Off Limits

2. Welcome to the Sunshine State

For the first hour of the flight, I got sucked into endless thoughts about my unsettling breakup. I couldn't have been so easy to dump away after I did so much for him. That could've been the problem. I did most of his damn assignments because he would whine about his grades not being up to par to continue basketball. He had the best of both worlds, and I saw nothing wrong with it and thought I was a decent partner. Kevin had used me for his own sick, personal gain. Maybe it wasn't real love, and I forced the idea in my head to be happy.

Even though my mind was in the dark, I quickly pulled myself together, not wanting to bring my misery on my summer vacation. I promised my best friend that I would try to have a good time, and I planned on doing just that. If he could post pictures at a stupid party last night, then so could I.

"I thought you were going to keep me company, but you're just as useless as Cameron," she joked, twisting her chocolate brown hair into a bun. "He's been sleeping since we left Ohio. Riley, Ohio."

I forced a laugh. "You know Cam could fall asleep anywhere," I added, trying to get a peek out of the window to see if I could see land, but we were still up in the clouds. It was beautiful and oddly soothing, even though we were so far up.

Samantha and Cameron had been dating for most of college. He wasn't sure at first because he knew he couldn't offer her much, but he gave her a chance. And they've been together ever since. He was such a good guy. Not only was he patient, but he was gentle, sweet, and a big nerd. He loved everything about her, and it was one of those relationships you wished you had.

"God. He's an old man in a twenty-two-year-old's body. I wanted to have sex last night, so I went into the bathroom for five minutes, and he was snoring. He can not be that tired," she stressed, slamming back against the seat. Instead of Sam getting standard seats, she put us all in first class, and I wasn't complaining.

I laughed, adjusting my long legs in the seat.

"Do your parents know that I'm coming? There's going to be a bunch of twenty-something-year-olds in the house, probably partying," I asked just to make sure. I don't know much about her parents, but that her father owned one of the largest automotive chains in North America. I knew they only talked to her on their time and never cared to show up at anything important to Sam. I hated that she had to go through that, and I knew it bothered her.

Sam shrugged one shoulder and picked up a magazine to flip through it. "When have they ever cared about what I do?" she asked in a dry tone. That hurts.

"I'm sorry, Sam," I muttered, turning my head to look at her. She restlessly put the magazine down and glanced at me with her dark brown eyes, twisting her lips until her deep dimples indented in her cheeks.

"Don't be. Apparently, I should be peachy with having a limitless credit card," she arched her eyebrow. "Anyway, I know this isn't Hawaii, but I will do my best to make sure you have a great time. There are no rules." Sounds dangerous and fun at the same time.

She took some time to think. "Well, I have one personal rule that I have to get off my chest. I know you won't break it, but I just need you to promise me. Okay?" she asked, completely shifting her body to face me.

"What's that?"

She inhaled and puffed her cheeks. "My brothers are off-limits. Not that you'd go after them or anything, but they're pigs. I love them more than anything, but they run through women like candy. I've lost so many friends because of my brothers, and I hate being in the middle of messy situations. I don't want to be in a position where I have to choose between my brother and my best friend. It's girl-code, and I trust you," she confessed, fidgeting with her sparkly nails. I was an only child and never had to deal with my friends dating one of my siblings.