𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡 | 𝟏𝟖+

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞

I never saw Alex again after I stormed inside from the balcony, but unfortunately, he's coming over today. On the bright side, he has plans to hang out with Chris, so I can avoid him for most of the part.

In fact, let me just make plans with Bianca, so I can avoid him the whole day. I grab my phone and text her to come over. Of course, she never lets me down and says she's already on her way.

Bianca Williams has been my best friend ever since the middle of sixth grade. I never really had many friends besides Chris until I met her. There were a few people I was friendly with, but I never had anyone close. I'm pretty sure it wasn't because I was weird, though (I think), but rather that I never really bothered to get close to anyone else.

On the first day of art class at the beginning of the new semester in January, I walked into class and sat down at a random table. I had no one I talked to in that class, but someone was bound to sit down there. Turns out, there were just enough tables for everyone else to be seated and for me to end up alone. Luckily, a new girl had walked into the room as soon as the bell rang and sat next to me because, of course, there were no more spaces left at the other tables.

We now trust each other with our lives. I love her with my whole heart and I would do anything for her benefit.

I hear my front door open and loud footsteps up the stairs. They could only be Bianca's. She barges my room door open and walks in with a tote bag.

"What's in there?" I ask.

"We're going to the beach! Get dressed."

"Bianca, seriously?"

"It's the perfect weather for a beach day. Plus, when's the last time you went?" After I give it a second of thought, I rush over to my closet and pull out my bin full of bikinis. "It's like you've been planning for UCLA since the beginning of high school."

"And? I don't see what's wrong with having a shitload of swimwear."

"Okay, hurry up and pick one." I grab my neon pink set and quickly change into it while Bianca goes into my bathroom to pack everything else I need. We hop into her car within five minutes and we're off.

"You need to fully explain what happened at the wedding now," Bianca says after getting onto the highway.

"God, it's so embarrassing," my face scrunches just thinking about it.

"Okay, and? Continue."

"I saw a sexy mystery man there and I thirsted over him for a few hours. A little before the reception started, I got stuck in the storage closet with him. You'd think it was fate, right? Oh, I also forgot to mention that the closet had racks of booze, but anyway that part doesn't really matter, kind of. So we had this tension throughout the night, which disgusts me now."

"Wait, pause. Did you steal any of the alc at least?"

"Unfortunately, no. But, I did get disturbingly drunk. Not super drunk, but I found out I'm a lightweight. I tried seducing the bartender and I ended up getting four or five drinks out of it. The guy was a creep and tried sleeping with me, but Alex fought him off."

"Girl, who's Alex?"

"Oh right. While I was tipsy, I went out onto the deck where the sexy mystery man was and we almost kissed. Well, we weren't about to kiss, but if things escalated a tad bit more, we would've. After the whole bartender thing, I found out that the guy was Alex. Like my brother's best friend I told you about."

Her mouth drops. "You mean Alex? Like The Alex?"

"Yes, The Alex."

"Unfortunate."