scaredy-cat ;; jacob, marnie{?}

[CLEO EVERETT]

Cleo loved swimming. It was the best part of her day, the highlight of her life, the perfect way to spend a few hours. Of course, her best friend would have to disagree. Jacob Harlow was on quite bad terms with pools and oceans and lakes and the like which sucked since they were, like, her home. She sighed a big, dramatic sigh and checked the time. Jacob was supposed to be here in ten minutes. Okay, so maybe she had told a tiny white lie. It’s not like it was a big deal. Besides, there was a Jacuzzi here. It was just that she didn’t really plan on them using it. Why? Because she was going to get Jacob to swim. She couldn’t handle it anymore; her best friend was basically the complete opposite of her. Okay… not really. But, kind of… because he didn’t swim! That was so unacceptable!

Besides, this pool wasn’t that bad. The shallow end was, like, really shallow. He could at least stand on the steps. He could take it one step at a time. Literally. Because she was his best friend and surely he’d do this for her, right? Her lips formed a pout. She hoped so. Arms folded over her chest, Cleo ventured towards the pool and sat down on the cement, dipping her legs in. The water was the perfect temperature and it took all of her will to not just dive in right now. Glancing again at the wall clock, Cleo realized it had only been three minutes. She normally wasn’t so impatient.

Rockefeller Center was a strange place for her to be. She hadn’t known they had a pool. She thought it was an ice rink and that was it. But, evidently, it had the skating rink and some pretty roof gardens and this amazing pool. Oh, and the Jacuzzi, of course. She could hear the people below, skating around; the laughter of pros and the shrieks of amateurs. Maybe after swimming, they’d go skating. Then they could have lunch up in the gardens. Whatever. It all depended on whether or not Jacob stuck around long enough to trust her. Besides, even if he did fail completely and start, like, drowning, she could handle that because she knew CPR. It would be fine.

Ignoring her will, Cleo slid off of the cement and into the pool, disappearing beneath the water. It was so crystal clear down here, she wondered what her bright red hair looked like compared to it. She swam around some, doing a few laps, before surfacing near the steps. She leaned back, her elbows resting on the step behind her and let her head fall back. She felt completely at home here.

words; 456
notes; good?
i kind of imagine it to be indoors and above the ice skating rink with a huge window, like, over looking it.
outfit; eh re-using

[JACOB HARLOW]

Rockefeller Center had a Jacuzzi. Rockefeller had a Jacuzzi? Well. Either way, it still made to sense to Jacob, as he was pulling into the parking lot. He had to go all the way, and above the ice rink, for a Jacuzzi? Weren’t there hot tubs in hotels? And he was mischievous—couldn’t they just sneak into someone else’s? A little voice in the back of his head said this was a horrible, terrible idea. And that Cleo was up to something. A foggy memory surfaced in his mind, while he pulled into the parking spot. He couldn’t exactly recall it. He slung a black towel, over his shoulder, along with a plain black shirt, and stuffed his keys into his pocket after locking the door on his rundown little Honda.

He scratched the back of his head, his mind still struggling to recall that memory. A few heads turned in his direction, and he only flashed a small, and quick smile, before turning his eyes back ahead, reading the signs so he didn’t get lost. He always thought he was rather good looking, but not the greatest. He didn’t have abs—more like…scrawny abs. He was tall, but thin and small framed, and more wiry than buff. But the tousled brown hair, gaunt cheeks, and various liquor induced tattoos on his body, sort of gave him the rock star image. Which he was totally fine with.

He pushed open glass doors, expected to be welcomed by the steamy, muggy, chlorine scented air. But what said hello to him instead, made his square jaw almost hit the ground. He was frozen, not from surprise, but, pure fear. It was a pool. And not a dinky little two foot pool either. It was a pool. And the Jacuzzi was nothing but a steamy toilet bowl, compared to the pool. And who should he find was the trickster?

The absolutely loudest person in the room. She didn’t say anything—but her yellow bathing suit, and bright red(Jake has always insisted it was orange) hair? Jake took a quick step, as though her were about to start ranting and raving at her like a lunatic. But then the pool seemed to loom in front of him. And due to his flair for drama, he imagined the cement walkway, growing smaller, and the pool growing bigger..and bigger.

