The Fourth of July and the Surrounding Events

CHAPTER 2

It was a short ride to the lake house, leaving barely any time for chit-chat, and thankfully no time for me to nervously freak out for the millionth time of seeing my best friend scantily clothed. It's a weird situation, though I like Jayde, somehow I don't think about her in a sexually attractive light most of the time. It's almost like I can turn it off, and for that reason only, I thought I was asexual for most of freshman year.

I told Jayde I liked girls as soon as I figured it out, and it didn't change a thing between us. She never cared or made it a big deal, so it didn't stop her from changing in front of me. Playing it off wasn't hard, but controlling my nerves when she called me pretty, was. Maybe it's a "having a crush on your best friend" thing, but I think ultimately Jayde decided I was just nervous from being shy.

Getting out of the car, I watched my best friend in her neon red bikini, run to her 6'2 hulk of a boyfriend and pepper his face with kisses. And that's my cue to leave.

Scanning the scene, I saw a few people milling around, probably starting to drink, and a few already swimming. Notably, I spied my ex-girlfriend Katelyn, who I dated until I realized my feelings for Jayde weren't fading, Asana and Corey, a couple in my friend group that have been together since middle school, and Bree, a girl from my Algebra 2 class who played softball with Jayde and me in 8th grade.

A high-pitched squeal from behind me, snapped me out of my careful lay of the land, right as Jayde pounced on my hand, dragging me to the house. Putting our things on the kitchen counter, we headed back outside to the lake. Everyone knows the Michaelson's are rich, and their second home proves that tenfold. With its resort-type open-air house and the huge private lake, it isn't hard to tell. I've been here a bunch of times over the years and I probably still haven't been in every room.

"Oh my god, Lex is that Katelyn?" Jayde elbowed me obnoxiously with a smirk.

I never told her the real reason why Kate and I broke up, so she got a half-hearted "we just parted ways maturely." Which we did, to an extent. Kate broke up with me because she knew it wasn't right to be with me when I liked Jayde. But she still was my first pretty much everything. First girl kiss, first date, first time. Sophomore year I thought I got over Jayde, so I let Kate in. We dated for four months and on our two-month anniversary, we, well, made love on her small ass twin bed. It wasn't ideal but it was good enough for my first.

Kate had always been mature about everything, so when I came to her crying about my situation with Jayde, she sat me down and helped me, telling me though we had to break up, she would keep my secret.

"Uh, yeah I guess it is Jay," I mumbled, trying to avoid talking about Kate with my best friend.

Pushing me to my ex-girlfriend, Jayde whispered in my ear, "Go my dear bestie, go seduce her and win her back."

Oh god, Jayde you have no idea what you're talking about...

But still, I listened, approaching the blonde girl. "Hey Kate," I began with a chill attitude, "enjoying yourself?"

Matching my energy, she tossed her hair over her shoulder and casually said, "Mhm I am, are you?"

We stayed friends for a bit after we broke up but ultimately drifted apart, though our friendship remained intact whenever we talked.

"Well, I just got here but yeah it's alright so far, Jayde kinda forced me to come to talk to you," I nonchalantly threw out.

Understanding the implications of my words, Katelyn's eyes lit up. "You still haven't told her?" she whispered with a look that I could only distinguish as concern and surprise mixed up.

"Nope," it didn't come as a surprise to my conscious that I'd never tell Jayde, "it would mess shit up dude," I said looking at the ground.

"You don't know that for sure, but if you wanna avoid her for a bit, I'm hanging out with Camryn and Kaia if you wanna join us?" Kate suggested.

As nice as her invitation sounded, I declined politely, "Nah maybe later I'm gonna go look around a bit more, take in the area I guess."

"Cool, suit yourself, but the invite stands," My ex-girlfriend said lightly, smiling up at me.

Trying to spot my social butterfly of a best friend in the mass of high schoolers, I walked towards the lake where I could hear Mateo hollering as he jumped off the makeshift swing into the body of water. I know I'm definitely a lesbian, but man did Jayde get lucky. Standing at a solid 6'2 with lean muscles and dark hair Mateo was objectively attractive. For the past two years, he's been voted "most likely to succeed" and "best smile" at our high school. They are perfect for each other in every possible way. I might like Jayde but I know I have zero chance when it comes to their relationship.

There she is. "JAYDIEEE," I shouted across to the other side of the lake where I could see her in her neon bikini cheering on Mateo as he got up to try for a backflip. She can't hear me for shit, ah whatever... I could use a drink anyways. Heading back to the kitchen where coolers full of different sodas and alcohol were stored, I fiddled with the string of my bikini top. It wasn't that I was uncomfortable in skimpy clothing, I mean I was, but I need to try to get over myself.

Choosing a mixed drink from a cooler, I heard a voice behind me say, "Alexa?"

Turning around, I saw a girl about a few inches shorter than me, with blonde hair and hazel eyes. 

Woah. 

"Uh yeah hi I'm Alexa, who are you?" I inquired cautiously.

The girl was wearing a navy and gold bikini similar to one I have at home. She looks good in gold. Her eyes had a familiar sparkle to them but I couldn't quite place it. Not to mention everyone in this town knows everyone if you're anyone at all, so she has to be here on vacation.

"I'm Morgan, we used to, uh," she stumbled over her words, "I mean, lucky guess I suppose? Mateo told me his girlfriend and her best friend were coming, and I saw you two together."

"Fifty-fifty chance, but that is lucky. Sorry, I don't know if this is a weird question, but you don't live here right? I've never seen you at school," I laughed, questioning the girl in the dark bikini.

I could visibly see gears shifting in her head, but for what I don't know why.

"No, you're totally fine, and yeah, I guess you could say that, I'm here to clean my grandpa's house out," she answered with a hint of sadness surrounding her words.

Her eyes changed, why?

"He died in October, but my mom didn't want to come back so soon," Morgan blurted out before I could even ask.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry for your loss, uh are you ok?" I said stupidly.

"Yeah yeah, I'm all good, I hadn't seen him in years anyway," she said nonchalantly as if I hadn't seen the grief behind her eyes just seconds ago.

Making casual conversation about how she liked the party so far, I let my mind wander. She needs to put a shirt on. 

"Oh my god shut up," I accidentally said out loud.

"Um, what I wasn-" Morgan stumbled.

"NO! Uh, no, sorry, not you, I was talking to myself, I do that sometimes," I blushed furiously as I tried to explain myself, making myself look even more stupid.

Morgan nodded with a laugh. "I know," I thought I heard her say.

Cocking my head towards her as if to say, "huh," she looked at me with a small look of confusion. 

Ok, Alexandria, you are losing your mind and making a fool of yourself, just bid her farewell and go find Jayde again. 

"I'm gonna go find my friend, but it was nice meeting you, I hope you have a fun time," I said, trying not to be rude by leaving her.

"Of course! Yes, you too! Thanks," the blonde girl blundered.