We've arrived to Demi's house, I just hope she's at home. They insisted on coming in with me because they saw Joe's car on the driveway. My heart was in relief when I saw Demi open the door, she looked shocked for a minute when she saw this combination of three bodies. I bet she'd never expect me to show up at her doorstep with both Nick and Olivia.
"Demi, here's the clothes you asked for your trip," I gave her a look that Nick and Olivia who stood at the back could not see.
She got my cue and helped me roll in my luggage, "Thanks, I was just wondering where you were at."
See now, Demi and I used to take acting classes together when we were kids and when it comes to acting, we could recite it on point. We called it acting when we were kids, our parents called it lying.
"Hey JOE!" Demi called into the house, in milliseconds we see Joe running out from Demi's kitchen. He was in an apron and you could see they were playing house, with the site of their matching chief hats.
"Hey guys," he took a look at the combination of Nick, Olivia and I, just like the way Demi did. Then tried to make it look normal, "I didn't expect such a big crowd, should've called Dani and Kevin too."
"Well Selena and I bumped into each other at the coffee shop so I thought we'd give her a lift," Olivia explains.
"Ah..." Joe answers wiping his hands on the apron, he took a cue that Demi and I had to talk so he took them to the kitchen, "Hey Demi and I were just baking some chocolate croissant come in to try."
"Oh don't ask," Demi frowns with a heavy sigh, when we all looked shocked at Demi who leant her kitchen to Joe, "He drove me nuts on how to sauté the pasta this morning."
Nick and Olivia just laughs as they followed Joe to the kitchen while Demi and I went upstairs to her room. Once inside she sealed the door so no one else would hear. We took a seat on her bed as she tossed some clothes into her luggage for her and Joe's trip.
"I could lend you my car to get to your beach house," she suggests, "Or Joe and I could drop you off on our way to our trip--"
"Is hitching a ride with you guys okay?" I asked.
Demi draws a smile on her lips, "Of course Sel, like I said, we're always here for you."
"You're the best Dems," I embraced her into a hug.
"I've known you all my life Selena Gomez," Demi giggles, "Hey, I'm only a call away. Ring me if you feel lonely at the beach house."
"I will, thanks," I pulled away finally.
"Speaking of... you and Olivia happened to talk eh?" she had a dirty grin on her lips.
"It's difficult trying to not like her," I frowned, "She's too friendly and comforting. Ugh, life is difficult." I fell onto her mattress.
I hadn't even known that I fallen asleep while Demi was telling me something about the place they were visiting tomorrow. The next thing I knew it was morning and Demi was rushing me to wake up. I got up and rinsed up in the washroom before going downstairs.
Joe was carrying out Demi's luggages and mine. Then I saw Nick at the bottom, Demi rushed passed me to get some road trip snacks in the kitchen.
"Where are you going Sel?" Nick stopped me at the stairs.
"What are you doing here?"
"I asked first."
"I'm staying at my parent's beach house, now why are you here?" I crossed my arms.
"I-I'm going to drop you off at the beach house," he answers.
"What?" I spun around to him, "No way. Joe and Demi will drop me off."
"It's not even on their way," he argued. He clutches onto my luggage and started carrying it out to the car. By the time I chased him out to the car, I find Demi loading some last minute items into Joe's trunk.
"Demi?!" I exclaimed, her expression turned grave as she saw me approach. "What the heck?"
She closed the trunk and met me halfway on her driveway, "I know you'll be mad but Nick suspected and he knew what to say to make you go back."
"Well he's wrong, I'm not going back."
"Fine, don't go back today, but they're your family, you'll have to go back someday," She says to me in an apologetic manner.
I hated when she does this to me, it makes me feel like I'm the villain in crime. I waited for Demi and Joe to set off before I got in Nick's car. We barely said a word to each other when we got in. Because I shut him out. I had earphones in my ears and began to fall asleep to the sound of music that placate my catastrophic nature. I didn't need to direct him because he knew this town inside out, we could probably be driving with a blindfold over our eyes and we'd know where we were heading.
