“I meant her boobs,” Chloe corrects and flashes him a smile.
He playfully splashes her while Alex laughs and slowly floats away on her back.
The afternoon sun is glaring, and I close my book, wondering if we should head out soon. The pool is getting kind of crowded, and I’m starting to get hungry for something other than what they sell at the snack bar. I check on Chloe and Tyler lying on their stomachs on either side of me, only to find both of them asleep.
I’m not sure the last time either of them reapplied sunscreen, and I’m slightly concerned. I check Chloe first, but fortunately, she doesn’t burn easily and appears to be okay. Tyler, who has weird tan lines thanks to his baseball uniform, is starting to look like a tomato all along his back and legs. I open the umbrella behind us and tilt it so it’s covering most of his skin, then grab my sunblock. He flinches when I squirt the cool lotion on his back, then mumbles a quiet “Thanks, babe” and continues to snooze.
Once I’m done, I glance at my own arms and legs. While no longer pale, I’m not quite tan, either, and I really don’t want to end up with a burn. I generously lather on the sunscreen and debate waking either Tyler or Chloe to get my back. My other option is Alex, but she’s not in her chair.
Eventually, I find her on the other side of the pool, squinting up at my field hockey cocaptain, Simone, who’s sitting on the edge beside her. At first glance, it just looks like friendly conversation. But I notice Simone leaning in, her hand grazing Alex’s forearm, and the way her head tilts back when she laughs. It’s Flirting 101, and she’s nailing it.
“What are you looking at?” Chloe asks through a yawn.
“Simone and Alex.”
“Simone Howard?” She sits up, interested, and glances around until she spots them just as Alex pulls Simone into the water.
Simone squeals, and Alex pulls her deeper, finally letting her go once they’re in the center. Simone drapes herself over Alex’s shoulders from behind, and Alex gives her a ride to the deep end.
“Wow,” Chloe says, still staring. “Didn’t know they liked each other.”
“Me either,” I admit.
Simone and I were the only two freshmen to make the varsity field hockey team. We clicked on the field, Simone playing defense and me on offense. There was never a rivalry, both of us the best at our own positions. While the chemistry on the field never quite extended to off the field, we’ve always gotten along.
The same goes for Alex and Simone. They’ve spoken before, sure. They’ve even had a few classes together, but Alex was always in my circle and Simone in hers. To see them act as if they’re something more than acquaintances is surprising.
Chloe snatches the sunscreen. “Think they’re hooking up?”
“Alex has only been home for a few days. When could they have managed that?”
“I don’t know. We’re horny teenagers. We find a way to make it work.” She peers at me over top of her sunglasses. “Just like you and Tyler sneaking in a quickie in the bathroom at Bobby Miller’s Halloween party.”
Horrified, I look at her. “How do you know about that?”
“Girl,” she says through a laugh, “everyone knows about that.”
I sink in my chair, beyond embarrassed. Tyler and I had started dating that May but didn’t start sleeping together until almost three months later. By Halloween, we were still very much in the honeymoon phase and couldn’t get enough. We thought we were being sneaky.
I guess not.
“I’m just saying, those two were making eyes at each other the other night at the all-night grad party.”
“They were?” How the hell did I not notice that?
Chloe shrugs like it’s not a big deal, and it really isn’t. It’s just kind of out of the blue, considering we’ve all been going to school together for the past four years, and this is the first time I’ve seen them flirt, let alone touch.
They eventually detach, mainly because Simone seems to be meeting up with a few friends, so Alex heads back over to us. The closer she gets, the more irritated I feel. We used to be attached at the hip, but ever since she left, there’s been a shift, a gentle shove, separating us. I thought for sure when she returned home that the space would close itself back up, and we would go back to how it once was.
But she keeps surprising me. A motorcycle. Tamed hair. A toned body. Interest in Simone Howard. It makes me wonder what else she’s been keeping from me and what other kind of changes I’ve missed.
She hauls herself out of the water, and I stare, my annoyance growing the longer she goes without saying anything. Chloe and I both watch as she grabs her towel and ties it around her waist. It isn’t until she sits and snags her water bottle that she even notices us staring. “What?”
“You and Simone?” I say, letting the question hang.
She takes a long chug. “What about us?”
“Are you two a thing now?” Chloe asks bluntly.
