Simone and I are currently laid out on the beach chairs, having a beautiful view of the crystal clear ocean.
We're both laying out in the sun, my eyes closed and headphones tucked in, working on my tan, and Simone's beside me solving a crossword puzzle— something Mabel's very fond of doing too. We don't talk anymore after our mini argument which is weird. She's not the type to go on a no talking spree for this long. I don't even get daily memes from her anymore, and that means one thing; either she's still mad at me, or got hit by a bus.
Simone went ahead to give me this pep talk about how I should've handled the situation differently, and I've searched high, I've searched low, but no matter how hard I look, I can't find where I asked for her opinion.
Someone's presence blocks my view from the sun as I tear my eyes open to see who had the nerve to obstruct my tan process.
Lacey stands there, looking displeased as ever.
"What do you guys have to say about this dress? I think it's awful," She gestures to the fabric on her body that looks too large for her size.
Simone puts her puzzle away and eye Lacey's figure from her head to her feet. "Please, let's not blame the dress."
"I saw this piece of shit online and had it delivered today," Lacey says after giving Simone the middle finger. "And this is totally not what I bargained for."
I stopped buying things online when I bought a genuine crystal, and received a spray painted rock. It was only painted on one side.
"It's not that bad. Just a little trimming here and there."
"What she means is a lot of trimming, and maybe change the whole outfit," Simone says, cackling like an idiot.
"You make me want to take my boot and shove it so far up your ass. You're going to be spitting out shoelaces all week."
I tune out on their banter and focus on the group of guys carrying out Tinder and large sticks for the bonfire tonight, which is already just a few hours from now. Everything's been set, except the cake. Our failed attempts to make a cake all ended in the waste bin, and by 'our', I mean Noah and I. We volunteered to make the cake— okay I forced him to join me—
Biggest mistake of my life.
If they asked for a melting yellow snowman instead of a cake, we definitely nailed it. But the best part was that I got to see him in an apron with the words Who's Your Daddy? printed at the front. It definitely was a sight to see.
So to make up for the cake we couldn't make, we're going to get beverages at the local supermarket before the bonfire begins.
"Allie."
"Hmm?"
"Are you going to keep not talking with your sister?" Simone's question has me turning back to her, curious to find out the sudden change of topic. She stares at something on her phone and I snatch it from her hands before she says anything next. The picture on her phone screen makes my stomach churn.
It shows a selfie of Mabel and Zach at an amusement park, grinning annoyingly at the camera. No wonder she's been ignoring me. Going on dates, getting all boo'd up.
So she didn't get hit by a bus after all.
I shrug on my jacket and push myself off the chair to storm out as Simone grips me by the arm.
"Give them a chance."
"Tell your brother to stay away from me," I yank my arms off her grip, ignoring the look of hurt in her eyes, and stalking off in the opposite direction.
The evening is calm, complete opposite of my current mood. My hair continues to whip itself on my face when the wind picks up again as I tuck them behind my ears. I go to the poolside to look for Noah and unlike every other day, he's not there.
Has he forgotten our little trip to the supermarket? I hope not. I need me some tequila tonight.
"ALLIE!" I turn around to the direction of the person yelling my name and Cory's beautiful face smiles widely back at me. The music blasting from the headphones in his ears are so loud that I can hear it all the way here. "THERE YOU ARE. I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN DAYS."
We talked this morning. And he's yelling real loud.
"AM YELLING, AREN'T I?" He asks. Guess my face said it all. I nod as he rips the headphones from his ears. "It's a sick beat I can't get off my head all day. You should try it."
Some mad ass Afro beat fills my eardrums when he places the headphones on my ear and I find myself bobbing my head to the sound. "THIS IS ACTUALLY REALLY DOPE." He gives me a look. "I'M THE ONE YELLING NOW, RIGHT?"
Cory laughs. "So what's up? Are we still on for tonight?"
My eyebrows furrow in confusion. The only thing I can remember going on tonight is the bonfire...
Shit!
I screwed up.
"I've got tons of movies sorted out already. Any genre, you name it." He looks excited about our movie night we scheduled for this evening, which I totally forgot by the way. I might've gotten the dates mixed up.
"I can't make it tonight. There's other stuffs I need to attend to. I'm sorry."
His face drops. "What stuffs is more important than movie night?"
"The Kingston boys need my help. We're making a bonfire tonight. You should come."
Cory crosses his arms over his broad chest, his stare hard and unmoving. "So what you're trying to say is, you're ditching me for some bunch of dudes you met few weeks ago after we fixed this evening for movie night."
"That is very correct."
Noah comes out from nowhere and steps in beside me.
Great timing.
"Are you ready to leave?" He asks.
"Well, I— uhh..."
"So you're the gay guy." Cory says, referring to the rumors flying around lately and I slap a palm on my forehead, knowing he just pressed a really wrong button.
"Allie, could you please tell she-hulk over here that my sexuality is none of his business."
"Allie, would you tell hobbit legs right here that we're both having a movie night."
Noah's features doesn't look fazed one bit as he takes a step forward closer to Cory. "In case you didn't realize, I don't give a damn about your girls night. So why don't you be a good elephant? Suck up another kilo of peanuts, put a chair back and relax."
I come in between them before they both turn themselves to punching bags because I can already hear Cory growling. "This is all just a big misunderstanding. I should've..."
"Planned things more humanly? Gotten yourself a calendar?" I shrink under Cory's gaze. "Now, I don't know what you two are up to, but I'm not buying any of this bull crap."
"Hey, listen up." I snap my fingers in his face to have his attention and stop glaring at Noah over my head. "We can still have movie night. I'll head over to the supermarket in just a few minutes and everyone can be happy."
"You know what? Forget about that. I'm coming along."
"Hey!" Noah warns, his cool demeanor instantly vanishing. "Tiny eyes is not joining us."
"Funny. I wasn't asking for permission."
Noah looks back at me. "I don't like him."
"I noticed."
"Please make him leave."
Before Cory can think of another comeback, I drag him by the arm and shift a few meters farther from Noah. "I can't leave you with him. He looks like he could hit a child."
"He didn't hit a child yet."
"Yet."
"You're worrying over nothing. It's Friday. Take your bra off and relax."
He frowns. "Why would I wear a bra?"
"Fine. Take off whatever you wear under your shirt and chill out. I promise to come back in one piece."
I feel his hand gently squeeze my arms. "You promised." With one last glare thrown at Noah, he tucks back his headphones into his ears and walks off.
Now that wasn't so hard.
A bored look is etched on Noah's face. The sun shines right behind his head, so that he looks ominous as I force a smile on my own face.
"Shall we?"
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