We Can't Be Friends - A Marc Guiu Story

3. Fundraiser (pt 1)

Its Saturday and I'm heading to the beach to get some waves in. The weather seems really good so I hope the waves aren't that choppy today. I texts Pablo that I was going so he doesn't worry or anything. He has soccer practice today. Their team is going to have a big game in 2 weeks. He's been working really hard to prepare for it.

I take my bike to the beach since it's not that far away. I reach there in about 15 minutes. I take my bag off and drop it onto the sand along with my board. I'm wearing an orange bikini with denim shorts. In the distance I saw someone waving at me but I couldn't recognize who. I run to get closer to who it is.
"Oh my god hey Ava!" I say.
"Taylor!" She squeals as she hugs me.
"Gosh! It's been such a long time since I last saw you" I laugh.
"Same, how have you been?" She asks fixing her hair.
"I've been great how about you?" I ask back.
"Good, I've been great too. Your here for the registration right?" She asks me and my face drops in confusion.
"Registration?" I ask.
"Yeah for everyone in the surf club. There's this fundraiser they are having in a couple days and it's mandatory to go. And it's also mandatory to bring someone with you who's not in the club" She says. Why did I not know about this.
"How did you find out about this?" I ask her.
"The manager of the club sent out an email yesterday about the registration and stuff." She says showing me the email on her phone. I checked my phone to see if I got the email and I did.
"Oh I see it now" I say.
"Come on let's go and register" She grabs my hand and take me to the registry. I register and everything but I have to write down the name of the person I'm taking and I have no idea who. Pablo's practice is probably over so I call him. He picks up fast.
"Yes my dear sister" He says in a cheesy way.
"Hey are you free Wednesday evening?" I asked him.
"No, why?" He said after a pause.
"Ok nevermind then I'll ask Lexi or someone else" I sigh.
"Whats the matter" He asks me.
"There's a fundraiser that I have to go to and it's mandatory to take someone with you that's not part of the surf club"
"I'm sure you'll find someone" He says.
"I'll try my best. Ok love you bye" and I end the call. I next call Lexi but she isn't picking up and today is the last day for registration. After Lexi didn't pick up I ran out of ideas. Should I call Hector? Do you think it would be weird to ask him? Probably not right? I decide to call him because I'm running out of options. The phone rings for a while but then he picks up.
"Hey Hector"
"Whats up Tay Tay" He calls me. He started calling me that a couple days ago. I didn't stop him though I liked it. Marc used to call me that when we were kids but as we grew up I just became Taylor to him.
"Are you free on Wednesday?" I ask him the same thing I asked Pablo.
"Um- yea actually I am, why" He asks. I explain to him why I called and he said that he'll be able to make it on Wednesday and I was super happy! I quickly wrote his name down on the paper. Hector Fort. I say goodbye to Ava and head to the place I kept all my stuff. But for some reason it wasn't there. I thought maybe I put it somewhere else but I remember that it was by a pole that had the number 39 on it. I looked all over the area and could not find it. I groaned in anger. My bike, bag, surfboard, everything gone. I quickly call my mom.
"Mama" I say when she picks up.
"Hey my love what's up" She says.
"I think my stuff got stolen from the beach" I say upsettingly.
"Stolen? How, baby?" She asks me.
"I don't know I just left for sometime and then it was gone" I worry.
"Oh I'm sorry baby. Your dad is a little busy right now but I'll ask your brother to pick you up"
"Thanks mama, I love you" I say as I make a small kiss noise.
"Love you too baby" She said and ended the call. Pablo should be here soon.

After a while of waiting I heard a honk from behind me. It was my brother. I got up from the sand and brushed my shorts. I run up to the car and open the passengers seat to see bags on it. I then close and open the back door to find Marc sitting on the opposite side. I look at him for some time before getting in the car. He watches me as I get in the car making me more aware of what I'm wearing.
"Where's your stuff" Marc asked me.
"Stolen" I say dryly. Pablo starts the car as I put my seatbelt on. The cooling was really high in his car. It's always high. And I'm feeling even more cold since I'm wearing a bikini and shorts. I shiver and quiver a little.
"Are you cold Tay?" My brother asks.
"A little" I respond. Without saying anything Marc unzips his bag and takes out a hoodie from it. He throws it at my face.
"If it will make you stop quivering" He says watching his phone. I first I was hesitant to put it on but then I did because I was freezing. The sweatshirt smelled like faint cologne in a good way.
"Thank you Marc" I say. Hey I think I'm getting a the hang of it.
"I'll need that back tomorrow so you better not ruin it" He pointed his finger at me and I slap it away.
"I think I'll keep it" I mess with him.
"Fuck yourself" He says.
"No you fuck yourself" I snap back.
"Trust, if I could I would" Marc says.
"Gross Marc what the hell bro" My brother groans in disgust.
"How can you be so full of your self" I make a nasty face at him.
"It's called sarcasm kid" He pats my head.
"Dude I'm less than a year younger than you" I say as I move away from him.
"Hey did you figure out who your taking for the fundraiser?" Pablo asks me.
"Uh yeah did. I'm taking Hector" I say and see Marc roll his eyes. What the fuck did I say.
"Oh that's nice. Why him though?" My brother asks.
"Because everyone else was busy" I say. That was the last thing anyone said in that car. After that it was all quiet the whole way home.

Marc's POV

Hector fucking lied to me. I asked him if he could hang out on Wednesday since we don't have practice that day and he said he was going to visit a family member in the hospital. Turns out he's going to a fundraiser with Taylor. I'm gonna call him once I get home.

⚽️⚽️⚽️

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!" I say taking my practice bag inside.
"There's my son" Dad gives me a hug.
"How was practice hun" Mom asked me.
"It was decent" I said.
"I'm gonna go freshen up" I say going upstairs. I throw my bag onto my bed and get my phone out. Hector picks up almost immediately.
"Hey bro"
"Hey why did you lie to me" I got straight to the point.
"Huh?" He said confused.
"About Wednesday. You said you were going to the hospital. You lied to me just so you could be with Taylor?" I snap.
"Marc dude I swear it's not that I didn't want to hang out with you I promise" He said calmly.
"Then why didn't you just tell me" I say calming down.
"My dad is in the hospital. Wednesday is when I can go see him. But when Taylor called I just couldn't say no to her" He says. Now I feel bad for interrogating him like that.
"I'm sorry man, I didn't think-"
"It's fine don't worry about it. I just don't know how to tell her because she can't go to the fundraiser if I'm not there" He tells me.
"I'll take her" I say without hesitation.
"You will?" He asks me?
"Yea, I'm free on Wednesday so why not" I say earing a smile from him.
"Thanks man. It means a lot. For me and for Taylor" Hector sighs.
"Of course" I say
"But don't tell her right now about this. I don't want her to get mad or anything." He explains.
"I won't tell her. Hey take care of Mr. Fort. Hope he's doing well" I assure him.
"I will. Thanks Marc"

I felt like an ass for assuming something that's not true. I'm a horrible friend. And so what if he did lie. I still had no right to ask him. I put my hands on my head thinking how much of a terrible person I am. I don't know why I got so angry when I found out Taylor's going with Hector. She's like my little sister, maybe I just got protective of her. Yea. That's probably it.