Life One Summer [On Hold]

Chapter 5

Even though all the evidence had pointed towards it, somehow I'd hoped she wouldn't say that. And now I just felt angry and stupid, I'd been hanging around with Travis for the entire day and he hadn't once mentioned the fact he had a girlfriend. We'd been flirting for christ's sake. But as I thought about it more I wondered if I'd just been misreading the signals. Looking at the couple in front of me I gave a half-hearted smile, I was such an idiot.

"Anyways what have you been up to?" Casey continued as she ran her hand across Travis' wet shirt.

Travis looked uncomfortable but replied, "We erm... went swimming. I was showing Aria around, you know, she's the girl my mom's having stay with us this summer."

Casey frowned, "Why didn't she show her around? Or did you totally forget that you were meant to be taking me out today?"

Travis' eyes widened and he groaned, "Oh my god that's right. I'm so sorry Cas, mom asked me if I could show her around, I must have forgotten."

This hurt for some reason, and I decided to get out of there, "Well, you know. You showed me round, thanks for that." I began backing toward the front door, "I... I should probably go get changed, I wouldn't want to intrude any more than I already have."

I saw a small amount of regret flash across Travis' face but it was gone in an instant. Casey waved pointedly at me before turning her back on me and crashing her lips onto Travis'.

Great. PDA was just what wanted right now.

I made my way up to the house and opened the front door. When I was inside I saw that the kitchen door was open and Lily's head had popped through. She smiled kindly at me, "You have a fun day?"

I nodded slightly and gave her a small smile before making my way up the stairs. I let the smile fall as I walked along the corridor and was just about to enter my room when I heard a voice coming from an open door to my right, "He took you to the lake, didn't he?"

Turning around I looked into the room and saw Alice looking curiously at me from a beanbag. A little suspiciously I replied with a nod.

She closed the magazine she was looking at and continued, "You like it?"

Still being cautious I came slightly further into her room and answered, "It was incredible. But how'd you..."

"How did I know?" she finished. "You're the gorgeous new girl, of course he'd show you."

I began to speak but she stopped me, "That and the fact your clothes are wet."

After just encountering Casey my self-esteem seemed to have hit rock bottom and I shook my head, "I'm not gorgeous."

Alice scoffed, "Yeah, of course you're not."

Her mood was confusing me and I snapped slightly, "I don't get it."

"Get what?"

"Why are you even talking to me? I thought you hated me."

She let out a small laugh, "I don't hate you."

I raised my voice, "Then why have you been a complete bitch to me?"

"I'm just, not good with people," she frowned.

I didn't have anything to say to that. But she continued, "I don't hate you Aria. I hate the fact you're richer than me, prettier than me, but I don't hate you."

I shook my head disbelievingly, "I'm not that superficial you know, just because I'm from L.A. doesn't mean I'm suddenly obsessed with my looks. And yeah my dad has money and I might have been a bit judgy of this place to begin with but I don't lord it over you. I'm not suddenly some bratty snob just because I have stuff. You have this entire ranch, a great family and you're the one complaining."

I was a little shocked at my outburst and Alice didn't reply so I walked out of her room and into mine without another word.

Letting out a deep breath I slumped down on the bed. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. How would I face Alice after that? How would I look Travis in the eye after I'd been flirting with him all day, when he had a girlfriend? Part of me thought that I should call up Kelsey and pour out all the events of today to her.

But I didn't.

Instead I peeled off my wet clothes from today and dumped them on the floor. Looking through my stuff I got out some grey sweatpants and a baggy black t-shirt which fell off one shoulder. I combed through my knotty hair and tied it up into a messy bun. Grabbing my laptop out of my bag I lay down on my bed and opened the window so I could let some fresh air into the stuffy room. Plugging some headphones into the socket I scrolled through my Netflix account and clicked on Gilmore Girls. I needed to escape this reality for a little while.

*

A tap on the shoulder made me jump and I looked up to see Travis standing there awkwardly. I pushed my headphones off and around my neck waiting to hear why he was here.

"Mom told me to tell you that it's dinner time."

I internally groaned as I remembered that the Emmons' liked their family dinners and nodded, closing the screen of the laptop and getting up.

"Aria about earlier." Travis began but I didn't want to hear anymore.

I shook my head faking confusion as best I could, "What about earlier?" I couldn't let him think I was stupid enough to think he liked me.

"Umm, you're not annoyed at me?"

I frowned, "No of course not."

His face softened, "Oh...great." And smiled before walking out of my room, I closely followed.

Perhaps I was a better liar than he thought.

Once we'd got downstairs I saw that I would have to keep up the charade for a lot longer than I'd thought, sat in one of the chairs was a smirking Casey and I had to smile politely at her. Travis sat down next to her and I was left to sit next to Alice and Cody.

I tried to reason with myself, what right did I have to be angry at this girl? And when Lily brought out a big cooked fish I decided to try and start a conversation.

"So Casey, how long have you and Travis been dating?" I asked as kindly as I could.

Her eye twitched in confusion as she answered, "Oh I don't know, how long do you think it's been Travy?"

I was trying so hard, but the pet name really irritated me.

"I dunno, about a couple of months." Travis said quietly and I could imagine him feeling a bit awkward at his personal life being thrown about the dinner table.

"So you guys go to the same high school?"

She nodded curling her fingers around his, "Me and Travy were actually named junior prom king and queen, weren't we."

Lily smiled proudly and turned to me, "So did you go to your prom Aria?"

"Err, no actually, I'm not really the prom type of girl."

In fact Kelsey, and a few of our other friends had decided to skip prom and trek up Mount Lee with a six pack and watch the sunset. A memory I held dear and wasn't going to tell.

Casey frowned and leaned forward whispering loudly, "Did nobody ask you?"

How was I supposed to like her when she said things like this?

"You don't have to answer that." Travis said coming to my rescue and nudging Casey.

I had actually been asked to prom, by a couple of guys, but at that moment my mind wasn't thinking straight and I wanted to make myself seem less pathetic.

"It's okay." I said to Travis and looked at Casey, "Well my boyfriend did ask me, but I didn't go cause I didn't want too."

"You have a boyfriend?" Lily, Cody, Travis and Casey all said at once and I immediately regretted my decision.

"Umm... yeah."

She keeps on getting into awkward situations, oh Aria. Plus Casey seems a lil' bit of a bitch!!!! 

I hope you enjoyed the chapter :)))

Photo: Aria's horse (shadow) cutteee

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