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“Diamonds?” Jada pored through some of her earrings, pulling out a pair of small diamond studs. She held them up against the Sari, to make sure they would look fine, then held them out to Fallon and Audrey for acceptance. “Would you wear these?” she asked Audrey. They weren't gaudy, and in fact weren't much Jada's taste. She didn't often wear studs. They had been a gift from some friend of her mother's for some birthday, and she'd just never tossed them. They were diamond. Classic! “If you will... you can pierce her.” she tossed them in their blue velvet box and passed them to her blue-haired friend to decide what to do with. As for the necklace Audrey later picked out, Jada beamed at her, nodding. “Of course you can wear that.” she agreed. Audrey had mentioned a Pasha once before, she thought. Hmmm, she'd have to meet this person. Definitely.

She was distracted from Audrey moving off the bed by Fallon's necklace choice. “Oh, that will look absolutely gorgeous, Fallon! I'd forgotten I had that cameo.” she never wore anything that classic. And it would look sublime against the dress. At last the jewelry was all put in their boxes, and she loaded back up her safe, setting the selections that Fallon and Audrey had chosen in red velvet cases to mark them as distinctive before closing those up back in the vault. The earrings were set in Jada's nightstand, as they would be doing the piercing later. Much later. Say, after the swim, so Audrey didn't cry in the pool.

And the night had been fun.

Now Jada was watching her friends strip down, giggling with embarrassment and a rush. So the girls were leaving on their underwear to go down? Smart girls. Jada tugged off her shorts, face almost glowing. “I've never done it with people. But I'll do it sometimes when I'm by myself.” Jada grabbed the towels Fallon had not. In a halter top and her skimpy undies, she opened the French doors to her private balcony and followed Fallon down her staircase. “And we're not screwed, Audrey.” she assured the other girl. “Even if you are the bravest of them all.” which she wasn't. That was definitely Fallon's title.

The towels were set down on the end of a tanning couch, and then it was the three girls, in their underwear, staring at each other. “All for one. One for all. Like the Musketeers. There are three of us." Jada was nervous, if she was being so odd. "And I promise, unless you shriek over something, no one will hear anything. No one is afraid of water, I hope?” A dry joke. Everything was dimly lit around the backyard, but the Olympic-sized pool especially so. The pool had water that was beautiful and crystal clear, the pool being well-lit enough to see clearly, even in the dark. No one would slip near the pool and accidentally drown. It wasn't daylight bright, certainly, but one girl would be able to see the other from opposite sides of the pool. “Thank god I am the only one with a window overlooking the pool.” Jada muttered again, and pulled off her halter top and underwear, crossing her arms over herself for a moment, glaring at her friends. “Showtime.”

Then Jada giggled, cheeks bright. “Taadaaa!” she said, and dropped her hands, posing like a swimsuit model. Just in a clear bikini. (That was a way to think of it!) She was shaking with nerves, as though it were cold outside. Oh god, would they judge? Wait, these were her friends. The shaking stopped, and Jada was just like God and Paparazzi intended. She waited on the other girls, bright eyes on them. Fallon would be stripping with her, by George. She'd make her. Audrey, on the other hand, would not be forced into this. Jada beamed at her blue-haired friend.

Andeon and Fallon used to have contests to see who could check out a girl the longest without her noticing. Fallon usually won, probably because most girls didn't expect it. She employed these masterful tactics now, immediately wishing Andeon was there to appreciate her tact and skill. He would go for the highfive and then call dibs, probably on Jada. She always saw him going for confidence. The first one naked seemed to have just that.

Fallon was not far behind the other two, stepping neatly out of her clothes and taking the time to carefully fold it beside the towels. She had a bandage around her stomach still, and Fallon carefully peeled it off, revealing bruising and the red puffy cut from where she'd had surgery. It was healing and was safe to get wet. The doctor told her to wear the padding under clothes to avoid irritation, and as a precaution. She examined her own injuries only briefly. Audrey's seemed much worse.

It would be rude to say something, and the last thing that Fallon wanted to do was make Audrey uncomfortable in her own skin. She shot Jada a worried look, but then grabbed for both of their hands. "If we're doing this, we're doing it right. Time to take the plunge!" Her voice was excited, but muffled. Fallon had no intention of waking the neighbors and inadvertently inviting them to the peep show.

Fallon was the tallest out of them and lean; Jada had the bust; Audrey was petite and adorable. It made for an awkward conga line moving toward the edge of the pool. Magenta eyes danced to Jada.

