Across the Pond

Chapter 55

"Okay, be safe. Love you!" mom calls as I drive away with Harry to get Liz and Brandon for head week. We are meeting about 12 other people for our group and the house next to ours has about 20 people as well.

I drive us all the way to the beach and we load our things I to the split level beach house.

I love this house. We use it almost every time we come to the beach. We make a eat lunch before we go out to the water across the street. I am wearing my favorite bathing suit: Coral top with blue bottoms that have matching coral flowers. Harry is wearing a gray plaid swimsuit. I put in my straw hat and sunglasses and we head out.

There is still some tension between Harry and I because I don't fully trust him again just yet. I think he senses my hesitation because he is very cautious around me as if I'm a ticking bomb, just waiting to explode.

I don't mind the space he's giving me though, I need it to make sure I don't rush back into anything I'll regret later.

When we get to the beach, it's packed-- mostly with college kids just out of school. I know most of the kids in the house next to us, but Brandon organized most of that house.

Liz, Brandon, Harry, and I drop our things in the sand and run to joint he others in the water to play frisbee. I make sure to stand on the sand still and not get in past my ankles.

We alternate in what seems to be 45 minute intervals of playing the game and tanning. Each time we lay out to tan, I nearly fall asleep. I and just so tired, physically and emotionally.

The evening quickly approaches. And some of the kids begin to start a bin fire and dry up a table for beer pong. I go back to the house to change into dry clothes because I hate being in a sandy bathing suit. I choose my dark blue and white pin stripped shorts and a white crop too.

As soon as I return to the beach, Brandon places a red solo cup in my hand and holds his in the air, "Here's to graduation 2014! We made it, bitches!" Everyone starts cheering and this guy Dane throws a burning stake if wood into the pit to start the fire.

This bonfire isn't exactly one to sit around, roast marshmallows, and sing camp fire songs, but it's still fun.

The guys crack cans if beer open and start to fill the beer pong cups. "You playing, popstar?" one of the guys asks Harry.

"No, no I'm okay thanks" he shrugs.

"Aww come on! It'll be fun!" I pull his hands towards me.

"I can watch you, it's okay" he says again.

"Suit yourself" I shrug and turn to face the table. Harry just rests his hands on my hips as the rest of us start to play.

I throw the ping pong ball and it bounces I to a cup and I take it to drink. By the end of the game, I've drank most of the cups on the other side because I had the best throws. My head is swirling from the alcohol and I have to lean on Harry to walk back to the chairs around the fire pot. I just seems to be a fit a giggle once I'm sitting on Harry's lap.

Dane sits in the middle of the circle and swipe his red hair from his face and pulls his knees to his chest. "Truth or dare?" he suggests.

"Yea!" I giggle and lean back into Harry.

"Okay" he starts two girls down from me and goes the opposite way around the circle. When he gets to me, he asks, "truth or dare?"

"Mmm, dare,"

"I dare you to.... chug the rest of Zach's drink."

I reach next to me and grab the cup, "Hey! I liked that drink!" he protests.