The Tourist Trap

Chapter 9

I dropped down on my towel and started rummaging through my bag, trying to ignore them all.

"You going to introduce me to any of them?" Jared asked finally.

We both looked over at the beach blankets where every last one of my class mates were clearly talking about me and Jared.

Dino smirked in our direction and, although I wasn't sure what it meant, I knew it couldn't be good.

"Probably not a good idea," I said. "Some of the kids don't really like it when out of towners hit the local spots."

Jared's chin dropped. "You've got to be kidding me. What is this, 1955?

"What's 1955 got to do with anything?" I asked.

"I don't know, turf wars come to mind" Jared said tersely. "Or just a time when people were close-minded and backward."

Whoa. 

Was he calling my friends backward? Even if it had a slightest pinch of truth, he had no right to say it. He had only been here for less than a week.

"I knew coming up here was a mistake," Jared said, leaning back on his elbows. "I could be in the Hampton's right now, partying with my friends instead of sitting here getting ostracized by a bunch of country bumpkins."

"Hey!" I protested.

I couldn't let that one slide.

"Hey, Cassie! Is that guy bothering you?" Mike asked, standing up and rolling his sizable shoulders back.

I looked at him and laughed. "Uh, no Mike. At ease," I joked.

He nodded, looking not too convinced, and dropped back down on the blanket, never taking his eyes off of Jared.

I guess around Lake Logan, we protect our own.

"Sorry," Jared said, pulling a glance at Mike. "I didn't mean you. It's just... man. I can see the boring stretching out in front of me like an eternity."

I sighed. Apparently he didn't even realize that everything he said was hitting me like a personal insult.

"Look, if you don't want to be here, then why are you here?" I asked him, standing up.

I dropped my shorts, and watched him blatantly check out my legs. Then he looked down, picking up a hand full of sand and let it run through his fingers.

"My dad kind of... made me come," he said.

I scoffed. "Sheesh. Who's the baby now?" I joked, raising my eyebrows.

He looked up at me, his eyes flashing, but I turned around and strode over to the water before he could make a comeback. 

Reaching my hands over my head I took two steps into the frigid water, then plunged forward, head first. It was like diving into an ice bucket, but it was exactly what I needed to clear a day of sweat and toil right off of me.

When I resurfaced, Jared was still sitting there, playing with the sand like a petulant child.

What was his deal exactly? Was he a fun loving daredevil or the pouty kid who couldn't get his way? Did he want to hang out with me or was he just using me to fill time like Derek had suggested?

I really didn't know what to think of Jared. Clearly, I was attracted to him. That much I could admit. And hanging out with him would definitely put some excitement into my otherwise predictable summer. But hanging out with him could also cause me some serious trouble - with Derek, my dad, with the other locals. Trouble I didn't even want to think about.

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SURPRISE UPDATE!!!! I seriously could NOT wait for y'all to read this chapter. 

What did y'all think? 

I feel like it's not what y'all were expecting, which is great to me. You always have to keep em guessing. 

Do y'all think I should keep Mike in as a main character? I'm really starting to like him and I don't know how I feel about him showing up here and there. Like I'm really split on the decision. Let me know what y'all think.

Thank you for reading yet another chapter, your reads, comments, and votes mean the world to me, and it helps keep me motivated on writing even more for y'all. 

Thank you so SO much!!!

Much love, Kylie ,< 3