Granted, he probably did still look like a lunatic. A small sheen of sweat broke out over his brow, and his chest was raising and falling just a little faster. The memory that had been so foggy before, suddenly came in terribly clear.

Young Cleo and Jake. Once again, poor, little Jacob had been tricked into going to the beach, and was now staring at the ocean with large, fearful eyes. Cleo was having the time of her life, she always did. She loved the water. Jake ran though; each step he took through the sand just seemed to slow him down. And the crashing of the waves only panicked him more; the ocean could swallow him whole.

The ground beneath him could crack, and split, and he’d be engulfed in the water. Cleo would never hear him scream. She was having too much fun anyway. Little Jake thought for a moment, that he wouldn’t scream if he drowned. Cleo might get upset if he interrupted her ocean time. He didn’t like her upset. That thought made him stop. Cleo would be sad if he ran away. So instead, he sat on the sand, that made his skin writhe, and the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He pulled his knees up to his chest, and hugged them, hiding his face in his arms, and cried.

“Why’re you crying, Jaybird?”

“I just got sand in my eyes, that’s all.”

He couldn’t hear—all the noises were dulled, and just a loud, ringing sound echoed in his head. He suddenly felt very sick, and extremely cold. He drew in a shuddering breath, and stumbled into a pool chair, sitting on the edge of it, breathing heavily. People no longer looked at him with a curious eye; they seemed to make a wide circle around him, like he was about to blow chunks. The skin on his face had gone from a natural tanned color, to a very sickly shade of white. He put his head in his hands, and tried to compose himself.

Notes: D: I hope you dont mind me powering Cleo in the memory bit. D: I can change it if it's a problem!
Outfit:Poor Jaybird.

[CLEO EVERETT]

Cleo opened her eyes a fraction, peering up at the ceiling. What they should have done was make it one huge skylight. Then, she could totally be sunbathing right now. The door opened and she leaned forward, pivoting around to see if Jacob had finally arrived. He had and her heart practically broke at the sight of him. Okay, so she hadn’t seen him in years and she’d sort of forgotten how bad his fear was. Cleo didn’t know how she could forget how bad a fear it was. Their trips to the beach had never been fun for him; she’d always been splashing around in the ocean on her own. Getting out of the pool as quickly as she could, Cleo tried to ignore how loud she was being what with the splashing and such. She nearly pushed some kid out of the way for she was scrambling up the steps as they slowly started into the pool. Oh well. Her best friend did not look well.

Jacob had collapsed into a nearby pool chair but the time she reached him. Kneeling in front of him, Cleo rested her hands on his knees and tried to focus on his face, not his abs not his abs not his abs. “Jaybird?” she said quietly, keeping apologies from bursting forth. She had to take this slowly. “Jacob, I’m sorry. I didn’t… I had forgotten how bad it was. I mean, I haven’t seen you in years. And… I just…” Cleo shook her head, sending small droplets of water flying. “We can just go in the Jacuzzi. Or… we could ice skate.” Cleo suggested, a tiny smile forming. “Okay, Jacob? Yeah?” Her guilt was nearly overwhelming her. He looked so pale and he was hiding his face and she nibbled on her lower lip. “Jaybird, I’m really sorry. Do… do you just want to go?” Well, she probably wouldn’t be going. She’d help Jacob get to his car but she was not about to lose her few hours of swimming.

words; 338
notes; the memory bit was perfect!
outfit; eh re-using

[JACOB HARLOW]

Jaybird. Jaybird. Jaybird. It echoed in his thoughts. He had his eyes shut, not feeling well at all, afraid of opening his eyes and discovering that either the room was spinning--or the pool was inching closer. "Jaybird?" that wasn't in his head. Slowly, he opened one eye, and looked down, and saw his fireheaded Cleo. And several thought went pumping through his head.

She looked good, wet, fresh out of the pool. REALLY good. And that bandeu top just---another wave of nauesea hit him. He almost wanted to laugh, if he didn't feel so sick. Here Cleo was, in her natural element, hot as can be--and he almost just puked all over her.

