oxygen (e.d.)

chapter seven

{riley}

"is this too revealing?" i ask sloane, doing a little turn.

she looks at me up in down in my insanely small baby blue string bikini.

"nope." she answers.

"liar,"

"you're almost 19, single, and have a great ass so why does it matter?" she rolls her eyes.

"it doesn't," i sigh.

"exactly! it'll be fine. let's just go."

we grab our boogie boards from my trunk, towels, a wicker picnic basket, and our flip flops.

i see a party of some sort happening a couple yards down, and shake my head.

"perfect!" sloane grins and throws our stuff on the sand, "can you take my picture?"

sloane and i spent forever picking our dream swimsuits.

hers is black, simple, yet seductive.

"hopefully i'll get a girlfriend from this," she said when we bought it.

she hands me her phone and i snap a dozen pictures, getting different angles, poses, lighting, etc.

she ends up liking a few and offers if i want a photo.

"nah," i wrinkle my nose, "let me go to the gym a few more times."

"oh shut up," sloane says, lightly hitting my shoulder, "you know i don't like it when you talk about yourself like that."

i smile, picking up out stuff.

"should we go see what's going on over there?" she points at the party and i shake my head violently.

"hell no."

"come on," she begs.

i bite my lip and glance at the commotion again.

"fine. but only because i love you."

"come on," she tugs my arm with a grin.

she drags me across the beach and lets go only when we get to the crowd.

"what about our stuff? is it going to get stolen?" i ask nervously.

"puh-lease. we found those boogie boards in a dumpster, ry. don't worry about it."

she takes me over to a small hut-like cabana.

"two blue margaritas, please," sloane says, flashing a white toothed grin at the college bartender.

"id's?" he asks.

"really?" sloane asks, scrunching her nose.

"nah," he laughs, "just f*cking with you. it'll be a minute."

my shoulders relax and i roll my neck, getting out the knots.

"relax, riley. everything is fine."

"what if..."

"what?" she whispers, eyes growing wide.

"what if he's here?"

"oh my god," she says, "seriously? girl, i love you, but you worry too much. everything will be fine. if we see him, we say hi and move on. no biggie."

"you're right," i breathe, "you're always right."

"bitch, please," sloane laughs.

the bartender comes back with our drinks and we get out our wallets to pay, but he waves us off.