Project Popularity

Chapter Eighteen

Dedicated to @intheclouds99 for the beautiful cover on the side! And if you're looking for something to listen to while you read, check out Cher Lloyd's "Love Me For Me" (video on the side). I listened to it non-stop while I was writing this chapter. 

Thank you for the votes and feedback on the last chapter and the many before! I've read all of your comments and messages. Thank you all so much for your support. I love you guys! 

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Chapter Eighteen

Jamie Vandeviere

I took off my flip-flops and sunk my toes into the white, warm sand Adam took my hand after rolling up the legs of his jeans, and he seemed momentarily stunned when I announced I'd race him to the water and abruptly broke into a run. Nevertheless, he caught up to me in no time with his long, quick strides and lifted my feet off the ground by encircling an arm around my waist. He set me back down when the waves came upon us and I screamed when the cold water splashed all over my legs. Served me right for challenging an athlete who could outrun me probably even at his worst day.

The Annual Roseville Beach Party was a pretty big event in our town and it started at around five in the afternoon, which was when families with younger kids would come chat with their neighbors and barbeque on the beach. I used to come to this thing with my parents when I was younger, before my dad started his teaching job and became swamped with his research papers. By around eight p.m. most of the adults and the children had left the beach. The teenagers and college kids, on the other hand, were just arriving, ready to take over the beach with kegs and loud, Hip Hop music.

I got to the beach around the same time Bryce and Roger did and found Adam waiting for me in the parking lot. They hadn't even been on the beach for five seconds and they were already hitting on all the pretty college girls within sight which, I guess, was kind of a bummer for the high school girls who were eyeing them from the sides, wishing the jocks would suddenly spark an interest in them. Even though the jocks were somewhat hyperactive and insane, the girls at Roseville High seemed to find them attractive. If you overlooked their childishness and stuff, I guess they were, appearance-wise.

But obviously not as attractive as Luke, I thought to myself when all those girls shifted their gaze to him the moment he appeared on the beach with Aimee, the two of them stylishly dressed and looking as if they were about to do a photoshoot.

My eyes locked with Luke's briefly when he spotted me standing by the water with Adam. I waved at him, mustering a smile, and he grinned at me in response, the autumn wind playing with his blond brownish hair.

Today was Friday, which marked the fourth day since Aimee asked Luke out. The sight of them standing together got me into thinking about how she gushed all about the details of their first date to me Tuesday at school, saying how much fun she and Luke had and how she was positive she really liked him. Luke, on the other hand, didn't say a thing about their date to me. In fact, if I hadn't "casually" inquired about it the next day with a text, I was certain he would never bring it up. And his response back then was brief and disappointing. It took him an hour to get back to me even though the reply only consisting of three words: It was fine. He is such a... guy.

Luke seemed well-acquainted with the biggest group of college guys on the beach. When he walked past them with Aimee in tow, the college boys fist-bumped him and some greeted him with so much enthusiasm that you would have thought Luke was a part of their group. One of the guys, whom I assumed was pretty wasted judging by how unsteady his steps were, said something to Aimee and instantly she blushed and buried her face in Luke's arm. The rest of the guys roared with laughter when Luke shook his head.