Yeah, if you could stop pretending to be dead that would be great.
--
A satirical romance revolving around the lives of a Spa's pool lifeguard team.
--
Jay has hated Rory for as long as he's known her.
Rory has loved Jay since she first laid eyes...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
That's not true is it?
The second Rory had left the room that fateful day, my step-dad had turned to me and asked me that.
It was the conversation that changed my life. I didn't know it yet, but it was.
"You don't actually think that you have to because if you don't, I'll send you away?"
But I did believe that. I had always believed that. I had told Rory that in confidence because she made me believe that she was a trustworthy kind person who wouldn't throw it in my face.
But she had done something much worse than that. She had thrown it into my step-dad's face.
"Bryce... I mean... come on... that's not true... tell me that's not true..."
But I couldn't tell him that so I bolted. I bolted right out of his office. I ran right past Rory, right out of the Polished Elite main building and just kept running.
I didn't go back to my own cabin because I knew Marnie would be there, so I ran right to the dock to where my mother's boat was moored.
My mother had always wanted a sailboat, so when my mom got sick my step-dad bought her one and named it after her. After she passed, the Amanda became my refuge. Being on the Amanda calmed me, made me feel like I was with my mother again.
My step-dad had always said that I could take the boat out any time I wanted, I just had to tell him before hand, so he knew where both of us were. But now, after what happened this afternoon I have a feeling that I couldn't do that anymore.
I stayed there for a lot longer than I usually did. In fact, by the time someone found me the sun was setting.
"Had a feeling I'd find you here," he called from the dock. He boarded the sailboat and came to sit down beside me.
"You didn't want to take it out on the water?" I kind of just look at him and he sighs. "Did you think you weren't allowed?"
I nod and he scowls at me. "Come on now, Bryce, that's silly. The boat is more yours than mine, it's only in my name for insurance purposes. As soon as you can afford the fees, I'm transferring it to you. I know I've told you that before."
I nod because that's true. He had always said that my mother's boat would be mine one day, that he'd take care of fees until I was ready and I was grateful. But I also always assumed that was contingent on how much he liked me, on me just doing whatever he said.
"I've been thinking a lot about what happened today... I uh... I want you to know it's not your fault. I... I knew who Rory was, who her parents were, and I played this game anyway. I shouldn't have gotten you involved and I'm sorry."
I half shrug at him, because really, he had asked and I didn't say no. I didn't even protest. I had wanted to help him.
Would have been nice if he had told me he was attempting to mess with a college buddy's daughter, and both her parents were more affluent and rich then him... and would come at us like that. But it wouldn't have swayed me either.
