51: Wow, The Options

Today's Peter's birthday. Woo.

Not that it matters to me, but it does to the twins. I'm sure they're about to have a day filled with sugar highs and sugar crashes. Thank god I don't have to deal with them. I may love the twins but too much sugar and I'm out.

Oliver's arm is wrapped around me, pulling me close against his bare chest. One of his legs is sandwiched between mine. His hand is cupped between both of my own, my fingers intertwined with his.

I feel him wake up behind me, his breath is deeper and he squeezes me closer towards him. A small groan leaves his lips as he tries to rid himself of his sleepiness. I turn in his hold, letting go of his hand so I don't break him. Oliver Grey may be perfect at a lot of things, but contortion isn't one of them.

He grunts when my hand leaves his, but I soon place one on his cheek and the other rests on his chest. His eyes open when he feels my touch, his unruly hair never covering his bright blue eyes.

"Good morning," He says in his sexy morning voice.

Yes, I'm accepting it, I find Oliver Grey sexy.

"Hi," I whisper back with a smile.

I can only imagine the morning breath I have right now. It unnerves me thinking that Oliver could be smelling the foul sent of eight hours of sleep. I want to turn, run away maybe, but Oliver holds me in place. His hand is gentle but firm on the small of my back, warning me to stay close to him.

"One more day," He tells me.

And then I turn nineteen. I'm not the biggest fan of my birthday. It's just another reminder of how alone I was left in the world. I never got the normalcy of a teenage birthday where I go out with friends, maybe engage in some illegal activities.

I had the twins though, they always try to do something for me on my birthday. Last year they tried to make breakfast in bed, I got a burnt piece of toast and orange juice. It's the thought that counts.

This year feels different. I don't feel alone.

I nod, "And then I'm old."

"I'm nineteen."

"My point stands."

Oliver's eyes turn to slivers, thin and mad. He glares at me, trying to stay mad at me for my little comment about his old age. I stare back at him, resisting my laughter that's bubbling up inside.

His hands that were once around my waist leave and go to my neck, tickling me. I squirm, probably forming one too many chins in the process as I try to move away from his torturous fingers.

But Oliver is smart. In one swift movement he pushes me, making fall onto my back, and he hurls forward with me so he lands on top of me. I'm trapped underneath him, his legs straddling mine and holding me in place. His hands continue tickling me all around, making their way down my chest to my stomach.

"Say it again, I dare you."

I'm mid laugh, but I sputter it out anyway, "You're old, Oliver."

He gives me a mischievous smile. Oliver stops tickling me all of a sudden, his hands fall to the sides of my face. I'm able to calm myself down from the laughter. My eyes slowly open, finding his staring intently into mine. I give him a smile and bring my hands to his bare chest. It's warm against my cold hands but I pay it no mind at the moment. I have a plan and I can't get sidetracked.

We stare at each other for a couple of seconds longer although it feels longer than that. His eyes drop to my lips and I take my chance now that he's distracted. With all my night I push on his chest and use my hips to flip us over so that I'm now straddling him.

He lets out a small grunt-like sound when he hits the bed and I smile down at him.

"Comeback time," I say to him.

I start poking around his stomach, remembering that he's really not that ticklish. But jabbing my finger into his torso and around his neck is just as fun. Oliver moves around, contracting to try and avoid my pokes. His hands flying, trying to swat me away. He's successful a handful of times, but I only come back stronger.

I get too confident though, and in one fell swoop Oliver grabs both my wrists, stopping all my attacks. My smile is replaced with a soft frown as I look down to Oliver. He already has a smirk playing on his lips.

"You lose."

I relax down onto his chest. Oliver slowly lets go of his hold around my wrists and wraps his arms around my torso, hugging me tight against him. My head rests on top of his fast beating heart, I can only imagine mine is beating just the same. This whole comeback thing was quite the workout for 9am.

I draw random patterns on Oliver's bare chest, my eyes following my movement. Oliver's hands, that had made their way under my shirt, are grazing my back.

"Breakfast?" Oliver asks.

"Yeah."

I peal myself up, off of Oliver's chest. His arms stay wrapped around me as I lift myself up enough to be face to face with him. We're both staring at each other when I do something completely out of character for me. It must be the waterbed, it makes me feel different.

I lean down and plant a short kiss on Oliver's lips before getting off of him. He's almost speechless, Oliver Grey isn't the type to ever fall speechless, much less to a measly kiss. He looks to me, propping himself up with his elbows, his lips slightly parted.

