The Summer Contract

CHAPTER 3: The definition of an entanglement...

RYDER

"Pool day loser!" Levi knocks on my door before walking in.

"Why are you here so early Lee?"

I rub sleep off my eyes as he opens the curtains to let the sun in. I got home at around 2am because Porter and I kept going at it.

One round was not enough so we cleared out 3 packets and I think some pop album she was playing. She felt so much better after, she even teased me for liking the music and made me laugh harder than I have in months.

"You're usually up at this time." Levi falls at my feet and I sit up.

"I had a rough night."

I look at the clock on my nightstand and jump off my bed immediately. Its 10:23AM, breakfast is almost over which means I need to go.

"Rough night my ass," he scoffs now focused on his phone. "Yesterday was Sunday you were home all day."

I run around my room to put on clothes before going to the bathroom to wash my face and rub toothpaste on my teeth.

"I was reading all night." I force my foot into a shoe as I zip my pants. "Let's go," I open the door and run down the steps.

"Why did you wake up so late?" My mother scolds in a whisper as she fixes my hair and adjusts my t-shirt.

"I was reading." I walk to the dining room to find my father reading the newspaper. "Morning sir." I school my movements.

"One minute?" He doesn't even look up from his newspaper. "You're really cutting it short boy."

I wince.

"Morning pastor Salvatore."

Levi appears in the room and immediately my father smiles. He always knew how to put on a show.

"Morning Mr. Ackerman. How is your father doing?" My father puts down his newspaper to give the mayor's son his attention.

"Great sir, he's teaching me how to drive now."

Levi smiles as my mother pours him a glass of juice. I listen to my father and best friend conversate as I have breakfast, eventually he charms my father into driving us to the waterpark for the day.

"Thank you pastor Salvatore. For giving us a lift and for letting Ryder sleepover this week." Levi smiles and my father returns it.

"I'll drop off his bag later, have fun boys."

He says before driving away. Levi has gotten me into trouble a lot of times but sometimes he comes through for me, like asking my parents if I could stay the week at his house unintentionally freeing me from hell temporarily.

"You invited Ming and Chelsea?" I slip my sunglasses on and notice them wave at us from the pool. They are in tanning chairs, both in white bikinis.

"We are in the middle of a heat wave, everyone is here." His eyes move around, "look even Porter and her mother are here."

He points at one of the cabanas and I struggle not to smile when I see them going through their beach bags.

"Hey boys." Ming kisses my cheek before hugging Levi.

"It's good you are here. We need help with the sunscreen." Chelsea holds out a bottle of SPF30 and Levi jumps at the opportunity.

"Yeah you handle that Lee," I notice Billie-Ann walking to the snow cone stand. "I'm going to get us something cold."

"Can I get 2 cherries please?" Porter hands Gus a dollar bill.

"No, I got it." I give him a 5dollar bill. "And I'll have 2 crème sodas please." I smile when he takes my money instead.