4 | Lemonade
~☁☀☁~
"Look," I began as I rested my hand on my hip and glanced at the guy's nametag, "Richard. All my friend here wants is a Skittle milkshake. Is that so complicated?"
"Seriously," Reyna scowled as she slammed a red packet on the counter. "I'm even supplying my own Skittles. All you have to do is throw it in the blender with vanilla ice cream and press a button."
"Uh," he blinked. Then he repeated for the third time, "It's not on the menu though."
"Come on, Skit," I gave him a disapproving shake of my head as I turned my friend away. "Let's leave Dick alone and go over there. They have waffle cones, which are better than milkshakes anyway."
"Nah," she declined, tearing open her packet of candy while we walked. "How about we get some fresh lemonade for us and the boys?"
By some miracle, Ian and Wesley bonded over The Drip Drop. They enjoyed it so much that they got back in line to go down the slide a second time.
I personally didn't like being shut in a box and having the floor fall out from under me. I screamed the whole way down until I hit the water and swore I would not be doing it again. Since we spent the past two hours in the water, Reyna and I left them alone because we were ready for a break.
The park had gotten significantly more busy, so the line for the lemonade was long. While we waited, we discussed which water slide was the best. Then we got on the subject of our game of Marco Polo.
"I still can't believe that guy didn't kick Ian's ass," Reyna said.
Reyna responded 'Polo' to her brother's 'Marco' after he caught Wesley and me. Ian thought he was close enough to her voice when he lunged forward, but he landed on a guy who had to be an aspiring body builder. He was twice the size of Ian with thrice the muscles. He had the impeccable timing of swimming by at just the right moment.
The worst part about it was Ian felt up the guys arms in confusion before opening his eyes and seeing what—or rather whom—he caught.
"Y-you're not my sister," was what he said.
The guy looked ready to pummel Ian and turn the water red with his blood, but a little girl called for her dad. His angry expression softened at the sound of her voice, so he shoved Ian away and swam over to his daughter in the shallow end.
"Honestly," I told Reyna as we drew closer to the lemonade, "I think Ian's hug with death was the highlight of my day."
"Even over the shimmering sunscreen?"
"It didn't last long enough," I frowned. "Shouldn't have bought the cheap brand."
"No, I meant putting it on him."
I was used to denying or hiding whatever residual feelings I had from crushing on him, so my response was a reflex when I said, "Don't be gross."
"I wasn't," she chuckled, stepping forward as the line moved up. "I'm just making sure that you know I support you."
"Yeah. I got that, Skit. You're like a brass band in a library."
With a laugh, she apologized, "I'm sorry, Fere. I'll try to show my support more discreetly from now on."
"You can start with discreetly supporting my wallet by paying for the lemonade," I told her and ordered four cups.
While she was paying for them, I stepped off to the side with a satisfied smirk.
"Ferra!"
I turned in the direction where my name was called, surprise crossing my features at who I saw standing there.
"Noelle!"
"Who?" Reyna asked, appearing beside me and struggling to balance the four lidded cups.
I took two from her and sipped one of them while Noelle introduced herself to my friend. She owned a dance studio in our city. I participated in some of her classes since I was a preteen up to just last summer and I signed up for more later this season too. She was even going to write a letter of recommendation for my college admissions.
"Oh! You're the one who taught her how to pole-dance!"
Noelle laughed, "No, but I did tell Ferra about it and suggested a class to check out. She excels in almost every style of dance." She shook her head, "I swear this girl is going to put me out of business when she gets older."
"I will not," I bristled.
"Then buy my studio from me so I can properly retire."
Noelle retired from professional dancing, but her studio was where she found true happiness. She was a role model to me, but I could only hope to have my own studio someday and be as accomplished as her.
I shook my head, "You're too young to put your dancing shoes away."
She playfully rolled her eyes.
Reyna politely excused herself, "I think I see my boyfriend, so I'll leave you guys to talk dance. It was nice to meet you!"
"It was nice to meet you too." As soon as Reyna was gone, Noelle spoke again. "I'm glad I ran into you, Ferra."
