Nebraskan Boys Will Be the Death of Me

Chapter 4: The Truth

It's been a couple weeks since the thing with Sam happened and nothing's changed. He still won't talk to me. He still sits on the other side of the room during second period and will make up excuses when our group wants to hang out. But Cassie had had enough. It's late September and she decided to have a pool closing party because her parents usually close it up around that time. She invited all of us and told Sam no excuses, he had to be there.

"He's not gonna come. I'm over it, why don't you just let it go too?" I sighed, pulling my soccer hoodie over my bikini.

"Because unlike you, I don't give up on friendships. And not to sound insensitive, but I'm not losing my friendship with him just because he doesn't wanna be around you," Cassie said.

"Wow, Cassidy. Way to be a bitch," Harley said.

I left the room and went out to the pool. Bullshit. It's my fault she hasn't hung out with Sam for the past couple weeks? They could've hung out without me. 

The patio door slid open and Mara came out.

"Hey babe," she said, walking over to me with her arms open for a hug.

I embrace her and lay my head on her shoulder.

"It's not your fault," she said, "Sam is an idiot and Cassie could've hung out with him whenever she wanted."

A car pulls into Cassie's driveway and we see Graham and Jake round the corner of the house to the patio.

"Hey boys," Mara flirts, letting go of me.

"Hey, tease. Where's my girl?" Graham says, hugging Mara and I hello.

"Inside. Have them all come out," Mara said.

Graham goes in and Jake follows.

Mara strips off her sweats and walks over towards the pool. She dives in and comes back up looking like a mermaid. Mara's always been a graceful swimmer. Her mom called her Ariel up until middle school. I guess it's because she's a dancer so she's just at ease with her body; she does everything with such grace.

"Get in, loser!" Mara slashes.

"We're going shopping!" I continue, finishing the quote from Mean Girls.

She laughs and the patio door opens. Everyone comes walking out. Including Sam.

Cassie walks over to me and squeezes her arms around me.

"I am so sorry. I was completely out of line and you did not deserve that at all. These past few weeks have been hard on you and I should've been way more understanding," Cassie said, wiping a tear from her face.

"Babe, no. Don't cry. Sam and I have been making it awkward for everyone," I try to comfort her. Cassie does do everything with the best intentions, it just doesn't always come out that way.

We hug and she goes over and sits on Graham's lap.

I pull my hoodie over my head and toss it on one of the chairs. I feel everyone watching me, trying to see if I'm upset or if I'll say something but I ignore it. I dive into the pool and swim over to Mara. Ollie does a cannonball behind me and soaks Mara and I. He swims over to us and picks me up, puts me on his shoulder and starts spinning. I scream and laugh, hitting him in the back and then grabbing his torso for dear life. He stops and tosses me under. I surface and splash him.

"Oliver! What the hell?" I say, wiping my eyes and laughing.

"Hi to you too Audie," Ollie laughs.

Mara swims over and jumps on his shoulders, pushing him under. He springs up and flips her.

Ollie looks over at everyone sitting at the tables. "Are you guys getting in, or?"