Meant for Me | ✔️

16) irreplaceable

One Year Earlier. July 2018.

A D D I E

We had a small slab of concrete in our 'back garden'. We were on the second floor so it was a balcony which had a steel railing surrounding it and there was enough space for a sun chair and a little table. There was also a decent ish view of the street below. Not that it was all that interesting. Just cars and more condos across the road.

School was out for the summer so not only were the local teenagers out and about, roaming the streets, but also tourists, in strong waves. There was a constant hum of chatter below me and feet scuffing the sidewalk. It didn't bother me enough to flee from the sun but it was mildly disturbing while I tried to lose myself in the world of Violet and Finch. I was invested in both of their happiness. I needed it more than mine.

A low hoarse voice that I recognized as Margo's when she sang Miley Cyrus came from the living room and I laughed at her rendition of Wrecking Ball. She'd been at a sweet sixteen that she organised and the theme was Malibu.

"I came in like a wrecking baaaaaaaaall," she wailed and I peered over my shoulder to see her flailing her arms and legs around in some sort of possessed impressionist dance as she came towards the balcony. "I never hit so hard in loooooove. All I wanted was to break your walls. All you ev—"

"Shut up!"

Margo had ended up standing beside me and she stared over the edge of the balcony in outrage at whoever had shouted at her to quit the live performance. Sounded like a group of teenage girls.

"Kids have a lot of nerve these days," she frowned and sat on the end of my lounge chair.

"Forget them. You sounded beautiful."

"Don't lie to me."

I raised my book to hide the guilt ridden grin that I wore. No, Margo wasn't a master of the arts. She couldn't sing well at all but she had a good time doing it, so I dealt.

"All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven," she read the cover that I was still hiding behind. "Sounds cute and uplifting. But it also sounds like it can wait. We should go and get a picnic and head to the beach."

"Why?"

"Because it sounds fun."

Didn't to me. I mean, the beach was nice enough. But the thought of sand getting all through our food was enough to make me frown with resistance. But I knew that Margo would be itching to get out of the house on her first Saturday evening free so far this summer.

The sweet sixteenth had run from ten this morning and was meant to end officially at three. But during one of our meetings with the client, I'd overheard the birthday girl on the phone, making plans for after dark while her mother was out of the room. I kept quiet about it.

"Yeah alright," I tried not to sigh with boredom and stood up.

"Get a swimsuit!" Margo called over her shoulder as she ran inside ahead of me.

We laid our towels out in a semi secluded spot. Not that there was a whole lot of that at the moment. Santa Monica beach was packed to the brim and that was to be expected at this time of the year. Margo wore a wide brimmed hat and a one piece that had cut outs on the sides. She looked like a swimsuit model with her slim figure and enormous sunglasses. She was just a bit too short to fit the role.

I was on my stomach, book opened up in front of me. The breeze kept catching the pages so I had to rest both hands on either side of it. All of a sudden I felt the string of my bikini being pulled and I gasped, peering behind me to find Margo leaning over me.