? You scared me!"

Asteria wiped her hair out of her face and Casper was too busy admiring her face as she did. He also had hair on his forehead, but didn't bother swooping it away. "That was funny. Are you cooled off now?"

He was trying to ignore the blush on his cheeks.

"Yes, but you're an asshole," Asteria mumbled, splashing him in the face. "I hate you."

"I hate you more, sweetheart."

No he didn't.