He took a deep breath. He was sunbathing. He didn't mind laying in the grass in a bathingsuit---he liked the sun, and liked to lounge around in it. Far, far away from any water that could creep up on him while his eyes were shut. "No, no." He replied, still sounding sick. This was embarassing. Rock star image, down the drain, and he heard the flush. The flush only made him think of more water, and he sighed. Other thoughts, other thoughts.

He put his hands behind him, and leaned back on the long pool chair. He leaned his head back, trying to make it look like he was relaxing, but he was drawing in slow gulps of air. He then looked back down at Cleo, his signature one-sided smirk played on his lips.

"While you're down there..." He joked--that always lightened the mood. And he'd do like what he did all the time, pretend he was completely fine while he shook inside. But no amount of clevage, or dripping wet Cleo clones, would ever get him so much as NEAR that wretched pool. Maybe the kiddy pool...he couldn't drown in that. And the jacuzzi was just a big bath tub.

With that mentality, he sat up, and pulled the towel off his shoulder, and opened it up, dropping it on Cleo's head. He tried to towel dry her red hair, letting the ends of the large towel drape on her shoulders. "I know you're all fish girl, and stuff. But the air's kinda cool in here, and you don't need to catch a cold." He then poked her in the forehead with a long finger, and leaned back on the chair, taking another deep breath. The world finally stopped spinning around him, but tension was everywhere in his body. The tightness in his shoulders, the tiny twitch in his jaw, the tension in his flat stomach.

They had things in common, their love for sweets. Some music, and some movies. But the biggest difference they ever had, and was cause for a lot of their knocking heads, was the swimming thing. Jake's fear had been in him since he was a little kid, and that always prevented him from learning how to swim. But Cleo took to it like she had been born in it. When it came to that, they were as opposite as a fish and a cat.

[CLEO EVERETT]

Okay. Good. He was opening his eyes. Okay. Now he was taking deep breaths. Good. That was good. Deep breaths always helped. They helped her when she was at that stupid club. She shifted a bit on her feet, unsure if she should move or what she would even do if she did. Perhaps it was best to just stay here for now and not make any sudden movements. Instead, she watched him carefully incase things made a turn for the worse. She’d always thought Jacob was cute. Even when they were younger and in California, she’d found him more interesting than the other guys she would flirt with. They were boring. Jacob had never been boring; he could handle her sarcasm and the fact that he still went to the beach with her had never stopped impressing her. Anybody else, she just knew, would have ditched her right away.

Cleo laughed a little nervously. He was making jokes. Also good. Cleo carefully leaned back so she was no longer sitting on her haunches, but resting on her knees. It relieved the ache that had begun in her calves. “Why am I not surprised that you would say something like that?” she asked teasingly, rolling her eyes. She fluffed her hair with her hands, trying to figure this out. There was no way Jacob would go near that pool. He probably wouldn’t walk next to it even if it meant getting to the Jacuzzi. He’d probably rather leave than have to walk next to it to get to the Jacuzzi. What was she go---- Cleo’s thoughts were distracted when her view of Jacob was obstructed.

At first, she was a little frightened but then she realized Jacob had given her his towel. She smiled wide; she loved when people worried about her but it was even better since her best friend was the one worrying. Even in his current state, he was worrying about her. She stuck her tongue out at him after he’d poked her in the forehead before taking the towel and drying her hair some more. “Thanks, hun. I’d hate to get sick. It’s pretty much the worst thing ever.” Letting the towel rest on her shoulders, she watched him a bit longer as he continued to breath. He looked a bit better but she could tell just how tense he was and she felt awful. Cleo stood, getting to her feet, and glanced around. The people she had felt watching them a few minutes earlier seemed to have stopped, realizing it was better for the most part. Good. She didn’t need them being nosy and annoying.

“You know, it’s good we have some things in common or I just wouldn’t know what to do with you.” And with that, she perched on the edge of the pool seat beside him, waiting patiently for whatever may happen next.

---

words; 481
notes; :D
outfit; eh re-using

[JACOB HARLOW]

“Uh oh. I don’t surprise you anymore?” He teased. Slowly starting to relax, it was easier to calm down as long as he focused on her face. And her hair that was now rather messy from his towel-drying, it was hard not to laugh.

