Page 50 of Cloudless
My pink-tipped toes disappear into the sand as Posey and Jasper’s laugh drifts toward the water. Sand flies into the air behind them as they run through the crowd toward our friends.
I don’t know when I started calling them friends, but watching the way they embrace my brother and sister with fierce hugs, I can’t think of any others more deserving of the title.
“They make everything better, don’t they?” I can hear the smile in Kam’s voice. His eyes are alight with happiness as he watches Dax spin Posey around in the air. Sand flies off her feet as her giggles float to us in the wind.
Kam’s eyes grow serious and his voice grows so quiet it's almost swallowed up by the wind as Jasper follows Mace and Wyatt toward the water. “It’s scary to care about them so much. Jasper fell on the ice this morning at camp and almost gave me a heart attack.”
I smile as Ellie drags Posey down onto her beach towel and envelopes her in a tight hug. “It’s definitely scary, but loving them is worth it.”
He nods as his eyes never stray from my brother in the water. “Is he a strong swimmer? I think I’ll go join them. Looks like they're getting ready to play football. I’m sure they could use one more.”
I laugh as he takes off toward the group of hockey players currently throwing a football to my brother. “Hey, Trouble!”
His body tilts toward me, but his eyes never leave the water. “Yeah, Sunshine?”
“You might want to drop off the bags first!”
He glances down with a look of surprise as he realizes his arms are full of beach supplies. “Oh, yeah. Probably a good idea.”
He dumps the supplies at Ellie’s feet and takes off toward the water without a backwards glance.
Ellie laughs from her place on her towel in the shade as I approach. Her bright red one-piece stands out against the pale sand. “What’s his problem?”
I battle the corners of my towel as it blows in the wind, laying it out next to hers under the umbrella. “I think he’s worried about Jasper being out in the water.”
Her eyes soften as she watches our brothers laugh together. “Ah. I see. Kam’s always worried about everyone else.”
I smile as she braids Posey’s hair out of her face. “And you’re not?” My fingers twitch as I fight to keep them in my lap. “You don’t have to braid her hair. I can do it.”
Her eyes shine with a mischievousness I’m growing to love as she ignores what I said. “Only certain people make my list, L. And once you’ve made the list, you’re stuck on it for life.”
Posey twists to look at Ellie over her shoulder. “Am I on your list, Ellie?”
Ellie’s fingers weave deftly through Posey’s hair, despite the wind. “You sure are, Posey-Pop!” Her voice grows quiet as she turns toward me. “All three of you are.”
“Oh. Hi, Lila. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” Kim’s voice makes me turn to find her walking from the parking lot. She’s surrounded by a few other girls from work and one I’ve never seen before.
I fight the eye roll that’s begging to be set free as I take in her barely there bikini and a full set of jewelry. “Hi, Kim. I wasn’t expecting to see you here, either.”
I fight a growing smile as the corners of her fake smile dim and her eyebrows pinch together. The movement is so slight, I almost don’t notice. “Well, Ialwayscome to the annual beach day. They do this every year before their first regular season game, you know.” Her smile brightens. “I never miss it.”
The rubber band snaps into place in Posey’s hair as Ellie turns to our new guests with a smile firmly in place. “Funny how you never fail to miss it, even though you’re never invited.”
Kim’s face transforms from Barbie to bitch in record time. “The only reason you’re even invited at all is because your brother is the captain.”
Ellie’s smile grows as she tilts her head to the side. Her hands slide over Posey’s ears before she says, “That’s funny. I’ll have to tell him you said so when I go over to their townhouse for dinner this week. I’m sure he’d love to be reminded of your bitch tendencies.”
The girl I don’t recognize from work is the only one that doesn’t scoff at Ellie’s remark. The rest of the group practicallyhas steam coming out of their ears. If they're not careful, they’ll melt their full faces of makeup off.
Ellie turns back to my sister in an obvious dismissal. “Alright, Posey-Pop! Are you ready to build that sandcastle?”
Kim either didn’t take the hint or simply wants to get the last word in; it’s hard to tell. Her eyes blaze as she stares a hole in the back of Ellie’s head. “Come on, girls. They obviously can’t tell when someone is trying to be nice.”
Ellie rolls her eyes as she helps Posey empty her bucket of all the sandcastle supplies that used to be mine when I was little. “Watch them settle in the sun. I hope their skin turns to leather.”
A laugh that has been waiting to burst free finally pushes through my last restraints. “Have they always been like this? They are absolutely the worst thing about working at The Penalty Box.”
She lines the supplies up in a neat row as she gives me a humorless laugh. “No. They were actually myfriendsin elementary school.”
