Fate or Chance

7: beach day

I'm sucking down my cup of coffee like it's my lifeline when Coden trudges down the stairs, looking slightly less hungover than me, which isn't saying much.

"And here comes our second hungover child," dad mutters, shaking his head at mom.

"Ha-Ha," Coden deadpans.

Coden waltzes over to me, snatches my cup of coffee, and takes a long chug from it.

"Hey!" I protest, snatching my prized possession from him.

"Invite your friends, we're all going to the beach today," Coden tells me, as he yanks the fridge open to rummage through it.

"'We're all' means who?"

Coden rolls his eyes. "My friends, dummy, who else?"

"Well, no shit, and while I hate to be the one to inform you, you got too many friends and I'm going to need you to narrow it down."

"There's no narrowing it down. Whole group was invited, just depends who's gonna make it," Coden informs.

I purse my lips. So the whole freaking fan favorites' crowd was invited. Plus me and my friends. I wasn't quite sure if my hungover self would be able to handle the socialization and social anxiety this beach day was sure to come with.

"Don't think I don't see you hesitating. You're not getting out of this, don't be lame," Coden remarks, taking yet another uninvited swig from my coffee.

———

"This is exactly what I needed to cure my hangover," Keilani remarks, sprawled across her beach towel, showing off her hot pink bikini.

I wasn't quite sure if I agreed with her. Laying in the boiling sun, surrounded by a million other kids in our grade, and watching my social anxiety heighten to the max was actually not my favorite kind of hangover cure.

About two-thirds of the seniors on the football team were tossing a football around while tackling each other to the ground. A whole bunch of girls, many who I recognized as cheerleaders or dancers, were running and squealing around the boys as they threw themselves at them, pretending to tackle them, I guess.

The irony of throwing themselves at them did not slip past me.

Boys from other sports teams that were part of Coden's friend groups were also here, but my attention was mostly focused to the hockey boys here because of a particular hockey playing blonde. Ricen, who was shirtless and perfect, the sun kissing his skin, his smile sparkling as he laughed with his friends.

I, personally, felt like I was on a display, laying on the beach next to far too many other bikini clad girls. For some reason I could not stop thinking that girls and boys alike must be comparing each one of us to each other.

Who's got the better body? The better tan?

Ugh, my brain just needs to shut up.

I tried to relax for a second, closing my eyes and letting the sun burn through me.

That is, until a looming shadow blocks the sun from my closed eyelids.

My eyes shoot open to come face to face with Ricen's grin.

But his grin isn't directed to me.

Nope, it's directed to Keilani.

She grins back at him as he asks her if she's enjoying the sun.

I see Joslyn give me a glance and I can't help wonder if I'm missing something that I should know.

Or something someone doesn't want me to know.