“You’re a whimp when you get sick. You’re all, ‘Jaybird, boohoo, bring me brownies’ ‘Baww, I need tissues’.” He teased, and leaned forward towards her, hunching over. Yes, he was feeling much better, the more he teased her, the more it distracted him. Which was good. He was always careful not to get too mean though, he likes to pick on her—but he didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Sad Cleos, meant sad Jakes, and that meant he’d have to kiss her feet for a week.

He leaned over for a brief moment, then stood up. He stretched his arms over his head, trying to ease the tension out of his shoulders. It wouldn’t do him any good to be all stiff when he executed his next course of action. He tugged up his swim trunks, and tightened as far as they could, they still sat a little loose.

Not enough to expose his junk, but enough that they were low slung, exposing the dip of his hipbones diving into his shorts. He then leaned into Cleo once more, brushing his scratchy cheek against hers to distract her. Then quickly tucked his arms under her knees, and wrapped his arm around her back, and hoisted her up. “You like to swim right?” He questioned, leaning back, carrying her towards the pool. He was doing his best to ignore it, he could swallow down the fear, as long as Cleo didn’t get a good look. And sometimes he even liked to soak his feet—as long as he had a good grip on the cement.

He walked towards the deep ends, tightening his arms around her as he cradled her against his chest. He moved in closer, and though. Just tossing her in wouldn’t do any good. It wouldn’t be shocking enough. Jacob had always been a quick thinker, and plus—if she noticed they were moving too close to the pool, she might start kicking, and he didn’t want to end up dropping her. He was thing, strong enough to hold a calm girl in his arms—but once they started to flail, that was it.

He finally thought of it. It seemed brilliant in his own mind, later on, he’d probably regret it. He suddenly leaned in, pressing soft lips, right against Cleo’s. He tightened his fingers around her waist and knees, glancing up for just a moment, before he drew back and tossed her. Right into the deep end of the pool.

[CLEO EVERETT]

Cleo shook her head. “No, no. You still surprise me. Just not as much,” she teased right back, pulling a hand through her hair to get rid of the tangles. It wasn’t easy. Her bag was at a table not too far away and it had her brush but she didn’t want to leave him just yet. Cleo pretended to be offended for a moment before shrugging. It was true. She was a wimp when she was sick. She was whiny and needy… but she did not ask for brownies. “Brownies? Pft, I ask you to bring me soup! … Let’s get brownies later, yeah?” Now that he’d mentioned it, Cleo was craving them. That happened all the time when somebody mentioned sweets.

Worry hit her again for a moment when he leaned over but then he was standing up. That was… good. She hoped. Because if he saw the pool, that’d probably be bad. Just watching him, though, was really distracting because now she didn’t have to focus on his face. The flirt in her really just wanted to make out with him right now but that simply wouldn’t do. Diverting her gaze to the pool, Cleo took the towel from her shoulders and had just begun to turn her head to look back to Jacob when he moved closer than she’d expected. Startled, Cleo leaned back a fraction but before she could even say anything, he was scooping her up in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck, paranoid that she would fall if she didn’t. “Jacob, what’re y— Yes, I like to swim. Where have you been?” she asked. He’d started to walk and she glanced around. He was… headed towards the pool? Cleo quickly looked back to him, her eyebrows knitting together, curious and worried.

She couldn’t figure out why he would do this on purpose. Of course, he’d gone near a pool before. He would dip his feet in which always made her ecstatic because that was better than sitting on a chair, a million feet away. She’d always liked to pretend that she was a mermaid, in these cases, and he were a handsome human who she was forbidden to see. Kind of like The Little Mermaid; she even had the red hair! Cleo squirmed a little, trying to figure out what Jacob was up to, if he was up to anything. He must’ve been to be doing this. Cleo glanced again to the pool, narrowing her eyes a bit. “Jaybird, so help me, if y—” She just couldn’t get a sentence finished around him was her first thought. The next was ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod he’s kissing me. Her eyes were wide as saucers and she was sure her face was as red as her hair.

