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Aurora Lake was located in a valley ten minutes south of the Durante city limits The com along the twenty-seven h the lake was man-made, much of the land beyond the homes remained untouched

Haven climbed out of the car and spotted the water in the distance It went as far as she could see, wildly tall trees bordering it on all sides Despite its enorrassy lot they had parked on was tan sand, reround she’d been used to all her life

"Welcoet around here," Doht ar up on the sand in an area partially encased in shade There wasn’t a cloud in sight, and the warm summer breeze felt nice on Haven’s skin

Dominic set out into the water while Tess stripped out of her clothes Haven pulled hers off carefully and sat doatching the few people ere already playing out on the lake Soame of volleyball after a few ame while Haven relaxed under the sun’s rays

It didn’t take long for the terabbed a bottle of water fro out She coughed, gasping for air as the liquid went down her windpipe

"Excuseface-to-face with Nicholas She took a deep breath that burned her chest "What did you say?"

He stared at her as he plopped down in Tess’s lounge chair, kicking out his feet and getting comfortable "I said I didn’t think Carmine would let you coh this He doesn’t tell me what to do"

"Okay," he said "Then I’m surprised you would co to kill me and all"

That hadn’t crossed her mind "This is where you live?"

Nicholas pointed behind them at a white two-story house about a hundred yards away It stuck out a the others, the paint fresher "That would bein ht now"

"Oh, well, he didn’t try to kill you," she said "It was a ? He’s seriously clouded your judgood person You shouldn’t sit there and pretend you’re innocent It’s stupid! I wasn’t there and I know you’re both being ridiculous about thisthisrivalry thing So get over yourself, because you can’t talk about him like that to me I love him"

She stood and stomped away

"Haven, wait," Nicholas called out as she walked to the edge of the water She heard hie hi he cares about anyone I don’t like the idea of hilared at hi about e him when he’s braver than you’ll ever be!"

Nicholas stared out at the lake "So, uh"

"I don’t want to talk about it," she said "Noabout hi in the water"

"Oh No"

"Why not?"

"I can’t swiet your feet wet" Nicholas pulled off his shirt and tossed it onto the sand He took a few steps into the water, stopping to look at her when it reached his knees "What are you waiting for?"

"I don’t think so"

"Trust h the moment the words came from his lips, and he immediately backtracked "Okay, don’t trust et hurt? I told you before--you’re nice and all, but I don’t plan to die over you And I guarantee, if you drown, they’ll killa few steps into the lake, her bare feet sinking into the soft earth She stopped before the water reached her waist

"So why is six afraid of seven?" Nicholas asked, breaking the tension with a joke

She held her hands on the surface of the water "I don’t know Why?"

"Because seven, eight, nine" He set it"

"But you didn’t laugh You never laugh"

"It wasn’t funny"

He let out a heavy sigh "Why did the boy throw his toast out the ?" She shrugged "He wanted to see the butter fly"

"See the butter fly?" The joke dawned on her when the words came out "Oh, like a butterfly"

"Yes, a butterfly Why did the guy get fired fro "He couldn’t concentrate"

"Like the orange juice that’s made from concentrate?"

He ran his hands down his face "You’re hard to crack, you know I’ve never failed at h before I may as well have asked why the chicken crossed the road"