"I know, I know," I waved my hand. "It's always a pleasure to see your favorite prodigy."
Noelle crossed her arms, raising a sculpted brow at my arrogance. "No, actually. I need a favor, if you're up to the task. I've been trying to think of who to ask and it just occurred to me that you would be perfect for it."
"For what?" I asked her with peaked interest.
"My husband and I are taking our daughter and her friends on a weekend trip," she started.
"Well, you're going to have your hands full," I commented, thinking of my little sister. It was a nightmare when she had friends over, so I often spent my time at Reyna's house. I rarely let my bestie come over to mine for that very reason. That, and Meg monopolized Reyna's time so much that I imagined her wearing a little top hat and twisting a mustache below her button nose.
"I know," she said, looking tired at the mere thought of it. "Anyway, we're leaving on Friday, but I have a class scheduled for that afternoon. I've just hired a new assistant, but I can't leave him to teach a class right after he's started working there. Is there any chance you would be willing to do it?"
"I don't know," I hesitated.
"It's a senior tango class, so just the basics. Alex will be there to help you with whatever you need too."
I gave her a skeptical look. I didn't feel confident in my ability to teach a class just yet. Teaching was leaps and bounds from learning. Then again, I did have to start somewhere and now was as good a time as any.
"Everyone in the class is very laid back. They'll adore you and possibly pinch your cheeks," she laughed lightly in a poor attempt to convince me.
It was having the opposite effect, but I nodded anyway. "I'll do it."
"Mom!" Came the impatient screech of her twelve year old daughter.
"I just love that sound," Noelle stated sarcastically and sighed. "I'll call you on Monday with the details."
We both said goodbye and went our separate ways. I couldn't stop smiling on the short trip back to the lounge area. I drank more of my lemonade and put the two cups down on the pavement beside me. Then I leaned back on my chair with a satisfied sigh and closed my eyes.
The sun was pleasantly warm with the heat soaking into my skin, giving me pleasant tingles all over. Reyna and Wesley were both laying on their chairs too, talking about what he and Ian got up to while we were apart. I relaxed while listening to the conversation.
"How many times did you guys do that water slide?"
"Four," Wesley answered. "By the fourth drop, the adrenaline rush started wearing off and I got bored with it."
Bored...he got bored of falling almost thirty feet into a pool?!
"Did you have fun though?" She chuckled, "Before the epinephrine wore off?"
"Yes, but I enjoyed the ones you and I did together more." His voice lowered in a way that I almost didn't hear him say, "I prefer the rush I get from being that close to you."
I cracked an eye open when it got very quiet, only to discover them kissing. I lifted a brow when they didn't stop and cleared my throat. I quickly shut my eyes again when they broke out of their liplock to look at me. I was opposed to interrupting them, but they risked getting kicked out with that kind of PDA. I fought a smile when they tried to casually continue their conversation.
"Oh! We should do the Swirl Whirl again before we leave," Reyna chirped, sounding a little too breathless.
"We could go now," Wesley offered in a deeper, slightly hoarse tone.
I smirked, Need some of that cold water washing over you, Black?
"That's a good idea." Then, as if it was just dawning on her, she said, "Wait a minute. Where's Ian?"
"He got caught by two girls on our way over. From what I gathered, he dated one of them in the past. He's right there."
Curiosity getting the best of me, I peeked my eyes open again to see where Wesley was pointing. Ian's back still had some shimmer to it, making his identity unmistakable. The girls talking to him—or rather giggling—wore string bikinis unfit for a family-friendly water park. And the way they were looking at him like hyenas who just found their next meal made me shudder for him. Ian kept glancing back at us, his tight-lipped smile dropping as he mouthed something.
"What is he doing?" Reyna asked, squinting to try to see better.
I sat up, watching more closely with her as we waited for him to look back at us again. Meanwhile, his hands were flailing behind his back as if he were signaling to us for...
"'Help?'" Reyna read his lips and laughed. "He wants us to help him?"
