Another Wrong Turn?

Chapter Twenty-Two: Being Gullible Might Be a Good Thing

            Vince smiled mischievously. “Oh yeah? Well, then, I better scream to the world that you stopped peeing your bed when you were in tenth grade.”

            He and Suzanne burst out laughing as I glowered angrily on my brother. “You. Wouldn’t. Dare.”

            “Oh I would,” he challenged. Then he placed both of his hands on the sides of his mouth, like he was shouting. “Victoria Strauss stopped peeing in her bed when—.”

            “Okay, okay! Happy?!” I screamed angrily as I took off the shirt and threw it on the white sand.

            Vince’s jaw dropped as he watched me from head-to-toe. “Oh… My… God… You look… amazing, Victoria!”

            Suzanne clapped happily. “Oh my gosh! I can’t wait to see Ian’s expression when he sees you!”

            I blushed angrily, crossing my arms on my chest. The bikini top was showing off my cleavage, which is not like me. “Whatever. I’ll leave you two now.”

            I marched off, unsure where to go. When I was about to go back to the beach house, someone grabbed my wrist, stopping me. I looked up, expecting to see Evan or Vince but was shocked to see someone I don’t know.

            The unknown guy smiled at me. “Hey.”

            “Hi,” I said, smiling politely. “Um, do you need anything?”

            “You’re the girl who played the role of Elizabeth Bennet, right?”

            I nodded. “Yep, that’s me. Uh, I don’t remember you from the play. Were you invited…?”

            He laughed. “Yeah, I am. My sister played the part Jane Bennet and this weekend is my parent’s anniversary. They wanted to go to Hawaii for a week and they shipped me off with my sister here so I could enjoy the weekend, too. Well, anyway, I’m James Anderson. I’m a senior at school. And you are?”

            “Victoria Strauss,” I replied, looking at him from head-to-toe. He looks incredibly hot since he was only wearing beach shorts, leaving his chest bare.

            “I’ve never seen you before,” he said conversationally. “Well, before the play. I always wanted to ask you out after that but… when you and that Jones guy kissed; I was thinking that maybe you and him are dating? That kiss was just so perfect and intense. It’s obvious that you two were doing it seriously.”

            I laughed nervously. “Uh, we’re not really dating. We’re just friends.”

            James nodded, looking extremely pleased. “That’s awesome. Anyway, you want to swim or go for a walk?”

            I nodded. “Sure.” Anything to take Ian off my mind.

            After thirty minutes of talking about random things, I realized that James was a very nice guy. Well, not that nice since some of the times, I caught him staring at my chest or my legs or something. But, so far, he’s okay. He’s really funny and amusing. And the best thing was that I’ve never seen Ian today.

            “It’s almost six. Dinner is at six-thirty. You better get dressed, you don’t want to go the beach restaurant with your bikini, right?” he said, laughing.

            I checked his watch on his wrist. “Um, it’s still four-twenty-five. We have plenty of time left.”

            “Just come on,” he said, grabbing my wrist and dragged me away from the spot that I was standing.