"You do the honors, debutante! Count us down."

It was time to jump on in.

Fallon might have been pulling her along, but Audrey could only stare at the third member of their midnight swimming menage a trois with shock and a little bit of horror. What had just happened? The event played clearly in her mind and the girl would swear that she could still feel Jada's fingertips around her meager bosom. What was that about? Was Jada closer to Audrey's free-wheeling opinion than previously considered? The jury was still out on Fallon, but Fallon never really showed a preference one way or another that the bluenette had seen. Eyes roved over the taller woman as well, a bit surprised at how easily she took to nudity - maybe it was a French thing? But hadn't she said she'd done this before? A light sigh escaped Audrey, making her feel very much like the country cousin yet again when faced with Fallon's elegant build and Jada's lush one.

There was no time to contemplate this further as her companions jumped, forcing Audrey to knife into the warm water after them, gasping a bit at the shock of water to the face as she came up. It felt so good to be in a pool again, she was a total nymph when it came to swimming and oceans and really anything that was a fairly large collection of water. Though she hadn't entirely forgotten Jada's presumptuous grab at her chest, it was simply pushed back until later while the teen dove again under the water to somersault and enjoy the freedom of the entire venture. It was like being in a giant bathtub, nothing encumbering you or weighing you down! Honey eyes were alight with glee and she looked happier than ever before as white skin rose to the top and floated along the rippling pool. "This was the best idea I think anyone's ever had. It's so different doing things like this!" Giggles erupted girlishly, sheer delight unable to stay down for long. "I am totally moving into your pool, Jada."

It was liberating, Jada decided mid-jump, to be naked around other people. As they broke the surface, she gave a husky, delighted laugh. She floated in the water, letting her body arch naturally. “It was a wonderful idea.” Jada agreed, moving through the water. Audrey was floating around, moving like she belonged in the water. The other girl's laughter was infectious. The water burned cold against the ever-present heat in Jada's back, the lightly salinated water making the still-healing skin ache. It felt good more than painful, however, sending shivers along her spine. The dark-haired woman followed Fallon over to the side of the pool and hauled herself out of the water in a single practiced motion. She stretched out onto her toes, heard her back give a pop. “I'm glad we don't have anyone taking pictures. Thank god. Mother would murder me, and it would be my funeral, not my debut.” She shuddered, going back to her heels.

“Okay, I so want to try this naked.” Jada said finally, and tugged over a chair towards the side of the pool. Without the dress, the curtsey would probably look horribly awkward. She performed her deep Texas Dip one more time, pulling out of it with only a little tug on the chair. “See how awkward that is?” she looked to Fallon for her support on this theory. “You know both of you have to give it a try tonight, right? I mean, neither of you have to curtsy tomorrow, or do anything but look hot- and both of you do that just fine-” she mock-leered at her friends before continuing. “- but you still have to try it.” She dropped to her knees, leaning over the edge of the pool to splash water at Audrey and Fallon before shifting to dip her feet into the water. “Alright, so, we have at least a couple hours to swim before we should start getting ready for bed. Anyone know any fun pool games? Other than having a water fight.” She gave both of her friends suspicious looks. Any moment, she was fully expecting them to drag her into the pool and dunk her for splashing.

Which would be fine. She'd dunk them back. As anyone who had ever gotten in a water fight with Jada could tell them, she had no issues with climbing up people and trying to shove heads under the water until they burbled uncle. Fallon could take her, Jada decided, in a fair water fight. Audrey swam fast and might get away. Plus, they were both wounded, and Jada would feel bad dunking them. Suddenly water fights were looking less favorable than ever. She pulled her feet quickly out of the water and wiggled backwards on her butt, until she was about a foot away from the pool. Carefully, Jada pulled her long hair back into a knot- harder for them to tug her around by her hair if there was less to grab, right? “I think there is a volleyball in the Pool House, and some rafts, and some noodles my little siblings used to love to play with as kids.”

Now that she was naked, and her friends weren't laughing at her, Jada embraced her nudity. It was awesome. “We could do all sorts of things.” She pushed to her feet, spinning in a small circle. “We could swim. We could use the diving board.” She pointed to the board. “Of course, after swimming we have to do one more raid on the kitchen for more sweets, and we still have to pierce Audrey's ears.” Her hand went to her hip, and she tapped one French-tipped nail against her lips, biting down lightly on the white part. “Plus we haven't played that 'Are you lighter than a fifth grader' game that Audrey was telling us about.” she laughed, knowing she'd screwed up the name something awful.