Wesley chimed in, "He didn't seem to want me to leave him alone with them."
"What do you think, Ferra?" Reyna looked at me, her eyes twinkling with humor, "Should we help him or leave him to suffer?"
Without voicing an answer, my body started moving of its own accord. I stood up, adjusted my swimsuit and then fixed my hair. Thank goodness it was still wet and not frizzy dry. Taking a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders and pushed my chest out before approaching the three of them. I had to play the part of a girlfriend staking her claim. That was the only way to get the hungry hyenas to back off. Yeah. I could do it.
As I got closer, I could hear one of the girls say, "It's a shame that you took a gap year before college. You missed out on all of the good parties."
Ian chuckled tensely and scratched the back of his neck, "Sorry, girls."
After more of their obnoxious giggling, the one who did most of the talking reached out to stroke his arm. "That's okay. We can show you around campus when you join us. You would really like my dorm room."
Why? He'd only be interested if there were a cabinet of snacks and a bean bag chair. I quickened my pace anyway.
"I don't think—"
I cut Ian off from only a few steps away with a shrill, "Excuse me!"
The girl who had been groping him dropped her arm and gave me a dirty look.
I was known for being dramatic, so if I had to save his ass, then I was going to put on one hell of a show doing it.
"Care to tell me why you had your hands all over my boyfriend?"
"Boyfriend?" She glanced disbelievingly between the two of us.
She was waiting for Ian to confirm or deny it, but he did neither by just standing there dumbfounded, heavy on the dumb. It wasn't going to work if he didn't play along.
"Yes, boyfriend. Something you clearly don't have," I said, sizing her up the same way she did to me.
Ian's eyes widened a fraction as our eyes met, drawn out of his stupor. I smiled as I wrapped my arms around his waist, urging him to respond. His hand slid around to rest on my hip as he finally took the hint and jerked me closer. My palm flew to his chest for balance when I stumbled forward, but I left it there for the act.
"Baby," I purred in a sultry tone that surprised the both of us. I didn't think he noticed his own sharp intake of breath or his hand flex on my hip, but I did and I relished in it. "Make them go away so I don't have to do it myself. I'd much rather spend my energy on..."
I leaned into him and whispered his ear.
To the two girls, I was saying what explicit things I wanted to do with him.
In reality, I whispered, "...throwing you off a cliff into the shallow end of a pool."
The smile that formed on Ian's lips was genuine and he bit his lip so he wouldn't outright laugh, which only added to the girls' imaginations running wild.
He tightened his hold, pulling me flush up against his side. I hoped my smile didn't falter at the intimate contact of my body pressed against his, all while trying not to think about the possibility of Ian feeling how fast my heart was racing out of my chest.
The other girl, who had been the quiet, loyal minion to her friend, backed away a few steps before turning around and walking away.
"If it wasn't already obvious, I'm not interested," Ian said to the one who hadn't left yet, his polite tone a contradiction to his harsh words. If only he had said that to them sooner, but he was either a coward or too nice.
"You're not that much of catch anyway, Ian. Just good eye candy." She flipped her hair and turned to follow her retreating minion. Then she called over shoulder, "She can have you."
When they were out of sight, I shoved Ian away from me. I muttered about the girl, "Better to be eye candy than bitch candy." Then to Ian, I said, "Don't listen to her."
He shrugged, "I'm not. I know I'm a great catch and eye candy."
I snorted, but didn't say anything to the contrary. I was too distracted by the warm sensation where his hand was a minute ago. The feeling of his thumb idly rubbing back and forth on my bare skin lingered even with the distance between us.
"Thanks for saving me, Ferret." Ian grinned, tilting his head slightly. He had one eye shut from the glare of the sun like he was winking.
I turned my head away from him, wrinkling my nose at the nickname.
He chuckled and threw his arm around me. "Come on. Let's go make sure those two are keeping it PG."
~☁☀☁~
Favorite summer drink? -->
One of mine is an avocado smoothie with boba. Or anything with boba, really...
Big news coming tomorrow~
Stay sweet and toasty, Sweeties!