Chapter 18 - First Sign

The two boys silently climbed the stairs to William's room together, Cailen flopping on the bed when they got there and William flopping down beside him.

William's room looked like any other teenager's room.

A bed against the wall in the middle, a desk on the far wall that had his school bag hanging from the office chair there, and a TV on the opposite wall of his bed, facing the bed so he could watch while laying down.

There were band posters lining the walls along with school awards and sports medals, most of them being the award for 'most improved' or 'hardest working' because William really wasn't very coordinated and tended to fall a lot but that didn't stop him from trying.

"What do you think happened?" William asked, finally breaking the silence.

"I don’t know. She'd tell us if someone died, right?" Cailen asked.

William nodded.

"Could be nothing... She really could be just tired of all the junk," William said with a sigh.

Cailen nodded but he had a feeling that wasn't it. He let it drop though. Eden would tell them if it concerned them, so it must not have to do with them and they shouldn't try to pry if she didn't want to tell them.

"Yeah, you guys got messy while I was gone," Cailen teased.

William sat up at this, looking at Cailen in disbelief.

"Oh? We're messy?" William challenged. "You're the one that had a new species of mold growing under his bed," William reminded him.

"Oh, whatever... It was just regular mold, nothing special," Cailen grinned up at him as William rolled his eyes.

"Oh, ‘cause that makes it so much better," William mumbled.

*****

"Come on, Hale! We're going to get there tomorrow at this rate!" Noah called from the bed of Asher's truck.

The back window was open to allow them to speak to each other since they couldn't all fit into the truck.

Noah, William and Cailen sat in the bed of the truck, the wind whipping at their hair and making a right mess of it while Asher and Matthew sat comfortably inside.

"I don't want to hit a bump and have one of you go flying!" Asher called back.

Noah snorted and turned around, shaking his head and settling back down in the corner.

They were on their way to the beach, having already stopped to pick up some beer that sat safely with Asher and Matthew inside the truck. Of course the boys ducked whenever they saw a police car because there was no way this was legal, but they had only seen one so far and they were nearly there.

"Don't worry about us, Ash, just get there tonight!" Cailen called, grinning at Noah who grinned right back

"I'd rather get there with you in one piece," Asher mumbled back but it was difficult to hear with the wind.

"Shut it. He's doing fine," Matthew defended, turning around to look at the three boys before shouting, "Early morning swimming could be fun too," Matthew teased, earning a side glare from Asher and a cackle from Noah.

"Aw, leave Ash alone," William said dramatically. "You'll just distract him and we'll never get there," William grinned.

Asher raised his hand, one long finger sticking up at William that only caused the whole truck to burst out in laughter.

It was hilarious seeing Asher flip someone off. He's definitely changed over the years. He wasn't afraid to fight back now.

Slowly but surely, the boys made it to the beach, parking the truck by a tree and hopping out.

Noah grabbed the beer while the others grabbed the couple bags they packed with towels and a few snacks. Together, they made their way to the beach to a more secluded part even though it was now late enough that everyone had already left.

They trudged through the sand, Noah running ahead, or at least trying to while holding two cases of beer in his hands. When they reached an area a little ways away from the shore, they set up the area, laying out towels and cracking open some beers.

Asher didn't take one, claiming someone had to drive back so no one could really argue with that but Cailen knew, and he assumed everyone else knew as well, that Asher just didn't like to drink.

"Who's up to getting in the water?" Asher asked, standing up from the towels they laid out.

"I'm in!" Noah shouted, already having finished his second beer.

"I'm not getting my hair wet," Matthew mumbled, tipping his back and swallowing from his beer.

"You came all the way to the beach to not get wet?" William asked incredulously, standing as well and pulling his shirt over his head.

Matthew shrugged, seeming not to care about the logic behind that, or lack there of.

"Cai?" Asher asked hopefully.

"Uh, I'm good. I'll keep Matt company. The water is probably freezing," Cailen explained.

Noah and William had already rid themselves of their shirts and jeans, leaving their boxers on and were making their way to the water.

"Aw, come on. We came all the way here," Asher pouted, pulling his puppy dog eyes out and sending them right to Cailen.

Cailen groaned. He knew how lethal those things were.

"Ash, it's gonna be cold," Cailen whined, trying to swat away Asher's hand as he tried to to grab him and pull him to his feet.

He didn't succeed very well because now, he was standing face to face with Asher.

"Please?" Asher asked.

"No," Cailen said stubbornly.

Asher gave him a look, kicking the puppy eyes up a notch so Cailen had to shut his.

"Ash, maybe later when I'm drunk and don't care how cold it- Hey!"

Asher had bent down, wrapping his arms around Cailen's legs and lifted him so he was now hanging over his shoulder.

"Ash! No! Put me down!" Cailen yelled.

"Nope, you're coming in," Asher said, walking towards the water.

Cailen could hear Matthew laughing at him though he couldn't see him.

"Asher, I swear to God, if you don't put me down I'll-"

"You'll what, Cai?" Asher said, hearing the grin in his voice.

"I don't know but you won't like it!" Cailen said.

He could now see water at Asher's feet, the waves lapping at them. His feet disappeared the deeper he went, the water getting deep enough so his shorts were now half submerged under water.

"Asher, seriously, no!" Cailen couldn't believe this was Asher.

Asher would never do this. He's changed so much and Cailen knew it was because he's been spending too much time with William and Matthew, probably Noah too if the stories he's heard were true.

"Put me down, you - you gorilla!"

"Did you just call me gorilla?" Asher asked, stopping in the water.

"Yes, you're too damn strong for your own good," Cailen heard Asher chuckle and then felt his hands sliding up from where they held his legs to his hips and Cailen knew this wasn't going to end in his favor.

"Ash, plea-"

Cailen was tossed into the water.

The water wasn't as cold as Cailen had predicted but it was still a shock from the warmth he had previously been feeling.

Thankfully Cailen had left his phone in the truck because he didn't want to get sand in it, otherwise this would have been a lot more upsetting. Cailen was quick to stand up again but not in time before he was fully submerged in the water, soaking him from head to toe.

When he resurfaced, he heard cackles from every direction, behind him from where William and Noah were, beside him from where Asher stood and in front of him where Matthew was rolling around in the sand, clutching his stomach.

"You will pay for that," Cailen grumbled but Asher was already heading out of the water.

"What? Where are you going? You throw me in the water and leave?"

Asher started fiddling with the button on his shorts and soon they were falling to his feet on the sand and - oh.

Asher pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it to the side and made his way back into the water.

Cailen might as well of stayed underwater because he felt like he couldn't breath anyway.