𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 || baxter radic

19.

When I wake Bax is gone. The sun is shining through the window, only alerting that's I've slept way later than I normally do. He's probably off catching waves, getting lost out at sea.

I hear Summer's mom in the kitchen talking on her phone. I decide to join her, feeling the need to get a little bit of love from my second mom. A woman who treated me more like her daughter, than she did her own.

As I enter the room she ends her call, setting her phone on the counter between us. "You had a nightmare last night. How you feeling today?" She glances at me over the rim of her coffee cup.

"Not bad. Having Bax there last night helped a lot. I never realized how much it sucked to go through alone. I'm glad I didn't have to do that last night. Thanks for letting him stay." I walk around the island and pull her in for a thank you hug.

"Your mom left me a voice mail last night as well said she's trying to get ahold of you and can't. She said you're refusing to go home for Max's—" I cut her off before she can finish her sentence about my brother.

"She pissed me off last night. I accidentally broke my phone. She's right though. I'm not going back. I can't sit through another one of those ceremonies. Please don't force me to go. I'm happier here." I squeeze her tighter, hoping it convinces her to not force me as well.

"You and Summer are so much alike." She laughs. "I understand why you two love it here so much. You're like younger versions of myself."

"Home reminds me of Max. It's easier here." I shrug.

"And your boyfriend is here. Just admit it. That's why you and Summer want to be here. The people you love are here. You don't have to make up any excuses." She ruffles the messy hair on top my head.

"Love is a very strong word." I pull away from her hug and shake my finger in the air at her. She nods her head at me as if to tell me "good girl". "Where's Summer?"

"Surfing with Poppy and Bodhi. Something about needing to clear her head because Ari's upset with her." I nod my head and don't divulge any information.

"I'm going to go down and watch. Thanks for listening." I run to quickly shower and head off to the beach to watch the girls surf.

Summer is the first in, dropping her board beside me. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was going to hang out with Bax. It wasn't fair to you, now that you're dating and everything. I just want you to know that there's nothing there between us. Whatever sparks there was don't exist anymore. I have Ari."

I nod my head, looking at her while resting my head on my knees—which are pulled up to my chest. The breeze coming off the water seems extra cold today. It's the only way to shield myself from freezing.

"You two are actually really cute together. I don't know how I didn't see it before. I guess maybe I was just blinded by anger and sadness?" She copies my position, folding her legs up in front of her.

"Who knows." I smile loosely at her. "Everything happens for a reason right? It all made your bond with Ari stronger. Made you realize how much you actually loved and cared for each other. Not everyone is lucky enough to get to see the proof in the pudding."

"Alright, you're being all weird and sentimental what's up?" Summer knows me better than anyone. She knows what I say is dependent on my mood. The way I act playing into every single thing that happens day to day.

"Just my mom doing her mom shit." I roll my eyes. "I want to stay here with you. Stay with Bax. I want more time. And it just feels like my timer is constantly hovering with no time left. Like you'll all be ripped away once the timer hits zero."

"I thought she said as long as I'm here you can stay." Summer questions my antics.

"And I thought that even if you did leave she'd still let me stay. I mean up until now she's let me do that with every other thing in life. It's like she's trying to act like a mother again, control my life after not doing it for so long." I groan.

"Do you think because it's so close to the—" I cut her off before she can finish.

"Probably. I'll just have to talk to my dad I guess. He doesn't hold the same guilt she does. At the end of the day he'll give in to what I want because at least he can have one happy kid." I look out toward the water to see Poppy and Bodhi treading through ankle height water, making it up to us on the beach.

"Well if it's any consolation I'm pretty sure we're staying. Like definitely not going back to New York. So maybe we can finally get the sister life we've always wanted. I mean, if you still want that. I know things have been a bit rough and all." She instantly questions herself, not sure on where we stand.

She was right though. It was what we had always wanted. We had always wished we were born sisters. We finally had the opportunity. There was no way in hell I'd give that up. We'd always get over our hurdles. We can't stay mad at each other long. At the end of the day we only act the way we do—and do the things we do—because we love each other.

"Of course I want it Summer." I pull her in for a hug as Poppy and Bodhi approach.

"Good to see you two back to being besties." Poppy smiles at us.

"No more partner stealing in this friendship. Please." Bodhi begs, followed by a laugh. Which we all join in on.

We spend the next hour catching up on what's occurred over the last week. The ups and the downs. The good times and the bad.

I never thought that my friend group would ever grow. I thought that it would always be Summer and I. But her literally trip here changed everything. Now we both had a group of friends we could rely on no matter what. We had people that made a difference to who we were as people. We had people we loved. People that made us happier than ever.

But most of all, we still had each other. And I don't think that would ever change.