There was a popular Greek myth that human men, when stumbling upon a pool of nereids bathing and making merry, were struck down with several afflictions. Blindness, desire, or an insanity so pure that it could consume your life forevermore. The first hadn't obviously happened as they were staring right at the trio, but the second and third were obvious. They had to be mad, to be peering over the wall of the Chamberlyn estate at midnight. Why would the girls have looked where nobody should have been, would have been?! While Jada had stood and turned to fully face whatever had fallen into the bushes, Audrey's natural shame had taken over and sent her streaking down to the bottom of the pool and bulleting up against the wall closest to the bushes for inspection just as two almost identical male faces popped up. Familiar male faces.

The Xanis brothers? "Elzo?!" It was a choked whisper, and then a low cry of denial and fear. Though naturally pale, the teen's skin went almost translucent as all the blood drained away. Oh God, the one person she would not ever want to see her naked without preparation had seen! The scars, the bruises, all of it! Flattening against the cool tile of the pool, goosebumps raising over every inch of her skin. Fingertips flexed against the rim of the pool like she would rip the concrete straight from the ground if she could simply do so. Really, she was torn between crying and screaming, and could only stare with the biggest eyes anyone had ever seen. Her towel was over there. She was over here. Naked. Within reach if they just stepped up to the pool. "Oh God, what are you doing here?!" Could she drown herself before they saved her? Probably not. <********>

Jada never would have predicted that even as she was whirling and twirling, there were four saucer-wide blue eyes peeking over the inner fence. The outer fence was almost eight feet of stone, well-cared for, and there were- there were alarms! And a gate with a guard! Jada had come out here alone this late at night, and felt perfectly safe! So it was that she thought nothing of her careless little display of her skin, grinning at Fallon. "There will be all sorts of creepy men tomorrow night. Tonight is just for us ladies."

Ah, famous last words. She heard a crash, a curse, and whirled on instinct to see who was there. She recognized them almost immediately in the light of the area, only- "What are you doing here?" she stared at the boys, dumbstruck, naked, until she realized that ********, she was naked! Fallon said something about testicles, and Audrey was moaning. Audrey. Oh god, poor Audrey.

Jada was closest to the towels, what with being the only one out of the water. Jada was also naked. Jada wanted these towels. "You stay right where you are." she snarled it at them both, giving them a good approximation of her mother's Medusa glare. The one that froze men and women alike in their tracks like a snake did a rabbit.

Jada's glare was nowhere near that impressive.

She moved over to the towels, rigid, maintaining her composure. Well, she'd wanted to be a model. Why had she ever thought about it? They had to be confident. Confidence. Exude it. She just wanted to die. Her small hands almost snatched up the three towels, wrapping one of them around her body before she returned to where the other two girls were floating, pressed to the side of the pool. "Audrey, sweetheart, lets get you into a towel." she said simply, and used her body and the towel to shield the blue-haired girl from their view- just in case they hadn't closed their greedy eyes. "I don't know how they got in here. Interrupted my pool party." genuine anger-tinged bewilderment rode her tone.

"We'll get them out of the bushes before they do trip an alarm, or better yet, we go upstairs and leave them to get themselves out, and hope they do trip an alarm." She raised her voice enough for the boys to hear. "Two little Hillworth boys, trespassing on private property at midnight. I wonder what they'll have to say about that." She wouldn't call the police, and she frankly wouldn't leave them in there to trip the alarms either. It would simply make her parents too paranoid.

She waited until the girls were clad- if they wanted to be- before she moved over to the bushes where the boys had fallen, wrapped in her towel. "Get out." she said finally. She just gave Elzo a bland look. It was all she could manage for him. Stupid-Sailor Castor. Marlo, though? Her eyes on his were mildly disappointed. She'd thought better of him than being a peeping tom. "You won't set the alarm off, thank god. Be careful with your feet. Don't smash Mother's bushes." Not that her mother knew anything about them other than that they were bushes.

Jada couldn't help it. She smacked Elzo and Marlo both upside their heads, glaring up at them from all of her 5'1 (max) height. "Well girls," she said finally, "It looks like we have our entertainment for the evening. What will we do with them?" Her face was like ice, eyes glittering up at them with something akin to malice. "I've personally always wanted to play 'Pin the Tail on the Donkey.'"

Pin the Tail on the a**.

