The Things That Make Us

Chapter 6

Hannah

Awkward. Definitely awkward.

  Seb and Sabrina are a freaking cute couple, though. I haven't asked how long they've been together but they sure are sweet. Seb seems to act different when she's around, which I like. She brings out the good in him.

  Karley and Cannon, on the other hand, are seemingly either friends or exes. I am definitely not asking - but Karley is interested in him for sure. She's petite and has dark hair and dark eyes, which is very much the opposite of me. I'm pale and burn easily and my hair is a dark blonde. There's been a lot of flirting and touching from Karley to Cannon.  Cannon is friendly with her but doesn't seem to be as interested. But what do I know? I barely know any of them, even my own cousin.

  After an hour on the beach playing frisbee - I'm pretty horrible at it, it turns out - I sit in the sand and watch as the boys take off a bit further down the beach. Karley and Sabrina hang back and chat and laugh and look at their phones. I feel awkwardly left out. They mostly ignore me, but Sabrina asks me a few questions about myself.

  "Where are you from?"

  "You knew Seb when he was little? What was he like?"

  "How long are you staying?"

  The regular questions, I guess.

     I answer as well I as I can, and when the boys return, they have ice cream cones for everyone. Seb has two and hands one to Sabrina. Somehow Cannon is holding three cones and pops one into his mouth so he can hold out the other two to Karley and I. I thank him, because it's hot as hell as I didn't wear sun screen, and I'm regretting my decision. Then I sit in the sand again and eat it, quickly, before it melts all over me. Before I know it, the boys are dragging over a picnic table from somewhere, so we all go over to sit at it.

  The area where we are hanging out isn't too busy but it's not far from the busiest part of the beach, the main strip. That must be where the boys went to get the ice cream.

  "This is so good," Sabrina says, taking a bite of her chocolate and vanilla swirl cone. Seb grins at her and reaches over to wipe some ice cream off her nose.

  "So many calories," Karley whines, but is eating hers anyway.

  I notice a few times that Cannon is watching me. I'm eating my ice cream and avoiding eye contact with anyone. So far, it's only been slightly awkward. I can handle it. But now they are talking about a party they are going to this weekend and when Seb looks at me, I just look away. I don't want him to think I'm assuming anything or expecting to be invited. 

  "I'm going to walk back," I say quietly, during a lull in the conversation.

  All eyes look at me, at the end of the table. "Okay," Seb says simply.

  Sabrina practically gasps. "That will take you like half an hour."

  I shrug. "I don't mind."

  Karley - who is sitting very close to Cannon by this point, doesn't say a word. Cannon is still looking at me, his eyes pretty much glued to mine. He's questioning something.

  What is he thinking?

  I haven't gotten up from the table yet, so Seb goes back to the conversation they were apparently having.

  "I decided to do the volleyball tournament in July to raise money for the children's hospital," Seb says randomly, looking at Cannon. "My mom is sort of making me. You wanna be my partner?"