Never Said Goodbye {Sequel to Another Summer Romance}

Chapter 31- Choices

"I don't have to be so afraid of good-bye, because good-bye doesn't have to be forever." – Jenny Han, To All The Boys I've Loved Before

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"The boys are idiots!" Jessie exclaimed, walking out to the backyard where the rest of us girls were already spread out on lawn chairs, sun tanning. She was wearing a bikini like the rest of us were and had made her way to the pool, dipping her feet in the cold water.

"What happened?" Rhea questioned. She was laying on her back on the lawn chair to my left as Sierra was on the one to my right. She was laying on her stomach listening to music through her earbuds, but has now taken them off, interested on what Jessie had to say.

"They still don't know what they want to do tonight," Jessie sighed. "Like, it's going to be a Friday night. It's our second last night before leaving on Sunday, so they think we have to do something 'monumental,' whatever that means; Gabe's words, not mine. Like, he suggested bowling and Luke said why not a bonfire and Zach said to go skinny dipping. Like oh my god, he's my boyfriend? Please. Honestly, it's just frustrating. When Zach said for the both of us to hang out together, I didn't think that meant at the boys' cottage listening to them argue and decide what to do," she finished off ranting.

"Well, it sounds like you had an amazing morning," Rhea teased with a smile on her face.

Jessie returned a frown. "They're impossible. The whole thing is stupid."

"Where was Jake and Chiara in all of this?" Sierra asked.

"Chiara's parents had to go somewhere this morning, so she's babysitting her sister. And Jake had to go to work." At the time we've spent here this week, we've learned how Jake recently got a job. He's a cashier at Pizza Hut. "Anyways, they don't know what to do tonight either, Jake and Chiara don't," Jessie continued. "They said they were fine with anything, though, so that doesn't help either when it comes to making a decision."

"Well if it helps, I think the bonfire is a good idea," Rhea said.

"Of course you just have to agree with your boyfriend," Jessie joked.

"He's not my boyfriend," Rhea defended, a blush slowly creeping up on her face.

"Oh, come on," Jessie whined. "You've been on what, five dates, and he still hasn't asked you to be his girlfriend? He's more retarded than I thought."

"Don't call him that," Rhea scolded. "And I don't know, it's complicated."

"But what's so complicated about it?" Jessie asked her best friend. "He clearly likes you and you clearly reciprocate that. So what's the problem?"

"Just stuff," Rhea sighed.

"What, are you guys fighting or something?" Sierra piped up now.

"No, no. We haven't fought at all," Rhea replied. "It's just some stuff we have to figure out. Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?" Jessie asked.

"Positive," Rhea nodded. "Anyways, I think we should just do the bonfire. Just quickly go out and buy some burgers and marshmallows and all that good stuff and let's just do that."

Jessie sighed. "Well, sure, then. I do have a pretty soft spot for bonfires," she said with a small grin.

"What does that mean?" Rhea questioned.

"We threw Zach and her a bonfire the night they came here this past summer," Sierra explained, smiling herself. "I think because of that night, we all kinda have a soft spot for bonfires."

By this time, I've almost stopped listening to their conversation. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It's what I've been doing a lot of this past week- breathing deeply as if I was assuring myself to not go mad and that everything will be fine. Of course, this is my own fault, agreeing to something I shouldn't have agreed with. I don't even know, though, why I did it. I was all set on leaving but then he came around and with just a few simple words, had somehow managed to convince me to stay without trying much at all.