When I woke we were perhaps halfway to the beach house which was a 3 hour drive. The windows were down letting the summer air soak in. It was a total farmland filled with dried weaving hay, I could feel the priming effect of the pollen. It actually made me want to roll up the window.
But on another thought it made me wanting to keep it open so I could sync into this old feeling of fresh corn and farmland atmosphere. Everything was so serene, similar to a feeling I once cherished in this town.
As we neared the beach, the farmland seized for the sea salt water that spit.
"Thanks for the ride," I unbuckled when we arrived to the pavement, he followed out when I went to the trunk to get the luggage. "You can go now."
"I'm not just going to leave you here alone," Nick argued, he was persistent and stubborn. Well talk about stubborn, I think I beat him to it.
"Do whatever pleases you," I went inside the beach house with him following behind.
Nothing changed in this house, I dropped my luggages where I came in and ran to open all the windows. We had old French windows, so it was sort of unsafe, anybody could open these windows if we didn't lock them securely.
It has been ages since I've been here, perhaps like seven summers ago even. The day was still young and the sun was up. I could already hear children playing outside at the beach. I took my luggage upstairs, passing Nick who sat by the couch scanning through his phone.
He was too occupied by the tiny device in his hand to realize I have already changed and left the house. I found an empty spot for me to set up my beach bag and towel. The beach was not empty, but it was private somewhat.
Perhaps an hour under the sun I started to feel it soak in when a beach volley ball came at me. Striking a fistful throw into my right leg. My full body jolted up from that son of a gun ball.
"Sorry, we didn't mean to hit you," I looked up to see a young man crouch down to me to get the ball. He was a skinny brunette with the Troy Bolton cut and had soft brown eyes that has you enraptured into.
"Weird to even play volley ball in skinny jeans," I tossed the ball back to him.
He chuckles, exhibiting that god awful stink of marijuana between his lips, "First time I've seen you here..."
I looked up at him for a quick glance meeting his eyes, "Selena."
"I'm Anson," he takes his hand out as if I would shake the sinful-drug-touched hands of his. When he saw me not responding to his hands he chuckles and shoves it away, "My friends and I are missing a player, would you care to join?"
"It's a private beach here," I commented, before I threw my shades back on.
"I know, my friend lives right there," he pointed to a house five down from mine, "Well, when you are feeling like it, come join us."
When I lean back down on my beach towel. Taking it as a cue to leave, I heard his footsteps become distant. But in a split second later I heard one too familiar footstep run up to me.
"Who was that?" Nick asked, stole a piece from my towel to sit down on.
"No body you need to worry about," I said as I moved over for him, "When are you leaving anyways?"
When he didn't respond I opened my eyes to see him glaring at the group playing volley ball a couple meters away from us. That Anson dude fell back into place, we were far enough that we could witness their laughter.
Most of the other friends of his were in beach attire, except him and this two other girls who were in jeans and a roughly ripped T-shirt.
"Nick!" my voice elevated this time, catching his attention out of the blue. "Just go home, why are you even here?"
"I'm here to wait for you to leave and go home," he said.
"My life is none of your concern," some reason I felt angered by him. It's as if everyone is making decisions for me, who the hell are they to tell me what to feel.
I stomped my way into the water. Once I was far enough for the water to reach my waist, I began swimming a distance away from the shore. The warmth of the sea water embraced me as I try to swim around. When I took a glimpse back I see Nick's attention back to the volley ball crew. Specifically at the Anson dude.
His manifest of jealousy was easy to reckon.
I swimmed further away until I felt something tug hard on my calves and I began to sink into the water. It was an ocean after all where the waves are up. I was in a critically treacherous scene, the pain that struck my leg was agonizing.
I could hardly move as I sunk down helplessly. A huge wave came above and washed me off.
Everything went black after.