Bad Boy Vacation

3. The Beach House

Charlie's POV

"We're here." Ace announced, nudging me awake.

I had fallen asleep with my head rested against the backseat window.

I wiped my eyes awake, stretching out my arms with a groan.

I was so bloody tired, all I wanted to do at this point was find the nearest bed and fall quickly back to sleep.

I reluctantly exited the vehicle and took in the house.

It was three storeys high, Yale blue in color with eggshell outlines, along with a large and wooden pivot door. I gazed at it, imagining all of the things we would do this summer.

An entire summer stuck in Los Angeles with the people that are closest with me, how bad can that be?

"These bags aren't going to carry themselves." Nora told me. I mimicked her in a childish way before heading to the trunk of the car to grab my things.

Most of what I packed involved cargo pants, sweatpants and t-shirts, along with a few jackets in case of cold nights, oh, and also a few pairs of shorts for if I decide that I want to go swimming, or in case the temperature rises to a bazillion degrees.

I had also brought along a few books to read over the course of this summer.

"There are seven bedrooms, eight if you count the pull out sofa in the study as a bed." Adelaide explained as she twisted the key in the front door. "So everyone has a room to theirselves."

As long as there is a bed, I shall not complain.

"Do you think I could sleep in one with an ocean view?" I asked nobody in particular.

"Yeah, you can have the room next to Ace's. It's usually mine, but I'll just stay in mom and dad's room for the summer, it's bigger anyways."

The pivot door opened, revealing a simple and pristine foyer. Already, the inside of house had a very woodsy vibe to it. It also looked as if it was staged to be put up for sale. There were no family pictures, nor were there things a normal, or at the very least a semi-normal house would have.

I wonder if Ace thinks of this place as home?

He certainly seemed to be in good spirits about the whole summer in Los Angeles sitch.

"Should we hurry up and unpack so we can head to the city?" Nora asked the group.

"I think we should rest while we still can, as soon as Hurricane Ella arrives, we will most likely never have a moment to rest." I said.

By 'Hurricane Ella', I strictly meant that she is very set in her ways, and she's very controlling. I wouldn't be surprised if she had already created an itinerary for the summer.

"Yes, I could totally go for a nap." Adelaide sighed, dragging her suitcase upstairs.

I lingered as Nora and Ace started behind her.

"You coming?" Ace turned around.

"Yep." I smiled, following upstairs.

"Our rooms are on the top floor so we will have the best view of the beach." Ace stated, effortlessly carrying his duffle bag up the steps while I was struggling to drag my suitcase.

"Maybe we can take a little swim?" He suggested.

"Sounds good." I said.

As we made our way to the top floor, I took in the house. The wooden interior walls were painted in a sage green, it was quite rustic in my opinion. Abstract artworks were scattered across the walls, keeping with the whole staged look.

After unpacking, Ace and I changed into proper swimwear and headed down to the beach.

I kicked my flip-flops off in the hot sand and started towards the ocean, Ace walking right beside me. I always did find the sound of overlapping waves oddly soothing.

"You okay?" Ace wondered.

I had enough of hearing that question last year.

"I'm fine." I said, reassuring him with a half smile.

"You're being very quiet. Are you angry with me?"

I paused, turning to face him. "I am not angry with you, and i don't mean to be quiet, I just. What is there to say?"

He shuffled his feet in the sand, turning his head to the side with a smirk.

"What?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

From behind, he wrapped his arms around me and started to drag me towards the water.

"Ace! Stop!" I attempted to wriggle myself free from his death grip.

He laughed in my ear, taking me closer to the bashing waves.

"Aceeeeee!"

Upon meeting the ocean, he set me down. The water was frigid as it swallowed my feet, cold enough that I wanted to jump out. Then he pushed me to the waves.

I stood back up, inhaling a deep breath as I wiped the saltwater away from my eyes.

"You're so mean!" I shoved him. He barely even moved.

"Am not." He pouted.

I jumped up onto his back, hoping that the weight of me would drag him down into the water as payback.

It didn't.

"Nice try." He said as I groaned with defeat.

"I hate you."

He chuckled. "Nah, you're obsessed with me."

I rested my head on his right shoulder and whispered in his ear. "You wish, Ace Caldwell."

I kicked behind his right knee, connecting my foot with his popliteal fossa, which caused him to fall forward.

"I can't believe you just kicked me." Ace gasped when he resurfaced from the ocean.

"Sweet karma." I smiled, abruptly distancing myself from him. He splashed water in my direction as Adelaide's voice called from the back porch. "They're here!"

I slumped my shoulders and sighed.

"We don't have to go back inside just yet, if you don't wanna." Ace said.

"Nah, we'd better get back." I replied.

We quickly grabbed our towels and began drying ourselves before we made our way back up to the house.

"This place is amazing!" Ella stated when we arrived inside, still dripping saltwater onto the floor.

"It's like something out of a novel." I said, holding the towel around my upper body.

"So who's ready to partay?" Clayton asked the group.

I mentally groaned at the thought.

Of course, it wouldn't be summer without a beach house party.

_________________

This book has been so much harder to write than I thought it would be.

Anyways, here's another chapter. Hope you like.

Can't wait to write more.