Page 52 of Eye of the Hurricane
All three of them start laughing. Don’t get me wrong, they’re all out of breath and sweating, too, but I’ve definitely got it worse than any of them.
“I think you kept up better than most would,” Beck says.
“I agree. I think there’s guys on my team who would have tapped out,” Sebastian adds.
One of the girls lets out a loud squeak and all of our heads turn to face them. We look for some indication that everyone is okay and soon enough, they all break into laughter, letting us know they’re fine.
“How’s Audi been?” I ask Roman. It’s not like I’ve had any shortage of conversations with her, we talk nearly everyday. But I know her and I know that ever since things with her ex went to hell, she doesn’t sharemuch about what’s going on. Not like she used to, anyways.
“Really good. I think it definitely helps that certain people don’t know where she moved to,” he says. Certain people being her ex, Tyler.
“I’m glad she’s doing good,” I nod. We both turn our attention to the girls. Audra is currently shotgunning a beer. I half expect there to be irritation in Roman’s demeanor about it, instead he’s looking at her with adoration in his eyes.
Ravyn is asleep on a chair and I can’t for the life of me figure out how she manages to sleep in the loudest of situations. Luna is sitting in the shallow water and Katherine is standing above her talking very animatedly. She’s talking with every single part of her body, it’s adorable.
“I remember seeing this same look in your brother’s eyes a handful of months ago, watching Audra at a party.” Beck elbows my side gently as he finishes, causing me to jump. I look to my brother and realize he walked away at some point. And I’d been so lost in Kat that I hadn’t noticed.
“It’s not like that,” I tell him. I leave out the part where I wish desperately that it was.
“Then whatisit like?”
“Complicated,” I grumble. A laugh rips out of him, one much louder and harder than the situation calls for.
“I can’t even count how many times your brother told me that their—” Beck tosses his head towards Audra and Roman, who are currently running the shoreline splashing water at one another. “…thing was complicated.” He pushes his coils out of his face and turns his hat backwards. “I’ll give you the same advice I gave him. It’s only complicated if you let it be. Uncomplicate it.” He shrugs.
“It’s not me, it’s her. I know what Iwant,” I tell him.
“Take it from me, don’t miss your shot. If you lose the one, you don’t move past that,” he says, an uncharacteristic solemnness blanketing his features. I make a mental note to ask Roman the backstory around that. I know Beck would tell me if I asked, but it doesn’t seem like the kind of story you want to tell your best friend’s little brother while you’re tipsy.
“Noted.” I give him a firm nod of the head.
All of thecolor drains from the sky until it’s a navy blue canvas littered with constellations. At some point, we all worked our way back to the campsite where we’re all sat around the fire.
Most everyone is in some variation of sweatpants, hoodies, and pajamas. Except Kat, of course. She’s back in her strapless dress from this morning.
Everyone seems to have turned it up a notch. The girls who were drunk before are now a few small steps away from being wasted. The guys who were only tipsy before are now drunk.
Ravyn takes it upon herself to get out the Bluetooth speaker and blare some country mix. A few songs come and go before Dan and Shay’s “Speechless” comes on. Katherine’s eyes turn into giant blue orbs before she leaps to her feet.
“I love this song!” she yells, pulling at my hands.
“Kat, please put on my hoodie,” I plead.
“Dance with me?” she asks, ignoring my plea.
“If you put the hoodie on. You’re freezing.”
“Deal.”
I pull the hoodie up over my head, leaving me in just sweatpants and a black T-shirt. She takes it from me, slipping it over her.
The bottom of her yellow dress pokes out of the hoodie by just a couple inches. It might look a little ridiculous on someone else. On her, it looks perfect. I think the girl could wear a used trash bag and I’d still think she looks like a princess in it.
“You said we’d dance,” she says, grabbing my hand and yanking me closer to the speaker.
“Ever slow-danced?” I ask her. She shakes her head dramatically.
“You can pop my cherry,” she says with a hiccup.
