Above Water ✔️

13 - a storm in a teacup

"You should show some skin."

I stared at the wall in annoyance. All of the girls, per Erick's dumbass orders, were in my room. It was my best friends bright idea to recruit the feminine touch in order to pick the best outfit for the night.

Wyatt asked if I wanted to hang out.

He said it was a surprise, which I asked if that meant he was going to murder me, and he said yes, of course. I wasn't that worried about what to wear, but Erick was making a huge spectacle about it. I hated my friends.

"He doesn't need to show skin," Dallas said from the bed where he was typing half-heartedly on his laptop.

Phoebe threw a pair of my socks at him. "Of course, you would say that."

"What does that even mean?" he muttered.

I couldn't help but notice a shift between us since the other night. Since our "date." After he'd stayed up until I came to bed–and then missed his morning run–things seemed strained. He didn't sit next to me at dinner or laze around in the room when I just wanted to relax. It was weird and I wasn't liking it.

Ashton was set on the idea of me 'showing some skin' and wouldn't let it go. "I have a crop top that would probably fit you and look really cute," she said.

"I'm not really into cr–"

She was gone.

"Did he say what you guys are gonna do?" Jasmine asked as she held up a pair of khaki shorts distastefully.

I shook my head. "No, but I'd guess it has something to do with showing me around to his secret spots he's been telling me about," I said with a small smile. There was some squeals of excitement.

Ashton returned with the crop top. I pressed my lips together, really not wanting to put that on my body for a number of reasons. For one, I didn't want to wear a crop top because it wasn't my fucking style. And two? The last thing I wanted was to parade around in Frasier's girlfriend's clothes. I felt stupid enough being in the same house as them.

"Try it on!" she insisted.

It was just a simple T-shirt cut into a crop. It looked like a women's fit with tighter sleeves and a lower neck. Please, God, don't make me put this on.

Thirty seconds later, I was standing there in the crop top, feeling like an idiot.

"Okay, that's hot," Caitlyn said from across the room. The other girls agreed, much to my dismay, and I looked at Dallas for help.

He was already looking, his eyes trained on my midriff. I felt so exposed and naked wearing half of a shirt, but with his eyes on me it felt like I was stark nude. I crossed my arms across the bottom of my stomach and cleared my throat. His eyes locked with mine immediately and he raised his eyebrows, as if he wasn't expecting to me caught.

"I'll just wear one of my Old Navy shirts," I sighed, already pulling the crop top off and handing it back to Ashton. She pouted as she folded it back up.

I dressed comfortably in my favorite pair of shorts and a black and white patterned button-up tee. The girls seemed to deal with it, whether they liked it or not, and tried to convince me to let them do my hair. That was where I drew the line. As little as they helped with picking my outfit, I would not let them ruin my curls. They all walked out of the room disappointed but excited for me.

"Give me your phone."

I glanced up from tying my shoes. Dallas was sitting up, his laptop pushed to the side. He was holding his hand out expectantly, so I handed him my phone with my eyebrows furrowed.