Isla

20.

2 0 | s h a o l  b a y

"GOOD MOOD THIS MORNING?"

I turned to Everett with a wide grin, sending him a shrug. "Woke up and the sun was already up. I love having the day off."

Everett laughed, shaking his head. He hopped off the porch, pausing beside me to quirk an amused brow. "If they're that amazing, why don't you ever take more days off?"

"I told you," I said with an exaggerated eye roll. "I need the money."

"Right," he said, smiling sarcastically. "For food and stuff."

"Exactly," I said with a shrug.

I tried not to think about my savings account and the dreams I had stored in there, along with years' worth of summer savings. No. Today was going to be a good day. I wouldn't let anything ruin it.

We reached the beach in a matter of minutes and I locked my bike up at the usual spot before leading Everett to the pier.

"So, what's on the agenda today?" Everett asked.

"What do you think?" I replied, knocking shoulders with him. "Why else would we be on the pier? We're taking the Nauti Buoy out to Isla!"

"Great," he drawled sarcastically, though I noticed the tug at his lips and the spring in his step. He could complain all he wanted, but I knew he secretly loved our hidden island – the clear blue waters and pale white sands.

"Be as depressing as you'd like, Everett," I said, raising a brow. "Nothing is going to ruin this day for me."

He narrowed his eyes at me, smirking as if it was a challenge, but I ignored his teasing. I smiled snidely, speeding up as the Nauti Buoy came into sight.

"Isla!" Connor shouted, waving wildly at me. He stood in front of the tinny, his shirt missing and hair already wet.

"Hey, dummy," I replied with a grin. I leapt forward, pulling him into an affectionate headlock.

"Hey!" He pulled at my arms, locked around his neck, but I refused to let go. "What did I do?" He turned in my grip towards the boat. "River! What did I do?"

River shrugged from his seat on the tinny. His pants had been rolled up to his knees, and his shirt was also missing. He puffed at a cigarette lazily, a bucket hat pulled over his buzz cut.

"River!" Connor whined.

"This is for getting drunk at that bonfire," I scolded, tightening my arms.

"But you got drunk too!" he complained. "And so did River!"

"Yes, but you always get drunk! It was our turn!"

"Isla!" Connor whinged.

"Isla!" Austin shouted.

I blinked, immediately releasing Connor and spinning to find Austin approaching us.

With Mia.

"Austin," I said stupidly.

I hadn't seen him since our little argument yesterday. Could it even be called that when it was completely one-sided? He hadn't believed me when I told him about Mia. He hadn't understood how I felt.

And instead of airing it out with him, I'd swallowed my words and ignored the churning in my stomach, asking Connor for a ride home just to avoid Austin.

I wasn't one to hold grudges but seeing him – seeing him and Mia there with their oblivious smiles sent my stomach churning all over again.