As Ali and I are making our way down the stairs, I'm struck by how quiet it is. Usually there are so many voices speaking at once that you only pick up snippets of each conversation. I listen harder, searching for voices outdoors or in bedrooms, which is when I notice the showers are still running.
"I thought we'd be the last ones down," I say to Ali. "It sounds like everyone's still in the shower."
Ali snorts. "Make sure to remember that the next time the Robin is making fun of us for being late." I giggle and link my arm in hers. Coming down into the living room, I can see the boys have thrown down their sleeping bags. Ali marches right on top of them while I keep my eyes on the floor and dance around them like a kid afraid of stepping on pavement cracks.
"Hey! Feet off! That one's mine!"
The sudden voice startles me. I look up and see Robin smiling at Ali. His eyes are soft and loving. She smiles back and yanks me to a halt with our arms still linked.
"Oh, this red one?" Ali asks with big innocent eyes. I look at the sleeping bag in question and snort. It's Spider-Man themed and it looks like it was made for a ten year old.
Robin looks at me and says, "laugh all you want but that thing's more comfortable than those fancy beds upstairs!" I giggle harder and look over at Ali to see if she's laughing, too. Her eyes have a mischievous glint in them as she takes a step forward and stomps her sandals all over the sleeping bag and pillow.
"Aw, come on, Ali! I just washed that!" His tone is annoyed, but his smile stays put and the dopey-lovey look never leaves his eyes. Ali does a final two wipes of her feet like a horse, unlinks her arm from mine, and saunters over to the kitchen. i follow behind her.
"Guess you'll have to come stay in our room tonight," Ali says. I lean my elbows onto the center island and Ali moves to the other side with Robin so I'm directly facing the two of them. He wraps his arm around her waist and she puts her hand on his chest.
"Ha-ha very funny. But there's no way I'm staying if you two are together. There are some things best friends shouldn't have to see," i say.
"Great! So I'll take your spot in the bedroom and you take the spide-y sleeping bag," Robin says, smiling.
"Sorry pal, Venus over penis," Ali says. We all pause for a second before bursting out laughing. i remember when we first thought of that in 7th grade in science class. It was originally Venus before Uranus. Not our cleverest moment.
"Did I mention you look beautiful?" Robin pulls Ali in close until their noses are practically touching.
"Hmm, weird. I don't think you did," Ali says with a look of pretend thoughtfulness.
"Well, you look beautiful." Robin leans in for a kiss while I stand there awkwardly third-wheeling. I spend a few slow seconds fiddling with my nail beds before clearing my throat, hoping to remind them that they are not, in fact, the only two people in the kitchen.
"So, are the other guys still washing up?" I ask after they've broken apart, still chasing away the last remnants of uncomfortableness (like I said, PDA is really not my thing). I don't even mention the girls because I know the three of them will take forever.
"I think Connor is still in the shower but Noel and Luke went to the store to get food, drinks, firewood, blah blah blah..." Robin says with an eye roll. "And Soren—"
At that exact moment, the downstairs bathroom door opens and Soren strolls out. His hair is still wet from the shower and he's wearing navy swim trunks with a t-shirt that says a band name i've never heard of. I wonder if they're his favorite.
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...
