It’s a blessing and a curse sometimes, because he stresses and overanalyzes more than necessary, but he can’t help himself.
My brother is the toughest person I know. He’s everything a father would hope for in a son and more than I could ask for in a brother. He’s the most important person in my life, and if there’s one person in this world I want to make proud, it’s him. My twin is the other half of who I am, but that doesn’t mean I understand his every move, even if I wish I did.
Either way, Cameron refuses to think on it to keep herself from getting her hopes up. She’s not lovesick, by any means, and she doesn’t sit around and hope like I might be pathetically known to do, but as it stands, she’d take his hand if he offered it in a heartbeat.
What makes it a bit more difficult is the fact that Mason is the biggest flirt known to man, possibly neck to neck with Brady, but he means no harm and would never intentionally lead her on, so I guess only time will tell.
I look to Mason as he flips Brady off, but Brady only laughs.
Lolli smiles, pushing off the rock she was sunbathing on. “Well, well, looking fresh as always.”
I grin, reminding myself not to go in for a hug. Lolli isn’t the touchy type. “Had to try and keep up with you.”
“Girl, please. You should have seen the suit she tried to wear today. I had to sex her up myself.”
“So Chase has you to thank, huh?” Lolli smirks.
I squash my lips to the side, and she laughs.
Lolli guessed my feelings for Chase the day we met, and she loves to pop off with off-color jokes to make the boys uncomfortable, while still attempting to be stealthy, but only for my sake. She’d outright tell him to strip me in the sand if it were up to her. She’s down like that.
“Have you heard from Kenra yet?” I ask about my cousin, Nate’s older sister, as the events of a few weeks ago flash through my mind.
Kenra just got out of an abusive relationship, one that took a turn for the worse when her now ex-fiancé crashed with her and his younger brother in the car. He and Kenra made it out okay, but his younger brother, the father of Payton’s unborn baby, wasn’t so lucky. He was only seventeen.
Talk about a cruel mess.
“How’s Payton doing?”
Lolli lifts a shoulder, glancing behind her, where I spot Payton walking down the beach. “I try not to ask. I’m better at entertainment, so I keep her busy when I can.”
“I bet that helps more than you know.” Cam smiles at her.
Lolli looks off, uncomfortable with the deep stuff, so I change the subject.
“So, what’s the plan for today or do we have one?” I ask, looking around at everyone.
Brady shrugs, tossing the football in the air. “I figure we’d start it off right, go out to eat, dance, get fucked up, then bum it and bonfire tomorrow?”
Cam and I nod. “Sounds good to us. Lolli, you guys in?”
“My man reports for practice in two days, so that would be a no.” She smirks. “We’ll be locked in our room all night, but we’ll see you guys tomorrow, I’m sure.”
“On that note…” Nate steps up, hugs us hello, and waves goodbye in the next second, quickly carting his fiancée toward their house.
“Well, okay then.” Cameron laughs. “A night of dirty dancing it is, but first!” She takes off, charging right into the open waters, Brady on her heels.
“Hold up, I’m snaggin’ Pretty Little.” He jerks his head in the direction of Payton. “She could use a little distraction.” With that, Mason jogs a few feet down the beach toward the young blonde sitting alone on a rock, searching for answers she won’t find in the California waves.
Slowly, Chase and I make our way closer to the water’s edge.
He bumps his shoulder into mine. “You happy to be back at the beach?”
“Always, you know that.” I grin his way, but a heavy breath leaves me as I face forward. “Let’s hope this time is less traumatic.”
“Yeah.” He nods. “I can’t imagine what she’s going through.”
We glance Payton’s way in time to witness her eyes widen, having spotted Mason coming at her at the last second. He bends, swooping her up with no effort, and she squeals into the air, making us laugh.
I smile after my brother, a calm only the ocean seems to bring me settling over my shoulders. “I think this trip will be different.”
He glances over. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I nod. “When we came at the end of June, it still felt like we were fresh out of school, you know? Like we had the whole summer ahead of us, but we don’t anymore. Summer is almost over and we’re moving out on our own the minute we leave here. It’s just… different. Like we’re grown and this is life now.” I scrunch my nose and turn to look at him. “Don’t you think?”