~Day Five~
The next morning Macy had finally come out of her cabin, but none of us talked to her. Mainly because she was giving us death glares and we were helping clean up the beach.
When we all woke up to the sound of a chainsaw, we went out and looked. No one was out helping clean up the beach but a few guys. So, we decided that if we wanted to be on the beach anytime soon, we might as well give them a hand. I was fine with it. I didn't mind helping out without getting paid like the guys cleaning the beach were. I think they were just grateful they didn't have to do it themselves.
We were up pretty early, but I was glad to be out of that cabin. Not because of Jake, definitely not, but because I hated being cooped up for that long. Being cooped up with Jake was enjoyable though. He and I talked a lot. To me, it was just his presence that made me feel better about being couped up. But, I enjoyed cleaning, mostly because I got to see Jake's muscles in action.
Macy was using her anger her anger to clean quickly, I could hear her mumble under her breath how much she hated us. It made me wonder if James ever planned on killing her too. It also made me wonder why she's still upset about James getting arrested. He was a serial killer for crying out loud! I snap out of my thoughts and continue to clean.
"Everything okay up there?" Jake asked, knocking is knuckles on my head. I swatted his hand away and giggled. If only he knew what was going on in my mind.
"Yeah." I turned back to Macy, showing Jake that that was what I was thinking about, giving him a clue what was going on in my mind. He sighed.
"She'll figure it out eventually." He said, but I could hear the doubt in his voice as well. We both knew it would be awhile before she snapped out of it, if she snapped out of it at all.
"Hopefully." I replied with. I looked back at Macy and she glared at us. For Macy, her death glares were pretty menacing.
"Stop staring at me you traitors!" Macy snapped at us. I sighed. Hopefully. I think again in my thoughts.
I turned back to Jake and he led me over to a cut up tree. Miriam and Patrick were already moving some of the logs. I heaved a log into my arms and moved it to the giant truck with all the other pieces of logs in it. The logs weren't too heavy, thank God, but they were heavy enough to where I had to stop a few times whenever the travel took a little longer than some.
Moving a few trees alone fortunately only took an hour. The workers told us the beach was usable again and to go enjoy ourselves instead of helping them. We thanked them and they replied with 'no, thank you'. We all headed back to the cabins. It took a few minutes to change and we sat around for Macy, but soon realized she wasn't coming. I don't even know why we waited around for her. She obviously was still mad at us, why would she go to the beach with us? More importantly, why did she help us clean the beach? We all shrugged it off and headed for the beach. As soon as we got there and dropped our stuff off, we headed for the water. We knew because of the recent rain, the water would be warm. We all went out as far as we were allowed and there were some small waves, but not many at all. The water felt good on my skin after not touching it for a couple of days. Sometimes, you just needed the salt water of the ocean rather than the tap water of a shower.
I closed my eyes and floated on my back. I felt something on my ankle and I became paranoid quickly and soon got pulled underwater.
"Aaah!" I screamed before I was submerged. The salt water stung my eyes for a moment. I looked around and found Jake grinning at me a good six feet away. If only I could swim quick enough... I pointed to Miriam's legs and he grinned some more and nodded. He and I swam over, took her ankles into our hands, and pulled her down. Jake pulled himself out of the water and tackled Patrick, pulling him down as well. I held back a laugh before I drowned myself. Miriam glared at me and I smiled innocently. We swam back up and I took a much needed breath of air; I let out a little chuckle, a remainder of my laugh. Miriam looked around.
"Where are the boys?" She asked. This time I wasn't sure what was going on, although I should have, but Miriam and I were pulled underwater for a second time. Patrick was grinning at Miriam while Jake was hugging me from behind underwater. Did this mean something? All his flirting? Was he interested maybe? Hopefully? I smiled inwardly, hopeful, and we all resurfaced.
"Today is turning out to be a pretty awesome day." Patrick stated. I nodded enthusiastically.
"No doubt about it!" I agreed. Jake was back to swimming next to me. I frowned inwardly this time. I wished he was hugging me from behind again.
"What do you want to do for dinner tonight?" Jake asked Miriam and Patrick while swimming slowly back to shore.
"There's one more restaurant that we should go to," Miriam said, "then the next two nights should be bonfire nights."
"Sounds good to me." I chip in as we walked onto the sand. I wondered what restaurant she was talking about. Maybe it was just another she found when planning this trip.
"It's settled." Jake said. Patrick nodded to Miriam and we headed back to our cabins. Jake and I took turns taking showers. I washed my hair twice; the ocean was really taking a toll on my hair, making it coarser, rather than softer. I decided it best wait until we got home to fix my hair properly. The water at the cabins was hard water, which was making my hair worse.
