A Thousand Thrones

Three

Three

"There you are!" I heard Molly call from down by the water. 

"I know, I know.  I'm late," I said once she ran up to me and stopped there with her hands on his hips.  "I'm sorry.  I kind of fell asleep after I got home.  But I'm here now, so you can't say anything."

She sighed, shaking her head.  "You've already missed so much, though!  Marisa, the head cheerleader, was caught making out with Dan.  You know, the guy who won the science fair last year?  But she's going out with Austin, who's on the football team.  Isn't that crazy?"

I rolled my eyes.  That information wasn't nearly as important as the dream that I'd had.  It had stood front and center in my mind as I'd driven to the beach.  The guy who had been watching me...he was the same guy who had been in the cafeteria at school earlier.  The one in the suit who's eyes captivated my mind since. 

"Lee's been worrying about you, naturally," Molly said then, breaking me out of my reverie.  "I had to take his keys away from him and put them in my bag to keep him from driving to your house.  I swear that guy would do anything for you."

I grimaced.  "Yeah, unfortunately."                                                       

"What do you mean, unfortunately?  Yeah, it would be kind of strange at first if you two started dating, but I'd get used to it.  I mean, it wouldn't be that bad being the third wheel.  I'd be the best wheel, though."

My grimace turned into a frown.  "He asked me to leave early with him and we'd go to Mike's.  And yes, he clarified it as being a date.  He asked me this as he was following me in his truck while cars were going past him."

Molly looked like a fish out of water with her mouth gaping wide open.  "He asked you out?"

I nodded.  "Did you not just hear a word I said?" I asked.  "Yes, he asked me out."

She squealed and started jumping up and down.  "So what did you tell him?  You told him yes, right?  You had to!"

"I didn't have to do anything," I said.  "And I didn't exactly give him an answer either.  This black, expensive car drove up behind him and practically forced him down the road."

"Then he'll ask you later tonight!" she said. 

She grabbed my hand and started dragging me toward everyone had gathered on the beach.  I could see Lee helping bring over the wood for the bonfire since the sun was just getting ready to set.  Any minute they would light the fire. 

But when he saw me, he held up his hand in a wave and I hesitantly waved back.  I could already sense the awkwardness setting in between us since our earlier conversation and I wasn't even twenty feet from him. 

I couldn't help but admire him in his swimsuit, though.  It looked like he'd either worked up a sweat or had just gotten out of the water because his hair and body were wet.  And judging by the looks on most of the girls' faces, I wasn't the only one watching him. 

"Hey," he said with a smile once he jogged over to me and Molly.  "You finally made it, huh?  I was pretty sure you were going to bail."

I rolled my eyes.  "I fell asleep.  What can I say?"

He rolled his eyes, but his smile widened.  Then, out of nowhere, he grabbed my hand and led me toward the fire.  "Come on," he said.  "You've missed enough already."

With Lee's hand warm around mine, I looked back at Molly.  She was grinning and when she saw me looking back at her, she wiggled her eyebrows.