JORDAN MACKENZIE has just lost her mother and brother, Nicholas, in a car accident while coming home from a first-place finish in her weightlifting competition. And while her father has also survived the accident, it feels like he's abandoned her to...
"It's gonna be quiet in here today, hun," Barb said to me the moment I stepped inside the bowling alley.
"Ok," I stepped behind the counter and grabbed a rag.
"That means I don't need you in here. Go and have some fun. Enjoy the sun for once."
I looked over at her but sprayed the counter and began wiping down the surface in methodical circles. I didn't have anything else to do today.
Barb's hand came down over mine, stopping me in mid arc.
"Go out and enjoy the sun," she locked eyes with me. Her tone was kind, but her eyes told me not to challenge her on it.
I dropped the rag and picked up my backpack with a childish huff.
It took a moment for my eyes to readjust to the stark brightness of the sunlight again after stepping out of the dark alley. I started making my way across the boardwalk, trying to think of where I could spend the rest of the day that didn't involve going back home.
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"Jordan!"
I made the mistake of looking up at the sound of my name and saw Kari waving at me enthusiastically. There was no escaping her now. She had set up a blanket halfway between the water's edge and the beach volleyball courts. For her, it was prime real estate. From this vantage point, she could see the swimmers, the soccer players, the beach volleyball guys and even the small group gathered around a slamball net.
She was wearing a string bikini that left very little the imagination. Her perfect skin had no hint of tan lines and even with the wind coming up from the ocean, her hair was in perfect wavy curls, pinned strategically back to keep the hair from covering her face.
Holly sat beside her – the tube top of her bikini was frilly and it matched perfectly with a skirted bottom. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail that waved gracefully with the wind. She lowered her cat-eye sunglasses as a way of greeting me as I approached.
By contrast, I was wearing full length black leggings and a black tank top. I had tan lines at my shoulders and if I were to wear a bathing suit, there would be a stark contrast between my arms and the rest of my milky white skin. My hair was pulled up into a messy bun that drooped slightly to the right. The only defence for my eyes against the sun was my hand, which I placed over my brow to block the sun from directly blinding me.
I walked over, acutely aware that Scotty was at the edge of the group, playing soccer with his buddies. At least there was safety in numbers here. Among the group, I noticed there were some new bodies. One of them happened to be Nate and I'm guessing the other new guys were some of his teammates.
"Sit with us!" Kari grabbed my arm and pulled me down on her blanket with her perfectly manicured hand.
Holly reached into her bag and handed me a spare set of sunglasses and some sunscreen.
