Having breakfast the next morning and sitting right across from Miles wasn't as awkward as I had thought it would be. It might have to do with the hangover from hell that currently possessed my body. But it had been inevitable despite his pro tips.
Much to my annoyance and jealousy the other two seemed fine. Miles sipped on his coffee and nibbled on his toast while Eliana talked about everything and nothing. Sometimes I wondered if she spoke just for the sake of doing it. Normally I didn't mind but the ongoing headache made it hard to focus on what she said.
Today she apparently wanted to drive over to Santa Monica Beach to get a tan, eat ice cream and look for hot guys. I mostly wanted to crawl back to bed and sleep the entire day away.
I had filled up an extra large cup with coffee and tried not to burn my tongue as I gulped it down quietly. I had read somewhere it would help curing a hangover but in all honesty it made me slightly nauseous.
Eliana's parents were nowhere to be seen – they had probably already left the house to run errands or visit friends – and I envied my best friend for the loose grip they had on her.
My father would chop my head off if he found out I'd been at a party. He regularly complained about Eliana being a bad influence and that I should spend more time at home during the weekends. He had sent me a text earlier asking me to come home later, that he needed help with something.
I knew it was only a cover up. What he truly wanted was to make sure I wasn't up to any shenanigans.
The funny thing about it was that I never did things I wasn't allowed to do. With the exception for last night. In my seventeen years of living I had always been a good girl; obeying every last of his commands without questions. Not once had I given him a reason to distrust me. Yet he kept trying to control me like I was five years old. I wondered how he would survive once I moved away for college.
"Are you in or not?" Eliana's voice interrupted my train of thought and I glanced her way.
"Sorry, what?" I shoved a spoon of cocoa puffs into my mouth and shot her a smile. "My mind is a bit hazy today."
She rolled her eyes and stood from the table. "We're going to the beach. Miles wants to come with."
I almost winced but stopped myself. "Dad needs me at home."
"What a surprise," Eliana scoffed. "Tell him it's summer break and that you're entitled to have some fun."
"I guess I can tell him I'll be home a bit later," I mumbled, avoiding to glance at Miles. I didn't want to see the judgmental look in his eyes.
"You better," she tutted. "I'll be in my room."
With that, she trotted out from the kitchen and left me alone with her brother. I panicked slightly and thought about running after her, but forced my butt to stay on the chair.
I could practically feel his eyes on me.
"What?" I snapped, starting to get irritated with the way he affected me. I didn't have time to deal with the feelings he fueled; I had enough on my plate as it was with an overprotective dad and school work.
Miles chuckled and put his cup down, pushing a hand through his dark hair. "What do you mean 'what'?" he retorted, lips blessed with a teasing smile.
I huffed. "You were staring at me."
"Don't flatter yourself. You're just another pretty face."
His words stung a bit but didn't surprise me much. Being the flirt that he was, I supposed I should get used to it. "Whatever, Miles."
"You sure it's whatever?" he taunted, still not looking away from me.
Growing more flustered by the second, I quickly finished my breakfast and stood to rinse the empty bowl. He followed my every move and when I started walking out from the kitchen to join Eliana, he bit down on his lower lip.
"Can't wait to see you in a bikini."
I gave him a deadpan look before leaving him alone in the kitchen, making it upstairs. The way he talked and acted around me wasn't something I had encountered up close before – I wasn't sure how to deal with his behavior.
"Do you need to borrow a swimsuit?" Eliana asked from where she was standing in front of the mirror, already dressed in a black two-piece.
"Please," I muttered, still upset over her big brother's foul mouth.
She went over to her walk-in closet and rummaged around before she pulled out two pieces of white fabric and threw them at me. "Here, this will go great with your complexion."
I hesitantly eyed the tiny pieces of cloth, trying to understand how they would even remotely cover my body. "Did you have to give me the skimpiest bikini you own?"
She laughed and wrapped a scarf around her head, hair in a messy bun on top. "Just try it on."
Pinching my lips together, I headed towards the door but she stopped me. "Change here, silly. It's nothing I haven't seen before."
I shrugged and turned away, starting to undress. When I finally managed to get the white pieces in the right place, I turned and critically examined my body in the mirror.
The two-piece fit my body pretty good, probably a size too small, but nevertheless. The top was a triangle one with pads – pads that pushed my breasts together and made them look bigger. The bottoms were low cut and I was happy I'd shaved because otherwise it wouldn't have been flattering. Even though the overall impression was sexy; the frill lining the bottoms around my hips made it look more on the cute side.
"Why are you looking so depressed?" Eliana questioned from behind me. "I'd do you in a heartbeat."
"I feel ridiculous," I confessed. "This is not me. I usually wear something more. . . covering."
"Faye, you're gorgeous." She smiled at me through the mirror. "I'd kill for those legs."
After a knock and half a second, the bedroom door burst open and I let out a shriek as I twirled around. Miles could be seen leaning lazily against the doorframe, his mouth slightly agape as his eyes shamelessly stated at my exposed body.
I squirmed and tried to cover up but it was pointless. For the first time since I met him, he seemed to be at loss for words. He closed his mouth abruptly when our eyes locked and I let my arms drop to my sides.
He gulped and flicked his eyes over to Eliana. "You guys ready?"
Eliana seemed oblivious to his gawking, busy stuffing things in her oversize bag. "Yeah, you can go start the car if you want."
Miles' gaze landed on me once more and he seemed to have gathered his wits. He smiled and after making sure Eliana wasn't looking, he made a heart with his thumbs and forefingers, holding it out towards me.
I raised my hand and flipped him off to which he laughed and strolled out from the room, not bothering to close the door behind him.
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