Chapter 77


    I can''t believe that we''re justing to the beach over a week after." I say, helping to spread out the nkets and set up the umbres. "Considering it''s the only thing you could talk about when we were back in Pine Creek."


    "Well, Maggie wanted me over a lot for preparations of my birthday ball." Shana says sheepishly. "And I wanted us to go together, at least for the first time."


    Ever since the amusement park where Shana kept screaming throughout the entire rollercoaster ride, that''s not strange I know but she didn''t stop screaming till a full five minutester even though we were all on solid ground.


    She has also not been around often because of the ball that is being thrown in her honor, which meant I''ve been trapped in the house with Virgil and Dale.


    "It''s in two days right?" I ask hopefully, I wanted Shana back to dispel the tense atmosphere constantly hovering around Virgil and Dale.


    "Yep and we''re all going over tomorrow and we''ll stay over till the next morning after the ball." She says giddily and I can''t help but share her excitement.


    "Where''s Virgil and Dale?" I stand up from my crouched position to look around when I don''t see them.


    All I see is other people with their nkets and umbres, ready for a long day at the beach.


    "They stepped out for a bit, something about Dale showing Virgil something."


    I just shrug, not really interested because most likely their outing would involve meeting other people.


    Shana carefully sits on the nket she had spent so much time smoothening out and hands me a lotion. "Could you pretty please help me apply this on my back?" She asks politely.


    I take the bottle and quickly scan it. "Tanning lotion?" I ask making a face.


    "Yep!" She grins widely at me. "What''s a summer vacation without getting a tan?"


    I raise an eyebrow at this. "You said that about tattoos too." I point out sarcastically.


    "The sun is wasting, Hay." She begs.


    "Fine, toast in the sun if that''s what you want." I say with a slight shudder, not understanding the thrill of getting sun baked.


    I''m wearing shorts and a beach shirt and I quickly crawl under my umbre with a novel that I had brought solely for the sake of ignoring the world.


    "Isn''t it weird to bring a book to the beach?" Shana says with her eyes closed, she''s fully under the sun, flexing her finger slightly.


    "Isn''t it weird to be doing all that?" I fire back at her, adding an extrayer of sunscreen on my body.


    "Of course not, I''m about to doze off, tell Virgil and Dale that if they get sand on me I''ll bury them alive."


    "Roger that." I reply, already done with the conversation too.


    I prop my head on some spare nkets and get ready to dive into the world of fiction.


    I''m not sure how much time pass like this but a girly voice coyly calling Virgil''s name makes me look up from my book and slowly look around to see where the offending noise ising from.


    I throw my head back in shock when I see the crime scene, two girls are with Virgil and Dale, the one hovering around Virgil is giggling happily and throwing herself on him like her legs aren''t working anymore even though Virgil is obviously not saying anything but the darker haired one with Dale is quietly holding a serious conversation with him and I don''t know which one bothers me more.


    I pretend not to see them and go back to hiding behind my book even though they are very obviously headed this way.


    Shana slowly opens one eye and frowns. "Where the fuck is that horrible sounding from?" She asks unhappily, she had probably heard the girl with lighter hair that''s all over Virgil call his name.


    I try to shrug nonchntly but I''m pretty sure my tight face gives me away. "I don''t know."


    "Is this where your nkets are? You guys should totallye over to our spot, it has a way better view and all the cool kids hangout there." The girl hanging off Virgil starts to chatter nonstop and Virgil just watches her patiently.


    "We don''t want your spot, thank you very much." Shana bites out and it''s obvious that they hadn''t gotten off to a very good start. "Virgil, could you help me apply some lotion on my back?" She asks sweetly, batting her eyelids at him even though I had just done the exact same thing barely fifteen minutes ago.


    Virgil doesn''t even bat an eyelid at this, taking the bottle that Shana hands to him, he separates himself from the girl hanging off him and steps forward to help Shana out.


    I just keep my face hidden behind my book, my ultimate n right now is hiding behind my book till the girls either go away or we do.


    "I''m sorry I haven''t introduced you." Virgil apologizes ndly when the girl makes it obvious that she expected to be introduced.


    "This is Julia, Julia meet Shana, my"


    "Cousin." Shana interrupts tartly, gleaming from the excessive tanning lotion smeared all over her body.


    A muscle ticks in Virgil''s jaw but other than that he keeps a straight face. "Meet my cousin, Shana and Hayden"


    "His best friend." Shana tags on smugly and I cringe a little dropping the book briefly to sy my fingers open in a little wave.


    Julia just ignores us as soon as she finds out that we aren''t a possible threat. "So as I was saying, let''s go over to my spo" Virgil just plops down on his nket which is right beside me and I curse under my breath.


    "Actually, I like here just fine." He says, smiling up at her.


    Turns out that''s all it took for Julia to forget all about her cool spot that had all the best things and plop right beside Virgil, practically sitting on hisp.


    I cut them a sharp re my page crushed in my palm.


    "That" Shana mutters darkly under her breath and I grateful she didn''t decide toplete her statement.


    But I can''t helpplete it mentally when Julia trails a hand down Virgil''s body, could she be any more obvious?