Then, he threw her. There was a spark of anger, of hurt. Cleo had been tossed into pools before but never had somebody kissed her to distract her. The only thing on her mind was revenge and so she reached back, knowing she had seconds, and grabbed something. Probably his wrist. Whatever. He so deserved this. What if she had had her phone on her or something? Hitting the water surprised her and she inhaled before she was fully submerged in the pool. She let go of Jacob’s wrist and opened her eyes, feeling quite successful. But then she remembered.

Cleo was suddenly aware that she’d pulled Jacob in after her. Jacob, who had a crippling fear of large bodies of water. Jacob, who was going to hate her forever after this. Jacob, who probably was drowning as these thoughts went through her mind. Looking around frantically, trying to forget everything that had just happened, she prayed and prayed that Jacob was alright. That he at least knew to not open his mouth or breathe through his nose. She couldn’t see at first; her eyes were adjusting and there were bubbles from the two of them falling in. It only added to her anxiety and when she finally, finally, found him, Cleo was sure she’d never swum so fast. Wrapping her arms around his upper body, Cleo kicked her legs as hard as she could but he wasn’t holding still and she really wasn’t that strong so it took longer than she wanted. Finally, they broke the surface and Cleo was relieved for a short second before she realized this was not enough. Jacob didn’t have a fear of drowning; he had a fear of water. Cleo heard apologies and she realized they were spilling from her lips from the moment she could open her mouth. What she’d thought was pool water were actually tears because now she was crying because Jacob was going to hate her.

“So-somebody help, please?” she cried, doing her best to keep Jacob above water. She held onto him with one arm, and swam with the other, trying to reach the wall or the steps, whichever was nearer.

---

words; 828
notes; fun fact: i actually wrote the last two posts first.
& OH NO JACOB. cleo is kind of really selfish.
outfit; eh re-using

[deek]

Black, men's swim trunks hung from Riley's lean hips as she rounded the gate entrance for the pool. She reached behind her neck, pulling lightly at the strings of her top, irritated by the female device, her hand freezing in mid air as her eyes caught two things at once. The first was the not so gentle rough housing on the opposite side of the pool, the next was the horrified face on the male, being drug into the pool. She'd seen plenty of people get yanked into a pool, but never had she seen such unadulterated horror. She paused, for a just that moment, letting her gym bag fall to the ground as her bare feet slapped against the wet floors.

She came to a sliding dive, her feet spraying water across the area. She dove head first, feeling the water blast against her hands and face. She blinked threw the first blurry vision of water over her eyes, seeing the struggling limbs tossing wildly in every direction. She kicked her legs behind her, the force of her dive propelling her toward them at a quickened speed.

She detached the struggling boy from the small framed girl, lifting him over her shoulder as she pushed her legs with ease to a steady bobbing on the surface. She gave a glance back to the girl as she waded to the edge of the pool, feeling kicks and jabs from his frightened body knocking her slightly off balance. She paused, just out of reach of the edge, so that her feet could touch the ground and lifted him, "Keep struggling and I'll drop you back in", she warned.

With that said, she shoved his body onto the edge of the pool, watching her outstretched arms, encase he slip and fall back in. She gave a sigh of relief, and lifted herself onto the platform, twisting her body to sit on the edge of the pool, watching the girl swim toward them.

Her hand brushed threw her damp hair, feeling the gel she used melting down her shoulders, becoming somewhat sticky. She groaned in protest, wiping at it with her hands, irritation flooding her senses. She hadn't planned on getting her hair wet, as girly as that sounded. She just wanted to wade threw the water a few times, work out her sore knee, which was now pounding with a furious pain. She winced as the adrenaline began to wear off, the long time injured knee aching with an unquenchable pain.

She tried her best to keep a calm face, as she brought her eyes to look at the two younger people, a eyebrow raised at the whole incident. "Ya should really not drag a boy who can't swim inta' the water lass", she said as her Irish accent flooded over her words, diluting them with her native speech. She let her eyes travel back over to the boy, "And ye should really not be at a pool if ye cant swim lad".

She reached for a close towel, and started to dry out her hair, and brush it over her shoulders, her eyes steady on the pair,waiting for a reply.

