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Enjoy reading....
Peyton's POV
Believe me when I say, we didn't come to the beach unnoticed. Dad's lame attempt to make us blend in with the humans did not work. Imagine: thirteen abnormally beautiful people exiting their cars and walking across the sand like a bunch of models preparing for a photo-shoot. Well, that's what we looked like.
"Tell me, why again did I have to ride with you?"
Soren rolled his eyes at me and turned the key off the car. "I'm in charge and I thought it would be safer for you to ride with me than with the other guys."
"How can you be any more safer?" I replied.
He looked at me with a cocky smirk. "If something had happened, I would have enough muscle to shield you from harms way."
Oh god. I rolled my eyes. "You are impossible."
"...To resist." He added.
"To turn off." I corrected.
"I'm always turned on." He wiggled his eyebrows.
My cheeks blush. I can't believe him!
"Knock it off." Derrick walked passed him with an annoyed expression on his face. "Flirt somewhere else, I don't want to hear any of it."
A collection of yes' came from my sisters and nods from everyone else.
"We weren't flirting!" I glared at him.
"Just pretend I'm not here," Jackie picked up her beach towel, book under her arm, and carried an umbrella over her shoulder.
"Don't tell me you're going to read the whole time we are at the beach!" Ash grimaced. "There's water, sand, hot guys...have some fun Jackie!"
Corey pointed his finger to his mouth and made a gag gesture.
I helped the guys unpack the things we brought from the trunk. I choose to carry the picnic basket where mom stored our lunch. It was a little heavy, but I wanted to be useful and help out. Unlike Ash, Sam, or Tay, who had already ran to the water in their bathing suits.
Ryan had come with us and he brought the coal for barbecue. "Hey guys, I'll start setting up the grill at the picnic area."
"I'll help you." Derrick helped him with the sack of coal.
"That's a lot of coal," I mumbled.
"We brought a lot of food." Luca answered me, then looked over his shoulder to show me the guys carrying a box of uncooked meat. Another with condiments and whatever else they wanted in their burgers. The things mom packed were the fruits-mini watermelon- and crackers.
"Why so much? We can't eat all that." My sisters and I don't really eat that much.
"You seriously asking?" Christian chuckled.
"Eric's stomach is like a black hole." Daniel commented. "Sometimes we have to limit the amount of seconds he can have or he will never stop."
"Hey." Eric shoved Daniel. "Don't make me look bad in front of the lady."
"You already make yourself look bad." Corey snorted.
"What you say?" Eric snapped.
Corey must be joking. Eric may be silly, but that was part of his charm. I can see al the females on this beach eyeing up all the men in our group like they were pieces of chocolate and they wanted their hands all over them.
I walked silently to our designated area by the middle of the beach; a great place to put up our volleyball nets, when suddenly someone grabbed the picnic basket from my hand.
"Hey." I was about to say something else but I realized it was Soren.
"You should have asked someone to take this. You didn't have to carry it. There are 8 capable men who would be able to help you and I'm one of them."
"I'm not useless." I yanked the bag back in my hand.
"I never said you were." He said back.
Ignoring him, I continued walking until I stopped by Jackie who had presumed reading her book. She had sunglasses on and headphones.
"You going to join your sisters in the water?" Soren asked, pointing at Sam, Tay and Ash splashing in the water in their two-pieces. A few feet away, people were staring at them like they were watching an episode of Bay Watch.
"I will after I put on some sunscreen." i said.
"I'll wait for you." Soren grinned. "Need any help applying it on hard to reach places?" He sounded hopeful.
"No." I said without skipping a beat. "You don't need to wait for me."
He shook his head. "I don't think I'd have fun here without you."
My stomach fluttered, or my heart. I couldn't look at him without getting a funny feeling all over.
"Soren, can you please just go." My face was heating up and I couldn't stand him looking at me any longer.
"If that's what you want--okay." He held his hands up in defense, but their was a faint smug smile on his face. He turned around and pulled his shirt over his head. I saw the hard planes of his back and his muscles...wow.
He had dimples on his lower back!
