"Nice ass" Keeth stated as he walked around the corner. Annie rolled her eyes and continued to scrub the side of the tank.
"Keep your brother under control or my volunteering will have to wait". She plastered a stern look on her face and turned back around. "Why don't you go do something instead of constantly flirting with every female here" he looked at me and shrugged his shoulders, slowly walking away with pride in every step.
"Hey by the way, where's melody?" He said as his annoying face turned back around.
"She's helping out at the hospital right now, the aquarium isn't her top priority. Especially when it's infested with you." I hopped off the platform and walked over towards a bucket of fish, pushing it in Keeths arms.*
"Go feed the turtles or otters or something. If you really wanna help out then go be useful." He nodded and gripped the bucket. Just as I thought the coast was clear of my annoying ass brother, he faced me once again, head low.
"You know...mom would be proud of you" His words rung in my ears. The night of the accident all coming back. Tears welded up in my eyes as I shook my head. Not making eye contact with him. "Yeah, well she wouldn't be happy to see you not doing anything. Now go"
I said, Annie dropped her brush and walked over to me. Placing her hand on my right shoulder. "Are you okay?" Her eye brows furrowed as she waited for my response. I nodded my head and gave her the best smile I could. Trying to shake the thoughts out of my brain.
"Come on, you've done enough work here today. Let's go get lunch with Mel okay?" Her words were convincing, all though I knew there was much more to be done. But she was right. We've been working for around 6 hours strait today, cleaning, organizing, feeding animals, doing paperwork and the list goes on. "Alright let's go" her eye brows shot up as a huge smile appeared on her face. Granite this was her 3rd time begging me to leave today, she pulled me into a huge hug and grabbed my hand. Leading me out of the aquarium.
"Annie slow down I probably smell like dead fish and-"
"And I'm sure melody doesn't smell much better. She's been with blood and sick patients all day." She gave me a concerning look, hoping I wouldn't back down from her lunch plans. So, I let out a small laugh and nodded, getting in the car with her.
"So tell me, how's Luke?" She rolled down both of our windows in her black Jeep.
"I don't know...we haven't talked in weeks" I fiddled with my fingers as the warm wind hit my face
"Are you ever gonna tell me what really happened between you and him? I don't believe the "we didn't hit it off anymore" excuse Loni"
She stared at me while keeping one hand on the wheel. "Look it's not important anymore. It ended for good" Annie rolled her eyes and pulled into a parking spot. Melodys face lit up as she jumped from her seat and ran over towards us.
"Hey! I see you finally got Loni to leave the aquarium" melody exclaimed, Annie laughed and nodded as we all took a seat outside.
"How are you holding up?" She asked as she handed me creamer for the coffee she ordered us.
"I'm okay...just trying to pass the summer. But let's not talk about that, hows Kevin and his new fiancé?" Melody rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders.
"Fine I guess, but it feels like he moves onto a new girl every week." She took a sip of her coffee and sighed.
"Maybe this one will work out Mel" Annie gestured.
"I doubt that, but I just don't get it. He's a dick, yet can get any relationships wants. And then there's me where I can't even get a guy to like me back." She gazed over my shoulder
"You just need to wait for the right time and the right guy melody" I tried giving her any ounce of hope that I could as I looked back, following her gaze. My eye brows shot up
"No no no not him"
"Oh come on Loni, why not?" She slouched back and crossed her arms
"Because, Keeth is a dick and would snap your heart in a second. Plus when I told him to do something useful I didn't mean for him to leave."
Annie sipped her coffee and laughed.
"I think he has a thing for her though"
Melodys scrunched her eye brows together and waited for Annie to continue
"No, he just wants to sleep with her Annie. I'm sorry melody but my brother is off limits. I'm not letting him hurt you"
"Fine, then what about him?"
She looked to the right, there was a man with brown hair, a sculpted face, muscles, and a hot ass body.
"Damn go for it, shoot your shot" Annie pushed her arm, nudging her on
"Okay okay I'll go" she laughed and stood up. I watched him as she walked over and tapped on his shoulder. He turned around, facing her, also giving me and Annie a clear view of him. He had a charming smile, and very deceiving eyes. He glanced over at our table and nodded, beginning to walk over. I felt my face become bright red as I stared down into my lap.
"You brought the spicy guy over to our table mel, not exactly what I was planning but I'm not complaining" Annie shrugged her shoulders and lifted her coffee cup to take a sip.
"Well it's nice to meet you all, I just moved here about a week ago" He had a deep voice, a major turn on for any girl. But this was Melodys chance. Not mine, not Annie's, Melodys.
"Would you like to have a drink with us?" Melody asked him. Just as he was about to answer, his phone rang. He gave Mel a lighthearted smile and put up his finger, gesturing to give him a minute as he stepped away.
Melody smiled ear to ear and sat down in pure delight.
"This is amazing!" Her smiled widened.
"He seems interested in you, you guys would so make a good looking couple." Annie exclaimed.
"Do you think he plays football? Oh my god I would be living the dream! The high school football caption with the cheer caption" she rested her arms on the table as she dreamt in her fantasy world.
"He better not break your heart, I actually wanna see where this is gonna go. New guy, new town, new friends, possibly a new girlfriend?" Annie raised her eyebrows as she teased at the idea
"Did you even catch his name?" I kept my arms crossed and tried to hide the fact that I was indeed, very jealous.
"No actually-"
"It's Grayson" he placed his hand on my shoulder from behind and nodded. Sitting in between me and melody.
"Well, this is Annie and Loni. We'd love to show you around the town if you'd like?" Melody gave him a small smile and sat back.
"That's alright, I've actually been exploring a lot" he took a sip out of his drink, it was some type of coffee but I couldn't really tell because of the tinted plastic.
"So tell us, how come you moved to Clear View? Yes, we have beautiful beaches and warm temperatures but is there any specific reason?" Annie asked. He furrowed his eye brows and glanced down at his drink, shaking the ice in it.
"Family reasons, that's all" he clenched his jaw and nodded towards her. Annie and melody kept firing questions at him as the next ten minutes past by. His phone must have been silenced because it kept lighting up in his hand every couple seconds. Text message after text message.
"So anything fun around here Loni?" He asked. My head shot up, breaking the trance I was in.
"Uhm yeah we have carnivals and different festivals and stuff like that" don't stutter. Stop being so fucking nervous.
"We should go together" his words rung through my ears as my face got warm.
"All of us". Oh...okay okay he meant all of us not just me and him. Pff why would he want to just hangout with me anyways? Annie and melody are WAY hotter than I'll ever be and-
"Here, take my number and I'll pay for your guys drinks" he handed melody a piece of paper, nodding and standing up
"No it's okay I told the girls I would pay-"
I shook my head and insisted.
"It's fine, I promise" he put his hand on my back and smiled. Then, walking away. I watched him as he scrunched his eyebrows together and read something on his screen. His mood instantly dropping as he picked up the phone and rolled his eyes. He looked pissed off at whoever was on the other end of the call
"That's went SO good!" Melody screeched as they stood up.
"I think he's really into you Mel" I answered, but I wanted him to be into me. God what kind of best friend was I to catch feelings for her new friend—boyfriend—acquaintance or whatever he was.
Once I was dropped off, I pulled out the keys in my right pocket and unlocked the door. Dads car was in the driveway surprisingly. Normally he works until 9-10 pm.
"You're home early" I shouted across the room as I sat my purse down on the kitchen counter. His back was facing towards me as he nodded and hung up his phone. I walked over towards him, his whole frame was stiff
"Is everything okay dad?" The phone fell out of his hand while tears rolled down his emotionless face.
"My mother's dead."
