isabella [h.s.]

twenty one

**Handshakes in the hamptons
and gettin' drunk in the mansions with you,
and you look so classy,
come through with that magic**

ISABELLA

I re-adjust my sunglasses on the bridge of my nose as I flick over the page of the thriller novel I'm currently reading, which I'm well aware starkly juxtaposes with the serene environment of the beach I'm on. Although I was still, rightfully, in quite a sour mood when Harry and I arrived here, now that I'm laying on my stomach on a towel, dressed in my leopard-print bikini which I've been itching to wear since I bought it, reading peacefully and surrounded by the warm sand and the gentle sound of ocean waves, I feel much calmer. That is, of course, until Harry returns from his swim and flops down next to me, spraying water droplets everywhere as he shakes out his hair and disrupting my peace as he, once again, pesters me to go in the sea with him.

"Oh, come on," he huffs when I, once again, decline. "You can't come to a beach and not go in the sea. What, are you worried about your hair or something?"

I lower my sunglasses enough to scowl at him over the rim of them, not a fan of his remark. "It's nothing to do with my hair, or for any other vanity reason. I'm just happy and relaxed here." I pause, pursing my lips. "Well, I was, until you came back."

He just smiles at me, the edges of his eyes crinkling in amusement, causing him to squint even more so than he already was under the bright sun. "You've been doing that for hours, though," he says, tilting his head as he peers at me. "Don't you think it's time for a break?"

I can't help but scoff at that, shaking my head to myself in amusement as I flick over another page. "Bit ironic to hear you say that, workaholic."

"I've actually been taking full advantage of this weekend away," he argues. "I haven't done any work yet."

"We've only been here three hours."

Harry arches an eyebrow while I just smirk, rather pleased with my quick-witted response. He doesn't seem to share my enjoyment though, silently studying me between his narrowed eyes for a few minutes, and I use the opportunity of peace to return my attention to my book. That is until Harry suddenly reaches out and rips it from my hands, swiftly hiding the book behind his back as I pull myself up onto my knees and try to snatch it back from him.

Ignoring my demands, Harry calmly states, "Reading time is over. We're going for a swim now." I ignore him, continuing my attempts to grab the book from him, all of which are futile, and earn me a raised eyebrow from him before he adds, "You're the one who wanted me to come to the Hamptons with you, so the least you can do is agree to do something that I want."

That shuts me up. As much as I hate to admit it, he does have a point. I did ask him to come here with me, and although I had presumed most of my time would be preoccupied by Brody, I also did want to hang out with Harry too, hoping this weekend would solidify our friendship. So, with a relenting sigh, I give in, but not before demanding he returns my book so I don't forget my place. I pack up our stuff into a canvas bag I found at Brody's, which just consists of my book, sunglasses, and some drinks because we both knew it'd be better to leave our phones at the house, and then I fold up the towel and place it next to the bag. "Do you think the stuff will be safe though?" I ask, turning to face Harry. "What if someone steals it?"

"No one's going to steal a bag with bottles of water and a book," he assures me with a laugh. When I bite my lip uncertainly, he rolls his eyes before grabbing my hand and pulling me down towards the sea with a carefreeness that I didn't even know he was capable of.