Currently rewriting this story, so bare with me. There's going to be a lot of changes, and I know there will be a few things that don't make sense. I'm aware, and I'm going to fix it....so, it's not that cringe haha! :) And it will look like there's no comments, but since it's a new document, they all went to the bottom.
"Are you sure I'm not hurting you?" I asked, trying to make myself comfortable in my boyfriend's arms. He fractured his shoulder during a basketball game and had to keep it propped up and iced. I had been checking on him after my classes, making sure he didn't need anything. His roommates sucked and weren't much help.
"I'm good. This is nothing. I'll be up again in a few days," Kevin groaned in pain. Yeah right.
I carefully adjusted the ice pack and rested my head on his good side. "Listen to the doctor and rest. I can't have you all broken up," I urged, pushing my hair away from my face as I clung to his side like glue. I had just enough time to get a short cuddle and drop off his missed assignments but had to come back to help him with them. It was like a full-time job, but I didn't mind. I knew he would do the same for me if I had gotten injured. But you would never catch me playing sports.
Kevin looked down at me with a grin. "The rest of my body works, though," he hinted, but I knew his paperwork said six weeks or until your doctor gave you permission. It was like that was the only thing on his mind sometimes. Relationships were much more than sex.
"No."
"Well, what if—"
"Not happening," I shot him down. "Even if it was possible, I have class in seven minutes."
He wiped his hand down his scruffy face and winced in pain when he tried to move. "Seven minutes is enough time for me," he scoffed, letting out a large exhale. "Now, you want to follow the rules?"
"I just don't want you in pain, Kevin."
"Well, is it against the rules for five minutes with my girlfriend?" he asked, signaling for me to come closer, but there was no more room between us.
"Absolutely not," I said with a big smile. I lifted my head back and planted a quick peck on his lips, wanting to stay like this all day, but I had an exam. One that I barely studied for.
I enjoyed the moment of silence we shared and got too comfortable. I couldn't afford to keep showing up late to class, knowing my grades were slipping a little. I got too tied up in being in a relationship, and it seemed like the only thing that mattered. But everything seemed right, not that I had anything to compare it to.
After minutes of sitting in complete silence. "Babe?"
"Yes?"
"I love you," he whispered, catching me completely off guard. I felt a jolt in my heart that left me winded. No one had ever said those words to me that weren't my family. I longed for someone to love me, the love you fight for and see in movies. I knew that didn't exist, but I had hope.
I jumped from my lying position and gave him my full attention. "What?" I asked in a low tone, wanting to hear him repeat it. He could've been high on pain medicine, and it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I hoped not. That was a big deal for me.
"I love you, Riley," he repeated, his pupils roaming. I wasn't sure whether to take it seriously, but I did.
"I love you too."
That was the first time we have ever exchanged those words with each other.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for choosing Southwest Airlines," the pilot said, breaking me from my thoughts. Well, he scared the shit out of me, but I kept it cool. "We will arrive in Tampa, Florida, in approximately forty-five minutes. The local time now is 1:25 PM with a temperature of eighty-five degrees. Would you mind remaining seated with all seat belts fastened until further notice? Enjoy."
For the first hour of the flight, I got sucked into endless thoughts about my unsettling breakup. I couldn't have been so easy to dump away after I did so much for him. That could've been the problem. I did most of his damn assignments because he would whine about his grades not being up to par to continue basketball. He had the best of both worlds, and I saw nothing wrong with it and thought I was a decent partner. Kevin had used me for his own sick, personal gain. Maybe it wasn't real love, and I forced the idea in my head to be happy.
Even though my mind was in the dark, I quickly pulled myself together, not wanting to bring my misery on my summer vacation. I promised my best friend that I would try to have a good time, and I planned on doing just that. If he could post pictures at a stupid party last night, then so could I.
"I thought you were going to keep me company, but you're just as useless as Cameron," she joked, twisting her chocolate brown hair into a bun. "He's been sleeping since we left Ohio. Riley, Ohio."
I forced a laugh. "You know Cam could fall asleep anywhere," I added, trying to get a peek out of the window to see if I could see land, but we were still up in the clouds. It was beautiful and oddly soothing, even though we were so far up.
Samantha and Cameron had been dating for most of college. He wasn't sure at first because he knew he couldn't offer her much, but he gave her a chance. And they've been together ever since. He was such a good guy. Not only was he patient, but he was gentle, sweet, and a big nerd. He loved everything about her, and it was one of those relationships you wished you had.
"God. He's an old man in a twenty-two-year-old's body. I wanted to have sex last night, so I went into the bathroom for five minutes, and he was snoring. He can not be that tired," she stressed, slamming back against the seat. Instead of Sam getting standard seats, she put us all in first class, and I wasn't complaining.
I laughed, adjusting my long legs in the seat.
"Do your parents know that I'm coming? There's going to be a bunch of twenty-something-year-olds in the house, probably partying," I asked just to make sure. I don't know much about her parents, but that her father owned one of the largest automotive chains in North America. I knew they only talked to her on their time and never cared to show up at anything important to Sam. I hated that she had to go through that, and I knew it bothered her.
Sam shrugged one shoulder and picked up a magazine to flip through it. "When have they ever cared about what I do?" she asked in a dry tone. That hurts.
"I'm sorry, Sam," I muttered, turning my head to look at her. She restlessly put the magazine down and glanced at me with her dark brown eyes, twisting her lips until her deep dimples indented in her cheeks.
