Page 3 of Behind the Cascades
"Holy shit. I'm gonna have a B.F.!" Everett waves his armsaround, expecting everyone to get the reference. He's quoted movies for longer than I can remember but usually the only person that gets them is…
"Shut up. You're not going to have a bitch fit." Odessa rolls her eyes but laughs and hugs her brother. The two of them have always looked like twins, despite the two year age difference. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and both over six feet tall.
Ignoring them, I step around, my eyes focused on Charlie. My hand instantly goes to the tin in my pocket, tapping it to calm my nerves. If I hadn’t just popped a mint into my mouth on the elevator, I’d be chomping on three of them. A nervous habit I picked up after my dad died. Inhaling mints as if the coolness will calm my inner anxiety.
Drew was the first to give her a hug, but he laughed lovingly at her apology for showing up. "You kidding? The five of us are going to rage like old times!"
She chuckles back but I see the nerves still playing behind those emerald eyes when she looks at me.
"Happy birthday, Hayes!" She saunters over and I swear she throws an extra sway in her hips just to drive me crazy.
"Thanks, Sunshine." I pull her into me and whisper it low into her ear, even though everyone already knows I call her Sunshine. They think it’s because of the color of her hair, it’s always been just a shade more red than blonde. However, the real reason is that every room she walks into, she lights up. Anytime I was having a bad day or in a bad mood, she knew exactly what to say and how to make me laugh. Still does.
She leans away, but at least now she has a small smile. "Is it okay that we are invading your birthday party?"
"Yes! I wanted to?—"
Odessa chooses that moment to interrupt us, throwing her arm around my shoulder and grinning. "Hayes! The big two-four! You ready to party like it's 1999?" She winks, causing me to shake my head in amusement.
"Nope, but I'm ready to get down to that pool and chill." The girls are already wearing their swimsuits and cover-ups, and pool bags are waiting by their feet. I must be a masochist because I'm already desperate to see Charlie in the bikini she is hiding. Five minutes in and this is turning out to be the best birthday I've ever had. A swanky hotel, my closest friends, and a pool bar calling my name.
Ispoke too soon. Worst fucking birthday ever. The pool bar that was once calling my name now feels like a battleground for Charlie's attention. Attention that I crave but know I shouldn't have.
She parades herself around the pool in that tiny bikini, showing off a body that I can't touch. Which wouldn't be as big of a problem if every man didn't ogle her as she walked by. It takes more self-control than I'd like to not stab the eyes out of their heads with the tiny plastic cocktail sword from my drink. Between her and Odessa, our cabana has felt like a zoo attraction. Men walk by and stare a little too hard, trying to get their attention. Drew and Everett look as pissed as I feel, but for very different reasons.
I lay back on the cabana, closing my eyes so that I don't murder one of these innocent bystanders for merely looking at my girl who isn't even my girl. My breathing just starts to even out when I feel the edge of the bed dip as someone climbs onto the lounger next to me. I don’t have to peek my eyes open to know that it’s her. My body feels on fire everywhere she touches me, always has. Charlie’s never outright said she has feelings for me,but the signs are there.Or maybe I just read into them too much.The touching, the blatant nerves around only me, the blush I saw hit her cheeks when I caught her watching me take my shirt off.
On one hand, I love it. Love her body pressed up against me. Want to mark her like she's mine. Let every asshole around here know they can’t have her. On the other hand, she's too close and I don't trust myself to not break. Years of resolve crumbling down because of one bikini. One very sexy and distracting bikini. The temptation to reach out and touch her is relentless, but I know I need to keep my distance to avoid crossing any lines.
I take a deep breath and try to keep my eyes closed. My senses are on overdrive. Between the drinks and her presence, I'm quickly losing control.
"How's your birthday so far?" She bumps her bare shoulder into mine and I can feel the heat radiating off her skin.
I open my eyes and force a smile, trying to push away the thoughts that threaten to consume me. "It's good. Glad you two came. Wouldn't have been the same without you."
She nods but doesn't say anything. I follow her gaze to see Everett, Odessa, and Drew laughing while sitting by the bar.
"I didn't get to finish what I was saying earlier. I really did want to invite you. You and Odessa. But you've barely had any time to blink in the last few months. You're so busy with work and school. I didn't want you to feel obligated." All of that is true, but I don't add in that the main reason is that I was afraid too. Being around her always sends me into a tailspin. My conscience in a never ending battle with my desire.
"Never obligated when it comes to you. Next time, I want the invite." The grin she sends me makes my heart skip a beat.
"Yeah? I'll remember that."
We're both quiet for a few minutes, soaking up the moment. I keep my fingers threaded together behind my head. I don'ttrust myself not to wrap my arm around her shoulders and bring her closer to me.
"Any plans after graduation?" I ask, trying to ease the tension building inside me.
Her delicate fingers begin playing with the end of her long braid. "Was thinking about taking a year off and traveling. Getting out of South Carolina."
"Alone? Or following Odessa around the world?" I ask with a little too much worry in my voice. Odessa moved to New York after she graduated high school. She had already been doing some modeling, but her career took off when she got up there. She's now one of the top high fashion models, and travels all the time. I don't know which would be worse, her wandering around the US by herself or her and Odessa in another country. The two of them have always been trouble together.
She lets out a soft chuckle at my overreaction. "Alone. But, maybe around the world? I don't know. You four live such exciting lives! I want to experience some new things."
"No," I scoff back.
Her eyes widen when she looks at me. "No?"
"Sorry,hellno. You aren't gallivanting around the world by yourself."