Notes:For intro to other characters from book.
TEMPLATE MADE BY OLLEYLOO at OUAC

[JACOB HARLOW]

It stopped being funny the second he felt the wet hands around his ankle. When people say their life flashes before their eyes, right before they die--he now understood what they ment. It was a series of images flashing behind his eyes, almost slow, but painfully quick. His entire body had alerted prickles, and all he could think was, Oh... before he hit the water.

While he sunks to the bottom, he was also able to think, Isn't it funny how the ones that can't swim, seem to sink? And then, the panic sunk in. This was a huge ass pool, with a huge ass deep end, and he couldn't swim. Panic suddenly gripped him, and a burst of bubbles escaped his mouth, before he remembered he needed those bubbles. The ringing in his ears pounded, and he tried kicking. Anything to bring him to the surface, anything. He was turned around, confused, and his heart was hammering. He was moving at least--but then his head hit the bottom. He had been swimming, if it could be called that, towards the bottom. the complete opposite direction his had gone. And his lungs were screaming for air. They were tight, they burned.

Then the hands grabbing at him. The logical part of his brain had been silenced, and he was now screaming in his mind that they were the hands of the drowned, dragging him further, and further down. He was actually panicked enough that he wasn't embarassed, not in the slightest. His head was cold, for just a moment. Air. He gasped, and gurgled slightly, when had he made it to the top. His eyes bruned with chlorine, and the blood rushing through his head. Everything looked blurry, but someone was moving him. Someone was helping. He saw a flash of red hair, and though that a giant ass goldfish was saving him. Delerious.

Then he was pulled away from the gant goldfish, and in someone else's arms. Something moving a lot faster. Could sharks live in pools? Words. Drop you back in. No, that wasn't good. Logic was starting to come back into his head, even though he had swallowed enough water that he was coughing when he ws put on the edge of the pool. He curled his hands into claws, and much like a cat from a bath, pulled himself the rest of the way out of the pool, sopping wet. He struggled to calm his racing heart, coughing, and spittign out the water that was trapped in his stomach.

What the hell was that accent? Where was Cleo? Had he drowned her in panic? He wheezed, looking around wildly for his red headed friend. He glanced at the girl...person? That had saved him. He looked at her with serious eyes, "T-thank you." He rasped, then looked out to the pool. He didn't dare move in close, but he watched Cleo very carefully, shaking from head to toe. Not from being cold, but from sheer fear, and guilt. His Cleo didn't look so good.

[CLEO EVERETT]

Cleo was aware of a voice telling her to calm down. To stop crying and apologizing. The voice as rather high-pitched and kind of annoying. Maybe that’s why she was trying to block it out. She had more important things to worry about. There was a flash of gold and a bristle of annoyance; Cleo swung her head around to find what had shone so brightly. Not only did she find nothing, but somebody was pulling Jacob from her arms. Cleo reached after him but soon realized that somebody else had come to his rescue. Cleo wondered for a second if maybe that was the color she’d seen but this person had white hair; they were certainly not the gold distraction. Cleo, now able to swim with both arms, was able to follow quickly enough. The apologies had finally ceased and she thought maybe the tears had but she wasn’t sure. Trying to figure out what she was going to say, Cleo was grateful to reach the pool edge and stopped thinking completely, for just a moment. Pulling herself up, Cleo rested her forearms on the cement and laid her forehead down. Listening to the voice a bit too late, Cleo started to calm down. Deep breaths.

What was she going to do when she saw Jacob? A voice reached her ears. A voice that wasn’t Jacob’s. Her head snapped up and she found his savior. “I-I’m… I’m sorry,” she stammered, unsure of who she really was apologizing to. She’d said sorry to Jacob enough times hadn’t she? Unfolding her arms, Cleo pressed her palms against the concrete and pushed herself up. Cleo kept her eyes focused on the woman who had leapt in to help; she feared that looking at Jacob would simply lead to her bursting into tears. “Th-thank you,” she said sincerely, wishing she’d stop shivering. What was it even from? She wasn’t that cold… Cleo looked down to the cement, her hair falling into her eyes. It was curled and tangled, all over the place. She pushed it back and glanced up to Jacob.

She had been right. Tears immediately began to streak down her cheeks again. “Ja… Jacob, I’m so sorry.”