I grabbed a dress that I packed and I went back into the bathroom, making sure Jake didn't notice me. I didn't want him to catch me with just a towel! The dress was yellow and the straps started at my back, went under my arms, and went up and round my neck. It was mid-thigh. I dried my naturally wavy hair and the waves that were left over were perfect. I pulled on the pair of sandals I brought with the dress and I reapplied my make-up. I came out of the bathroom and went into the living room where Jake was waiting for me.
"Ready?" Jake asked and turned around. He automatically smiled. "You look really pretty."
I blushed a crimson red. No one had ever told me I was pretty and meant it. Jake was giving me new experiences that I thoroughly enjoyed. I was an idiot for dating all those jerks. What was I thinking?
"Thanks." I replied. Jake opened the door for me. Miriam and Patrick were waiting for us. Miriam and I had the same idea about the dress and realized it was the same dress, but pink. We bought it on the same day. We walked up to them and Miriam handed us a note. It was in Macy's handwriting, saying how she was tired of us and we were all traitors, so she left. I looked at Miriam and she looked worried.
"I wouldn't worry about her, Miriam." Jake said, reassuring her. "She knows how to get a cab and get home."
Miriam nodded and we got into her van. To be honest, I was glad I didn't have to hear James or Macy's annoying voice. Macy's voice was always squeaky, and James sounded like he was always telling a story. Was that bad to think that way when she used to be one of my good friends? Jake talked to me the whole way there, and I listened, but didn't really retain much of the information.I couldn't help but think something was going to happen. Something bad. I didn't like this feeling.
"So, when's your birthday?" Jake asked me, pulling me away from my thoughts. I shook my head lightly. This was just something I was being paranoid about.
"What?" I didn't quite hear the question, so I asked him.
"When is your birthday!" He yelled at me. I giggled, playfully smacking him. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Miriam look in the rear-view mirror at us. She had on a smirk, knowing something was up between us.
"I'm not deaf." I stated matter-of-factly.
"What?" He asked back. Now he couldn't hear me? Miriam really needed to get her van fixed...
"I'm not de--..." I glared at him, realizing the joke he was playing on me. He laughed and I smacked him on the arm again.
"June sixth." I replied. "When is yours?"
"April twenty-eighth."
"So, soon?"
"Yeah." He smiled. He was hiding something behind that smile. Maybe something special was going to happen on the day of his birthday. Maybe he was just excited that he was turning eighteen. I know I was.
We pulled into the parking lot and got out of the van. Jake helped me out and I thanked him. Jake and I followed Miriam and Patrick into the restaurant, our hands constantly grazing each others. I really wanted to reach out and grab it. Once inside, we were seated quickly and it was nice. There was soft music in the background; the food on the menu was nice, but not too expensive and I wondered how Miriam found this place. I wasn't saying she couldn't find nice restaurants, it was just far from the cabins and more modern than the other places we ate this week.
"This has been such a weird week so far," Miriam began after taking a drink of her Sprite, "but I'm having an awesome week." Everyone laughed.
"And I'm going to be honest, I'm glad James and Macy aren't here. They were annoying and James was a douche and controlling." She got more angry when she talked about James. We all looked at her, confused. She was hiding something, and I knew it. I gave her the look I usually gave her when she was hiding something. The look that said 'spill-now-because-you-know-I-know-something-is-up'. She looked at me and sighed.
"James and I were a...thing for awhile." I watched her closely, she was talking with her hands, an unusual thing for her to do.
"It was secret, he was great. Then, when I wanted to do something with Vanessa or my friends, he wouldn't let me. He would stop me and slap me, saying I was disobeying him. He would constantly try to get me to call him 'sir' when we were alone, but I refused. When I went home one night, I called him and told him it was over. I didn't want the risk of telling him to his face that it was over, he was so intimidating. He never bothered me again."
I never knew that. I guess she really kept it a secret. It made me slightly mad, considering she was my best friend and told me everything. There was something else behind why she wouldn't tell me thought, so I shrugged it off. I was proud of her for standing up for herself.
"So...why didn't you tell us?" Jake asked, letting my secret question in my mind spill. Miriam sighed, it sounded like she was going to hide why she didn't tell us.
"I don't know," she said. "I just...didn't. Can we stop talking about it now?"
She definitely was hiding something behind it. If she was hiding it, she either didn't want Patrick nor Jake to hear, or she just really didn't want to spill right now. I let her be. To pitch in, I spoke up.
