Fighting the Disquiet

8

"New friends are like new adventures. You never know what lessons they will teach you."

– Unknown

I close her bedroom door, noticing that there is a lock on it, and grumble to myself about how I need one. I lock it and quickly undress. I thank myself for keeping up with my bikini wax this summer as I slip into the bottoms. They're much showier than I would like but at least they fit. The top is cute and matches the seafoam green bottoms. It's a simple triangle cut but thankfully I'm not particularly blessed in the boob department so everything is covered. I realize that I don't have anything to wear down to the pool other than the skinny jeans I wore here. I decide to throw on my shirt so that at least some of me is covered before I unlock the door and head downstairs.

I follow the sounds of the girls laughing until I reach a sliding glass door. I pull it open, which causes all of them to look over at me.

"You came! Oh, I'm so happy!" Amelia says throwing her hands up in the air and splashing the other girls in the process.

"Oops, sorry," she apologizes when she sees Summers displeased expression.

"Yeah, I came," I smile pulling my shirt over my head and walking towards the jacuzzi they are currently sitting in.

I step inside the warm water and Taylor asks tilting her head to the side, "Babe is that your bikini?"

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell her to bring one," Summer shrugs.

I smile awkwardly at them both and wait for someone to start talking again.

"So El, how are you liking Cedar Lake?" Amelia asks.

"Uh, fine. It's a lot bigger than my other high school so that's been an adjustment," I say looking between them all as they listen to me speak.

"Really? Like how many students?" Summer asks somewhat shocked.

"I think we had like 1000 students," I shrug.

"What?" Amy sputters, "that's like how many we have per grade level."

I chuckle at her outburst and Taylor asks, "Were you at like a private school or something?"

I shake my head and explain, "No, it's just a smaller city so I guess the schools are smaller. Plus, everything was all in one building, except the gym. Cuz, you know, it gets so damn hot."

"Huh," Taylor nods, "that makes sense. I wish our school wasn't so big. It's annoying having to walk across campus."

"It's not like you're doing it in heels," Summer jokes.

"Well, you chose to wear heeled shoes baby, when you really don't have to," Taylor teases as she nudges her shoulder.

"Your parents let your girlfriend spend the night?" I ask curiously.

"No, only when there's other girls staying too," she explains.

I nod.

"Drinks?" Amy announces turning to look at us as she stands up from the jacuzzi.

"Ice tea," Summer sings with a smile.

"I'll share," Taylor says nodding her head in Summer's direction.

"El?" Amy asks as she dries herself with a towel on one of the lounge chairs nearby.

"Just water, thanks," I smile.

It was kind of awkward being the third wheel left in the jacuzzi with Taylor and Summer. Summer was sitting with her legs across Taylor's lap.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Summer asks playing with the foam in the water.