---

words; 366
notes; awww
outfit; eh re-using

[JACOB HARLOW]

Despite the fact that Jake was scared shitless, he was suddenly worried about Cleo. She didn't have her usual, sexy, graceful swimmer-shimmer about her--she looked like a total wreck. And then she was crying again, which made Jake almost want to dive back into the pool. Girls crying was always awkward, what the hell was the right thing to do. Some of them liked, no --needed to be hugged. Others just started to scream at you if you touched them.

"Woah, fish-girl." Jake tapped an open palm against his chest, "Look, I'm still totally alive." He kept his feet on the ground, brught brought his knees up towards his chest, and leaned in towards her between his knees. His hands pressed against the sides of his face, squishing his gaunt cheeks at her, making a fish face, "I'm just a special breed called a drown-fish." He opened up his arms, smiling carefully. "It's alright Cleo, you were just goofing around. I'm completely alive, save for swallowing a bit of piss-pool water. Come here, and stop crying. Before you get snot all over your face."

When Jacob made the realization people typically peed in the pool, and he got a mouth full of it. His thick brows went up, and furrowed, his nostrils flared, eyes got big, and lips turned down in disgust. He seemed to space out for a second, with his arms still out for Cleo, his grossed-out gaze turning to the pool. "I really don't get how you could swim in a big giant toilet like that, fish-girl."

[CLEO EVERETT]

Cleo was embarrassed seconds later and she immediately burrowed her face into her hands, as if this would help. It did a little. She felt smaller, anyway, and hidden. Jacob could have drowned. He could have… well, she didn’t want to seem dramatic, but he could’ve died. Of course she knew CPR, but what if she had been so shaken, that she wouldn’t have been able to focus well enough to be any help? What if nobody had helped? A tiny sob broke her otherwise silent crying. Cleo tried to curl up more when Jacob spoke. She sniffled and peeked up at him from behind her fingertips. He was making faces at her and her laughter sounded a bit choked and teary but that was better than not laughing at all. Cleo wiped her tears away and smiled a little. “Still alive,” she repeated, “and surprisingly good at fish impressions for one who doesn’t swim.” She tilted her head and tried to fight back more tears. Okay, so she was still feeling completely guilty and upset and… GUILTY.

Cleo rubbed her eyes and hoped she didn’t look all red and gross now. Crying could be so unattractive. Maybe a Jacob hug would make it all better. She’d started to move closer when his expression turned to one of disgust. Cleo followed his gaze to her the pool and she looked back to him, frowning. “What are you talking about?” Her tone sounded whining. Finally, she curled up in his arms, wrapping her own around him. He was no warmer than she but maybe that was just her. She needed a towel but for now, this would be just fine. “I’m sorry,” she said again, closing her eyes tightly. It only took a moment, maybe two, for her mind to remind her what had happened about five minutes ago. Her eyes opened, wide, and she blinked a few times, trying to remember. Had… had Jacob really kissed her? Cleo could feel her cheeks burning.

What did this mean? Cleo peered up at him, watching him. Admiring his face at this angle. Her Jaybird looked good wet. She’d never seen him with wet hair because, well, he never went in the ocean with her. Before she could think anymore about the way she was feeling, there was another spark of gold and Cleo looked to the pool, looking again for the distraction. Nothing and it was really annoying.

---

words; 406
notes; AWE.
outfit; re-using

[JACOB HARLOW]

"I'm good at everything except swiming, don't ya know?" Jake teased with a smile, wrapping his lanky arms around Cleo. His hands rubbed at her arms and shoulders trying to warm her up--her skin was like ice. "I'm talking about it bein' a giant toilet. I mean, do you realize how many people prolly piss in there?" His brows raised up, staring down at Cleo. "It's like a giant toilet! Only it doesn't flush, so you have to keep swimming around in unflushed, toilet water." He rambled, anything to pull her distraction away from the DEATH that just nearly happened here.

He glanced down at the redhead, or...redface...goodness. Everything about her was just red, red red. "Why are you looking at me like that for, you weirdo?" he teased, then scratched his head, remembering that his usually curly mop-top was flattened from the water, and was beginning to curl at the edges. His face crinkled, and he moved both hands away from Cleo, to properly fuss his hair. He pulled the black band from around his wrist, and tied his short hair into a nub of a ponytail. He didn't want it to dry in a giant knot, that could be a pain in more ways than he felt like dealing with.

