The Lifeguard Hates You (Completed)

June Chapter 16

It's Friday afternoon. Rory has the day off and she's using my place to get ready for a date no one wants her to go on because Jay locked himself in her washroom and refused to come out. It was a brilliant move and in some teenage rom-com it might have worked, except that me and her have similar complexions so she could literally let her use well... all of my stuff. I obviously didn't want to let her into my washroom or let her use my make up, but Rory's been so upset the past couple of days I didn't have the heart to tell her no. Even if she's going on a date with Bryce. The literal figurehead of all that we hated.

When she finally comes out, she's wearing dark blue skinny jeans and a loose cotton teal shirt that's hanging off of one shoulder. Her usually curly red hair has been straightened and she's now on to doing make up. It's a lot of work to make Rory look good but when she puts the effort in, she looks great. I kind of want to take a picture of her, send it to Jay with the caption: "Is she pretty enough now?"

I mean I get that he didn't like her back and that's fine, but did he have to pick now to do to crush her heart? And maybe he is being paranoid but I also kind of believe that Bryce doing all of this now is very coincidental. Rory's pretty don't get me wrong, but guys like Bryce like a certain calibre of pretty, and she was not at that level.

"You must really like him," I say to her, but Rory just shrugs. "No? Not interested in the extremely hot Bryce McCallister? Why are you going on a date with him then?"

"It's not a date, it's just a lunch," she says.

"But you're getting all dressed up," I point out.

"I need to take more pride in my appearance," she says. Translation: "Jay said I was ugly so I'm going to get really pretty to spite him."

"So, it has nothing to do with Bryce?" I ask.

"Okay, so maybe I want to impress him a bit," Rory admits.

"Because you want to date him," I finish.

Rory sighs. "I need to get over Jay, I'm never going to do that living with him and pining over him."

"And you're going to use Bryce to do that," I say hoping my tone will tell her how stupid I think that is.

"I guess I am," she says. She puts down her eyeshadow brush and turns to me. "Do you have a better idea?"

Unfortunately, I do not. "No... but why does it have to be Bryce? Honestly, it kind of feels like you've picked him just to hurt Jay."

Rory gasps. "That's not true! Look, in all honesty he's probably not interested in me okay, Candy? He went in the water for me two days ago and I said I'd pay for lunch to make it up to him. Feel better now?"

I actually do feel better but I don't have to say it, the smug grin on my face does that for me. I notice that Shawn is typing away on his phone so I wonder if he's telling Jay this information. Rory finishes her make-up and turns to me.

"What do you think?" she asks.

"You look the same," Shawn says from his seat in the kitchen, he has yet to look up from his phone. I suspect the comment is a form of solidarity, to show that he's still on Jay's side.

I shake my head and smile at her. "Don't listen to him. You look great, you're going to knock the socks off of Bryce and every other boy in town!"

Rory smiles one of her biggest smiles that she immediately hides behind her hands as she erupts into giggles. It's the first time I've seen her excited over a boy other than Jay, honestly, it's been a long time since she has been this excited over something that hasn't been a book.

Her phone buzzes and she jumps. "That's him, I better go!" she says heading for the door. She leans in and hugs Shawn who makes an air kissing noise as she does so, he still hasn't looked up from his phone. I follow and receive my own hug from her at the door.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" I call after her.

From the kitchen Shawn shoots: "Which is straight up everything." I shoot him a glare that he does not notice because he's still on his phone. "They're date's going to be boring if she follows your advice."

I shake my head again and as I pass him I slap his phone out of his hand. He cries out as it smashes to the floor and I laugh. How's that for doing nothing?