Not All Spider Bites Are Deadly; Heartbreak High

Chapter Sixteen

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

As much as Spencer and Ant set out to distract me all day. They were shit at it. Honestly, I kept drifting into my head all day. They tried food, which did not go down well with the aftermath of last night. They tried a movie and I could not sit still. They tried just letting me read, but I couldn't get myself to focus on the words on the page. They tried taking me for a walk, but we did not make it far before I became more achy and exhausted, but we did end up at the beach together. I guess it was semi-distracting.

I knew they were both worried about me and it made me uncomfortable but in a good way. Being left on my own for the past few years made me uncomfortable when people fussed over me. I was grateful they were hovering, but at the same time I wanted space.

I was standing on the edge of the water where the sand meets the water. I had left my shoes somewhere on the beach, maybe Spence had them. I could hear the guys behind me whispering to each other. I could not make out what they were saying because of the wind and water, but I assumed they were talking about me. Why wouldn't they be? I know they are worried about me. Eventually, I stood there long enough that I felt the need to sit down. I moved to the edge of dry sand. Letting sand get all over the bottom of my shorts. My arms rested on my knees as I gazed out into the ocean. The boys had stopped whispering and before I could turn around to check to see where they were, they both sat down on either side of me, close enough to brush shoulders. Spencer reached for my hand and I gave it to him. He intertwined his fingers with mine and gave me a small smile.

We sat that way together for awhile before Ant spoke, "Whatever happened to your uncle? The one that used to cook for us?" Ant asked the question in an amused, but curious tone. I was surprised by his question, not because of the content, but because I haven't thought about him in a few years. I missed him.

"Uncle Bolton?" I asked back. Uncle Bolton, as he told me to call him, is my mom's half-brother. His real name was Alan, but he always hated the name. Mom and him had a falling out a few years ago, but he was around often growing up. He was basically the closest male that was dad-like other than dad. He was there for my first kiss. He used to come to my school events and meetings when mom couldn't make them. I used to help out at his restaurant before it went under when I was fourteen. I smiled while still looking at the water. I wonder what he was up to these days.

"Yeah, him? The fun one with the free food?" He confirmed. Oh course he'd ask about food. I internally smirked.

"Uh, I am not sure what he is doing now. Last I heard, he was bankrupt, and not talking to us." I shared. Mom said he left us but the older I got the more I realized that mom may be the one to push him away. That doesn't mean that his disappearance from our life still didn't make me irritated.

"Oh." He sighed defeated and turned to dig his fingers in the sand letting the dry sad fall back down.

"Why?" I asked curiously, turning to look at his face. I could feel Spencer lean forward to look over me at Ant too. I felt Spencer rub his thumb against mine as I waited for Ant's response. He sounded defeated, but when I looked at him he had a big dumb smile on his face. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well, isn't that him at the food truck back there?" He smiled at me. Food truck? Here? Now? That could not be. Last I heard he left Sydney, entirely.

"What!" I exclaimed, while pulling Spencer to his feet as I jumped up and stared at the truck trying to spot anyone around. Not seeing anyone from this angle I started to move. Spencer let go of my hand as I quickly brushed the sand off my shorts. I started to walk in that direction. The boys following behind me.