The Redemption Stage (Book 2: The Second Chance)

Mini Adventures (4) Mel

It was the next day, it was going by pretty fast since we were having a good time. I guess time was being a fugitive, or something like that.

We were all gathered in the living room, finishing the Harry Potter movie marathon that Joy was so keen on watching. Well, Joy and the boys were finishing it, I  wasn't since I haven't read the last book yet and didn't want it spoiled.

"You're not a waste of space! They forgot it! UGH! Siriusly, this is absolutely horrible!" Joy suddenly said, I was coincidentally reading the last book as the movie played on in the background, my headphones were in so I couldn't hear anything, except Joy's emotional mood swings.

"No spoilers, you're horrible." I said to her. She held up a hand meaning silence. I restrained myself from looking at the screen, it was hard work since there were constantly flashes of light and yells... But I managed.

Once the movie finally finished and I could take out my headphones, Jax said, "We should go swimming."

"In the freezing cold lake? I don't think so." Joy said. "You go on ahead and get yourself killed..." She held up her hands, showing she had nothing to do with the outcome with the bad decision.

"I think it's a great idea, let's go right now while the suns out." Grayson said and stood up. Joy and Grayson usually agreed on everything. Well, should I rephrase? Grayson agrees with Joy on everything so that Joy will be pleased, but he does it out of love so it's semi-okay.

"Guys, wait... I don't think this is the best idea, you two might get injured or something, we don't know what's in the lake. There could be... Stuff." I tried to dissuade them to back out, but it was too late. I heard them pulling on their swim trunks from upstairs.

"I'm curious to see how this turns out." Joy said and walked towards the door. We waited for the boys, I was anxious for their safety, someone had to be. Joy was genuinely curious to see what would happen to them. If anything happened to them.

"Don't forget your gloves, you need your hands to slap the boys for doing this." I told her, she nodded and laughed, grabbing her gloves that she left on the coffee table.

The boys walked down, rocking some pretty cool tropical swim trunks, matching to be specific.

All four of us walked outside, the boys going up to a very near edge of the lake. You could see ice chunks in the middle of the lake that haven't fully melted in the heat. The weather, to be noted, was freezing. I don't know how the two could stand being shirtless in shorts while Joy and I were shivering up a storm.

"One... Two... Three!" Jax suddenly said, the two jumped in together and stayed down for a few seconds. I let out a breath of relief when I saw both of their heads bob up safely from the water. They both just swam for a second.

"It's so cold!" Grayson yelled, swimming back over to the edge they had jumped off of. Jax followed a bit more slowly, he seemed to be enjoying it more than Grayson.

They both climbed up the little platform of rock and darted inside, probably freezing cold.

"Wanna mess with them?" Joy suddenly asked. Despite her name, she loved to mess with her little brother, it was like a game to her, and somehow I always got caught up in the mix... And the things that went down were always pitted against me, even though I had absolutely nothing to do with any of it... Friendship!

Joy grabbed her phone, the boys were sitting next to the fire. They were wrapped in throw blankets and rocking back and forth next to the fire. They were so close I wondered how they didn't get burned by the licks of the flame.

"These two idiots... Mm, my brother and my boyfriend... Like I said, idiots." She started off, she was taking a video, probably to post onto Instagram or something. "They jumped into a freezing cold lake... When it was around 30 degrees Fahrenheit, smart move. I had nothing to do with this... I told them it was all them..."

I cut in, "And I tried to tell them it was a bad idea... And look who always turns out right?"

"Yeah... Wha.... What... Whatever." Jax tried to say but his teeth were chattering.

"You know, it would be smarter to get out of the wet clothes then change into warm ones... Or take a hot bath, either one." I suggested. The two boys looked at each other and nodded, then bolted upstairs, making Joy and I jump.

I heard the water running and I knew what they chose. "I guess we can help by getting the warn clothes then..." I walked upstairs.

The heater was running so I grabbed Jax's softest and most heat absorbing pajama pants and put them next to the heater. His shirt was another subject. For starters, Jax only had sweatpants, shorts, pants, and socks. The whole shirt thing was... That just was something else entirely.

A sat on the bed and basked in the warmth and comfort of the room. I looked outside the window and the view was breathtaking. It was midday, but the sun was covered by the clouds that reflected its light and cast off a pinkish glow around the sky, the trees black as night, making a horizon that clashed with the sky. The lake with its few mini ice bergs.

Jax stepped out of the restroom, but I didn't look away from the window, mostly because there was a good chance he was in a towel. I heard ruffling and a quick 'thank you' before he stepped back into the bathroom.

He stepped out a second later, droplets of water dripped from his hair, it's nice brown color looking almost black. Shirtless as always... He was wearing his really cozy socks that were extremely fluffy and totally the only pair of socks that I would want out of his drawer.

He gave me a big hug, he was still pretty cold, that bath only helped a little bit.

"Let's go make hot cocoa." I said and dragged him with me downstairs. I grabbed a dry throw blanket and wrapped it around the both of us, he was making me cold, and I provided warmth.