Not good for you

16;

Spending the day with Emilia and Leigh helped me calm my nerves and forget about Seeley for a while. We lay in the sun, eating sandwiches and drinking lemonade. It didn't take me thirty minutes to let go and fully enjoy the moment. We listened to Emilia recount a story about a retired old lady trying to cut in line while she was waiting at the cashier the other day. Leigh mentioned that ever since we left Hillsboro, she could sleep better and didn't wake up at least four times during the night like she always did at home. I was glad I wasn't the only one who noticed a slight change in our lives since our families weren't around to wear us out mentally. I felt more comfortable and graceful with others, while Emilia seemed more balanced than ever.

We laughed and sang as strangers walked by with their partners, families, or dogs. A golden retriever almost stole my sandwich when a man came down the beach to swim.

"Is this what it would feel like to move out?" Emilia asked, leaning back on her elbows. "Because if that's the case, I might just run away as soon as we get back home. No drama, only stress about the bills and the direction of my life. Sounds like fun."

I nudged her slightly.

"You'll need money for that." I smiled as she lowered her sunglasses down her nose.

"I'll gladly rob a bank," she said. "Don't think I won't do it."

"You might have thought that the school nerd would be the one to get into Harvard or another Ivy League school like that," Leigh laughed loudly. "And here she is, planning to run away from home and rob a bank to survive."

Emilia popped her head up.

"Not everyone is a damn genius like you, Leigh," she said, and I snorted at their playful argument.

"You should have cheated on the test," Leigh said wisely, and Emilia lay down on the blanket we had brought.

"Don't you think I already tried that?" she asked, and I gasped. She wasn't the type to cheat on exams, and I couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or completely serious.

"Em, you can't be serious!" I said, horrified.

Emilia shot me a sidelong glance before shrugging.

"Everyone has their flaws," she said thoughtfully. "Mine happens to be perfectionism. And I'm not afraid to risk my chances to achieve my goals. This world isn't fair, so why should I be?"

I understood her perspective, but I still couldn't imagine Emilia as the type to cheat on tests to improve her grades. It just didn't seem like her.

"Then you should have offered yourself to your teacher for the answers to the exam," Leigh replied, and I smacked her hand.

"Quit it."

Emilia, however, was unaffected and unashamed by Leigh's advice. She wasn't even surprised by the direction our conversation took.

"If Mr. Hutton were hot and ten years younger, then I would have," Emilia answered with a small chuckle.

I cleared my throat as Leigh grinned.

"You both are horrible." I shook my head.

"You're not allowed to be nice and innocent in a world like this." Leigh played along.

We laughed while tossing two-sided jokes at each other when something gently bumped into my arm.

I glanced to my right and noticed a battered volleyball beside me. I lifted my head when I heard footsteps nearing us.

"I might apologize, but it was time for you to notice me," remarked a well-known voice.

Perkyn approached with a grin, his bare torso on display, showcasing his toned physique. I caught myself staring as he bent down to pick the ball up from the sand.