"So what are we doing tomorrow?" I asked while putting my elbows on the table and folding my hands. She smiled at me, a secret 'thanks'.
"Beach. I think we should relax the last couple of days we're here. What do you think? Especially all that's happened."
"I think it's perfect." I agreed. I wanted a couple of sit around days after the week I had, even though we already had a couple. These past few days of being cooped up weren't 'relaxing' per ce. At least being on the beach and relaxing wouldn't keep me cooped up in a cabin.
We all joked around the rest of dinner, but I could tell Miriam was bothered by the conversation we had about James. I honestly didn't blame her, especially whens he had been dating the guy. If I were here, I'd be more than bothered. I'd probably be cooped up in the cabin by my own free will, something that rarely happened.
We ate and Miriam treated us to dessert. Jake's hand found his way to my knee. I blushed slightly. I knew that it was only a friendly gesture, reassuring me that Miriam would be okay. I was hoping it wasn't though. I was hoping it was like our special secret that something was going on between us. Maybe it could have been. Maybe it was. I really hoped so. But I knew he would have noticed my face, concerned and worried, later, or sooner for that matter because I still couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.
When we got back to the cabins, I quickly stripped off the dress before Jake got into the room. Jake sauntered into the room after I pulled on my t-shirt. Perfect timing.
"You okay?" He asked. I turned around, ready to answer him with my fake smile and answer. Instead, I go a look of him that kind of caught me off guard. He looked like a model. His button up, roll up shirt that he wore with is khaki shorts, was unbuttoned and his hands were in his pockets. He leaned up against the door frame on one foot and his hair was perfectly messy. Watching him brought another image to my head. I briefly wondered which would look better, him with his arms crossed, like in my new image, or the hands in his pockets...
I swallowed hard and could feel my face heat up to the heat of the sun. Why was I so affected by this?
"Y--" I coughed, clearing my throat. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"
"The look you had on your face in the restaurant worried me."
Good. He didn't notice my falter at his sexiness.
"Miriam just looked like she was bothered by the James conversation. So I was concerned. I'll talk to her tomorrow though." Jake nodded, believing me. Huh...that was easier than I thought it would be... Should I tell him...?
"I..." I started as he walked towards the bathroom. He stopped and look at me expectedly. Maybe he didn't believe as much as I thought he did...
"I just have the feeling that something bad is going to happen... Please don't tell Miriam though. If anyone tells her, I want it to be me. She'd understand with me. I'm the biggest worry wart on this planet. I'm sure it's nothing. Don't worry about me. I'll get over it." I replied in a rush. He came back over to me and ran his fingers down my cheek.
"I'm sure it's nothing as well." He replied and headed back to the bathroom to change close. I let out a sigh of relief. He didn't regard it any further, if he did...I don't know what I would do or say...
"Let's just get some sleep." He stated after returning. I nodded went into the bathroom. Ibrushed my teeth and came back into the bedroom as quick as I could. The feeling of something bad that was going to happen was really getting to me. From the way he was intently staring me down, watching me, he was still concerned about me, even though I told him not to be.
"Jake," I said, pulling back the sheets on my side of the bed. "I'm fine. Please don't worry about me."
Jake sighed, frustrated with me. He ran his hand through his hair and I frowned. Why was he so concerned. Like I told him, I was one of the biggest worry warts there is. I'm sure it was really nothing.
"Alright, Vanessa." He replied with another frustrated sigh.
"Why do you call me 'Vanessa'?" I blurted before I could stop myself. I covered my mouth with my hand and he looked at me with a raised eyebrow, a smile slowly forming on his lips.
"Because that's your name?" Jake laughed out.
"No," my cheeks flushed. "Everyone calls me 'Nessa'. Why do you call me VA-nessa?" I emphasized the first syllable of my name.
"Because everyone calls you 'Nessa'. No one calls you VA-nessa." He emphasized the first syllable of my name as well.
"Except my dad." My dad always called me Vanessa. 'Nessa' on special occasions with the family. 'Ness' when I was upset and really needed someone. Although he was distant, he still tried to be there for me sometimes.
"That's your dad." He deadpanned. I laughed. I turned on my side, my back to Jake. Jake really made me smile, even when he was being serious.
"Night, Jake." I said happily. I heard Jake chuckle slightly, making the bed shake lightly. I smiled wider, well aware that he couldn't see my goofy grin.
"Night, Vanessa." He said. I closed my eyes, the smile still plaster on my face, and drifted off to a deep, deep, dreamless, sleep.