Peyton, close your eyes, or look away ! I wasn't the only one who was practically looking his over. It was like almost all the females on the beach took a glance at him--some drooling. I'm pretty sure that the girl walking with the ice -cream cone hadn't noticed she just stepped on the man buried underneath the sand. The man yelped and she fell over on top of him dropping the cone on the man's face.
Soren dropped his shirt on one of our towels and since he was already wear swim trunks, he walked towards the water, them dove in as soon as the water was waist deep.
"You are so hot for him." Jackie commented.
My mouth dropped at her comment. "Shut up."
*
"I can't believe their here" Sam cried into Ryan's chest. They were publicly embracing each other while everyone else sat at the picnic benches ready to receive food.
Ryan laughed at his mate, wrapping her around his arm and kissing the top of her head. She rested more into him and giggled. "It's alright babe, we can still spend time together alone" He winked at her whispering to sweet things to her ear. Sam smiled mischievously and allowed him to kiss her on the side of her head one more time.
There it was again, the pain in the center of my chest, every time I saw my sisters or other couples in tight embrace. I felt left out all the time although I hide my emotions very well.
"Finally...how hard is it to put up a net?" Luca groaned, his forehead wet with sweat. His white shirt was sticking to his skin, because it was so damp. He unbuttoned a few buttons on his shirt, then decide it wasn't enough and took it off. Half the guys in our group were shirtless and half the girls in the beach were lining up at the ice-cream stand to get cool.
"Surfs up guys!" Soren was able to rent a surf board. One would think he had surfed all his life, but he just learned today after asking a few surf guys at he beach to show him a few pointers. It was funny watching him fall during his first few attempts, but eventually he was standing on the board like a pro.
Eventually, Christian, Nathan, Luca, Eric, Corey and Daniel were all stripped down to their trunks shorts with surfboards in hand. Most of the female population in the beach had nothing else to do but stare at the group of handsome men goofing off and trying to drown each other. I got in the water for only 30 minutes when Jackie decided she wanted to get in the water. We took a few pictures together then played with the sand. When we got tired, we sat under the umbrella again.
My younger sisters were all accounted for, but Sam disappeared somewhere with Ryan just as he had promised.
"Their coming" Ash said to Tay, who was texting on her phone.
"Who's coming...?" I asked my younger sisters whispering secretly with one another.
"No one" Ash said flatly sitting back on her fold out chair. Knowing I couldn't get answers from her, I eyed Tay who was nervously looking back and forth from me to the ocean.
"Tay...do you have something you want to say?"
She shook her head. "Not really."
"Stupid." Ash elbowed her side, causing her to yelp in pain.
These two are so confusing.
"You two better tell me now, or I'm telling mom how you stole her jewelry and almost lost it at the concert you went with Nick last summer." I pointed at Ash.
"That's blackmail!! And you promised not to talk about it!"
"Tell me NOW" I loved using my serious tone, it had much advantage being the older sister—more authority to me—cheers!
"We invited Nick and Trent to come and they're on their way." Ash stared into the sand afraid of my reaction and as predicted I didn't like what I heard.
"Dad didn't say you could bring them!"
"He never said it wasn't okay." Ash said. At that moment, Jackie came back from buying drinks by the wharf. "Nick and Trent also convicted William to come along" Ash added wiggling her brows at Jackie who was now frozen in place. Jackie didn't respond, she stared at me for a moment and turn around so that her back was to me, but it was too late. I notice the grin on her face.
"We know, but he won't know...right Peyton? Please, please, please, don't tell mom and dad!" Tay begged. Tay is the master when it comes to begging, because she always won. She won't stop until our parents allowed what she wanted and that's how she was permitted to tryout various sports per season. Dad had to double her security because she would stay out late for practices.
"Fine, but if dad finds out, I have nothing to do with this." Both of them smiled and squealed with joy. Never will you ever hear ne squeal like that.
"Hey Ash, want to surf with me?" Corey came dripping wet near Ash's towel were she laid tanning. Corey wore a pair of baby blue trunks, his brownish hair slayed in a dripping mess over his face. His boyish features made up for his developing upper build.
