A Silver Summer

Chapter 34

Chapter thirty four

"Hey. How was the sun rise?" Mel looked up from her cards where she sat on her bed with Keira and Ivy who looked less tired than before. 

"Beautiful." Anika chuckled under her breath. "You should come with me."

"And get up that early? I'm good. The sun rises to tell me when to wake up, I'm not going to wake up before it rises." Keira shook her head. "But thanks for the offer."

"Bad enough that I spoil your alone time." Ivy teased. 

"I wasn't alone." Anika mumbled to herself as a smile lighted her face. 

"Ivy!" Keira threw her cards down and playfully glared at the pink haired girl who looked alarmed at her sudden outburst. 

"What?" Mel asked, wondering the same thing as Ivy. 

"You left Anika alone with Ryleigh on the beach?" Keira fake scolded her. 

"How'd you guess it was him?" Anika said at the same time Ivy said in an indifferent manner, 

"We left them on the beach last night." 

Mel tilted her head to the side when she looked at Anika. "Who else would you allow to keep you company?"

"Skinner?" Anika guessed and smiled sheepishly when the girls rolled their eyes. 

"He's still passed out in the infirmary." Ivy informed. "Plus, you didn't have a towel when I was with you." Ivy pointed at the towel around Anika's shoulders. 

"Aw! He gave you his towel? That's, um, I mean if he hurts you I'll-" 

"Keira, calm down. Everything's good." Anika assured the golden blond. 

"Just sayin'." Keira shrugged nonchalantly. "Anyway, I'm hungry."

"No surprise there." Mel rolled her eyes and collected the cards they were playing with and shoved them back into the cardboard box. Keira gave Mel a light shove when the redhead got off her bed and walked past her. 

"So where's Ryleigh now?" Ivy asked on the way to the cafeteria. 

"He went back to his cabin to change clothes." Anika chuckled and received amused looks from her friends. 

"Is that so? Is he sitting with us now, by any chance?" Keira brushed her shoulder against Anika's. 

"Um..." Anika searched the ground for answers. She hadn't thought to offer because it hadn't come to mind. A frown dulled her features as she thought about Ryleigh not sitting beside her. 

Keira gave a fake surprised look. "Wow, you guys are nearly official and you didn't even think to invite him to the table for breakfast."

"Oh stop it." Mel chided and flicked the tip of Keira's ear when Anika's face visibly paled. 

"Don't worry about it Anika. You can ask when you see him at the cafeteria." Ivy gave her a small smile as she hid her chuckle at the slight panicked look on Anika's face. "Besides, no one blames you for... getting distracted." Mel and Keira made sounds of agreement in the backs of their throat. 

"Mmm." Keira went as far as licking her top lip. 

"Yeah well, Skinner isn't bad either." Anika teased Ivy back making the girl blush. 

"Oh gross. He's like a brother." Keira's nose scrunched up as she shook her head. Anika laughed as Mel shook her head as well. 

"He's alive!" Keira shouted when she spotted the white blond haired boy started at their table already.