The tale of the shadow phoenixes

Chapter six.

“Look at all these instruments.” James marveled, fingering a guitar. “Do you play guitar?” Cole asked. James grinned. “Oh yeah, I’m great at it if I say so myself.” “What about y’all?” James asked. “I play the piano and the violin.” Arianna said. “I play the electric piano.” Cole said. “I play the drums.” Tom said. “Honestly, I don’t really play any instruments I just like to sing.” Leah said. “What about you Arianna don’t you like to sing?” Cole asked. “You have a lovely voice.” Arianna blushed. “Thanks, but I just don’t like singing in public. It’s….embarrassing.” James raised his eyebrow. “But you aren’t in public. You’re with us….you’re friends.” James said. "Yeah, sing for us Arianna.” Cole said. Arianna’s face turned even redder. “…um…no..I mean… no thanks.”

Later that day Cole and James wandered off together. “So….you wanna come to the pond with me?” James asked mischievously. “Uh sure why?” Cole asked. James grinned. “Well… Arianna and Leah are going there to just well…sit there dipping their toes in like all girls do. And my serious brother won’t be there to try to persuade me to do the “good thing”.” Cole gaped at his friend. “Wait a second, you want to mess with the g i r l s?” James nodded. “As in play a prank on them?” James nodded again. “Hey, listen I know you like Arianna and all…no don’t deny it I’ve seen the way you looked at her when y’all first met….but listen if anything goes wrong we’ll blame it on me. Ok?” James asked. “I don’t know…..” Cole began. James narrowed his eyes to where they looked like puppy eyes and stared at Cole pleadingly. Cole sighed. “Oh all right fine.”

They headed to the lake and waded in. “The girls should be here any minute but we don’t want them to see us so go underwater and your breath as long as you can then we’ll scare them.” James said.

A little while later the girls arrived to a empty lake. They dipped their feet in all the way to their ankles. “Ah this water is so refreshing and I’m so hot.” Leah said. Arianna smiled. “Yeah and we’re the only ones here so it’s so quiet.” Arianna said. Suddenly Leah looked up. “Something touched my ankle!” She exclaimed. “Yeah something touched me too! Wait we probably just touched each other, it’s fine. Besides there’s no fish or sharks in the lake.” Then Arianna and Leah felt something suspiciously like hands grab their ankles and began to tug. “Ah!” Leah yelped. “What in the…” Arianna was kicking her foot around trying to free her ankle when suddenly she struck something. A head bobbed to the surface. He had long wet black hair and his eyes were practically dancing with mischief. “Hi ladies.” James said. “James! What were you thinking?!” Leah shrieked. James shrugged. “It was Cole’s idea.” Cole surfaced, still holding his sister’s foot. “It was not!” Cole protested. “Oh you two!” Arianna exclaimed angrily. James chuckled and grabbed her foot again, and starting pulling her toward the water. “Hey you owe me. You hit my chin so hard.” James said. The girls tried to resist but eventually they gave in. They splashed each other with water and swam after one another around the lake. After a while it started to get dark outside so they headed back home. “See y’all tomorrow.” Cole called looking specifically at Arianna. She waved goodbye. James passed him, smirking. Cole punched him playfully in the shoulder.

Next chapter coming soon!

-SunnyFox57.