"Sorry, I'd rather not become shark food" Ash brushed him off. Corey didn't hear anything of it and pulled Ash by the arm pulling her up to her knees.
"Come on, I promise there aren't sharks in there and if there are I'll throw one of the humans in front of you before the fish eats you" His joke—despite being a little over the top, made Ash laugh her head off. I smiled at the boy, how I wished Ash was more into a kid like him.
"Five minutes" She gave him. "After that I'm out." Five minutes past and she stayed in the water. Corey watching her grinning at Ash splashed water on him as she laughed genuinely. Ash looked like a normal teen for once, not the fake brat she usually was.
Soren caught me staring at them, probably thinking I was staring at him; he was in their line of vision and as soon as I hid my face behind my book again, he trotted across the waves and into the shore. From the corner of my eyes, Tay was smirking at me getting a kick at my strange behavior. It wasn't everyday my sisters found me making a fool of myself.
"The waves are nice today" He said taking a seat on my nice dry towel. "Whatcha reading?" He was staring at the book that Jackie was reading earlier. I had it in my hand because...I just randomly grabbed it for no reason.
"Can you please get off? My towel's getting wet" I pushed him slightly. Guess I didn't know my own strength, Soren toppled to his side and sand stuck to his wet skin.
"Thanks a lot" he groaned getting up and brushing his side.
I felt kind of bad for it.
"I didn't mean—
"Yeah, okay...I'll be back there if you guys need anything" He said looking at Tay who nodded. I watched Soren as he left again leaving me feeling guilty. Maybe I was being too uptight?
Tay sighed. "I wish they'd hurry up already! I want Trent and I to go boogie boarding before the high waves come in."
Hours later after boggling over the fact that Soren could possibly hate me now, I watch as everyone began a game of volleyball. Derrick had disappeared for a moment to pick up Leila from her dance classes. Leila is a protégée in the dance floor; I don't know why she complains about hating it so much.
"Hey squirt" Derrick came up from behind me and ruffled my neatly tied hair.
I groaned. "Derrick..."
He laughed, "Girls and their hair..." From behind a hand appeared ruffling Derrick's hair as well. Derrick turned around and grabbed his assailant around the waist. She giggled as he lifted her up and over his shoulder.
"Hey" Leila giggled. Her voice extremely girlish, I had to laugh along to it. Leila's gold hair fell like drapes down past Derrick's hip as he carried her upside down.
"Don't mess with the dreads" he glared at her jokingly.
"Dreads...?" I chuckled. I mean who uses that word?
"Guys and their hair" Leila mocked him.
"You're lucky I love you" Derrick said gently placing Leila back on her feet. His arm still looped around her hip like it was chained there.
"Why is that?" She asked cutely. I suddenly felt like the third wheel.
"Or I would have thrown you in the water" Derrick bent down and kissed Leila in the lips, lingering there until she voluntarily pushed him away embarrassed.
"Sorry, Pey..." She smiled gingerly.
"It's alright, you guys are so cute" I said grinning. Can we move on now? I tensed; I hated the pity in her eyes that reminded me of my mother. Sometimes I wonder if she knows how I feel, but she never mentioned anything since the first time Derrick introduced us.
"Hey Derrick come introduce us" Soren yelled by the volleyball court. I didn't notice before, but now I did. There were more people playing that weren't part of our group and most of them were hovering near the arrogant alpha jerk himself.
Urg... I can't believe I felt bad for him earlier!
"Is he flirting with you?" Derrick growled protectively gripping Leila like a guard dog.
"He is not." Leila cooed, causing Derrick to calm down. The power of being mates, I awed. "Joining the game, Peyton?" She asked me eyeing my book, which has been on the same page since we got here.
A gust of warm air blew the drape over my legs. "No, I don't like competitive sports."
"Doesn't look too competitive." Leila said pointing at Eric slamming the ball into Christian's face.
"Nah...I think I'll just walk around the beach." I said.
"Okay, but don't go unsupervised." Derrick directed.
