Junior "Eh"

Chapter 3B

The following weeks were filled with helping Kris and Ryan train, outings to the local pool, parks, and even a few movies, as well as time spent with my Aunt Susan in her garden and with either Julianna or Aunt Susan in their kitchens. My life overflowed with happiness until it reached the dreaded day on my calendar: two weeks left of my vacation with Aunt Susan.

I woke up at the crack of dawn, unable to sleep any longer. Previous experience had taught me to start preparing for my return home at this point of my vacation or else I would suffer the consequences of missing my life here even more. And when I went home mopey, my stepmonster usually made me pay for it some way or another.

She never hit me. It was one good thing I could say for her, and I suppose in her own way, she might have even loved me. After all, she spent a lot of time with me, trying to teach me how to be a lady. She also fed me and clothed me instead of sending me away. But it wasn't the type of love I craved; the type of love I received in spades when I stayed with my Aunt Susan.

The previous summer, I'd actually broached that very topic with Aunt Susan, asking her why I couldn't just live with her for the whole year. Her eyes had clouded over as she shook her head. "Aw, sweetheart, I wish that you could, but it would kill your dad to lose you as well."

I didn't fully believe her, but she'd never lied to me in the past. I also knew that there were some things related to my mother, my brother, and my stepmonster that everyone kept from me. While it might have helped to know what those things were, I somehow tended to push those thoughts away whenever I was with Kris or Ryan.

Stretching in bed, my heart sank as my insides tightened. I wanted to puke, but held on as I reached for my red felt tip marker. With a hesitant stroke, I crossed the day off the calendar. Only thirteen mornings left.

The day started off warm and humid. The sweat rolled down my back as I worked in Aunt Susan's garden in the early morning hours. I wondered if the boys would be up for a trip to the pool after their workouts. A cool dip sounded perfect me.

Thankfully, the boys agreed to my suggestion. After their workouts were completed and we'd all eaten our fill of the lunch Julianna made for us, Ryan drove us over to the local outdoor pool.

We swam and cooled down. But as the crowd of girls and even some guys became too large, I swam to the side and attempted to heave myself onto the deck. Placing my hands on the edge, my mouth dropped open when I felt a body press up behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I stared into a pair of twinkling blue eyes.

"What? I thought you might need a little extra help." Ryan's innocent voice didn't fool me—I felt his hand land on my butt, pushing me up onto the deck—but I couldn't understand why he used an innocent act.

I rolled my eyes and giggled at his antics before picking my way through the people to where we'd snagged a sun lounger earlier.

"KK, don't forget to put on more sunscreen."

Nodding at Kris's reminder, I pulled out the bottle of sunscreen from the front pocket of his bag. Squeezing the cream onto my skin, I proceeded to rub it in on my face, my arms, my legs. Sneaking a quick glance under my eyelashes toward the pool, I checked to make sure no one was watching before reapplying the sunscreen on my chest and bare belly.

For the first time, I, Kayla Erickson, was wearing a bikini to the pool. A red and black one with gold accents on each hip and between my breasts. And I felt extremely self conscious about it.

When we'd first arrived and I'd removed my shirt, I noticed a number of guys staring at my chest and flat stomach. A few comments made their way to my ears, bringing a rosy hue to my skin. The comments and rosiness increased as I lowered my shorts to the ground.