Shattered Memories

Chapter Seventeen: Best Friend Knows Best

I know I told him that this got to stop but then he still did it. Does this mean something?

Finally, I pulled away, pushing him away from me. He hesitated but eventually backed away. I took a deep breath before grabbing the towel and my bag.

“I’m so sorry I lost it like that,” he apologized quietly. “I-I didn’t know what came to me.”

“No problem,” I tried to assure him with a smile. “I also gave in so I guess we’re even. Okay, so let’s just forget about it.”

“Um… okay,” he said awkwardly and then opened the door so I could leave.

I stepped out and was gone.

***

“Did you sunbathe? Your freckles…” Summer winced.

I rolled my eyes. “I know. But at least it didn’t worsen like yours before.”

She made a grimace as she remembered what happened five years ago about her freckles. “Yeah, well…”

We were eating lunch outside the beach house with Olive and Mandy. Sandor’s in the tennis court, playing with Xavier. Sandor seemed okay with him now because he thought he had won me over.

“Well, that was just plain nasty,” Mandy tutted.

“Let’s stop talking about freckles,” Olive said firmly. Then she turned to me, a mischievous little smile on her face. “So what’s up with the love triangle?”

I frowned. “Excuse me?”

“Yeah, I kind of noticed that,” Summer said, nodding thoughtfully.

“What the hell are you talking about? I don’t know—”

“Don’t play dumb,” Olive said, rolling her grey eyes. “You very well know about your love triangle with dear old Sandor and Xavier, hmm?”

I almost choked on my barbecue. Okay, scratch that. I already did. Mandy handed me her glass of iced tea. I quickly gulped it down.

“So?” Olive asked as soon as I was okay.

“So there’s nothing to tell,” I said surely, sending her a warning glare.

She didn’t notice it, unfortunately. “There obviously is,” she insisted. “Come on, spill the beans. We’re waiting.”

“Fine,” I said and dropped my spoon and fork on my plate. Summer, Mandy and Olive watched me eagerly, waiting for my response. “Xavier and I are becoming close and, well; Sandor is getting jealous with the two of us. But,” I quickly said, raising my index finger in midair as Olive opened her mouth to interrupt, “nothing is going on, I tell you.”

Summer and Mandy exchanged sneaky glances but before I could give it a second thought, Olive blurted out, “So do you like Xavier? As in, more than a friend?”

“Xavier and I are just friends,” I announced as I started eating again.

“Friends with benefits, that is,” Mandy joked, making all of us (but me) laugh.

I frowned at her, wondering how she guessed about the “benefit” part. “I haven’t kissed Xavier,” I lied smoothly. “I even never gave it a thought, as a matter of fact.”

“Yet,” Summer added with a wink. “If I were you, I’d better go with Xavier. Whatever they say about him being the bad boy doesn’t matter. He has those looks that will make me a cougar.”