"Why don't we get you a towel, or something. Or sit in the hot tub, that's less like. Dangeous. Cause I don't know about you, but I am freeeeeeeeezing." He exageratted, his eyes rolling up towards the ceiling, his lips pulling to the side in a comical grimace. He swiftly hopped to his feet, trying to ignore how dizzy that just made him. But he couldn't make Cleo worry--he didn't want to. She had just been crying like a complete and utter doof, and it made him feel terrible. He held out his hand for Cleo's, to help her to her feet. "What's the game plan, man?"

[CLEO EVERETT]

“I do know,” she answered, rolling her eyes. “I just… forgot in the heat of the moment.” In her defense, she’d barely had time to register what was happening. Cleo focused more on Jacob and not on the annoying colors she was seeing. He was trying to warm her up and she thought maybe it was working but that could’ve been that she was just blushing. Trying to ignore the returning thoughts, Cleo scoffed. “That’s not true! That’s disgusting, why would anybody do that?” She was hopelessly naïve when it came to the perfection of pools (and any body of water, for that matter). Besides, they filtered the water. So… even if what Jacob was saying was true (which it WASN’T), it didn’t apply. Glancing to the pool, she scrunched up her nose and frowned. He was totally trying to ruin this for her. Cleo looked back to him and fought back another rise of embarrassment. Just don’t answer, she thought, watching instead as he messed with his hair. Cleo glanced to her wrist; she didn’t have her hair band with her. Lame. Cleo looked back to Jacob and laughed. There was barely any hair in the ponytail; he looked silly but she expected it from him. It reminded her of California. There’d been many a time where she tried to put his hair in a ponytail. It wasn’t often that he let her but she loved it when he did.

Cleo nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. It was too cold in here. “The pool is not dangerous,” she whined, taking his hand and pulling herself up. “Towels first and then the hot tub. I need my brush, anyway.” Cleo pulled a hand through her tangled hair and winced. That was the ONLY bad part about swimming (or being thrown into pools, she guessed) was tangled hair. Cleo held onto his forearm as a sudden dizziness took over from standing up to quickly. Shaking her head, Cleo let go after a moment and led the way to the table where her stuff was. Cleo snatched up the towel she’d brought from home, wrapping it around her shoulders. She took Jacob’s and threw it at him, perhaps a bit to roughly but he had just thrown her into a pool after all. Grabbing her brush, she practically ripped it through her hair, squeezing her eyes shut tight and grimacing. Ow, ouch, ow, owwie, ouchhhhhhh, ahhh, better. She took the hair band from around the brush handle and tied her hair up. “My hair looks better than yours.” A smug grin had replaced the pained expression.

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words; 432
notes;
outfit; re-using

[JACOB HARLOW]

"Uhh, dude. People piss in pools all the time. At those fancy waterparks, they have a special dye that turns the water dark blue, should someone take a piddle in the water." His brows lifted up, staring at her intensely.

[/b]"Only, privately owned pools like this---can't really afford to replenish the dye, and fix the water, etc. So..."[/b] His hands went palms-up as he shrugged, "Voila. Pee-pee-pool."

His face scrunched up, well. H was totally serious about his hair being pulled back--granted it was short, but he hated it when his hair was wet. It almost felt like it was grimey, or oily, and all he wanted to do was sit under a shower and scrub at it, then use a fancy-pants blowdryer to dry it out. Probably the only meticulous thing he did--use a blowdryer. But he didn't even bother to brush it out, or make it look nice. Nope--Jake was definatly the roll-out-of-bed sort.

Jacob drew in a sharp intake of breath, watching Cleo rip through her hair. "Doesn't that hurt?" He winced, only relaxing once the brush was gliding smoothly through her hair. "And of course it does. You're a girl. You're supposed to look better than me. Now," And there went the faux-gay voice, "Honey, when I'm in drag, there ain't no beatin' me." He teased, and z-snapped in the air, the other hand on his hip. He relaxed back into his slouch, grabbing Cleo's wrist carefully. "C'mon. The hot tub I can handle without someone needing to rescue me."[/center][/size]