"What was that?"

I shrug, "Felt like it," And I walk off to the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

"Fuck," I hear Oliver sigh out and a big flop from the waterbed right after.

I let out a sigh and turn to the mirror. I look intently at my eyes, my face. I look happy. My skin glows a little brighter, a healthy glow. The bags under my eyes are still noticeable from waiting on Oliver almost every night. There's a natural smile that's on my lips, an unconscious thought. I look different, like the Hazel before all hell broke loose, better than that even.

"Haze, can I come in?"

Oliver's voice brings me out of my thoughts. I look to myself one more time, my smile larger than before. Oliver Grey, what are you doing to me? I shake my head and go to the closed bathroom door to open it.

"Welcome."

Breakfast consists of everyone debating about what we're going to do today. Seems like this group likes to argue about the tiny things. It makes for a funny conversation.

"We're going swimming, it's hot," Maddy states as if we haven't been having this discussion for the past twenty minutes.

In the end, everybody nods in agreement, liking the idea of going for a swim in the suddenly hot weather that spring break has brought. I'm nervous though, having not brought a swimsuit for one, and then having to wear a swimsuit in front of Oliver Grey. I shouldn't be nervous, it's not like he hasn't, how should I say, roamed my body, but I'm a teenaged girl. I'm self conscious even at my most confident. Having the boy I like looking at me, it makes those butterflies feel more like a swarm of angry hornets.

Oliver's talking to Tyler, his hand brushing up against mine every once in a while. It's subtle, maybe even unintentional, but I feel his touch tingle my whole body. Grayson must notice a look of concern on my face because he leans down so that he can whisper to me.

"Abigail's closet," He smiles, "She has stuff with the tags still on them."

I give him a small nod in appreciation. I haven't seen Abigail since the last time we went to a Grey family gala, but she was really coming through for me. Having her gone, in college overseas, it was really working in my favor. I'm sure her swimsuit collection was nothing short of a Victoria's Secret fashion show.

Oh, was I right.

Maddy and I are standing, staring at the drawer we opened that is filled to the brim with new, never used before, swimsuits. There's a swimsuit for every occasion one can think of. One piece, two piece, even three piece swimsuits. I didn't even know those existed.

"Wow, the options."

I look to Maddy, my eyes still wide, and then look back to the swimsuits, "Swimsuit fashion show?"

She nods, "It's only right."

And so that's what we do. Maddy and I spend the better part of an hour trying different swimsuits from Abigail's closet. The boys are probably already enjoying the cool water of the pool.

"Please try it on, last style in our show," Maddy begs.

I laugh, "Only if you put this one on."

"Deal."

We each chose the ugliest swimsuit we could find, which was pretty hard considering. I look at the one piece Maddy hands me. There's weird holes, purposely made, all around the suit. Some of them revealing a nice under boob or almost butt crack.

The swimsuit I chose for maddy is a two piece but the bottom part has suspenders attached. Best part of it all, it's neon green. So while I look like I'm ready for the red light district, Maddy is ready to hit the books.

"Oh my god, the under boob is," Maddy looks me up and down, "Something."

"And you," I laugh, "That tan line is gonna be weird."

We both laugh, taking some pictures together in the full-length mirror to remember the peaks of swimsuit fashion. After our fun, we get serious, or as serious as the two of us can get, and choose the swimsuits we actually want to wear.

"The boys are gonna hate that we took so long," I point out, holding up a one piece.

Maddy laughs lightly, "They're definitely having chicken fights and forgetting we exist."

I laugh at her comment and turn around to face her, a bikini in my hands. I hold it up against my body as best as I can.

"Whatcha think?"

Maddy nods enthusiastically, "Sexy Hazel, yes."

I give her a smile and look at the swimsuit she's holding up against her body. It's a simple two piece, solid red, nothing fancy, but it's a perfect match for her skin tone.

"Yes, that one."

She smiles to me and turns back to the mirror, giving herself one last look before mentally agreeing and going off to change. The swimsuit fits perfectly, part of the one size fits all production strategy. I catch up with Maddy who's leaning against the wall by the stairs. When she sees me running towards her she smiles and pushes herself off the wall.

"You ready?"

"Born ready."

We make our way down to the backyard, I follow Maddy who knows the house better than I do. Maddy and I walk side by side as we venture the large halls of Grayson Adams' house. After some new twists and turns we finally make it to the door that leads to the backyard.

And that's when the butterflies go through evolution and turn into elephants.