We've been walking for 5 minutes now, and I already know so much about Aiden. He's my age, wants to go to the University of Pennsylvania for college, and has 2 older sisters and one niece.
I like talking to Aiden, and if the timing were different, I could see myself maybe falling for him, but that's the last thing that I'm focused on. There's a part of my mind still thinking about Teddy. There's an even bigger part of my mind still thinking about Lucas.
Speaking of Lucas, I notice that we're about to pass him and his friends on the beach. They're holding drinks in their hands, playing Jenga, and I'm trying to keep my head down to avoid any sort of confrontation.
That only works for so long when Candace spots me.
"Hey, Lily," she calls out, but the way in which she pronounces my name tells me that she's got an ulterior motive.
I don't say anything and Aiden turns to me. "Friend of yours?"
"Not even close," I tell him and he looks back at her.
"I think she's calling you over," he says and I look at Candace to find her eyes on me. She starts beckoning me with her hand.
"Lily, over here," she says, and this time I huff.
"Mind if we head over there?" I ask Aiden.
"Not if you don't," he tells me.
I brace myself for whatever's about to come. What are the chances that this girl keeps things civil?
We finally make it to Lucas and his friends, but he's intentionally looking anywhere that isn't at me. He keeps bringing the red Solo cup that's in his hand to his lips, taking small, slow sips.
"Wanna play?" Candace asks, gesturing to the game. There's an untrustworthy gleam in her eyes.
"Uh, no, I'm good," I tell her.
"C'mon," she urges, "just one game. It's really fun."
"You guys playing Jenga?" Aiden chimes in, and I really wish he didn't.
"Mhm," Candace remarks. "You game?"
Aiden looks at me and then whispers, "What do you think?"
"C'mon, Lily," Candace says again, "live a little."
I skew my lips, and I don't know what comes over me, but I finally give in.
I notice Lucas glare at me when I make my way toward the stack of blocks, surprising me when he finally speaks up.
"You're really going to play?" he asks, anger in his tone, but also, some kind warning.
"Why should you be the only one who gets to have fun?" I say back, which keeps him quiet, but not from glaring.
Candace walks us through the rules, which I don't really need because Raegan already briefed me on them, but I let the girl go on because she loves hearing herself talk.
The game is a few minutes in when Preston and Raegan walk over to watch.
"You're playing?" Raegan asks, nudging my shoulder, but I just ignore her.
It's my turn and I successfully remove a block from the tower, which has this question written on it in black Sharpie: The thing that I value most is...
"Boring," Marshall whines when I read it out loud. "Who the fuck wrote that one?"
Everyone ignores him, and I answer, "My mom."
Candace gives me a sarcastic smile that she doesn't mean and then says, "Don't expect them to all be that easy, Lily. This is just the beginning."
It's Lucas's turn and his question reads: When did you lose your virginity?
"I can answer that one," Candace winks, trailing her nails along his arm, and I want to puke.
But Lucas drops his arm down and moves it away from her. "15," he answers.
We go around a few times and the questions get harder and harder to answer. Luckily, I haven't had a sip of alcohol yet and neither has Aiden or Lucas.
It's Lucas's turn again and, this time, the block that he pulls out reads: Give 3 adjectives that describe the person standing to your right.
It takes me a few seconds to process that that's me. I'm on his right.
My heart rate picks up as everyone "oohs and aahs," but Lucas is standing there with a blank expression. Part of me hopes that he reaches for his cup of alcohol, but the other part of me really wants to hear what he has to say.
"Well, what will it be, Luke?" Marshall asks when he takes long to decide. "Answer or drink?"
"I'll answer it," he states, and my heart begins to race when his gaze is on me as he thinks.
"Annoying. Scared. And...weak," he finally states, but the appalled look on his face confuses me and I can't tell if he's more disgusted with me or his answer.
I hear every single word that comes out of his mouth but it's almost like my body is trying its hardest not to let them stick. He could have said anything, but he chose words that he knew would break me, and while I want to say that I'm torn, that I'm surprised that Lucas would do such a cruel thing, I'm not. Because this is who he is. He hits you right where he knows it'll hurt. And the scary thing is, I still want to defend him, I want to find some excuse – any excuse – for his actions, but I know that I can't. I know that I'm not those things and I know that Lucas knows that I'm not either. I know it because he can't even look me in the eyes right now. I know it because he's trying to push me away and the only way he knows how to is by hurting me. But like I said, I won't defend him. He lost the right of having me protect him the second that he let me go.
Aiden places a hand on my shoulder to console me, but I pay no attention to it. Raegan calls Lucas an 'asshole' but I pay no attention to it. The only thing that I focus on is getting as far away from him as possible
And so, I run.
YOU ARE READING
The Bennett Boys
RomanceI was wrapping up my junior year of high school when my mom told me that we were moving. It was goodbye Cambridge, Massachusetts and hello Newport, Rhode Island. I knew that Newport was going to be nothing like Cambridge; I knew that I was going to...
