Sounds of Summer|Braden Higgins|

NINE

The two couples walked into the dinner, quickly taking a seat. Braden and Keithie sat next to each other, Maisie and Donna sat across from them and next to each other.

"This is cute." Braden spoke, looking around the cabined dinner.

"We loves this place." Maisie smiles, looking at her brother and Donna, the three of them sharing a laugh.

"Yeah, last time we were here, we didn't know what the term 'wasted' even meant." Keithie laughed.

"Oh my god." Donna laughed, "Becky wanted to get chocolate wasted."

"Highlight of my night." Maisie laughed.

"Yeah, we're had some pretty fun times together." Donna smiled. "Especially when Maisie fell off the dock and Gloria went in after her."

"I've never been more scared in my life when I saw her coming into the water after me." The oldest Feder frowned, "I'm just glad I didn't need CPR."

"Sounds like you guys are one happy family." Braden wrapped his arms around Maisie's chair.

"Eventually, you'll get tired of us." Keithie shrugged. "And hopefully you wont get in the middle of Feder twin prank wars."

"And when the two of them start whispering to each other and looking at you, run." Donnal told the long blonde haired boy. "Because you, my giant friend, are their next target. Mostly it's Andre."

"Or Marcus." Maisie shrugged. "I'm still upset he ate my last cupcake last summer."

A woman, older than their parents, walked over and stopped at the end of the table, "What can I get you guys?"

The four of them ordered quickly and she left, leaving them to their date.

~ ~ ~ ~

Braden and Maisie walked behind Donna and Keithie, the two of them walking ahead. They decided to walk around before going back to the lake house.

The blonde boy had his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans, Maisie had both of her arms wrapped around his left and her head laying on his shoulder. She watched with a smile as her little brother turned to Donna, holding both of her hands. She was proud of her younger brother, finally admitting to his crush on Donna.

Donna wildly nodded her head before the two hugged.

"Keithie! Donna! Let's go!" Maisie called, "I'm tired and I can physically feel my legs giving away."

A squeal left her lips, heads turning their way as she was suddenly slung over a buff shoulder. With a loud laugh, she held on to his sides so that she wouldn't fall.

"Nice ass." She spoke, slapping his left ass cheek.

"The view isn't bad up here either." Braden's shoulders shook with laughed, the two younger teens already standing next to the car.

~ ~ ~ ~

Maisie searched through her suite case for a swim suite. All the other kids were asleep, Andre, Nancy and Greg included, and the adults were off doing their own thing.

"Bathroom's all yours." Braden came out the bathroom, dressed in his swimming trunks that Greg let him borrow.

She brushed past him, hearing him take a sharp breath as her cold finger tips ran over his toned stomach. With a smirk, she shut the bathroom door before pulling her clothes off and changing into the black bikini top and turquoise bottoms.

The dark haired girl walked back out, finding the blonde sitting on the bed. "Ready?"

After being on their date with Keithie and Donna, Maisie thought that it'd be a good idea for the two of them to go for a midnight swim, something that she loved to do. The two of them quietly walked out the lake house and onto the dock.

"I wanna live in a place like this." She spoke quietly, looking out into the water, "It's peaceful and so far away from reality. Sometimes I wish we grew up in a place like this, instead of where we did. Three years ago, when we first came out here, Greg and Keithie were spoiled brats. I actually appreciated the things Dad wanted us to do."

"Well, he did a good job raising you." Braden mumbled, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. The warmth of him made her body shiver as his arms touched her skin. "I wish my dad would've been around. I had to begg Mom to even tell me his name and it took a whole lot to convince her to let me come spend the summer with him."

"So, when the Summer ends, you're leaving?" Maisie suddenly didn't want to be around him any more.

"No." Braden said, turning her around in his arms and letting her wrap her arms around his neck. "I'm gonna stay here. There's nothing really back home for me."

"What about your mom?" Maisie's dark brown eyes searched his blue ones.

"Mom isn't really around much anymore. She's got a new husband and I kind of found a reason to stay." He shrugged.

"Yeah? And what's that reason?"

"You."

"Is that so?" She whispered as their faces got closer.

"Absoulutly." He mumbled just before connecting their lips.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Look." Deane pointed out towards the dock. "They are so cute."

"I don't like that he has his hands on my daughter." Lenny spoke, watching the two.

"Awe, come on, Lenny." Roxanne wrapped an arm around her husband's waist. "Our children our growing up. And that means you gotta give your daughter a chance at being an adult."

"Yeah." Marcus said, "Besides, look how happy they look. Braden might have this hard interior, but Maisie might be good for him."