I rolled my eyes, "Yes dad"
Leila laughed and punched him lightly by the side of his arm. Honestly, dad couldn't pick a better wolf to take his place as alpha. Derrick was the type of guy who cared about the wellbeing of others before himself; a typical alpha trait. Something Soren seems to lack or maybe I haven't seen it yet.
"Are you going to be okay here?" Leila patted my back.
I nodded, "have fun you too. Oh!! If you see Sam tell her to stop sucking face with Ryan, or there won't be life in him anymore."I laughed. Derrick frowned, while Leila chuckled silently behind him.
"Kay, if I see her..." Both waved good-bye walking towards the group playing beach volleyball. I watched as Soren gave Derrick a high five and Derrick introduced Leila to everyone. The human girls in their tight bikinis, watched enviously as another beauty came into the court.
To humans, we were the images of perfection. Because of our Werewolf genes and our daily exercise our bodies had high metabolism and our bodies never frail as we grow old.
"Ready" Luca yelled with volleyball hugged by his arm on his side. Tay, Ash, Nathan and Eric were on Luca's team. Christian switched with Derrick on Soren's team and they had Daniel plus three human girls playing with them. Jackie sat at the side as a score keeper slash referee.
The girls on Soren's team were pathetic, they barely even tried. One of them grunted every time she hit the ball, but it never went over the net, so Daniel had to spike it over. Soren alternated from back to front, he was basically half the team. But Oh-My-GOD...his body was glistening with sweat he looked absolutely hot!
"Time" Ash yelled looking at the Warf spotting Nick waving at her. She sprinted to him with Tay at her side. Jackie stayed put looking disappointed until William appeared blinded by a piece of cloth. That was Nick written all over it, I thought to myself. Jackie ran panicked to William's side. I watched as my younger sisters ran to their loves.
"Aww, come on!" Christian complained. Their game resumed when Leila and Christian took Tay and Ash's place.
Great, now I'm more of a loner now...
You know what! Forget this, I'm going to drown my sorrows away and enjoy a nice swim before it gets cold. I took off my flip-flops, reached into my bag for sunblock and remove the drape over my legs. I apply sunblock on my arms, legs, face and anywhere else I thought would tan. I lifted my over my head and felt self-conscious with the reveling swimsuit mother gave me to wear. It was a thin white two piece with cherry prints; the bottom part had ruffles around the waist.
Everyone was too busy enjoying their game or chatter that they didn't notice me going into the water. I felt colder now that I was barely wearing anything. Maybe the water would be warmer.
I took another step and my foot was soaked into the water.
Ah...t's colder than I thought!
Well here I go!
I quickly ran into the water and held my breath, trying not to scream from the cold. My feet began to kick as the water was up to my shoulders. As soon as I got into doggy peddling position—no pun intended—I lazily laid my head into the water and closed my eyes as I floated.
Ah...this was the life! I wish it were always this peaceful.
For a couple minutes, thirty maybe, I stayed afloat until I realized I couldn't hear people's laughter or voices anymore. Panicked, I treaded water and lifted my head up to observe my surroundings.
STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!!! I yelled at myself. I looked at my palms and saw how pruned they looked. My skin looked a little tanner, but at least they weren't as bad as Tay's sport tan. I looked into the horizon and saw ants...NO! Not ants, they were people!!
"IDIOT" I mumbled to myself. How many times my dad told us never to swim into the deep side of the ocean; the waves could carry a large elephant into the sea. If I were crying right now, I couldn't tell the ocean water continued to splash on my face.
"HELP" I yelled. Knowing no one could hear me, I still had to try. "HELP" I cried. I looked at the shore, no one seemed to notice. Without thinking, I peddled towards the shore as hard as I could. Derrick's warning buzzed in my head. If I live through this, I'm going to hug my cousin and tell him how smart he was and I'm a BIG DUMB IDIOT!
"HELP" I yelled again. My left leg began to hurt like a blade piercing through skin—a leg cramp! I cried, I couldn't tell what the salt taste was; the seawater or my tears. Before sinking into the water I wailed a silent help then when I comprehended no one was going to save me, I mentally said good bye to the world.