"Don't be. Apparently, I should be peachy with having a limitless credit card," she arched her eyebrow. "Anyway, I know this isn't Hawaii, but I will do my best to make sure you have a great time. There are no rules." Sounds dangerous and fun at the same time.
She took some time to think. "Well, I have one personal rule that I have to get off my chest. I know you won't break it, but I just need you to promise me. Okay?" she asked, completely shifting her body to face me.
"What's that?"
She inhaled and puffed her cheeks. "My brothers are off-limits. Not that you'd go after them or anything, but they're pigs. I love them more than anything, but they run through women like candy. I've lost so many friends because of my brothers, and I hate being in the middle of messy situations. I don't want to be in a position where I have to choose between my brother and my best friend. It's girl-code, and I trust you," she confessed, fidgeting with her sparkly nails. I was an only child and never had to deal with my friends dating one of my siblings.
"Sam, I just got dumped. I'm sure it's going to be a while before I even think about another man," I admitted. "Unless it's Ryan Gosling. If he walked in front of me and asked me to marry him, no questions asked."
"Hell yes," Sam agreed. "I will rock that boat. Sorry, Cam."
I laughed into my hand. "No, but seriously. I will never go after your brothers. Girl code."
"I know, and I'm so happy you're coming with me."
♡
When our flight finally landed, we hiked to baggage claim to get our suitcases. I had never been to Florida before, and I was looking forward to every second. It was already a major difference, stepping off the plane and feeling the humidity in the air. It was muggy, the weather that made you want to take multiple showers a day.
"Babe, let me get it. It might be too heavy," Cameron offered as we huddled around the luggage carousel.
"Honey," Sam said in a high-pitched tone. "I think I can handle it." She wrapped her hand around the designer bag and swung it off the belt. According to her, she packed light because she had an entire wardrobe at the beach house. That must be nice.
He shrugged, letting go to kiss her forehead. "Okay. Riley, you need help with your bags since Sam wants to play Hulk today?" He asked me next, making a joke. She elbowed him before running her nails through his dark hair, flipping it to the side. He had bed hair after being asleep the whole flight.
While she groomed him, I grabbed both bags and said, "No, thank you. Let's hurry and get to the beach." The three of us cheered, chanting down the hallway like we had no sense. Sam kept telling me I was going to love the house and never want to leave. I had a rush of excitement, ready to kick my feet up and relax.
When we made it outside, I used my hand as a shield from the bright sun. There were so many people and so many cars circling and trying to find a spot to park. Tourists crowded the exit, taking pictures of everything near. I planned to do the same thing, but once I got rid of these bags.
Then Sam waved her hand for us to follow when he stopped near a black navigator. The tint on the windows was so dark, and I couldn't see anything inside. And no one came out for a solid two minutes.
The window slowly rolled down. "There's my girl," an older guy said with a big smile before he got out of the car. I stood off to the side next to Cameron as Sam hugged him. They engaged in a handshake, and I could tell they were close. He looked to be in his sixties with all white hair, dressed in a tuxedo.
"It's always so nice to see you, Coleman," my best friend said with her eyes squinted and one hand on her hip.
"Likewise, Sammy. I always look forward to this time of the year," he exclaimed before looking behind her. "Who do we have here?" I wanted to laugh at the nickname he called her because she doesn't let anyone get away with calling her that. I tried, and she threatened to poison me in my sleep if I did it again. Cameron also thought it was hysterical.
"Oh!" she mused, gesturing her hands between us both." This is my boyfriend, Cameron. And my best friend, Riley. They'll be joining us at the beach house this summer. I already told Melinda to prepare a room for Riley."
"Nice meeting you," I said with a smile, shaking his hand. He helped us load our bags into the truck as we all took a seat and strapped in. Sam really was spoiled. Come on. She had a driver, for God's sake.
Sam took the passenger seat to catch up with Coleman since they hadn't seen each other for a while. He seemed nice, like a father figure, because her dad wasn't around. He asked about her studies and that he wanted to attend her graduation but didn't enjoy flying. She understood.
"Cameron, is it?" Coleman asked while keeping his eyes glued to the road. There was an accident on the highway, pushing back the traffic time. I desperately wanted to get out of this damn truck.
Cameron nodded as his hair laid against his forehead. "Yes, sir," he responded. I kept my forehead pushed against the window, glimpsing everything we drove past. There were endless bodies of water and tall palm trees that blew with the light wind.
"You better be treating her well. I'm really good friends with her father, and—"
"You don't have to worry about this one," Sam said, cutting her driver off. "So, please don't scare him away already. I don't care what Daddy says." I loved how much she stuck up for her boyfriend and never failed to let anyone know that he would be wherever she was.
Coleman laughed and shook his head. "It's not me that would scare him away. That would be your brothers, dear," he proclaimed, briefly looking at us from the mirror. So, her brothers are scary and possibly overprotective.
"I'm good friends with her brothers already. I came to the beach house with Sam last year, but it was a different driver then," Cam proudly answered.
"Yeah, I got sick around that time," Coleman said. "What about you, Riley?"
"It's my first time, and I'm just happy to be here."
"I see. Well, you kids have fun and be safe," he demanded before looking at Sam. "Everything is just how you like it. I stocked the pantry and the refrigerator. If you need a ride anywhere, just call me. Melinda's number is also in the house for any housekeeping duties."