Chapter Sixteen: Ex's & Oh's

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By the time we found a spot that was acceptable by King Mason, we were already dripping in sweat

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By the time we found a spot that was acceptable by King Mason, we were already dripping in sweat.

It's about 85° in Los Angeles today, so walking up and down the beach carrying our bags, several beach chairs, and two umbrellas for shade was a lot.

At least Aiden has the alcohol in his car.

Speaking of, "Where is Aiden?" I ask Luke and Mason who I assume know his whereabouts.

"He's picking up Summer."

What.

My heart drops at the news and I can't help but feel myself getting angry at him, even though I have no right.

I mean, he can do whatever he wants. We aren't together so if he wants to bring his side piece to the beach to hang out with all of his friends, who am I to judge?

Asshole.

"Oh," I reply back, trying to sound nonchalant and not like I want to punch something at the moment.

Luke looks up at me and stops twisting one of the umbrellas into the ground, creating shade – and an escape from the heat – around us.

"You good, Mari? You sound upset."

Why does he have to be so intuitive?

"Pfft! Me? I'm fineee! All good! I love Summer! She's... awesome." I strain out through my teeth, causing Luke to give me a concerned look.

"Do you believe you're a good liar?"

My face falls at his question and I roll my eyes, "Whatever. She isn't my favorite person. You got me," I wave my hands up in surrender.

Luke chuckles, "Summer... well, I don't even know. She and Aiden are complicated."

Why does that statement make me even more anxious?

"What do you mean complicated? Are they together?" I ask Luke, suddenly extremely interested in Aiden's sexual affairs with Summer Rose.

"They dated at the beginning of Freshman year. Aiden was completely obsessed with her before she ultimately cheated on him and slept with someone else," Luke reveals, stunning me in every way.

Aiden? Obsessed with a girl? And not just any girl but Summer? The one I heard him fucking a couple of weeks ago??

Luke continues, noticing my pensive state, "But he's completely over her now. He just thinks she's a good lay. The person who's obsessed now is Summer."

"She likes him?" I ask slowly, not really wanting to know the answer.

"She's in love with him, I'm pretty sure," he says quietly, "But, I think she's more in love with the idea of Aiden than actually him," he finishes.

My brows furrowed in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Luke walks over to the second umbrella and starts to dig it into the sand a couple of feet away from the first. I think everyone has run into the water at this point, looking for an escape from the heat.

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