Not Another Summer Love Story

Chapter 2 - How to Please a Girl

As I walked behind Maisie and Daniel, each hand in hand as their arms swung happily between them, I pondered what it would be like to be in love. According to romance novels, movies and Maisie, it was supposed to be a feeling you just know. A feeling described by words like sunshine, warmth and butterflies. I wondered if that was how each of them in front of me felt right now. The thought of living in a world where your drive came from someone else terrified me.

The idea of being so dependent on one person sent jolts of horror down my spine. Not to mention I could never truly believe that anyone could be so obsessed with someone else, be so physically and mentally inclined to be with them. I mean, I'd dated people before and maybe one day I'll like someone enough to settle down with them. But marriage? True love? Never. Not after I'd seen the damage it can do to someone.

"Look Val," Daniel said cockily, attempting to draw me into their bubbly chatter. "It's your boyfriend!"

He gestured mockingly down onto the sandy shore. We were walking along the footpath to the wooden stairs which would take us down to our meeting place, and it gave us an elevated view of the people below us. Young families packed up from their day at the beach, a few scattered runners jogged briskly on the harder sand, and Logan Mathews walked at a leisurely pace besides Noah in the same direction as us. According to Dan, he was apparently my boyfriend.

I was about to tell him exactly where he could shove his stupid taunting when Maisie stepped in.

"Oh, don't start trouble." She slapped him playfully on the arm. "You know how sensitive she is about boyfriends, and especially Logan."

She said his name in an annoying sing song voice, like she was directing it as bait to me, hoping I would cling to it and show just how much it bothered me. But instead I pulled my arms over my chest to show my annoyance. If she wanted to make childish comments she could go ahead, it wouldn't be my fault when I accidently pushed her down the sand dune.

I was wearing high waisted jeans with a black cropped top. Typically when we caught up on the beach it was very casual. But when I turned up on Maisie's doorstep with an oversized singlet and worn denim shorts covering an old bikini, she wouldn't have it. Part of me kind of expected her to redo my outfit, so I didn't bother putting that much effort into it to begin with.

"It's okay, Logan is old news. The guy from the parlour yesterday was all over her. She was so flustered I had to finish off her conversation for her," Daniel chuckled.

"Are you seriously talking as if I'm not here?" I grumbled, annoyed that they'd dragged me into their conversation. Don't get me wrong, I loved them both, but they were both way too intrigued with my love life. "He was rude anyway, did you see how much he tipped?"

"How is tipping that much rude? I'd take it, thank him and make his ice cream double the size. Simple," Dan said with a wide grin.

"Because he clearly thought tipping one hundred-and-thirty-five percent would buy him a few friends."

"Ooh, look, she's even done the maths. I bet she's been thinking of him all night!" Maisie, who had been watching in amusement finally butted in with her chunk of teasing.

"And trust me," Dan added. "He was trying to buy a lot more than friends. He had that look on, Maiz. He so wanted her."

"You guys are ridiculous," I told them. One thing was for sure, I hadn't been thinking of Alastair one bit. Not to mention that even if he was hitting on me, that only made me dislike him more.

"You know we love you, we just want to spice up your life a little." Maisie unlocked herself from Daniel's grip to walk with me, linking our arms.

"I know you mean well, but really," I told her. "I don't care about boys, or romance in general. I just want to have fun."