Watered Down

Chapter Sixteen.

Spending a few hours with Tally and Theon had been fun.

Anytime I get to hang around with them I can feel normal again. Even though I do really like the other girls, they are just reminders of what we're in together, so being able to forget for a while is nice. Tally was a little quieter than usual, but she told me that she had had a good day at school, but that it had been a long day.

When she was distracted by some sand crabs Theon came to sit with me to fill me in on his plan. He told me that had already started to line some things up. I was going to ask him about who the people were, but then I decided it was probably better if I didn't know the answer to that.

They'd stayed with me for a while, and Levi and Cassandra finally came onto the beach with us for the last twenty or so minutes. They loved Tally and she was in heaven being fawned over by all of us. Theon was a little more social with the other girls, and I noticed that he didn't have any issues with looking them in the eye which made me feel...Not jealous, but weird.

There was a general weirdness between me and Theon. Something in the air between us. Every time he moved I felt attuned to it, like I should move to. Every time he'd look away I'd get caught up in watching him, studying his profile and wondering where he got his thick scar from.

I had to stop myself, knowing the girls were likely watching me carefully so that they could bombard me with accusations like usual.

Of course, as Theon and Tally left, Levi and Cass pulled me out to the water with them, Grins on their faces already telling me my suspicions of them were correct.

"You're totally in love with him." Levi accused, her mouth open wide and Cassandra nodded her head with her.

"Oh my god!" I said. "I'm so not!" I denied the obvious. "We are just friends, and I don't know how many times I need to remind you both about Asher, but I would never cheat on him, even if we aren't technically together right now."

Levi bit her lips but smiled and Cassandra shrugged, flipping her long hair over her small shoulders. "Well, you might not be in love with him, but I totally think he's in love with you." She smiled.

I made a face, but Levi agreed. "You're blind if you don't see it." She said. "The way he watches you, and he's so...I don't even know how to say it, it's like he looks at you like you're the love of his life." She giggled.

"You're exaggerating." I mumbled.

She snorted a laugh. "No, I'm not." She insisted. "He's obviously really into you."

"It's intense." Cassandra said. "Just being around y'all it felt like I was intruding on this super special thing that you guys have got going."

I rolled my eyes at them both. "We. Are. Just. Friends." I said slowly. "Hardly even that."

"Whatever." Levi smiled. "You've got some serious chemistry, that's for sure."

"You're both boy obsessed." I laughed it off. "It's like neither of you have had a boyfriend before." I smiled but they both made a face. "Have you not?" I asked surprised.

Levi shrugged. "Kind of hard to find someone to date when you're in and out of the hospital." She said and I felt so bad for bringing it up. "Maybe I am just living vicariously through you." She smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry." I told her, and reached over to brush her hair behind her ear. "You'll have boys beating down your door when you get back home." I told her. "You're going to get to really live."

She smiled at me. "I hope so." She whispered.

"Oh, you will." I insisted. "I'm sure of it!" I proclaimed. "We're getting out of here and you're going to find your own Asher."