Eventually, Ali, Tess, and I join the rest of our group in the water. While they splash and scream and race, I float on my back and watch the sun begin to set. When the sky turns a pale orange, I dunk into the salt water one last time before standing.
"We should probably get back to the house now. It'll get dark soon," I say as water drips down my nose and chin. I have to squint to keep the salt out of my eyes. Everyone simultaneously looks up at the sky.
"Yeah, you're probably right," Robin says regretfully before abruptly throwing a blob of wet sand at Luke's back. Luke shrieks before rinsing the sand off his back under the water. It leaves a big ugly red mark. By the time he's re-emerged from the waves, Robin has already run back to his area and grabbed his stuff. He laughs at Luke and starts to run up to the house.
"Jerk!" Luke yells before running after him. Noel jogs along side him and they take off together. Annika, Emi, Ali, and I start towards our piles of stuff, too. As I reach my stuff, I turn and see Tess running her hand up Connor's arm while Soren trudges out of the water a few feet ahead of them. I look away feeling suddenly sick and stumble to grab my towel and folding chair. Since when am I manipulative like that? Why did i even say anything? I start to turn to get the umbrella, but a strong, tan hand has beat me to it. I follow the limb up to Soren's face. He got up here faster than I expected.
He smiles and says, "I got it. Head on up to the house."
"Thanks," I say and turn away from him and the waves. I'd take any excuse to put some distance between me and the butterflies that Soren seems to have a habit of stirring up in my stomach. I'm a few steps up the sand hill when Annika joins me.
"Make a new friend?" she says to me and gestures towards Soren with a friendly smile. Annika has always been sweet, and I know she's not implying anything, but the question still makes me uncomfortable.
"No. I mean, yes. Uh... Soren just wasn't quick enough to grab an ideal spot and got stuck next to me," I say and stick out my tongue which makes Annika laugh. I hope she doesn't read into my inability to form a coherent sentence.
"Well, from what I can tell, he seems nice. I mean, how mean can a book nerd really be?" Now it's my turn to giggle and Annika joins. I decide to shift the conversation.
"So, how was your afternoon with Luke?" I nudge her in her side and smile. "He looked like he was having the time of his life with you," I add. Annika's eyes go starry the minute I mention Luke's name.
"He did? It was so amazing..." Annika goes on to describe and analyze Luke's every word and body movement. Did he brush against her on purpose? What did that one random high five mean? Was him splashing her his version of flirting? I chime in at all the parts I'm supposed to, reassuring her that he could very well be interested in her. In fact, I'm starting to think he definitely is.
"I'll make sure no one takes the spot next to Luke at dinner," I say.
"Oh my God, would you, Elle? That would be so awesome," she says with obvious excitement and relief.
"Duh, that's what I'm here for," I reply with a warm smile.
"Yeah. It must be weird for you to be here without Noah," Annika says.
YOU ARE READING
The Beach House
Romance--completed- Mariella looks forward to going to the beach house every single year. She's gone with her friends for as long as she can remember. The same people, the same house, the same summer feeling. But this year something's different: her boyfri...
