Shattered Dreams

Chapter 20

My alarm screams in my ear but I can't seem to find the strength to reach across my side table and close it. Within a couple minutes of hearing the same sound, I start to tune it out and find myself thinking about this past month. After Jenn's death, I had thought I would never get over it, but somehow I did. And now I even have a boyfriend that lasted more than a month, someone who cares for me, if only Jenn were here to see it. I remember her urging me to ask out Tristan, my crush at the time and a small smile arrives on my face. Through the noise, I hear the tiny bell sound from my phone. Finally finding the energy, I reach over and shut my alarm before grabbing my phone from the side table to see a notification. My smile widens and I grin ear to ear. 

<Tell me you're not still lying in bed... 😑> A snort escapes my mouth, obviously I'm still in bed, it's only 9:26- Oh shit! Jaxons gonna be here to pick me up in half an hour. Quickly texting back, 

<I'm not dw 😅> I jump out of bed and run to the washroom. Taking a quick shower, I dry my hair while quickly slipping into my black bikini and covering it with pair of black shorts and a white tank. My phone rings just as I shove sunscreen, a towel and some other stuff in my beach bag. Swiping my phone off my dresser, I sprint down the stairs and slip on my sandals before opening the door to find an annoyed Jaxon sitting behind the wheel of his BMW. His eyes were on his phone but when he hears the door open, his head snaps up towards me. The dark eyes follow me as I make my way to the passenger side. He doesn't take them off my face even as I cross the seatbelt across my body and hear the click as it is placed in its holder. Ignoring his gaze, I reach across and turn on the radio. The music seems to snap him out of his stupor and he turns his head back towards the wheel. 

"You took your sweet time." Jaxon says softly as he shifts the gear to reverse and starts backing out of my driveway. We speed down the highway with music playing softly in the background which allows me to rest my head on the headrest and close my eyes for a bit. The sound of Jaxon's soft humming brings a tiny smile to my face as I am slowly lulled to sleep. Before I know it, the one hour drive is already done and we're pulling up into the parking lot of the beach. My eyes are still closed when Jaxon pulls the keys out of the ignition and slowly leans over to unbuckle me whilst also softly whispering in my ear. 

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty. We're here." His breath tickles my ear and I snap my eyes open, tilting my head in his direction at the same time, to see his baby pink lips just a couple centimeters away from mine. I feel his hand resting on my shoulder tense along with the rest of his body. My breath hitches and I find myself mesmerized with his eyes but he pulls back, quickly shying away from my view, and quietly murmurs, "We're here" again before leaving the car. I stay in the car for a minute to slow down my heart rate. What the hell was that and why did I react like that?? If he didn't pull back, what would I have done? Shaking my head, I dismiss the thoughts, I have a boyfriend and he's all I need right now. Thoughts of Christen bring me back to reality and I scramble out of the car at the same time as a familiar black car pulls up next to us. Hayley and Blake jump out of it and I spring my arms around their necks. 

"Hey! I'm so glad you guys could make it!" Hayley laughs lightly before breaking my hug and looking behind me. Her smile tips downwards  and she shifts her eyes back to me.

"You came with Jaxon?" I turn around and catch Jaxon staring at me. An unidentifiable feeling develops in the pit of my stomach and I quickly turn back to Hayley. 

"Oh yeah, Christen said he was working today so I just got a ride from Jaxon." Hayley slowly nods her head and I have to repress myself from sighing. Ever seen I made her meet Jaxon for the first time, she has had a feud against him for no reason. I don't blame her, he comes off as a heartless person at first until you get to know him. Letting out a breath, I link my arms with Hayley and Blake and lead them towards the beach while Jaxon trails behind us. The beach is pretty empty right now but I know that as the sun reaches at its peek around 1 or 2, it'll fill up. Grabbing a nice spot by the corner of the beach, we set our towels on the ground and I decide to lay down on top of it for a bit. I close my eyes and bath in the sun but not too soon, a shadow passes over me blocking the sun. Letting out a sigh, I open my eyes to find Blake and Hayley standing over me. 

"Lets play beach volleyball!" My refusal is on my lips when Hayley adds, "For old times sake, Thea." 

"Ok." I reach out a hand and Blake grabs it to pull me up. As soon as I'm up, a heavy arm falls around my shoulder and I look up to see Jaxon looking down at me. 

"So you play volleyball, huh?" He says quietly. 

"I used to." Hayley and Blake move up ahead of us and start leading us to the net. "Jenn and I used to verse against Blake and Hayley. We always won though. Jenn had me in her team after all." I smirk up at Jaxon and in response, he lightly grabs my elbow, making me pause. 

"Let's see how well you can do against me." My smirk widens. 

"What do I get in return if I win?" Jaxon takes a couple seconds to reply as he thinks about it. 

"I owe you, call me for anything and I will do it for you." Satisfied with the answer, I nod and begin to resume my walk towards the net where Hayley and Blake are impatiently waiting for us. I'm able to take a couple steps before Jaxon pulls me back again. His face hovers over my face with an evil glint in his eyes. "And if you lose, you go skinny dipping today." Horror flashes across my face. 

"No. Never." Jaxon leans a little closer and quietly replies. 

"Are you doubting yourself, Cyn?" My teeth clench and I want to refuse to this bet but I haven't had a challenge in a while. 

"No. I'll win. Watch and see, Jaxon." Spinning around, I march over to the court and grab Blake. "You're on my team." Blake and Hayley exchange glances before Blake slowly says, 

"Cyn, its always been Hayley and I, why don't you go with Jaxon?" 

"I have a game to win against him." Jaxon stands across from me with Hayley next to him, the ball in his hand. I get into position, my stomach flutters in anticipation and I take a deep breath. Jaxon smirks at me and I let a smirk of my own crawl up my face. Blake calls out the starting call and I let my powers loose.

I'm not going skinny dipping today.