Jada was an angel. Jada was her savior. Audrey wanted to die. They were still looking! Why were they looking?! There were still options, perhaps Fallon wasn't as resourceful as she seemed! The teen could knock herself out and drown in five minutes. Everyone would totally understand, none of the girls would blame her. But then Elzo might dive in! And put his hands on her. The idea appealed to Audrey more than she might have admitted, forcing her to go for the much less dramatic second option - the towel. It was almost shocking that the bluenette hadn't yet started to cry, every muscle in her face indicated it though it was hard to tell if the sheen over her eyes was pool water or the gloss of tears. But no, she mastered herself (barely), and put arms on the concrete edge before struggling to lift herself.

It took one try, then two, and on the third she felt Fallon's hands on her hips, helping to lift the injured girl into the warm towel in benevolent Jada's awaiting arms. It was comforting, having the fabric around her skin when not ten minutes ago the shedding of it had been the most delightful feeling imaginable. From behind, the buxom heiress hugged her tightly for a few moments, making comforting little sounds to her friend who was so obviously in shock. Slowly, breathing eased and Audrey's eyes returned to their normal size before narrowing in contemplation and turning onto the men. The look was not a pleasant one and was quite pregnant with anger. "They should be thanking God right now that I'm injured. You do what you want with them right now, I'm not entirely sure I'm trustworthy." Until now, Audrey's doghouse was an abandoned shack, neglected and long without inhabitants. Now, it was shared by a pair of brothers and boy it was haunted.

Disentangling herself from Jada, and with inestimable pride and as much grace as she could summon, the lovely young woman turned her heavily bruised back on them all and went to recline on a nearby lounge, clutching arms around herself almost defensively. This was the stuff her nightmares were made of, and in any moment everything would end and she would wake up, right? But as slow moments ticked by, Audrey was forced to admit to herself that no, this was real. She wouldn't wake up clinging to her dearly missed penguin, no. There was only her and a towel, and the boy she had a desperate crush on who had just seen her naked in a pool with three women.

It was all over. Was it still too late to drown herself?

If this had been a coliseum, all thumbs would be pointing down for the two brothers right now. Jada, however, was slightly more merciful than the ancient conquerors and their people. Slightly. When she turned and looked at Audrey on the lounge chair, however, that malicious glitter in her eyes cooled, turned to stone. Elzo's words? Were most unappreciated at the moment he said them, and his daring infuriated her. Slim hands went to her towel-clad hips, and she scowled down at those who had transgressed. If she were a Medusa, they would have been turned to stone and smashed long past. Well, turned to stone, at least. Smashed...

"Well," was all that Jada said at first, slowly. Fallon stepped up to her side, aiding the considerably smaller woman in forming that barrier between the boys and Fallon. If either of them got the unwise idea to make a break for it, or move for her Audrey, they would find themselves on the ground, being ridden into it in the worst possible way. She clucked at them both. "Audrey doesn't seem to be feeling very friendly right now." she looked at Elzo. "And neither does Fallon." Under different circumstances, she could have felt bad for them. On another night, she would have forgiven them, and dragged them up to her room for dessert. "It looks like I am the one you will get to beg for leniency, boys. I do hope you plan to beg well, because I'm not really feeling it." She tapped one french-tipped nail on her thigh, thinking as she watched them. "Wanted to see if you could what?" the young woman asked finally.

They'd seen her naked. They had most surely seen her ruined back, unhidden by any art or decoration. It made things low in her stomach clench with nausea, her own revulsion at her own imperfection. Szelem had drilled into her over the last weeks how ugly her back was. How revolting. 'No one could look at you now and not think 'how disgusting'. You're next to ruined.' Szelem had hissed in her ear, almost from the first day she'd been lucid enough to understand. At first Jada had been shocked. Now she knew it was true.

She reached out, grabbed the boys. "Fallon, darling, do me a favor. Go get Audrey up to my room. I'll be up in a bit." She waited patiently until the other woman had started over to Audrey before she hooked her fingers under the boys collars. Pulled them with her towards the water, under the guise of guiding them towards the chairs. Which was, in the end, her final intention. A dressing down under the stars.

"Audrey, baby?" she called, at the last moment, as they were so achingly close to the edge of the pool. One more moment, and it would be too late. The blue-haired girl turned, and Jada moved. Lightning fast, her palms shoved into the masculine chests, forcing them over the edge of the pool, bodies falling towards the luminescent water.