Your Side and Mine

Chapter 20

Three Years Earlier

Connor

I was absentmindedly scrolling through social media—who even knows why I wasted my time with that crap—when I passed Sydney's picture. What was she doing with Marin? I never knew what Marin was doing because she never posted on her own profile. Not ideal when all I could fucking think about was what she was doing.

I hadn't seen her in a month, and I didn't even get to talk to her then. I saw her from afar though, in that dress. The rest of the Teen Awards were a blur. Too many media people swarming around me, asking for interviews, people congratulating me. And my mom forced me to go to a different after-party than the one Marin would be at.

I opened my messages and typed in Sydney's name. I didn't have Liv's or Marin's new number since they changed them. It wouldn't have mattered anyway if I had Marin's. She wouldn't have responded. I texted Sydney: Looks like you're having fun. What're y'all up to?

Luckily, she was never without her phone for longer than a minute: Omg come! Bring friends!

Easy enough. After texting a bunch of friends, I could only find three who were free. I changed into a swimsuit, and on the way out the door, my mom must have heard me come down the stairs.

"Where are you off to?" she asked, walking into the foyer.

"Going to hang out with Sydney Parker," I told her. At least that would satisfy her. She'd been telling me to hang out with her for weeks. I couldn't wait to fucking move out of that house. I slammed the door behind me a little too hard.

I picked up Slade, who had a crush on Liv, and Spencer and Alex, who said they knew the other two girls Marin was with.

"I've been trying to hang out with Liv for months," Slade said as soon as he got in my car.

Yeah, I know the feeling, I thought.

When we got to the hotel, every employee practically followed us into the elevator, checking if we needed a room, food, drinks, a table upstairs.

"Mr. O'Quinn, please let me know if there is anything you need while you enjoy your time here," the manager said right before the elevator doors closed. When we walked out to the pool, I could feel everyone's eyes on me. Couldn't people mind their own damn business?

"Happy birthday, Liv," I said. I had to acknowledge the birthday girl first. "Hey, Marin!" She at least hugged me back. I thought I was off to a good enough start. "Hey, Sydney. Thanks for inviting us."

I wondered how close Marin would let me sit to her, but I didn't want to press it, so I chose the end of her chair. She pulled her legs back instantly. That wasn't so good.

I introduced myself to the other two girls. Why do girls think I like that? I thought when they smiled at me stupidly. I didn't remember their names, and Spencer and Alex walked off with them anyway. I couldn't care less. I was there to hang out with Marin.

I didn't want a weird tan, and I wanted Marin to at least look at me, so I took off my shirt and asked the girls if they wanted a drink. If that was what it was going to take for me to get Marin to look at me then so be it. But Marin's head, angled up towards the sky, didn't even twitch. Why did she all of a sudden never seem interested in me? I thought for sure she liked me last summer, and I was about to kiss her on the beach, but I hesitated too long. I missed my shot after she got hit with that volleyball. And it was the one day we finally got to be alone. I loved hanging out with Liv, but Marin never wanted to leave her out. I was so happy when Liv got the flu. I had waited the entire summer to be alone with Marin. Then my mom ruined the only other chance I got because ever since then, she'd never acted the same. Maybe I was wrong about Marin liking me. Could I have been that wrong? Sydney on the other hand was ogling me. That just made me want to put my shirt back on.