Synching With the Devil's Son

Chapter 3

Bella's P.O.V.

Trish gets off the phone and turns to me while I finish ringing up a customer. "Bella, we're going camping out by the river this weekend!" Her eyes are alight with excitement as she reiterates the itinerary our friends have put together. While she's expounding on all the fun we're going to have, I find myself looking at her with envy. Trish Palmgren is anything but average. Her long wavy blonde hair needs little styling help and always manages to sit perfectly around her beautiful face. Her cerulean blue eyes are surrounded by lush lashes and precisely arched brows. Her small nose has sporadic freckles running over it, and when she smiles, her dimples make all the boys in town swoon. Well, that and the fact she has a centerfold's body, tall and voluptuous - the boys just swoon when she walks by them. She's also Pigeon Forge's star volleyball player, our mightiest female Tiger. She's been scouted by college coaches but decided she doesn't want to leave her boyfriend behind. His family owns the two grocery stores in town, and he's planning on staying here to help run them. He's a nice enough guy, good looking if you think Calvin Klein models are attractive, but even though I hold Trish in the highest regard, I think she is being small minded. The world is waiting for her, she has the looks and intelligence to shine, but she's been my best friend since I had a conscious thought, so I keep my opinions to myself. 

"Who's going?" I ask, silently cursing because I need to work this weekend if I plan on ever getting another car.

"Ryan and I, Daniel, Jeff, Mick, Scarlet, Harmony, Liz, Lucien and you," Trish says, ticking us off her fingers. "Jeff and Mick are already setting up camp on the ridge. We are supposed to join them after we close tonight."

I groan inwardly. No, NOT Lucien. That guy has been so rude and obnoxious to me ever since he transferred here from God knows where a few months ago. If he's going to be there, I'm thankful I have a valid excuse to bail on my friends. I usually love hanging out with everyone...we've been friends since elementary school and have had very little drama seep its way between our cracks and crevices. "Sorry to hamper your enthusiasm," I tell her, trying, but failing, to sound disappointed, "but I have to work. I need a new car and someone will have to cover your shift if you're taking off for the weekend."

Trish looks crestfallen, and I can see the wheels turning behind her eyes to try and find a solution that will allow me to join them. At that exact moment, my brother waltzes in and joins our conversation. "Bella, if your friends are going camping by the river, I'll cover for the two of you this weekend," he says with a smile. I grit my teeth. He's being sweet, he's always being sweet, but in this instance I wish my brother would be overprotective and domineering.

"Great! Thank you Chris!" Trish exclaims, clapping her hands together. "I'll send Ryan a list of food to put together. I'll drive you home so you can pack, then we will swing by to pick him up on our way out of town."

When she turns away to call her boyfriend, I pivot on my foot to growl at my brother. "Thanks a lot Chris, I really didn't want to go."

He looks at me, surprised. "Why not? It sounds like a lot of fun."

"It would be except Lucien is going," I hiss, irritated that I'm now going to have a long weekend of dealing with that jackass's stares, insults and innuendo's.

Chris waves away my protest. "You are going to have to deal with all sorts of personalities when you get to UT Bella, not everyone is going to see eye to eye with you. If this guy bothers you that much, use him as practice for how you will deal with the various types of people you will encounter in college."

I sigh heavily through my nose and nod. He's absolutely right.