My lips purse as the desire to say hi and bye immediately after takes over, but there's not enough space to do much elseother than walk beside them, so I suck it up and count my steps to the bottom.
“Silas,” I breathe when his gaze burns into the side of my head.
“Are you saving a dance for me tonight?” he asks, and despite the tight smile on my face, I keep to the truth.
“Probably not.”
He presses his hand against his heart, staggering with exaggeration. “You’re breaking my heart, Fireball.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m sure you'll get over it,” I smirk as he tries to put his arm around my shoulders, but I keep a foot ahead, desperate not to cause a scene.
“Did I do something wrong?” He sweeps his tongue along his bottom lip as I glance at him from the corner of my eye.
“No, but…” I exhale, my shoulders slumping slightly. “The last time I tried to come down here to celebrate with everybody, you helped ruin my night, and I'm not looking for a repeat,” I admit as we reach the bottom, and the second I hit the sand, I find four pairs of eyes all staring in my direction. Baron included.
How did he get down here so fast?
Music swirls in the air as anticipation grows, and I stutter on my next breath, waiting for carnage to ensue from the direction of my fated mates, but nothing comes.
Panic continues to flutter in my veins as I tilt my head at Silas.
“Have a nice night,” I offer before slipping into the crowd, Meadow at my side a moment later, her arm back through mine, but it's not enough to turn my gaze from my hated mates as I take each of them in, one by one.
Archer sits in a deck chair, but he’s sandwiched between Sax and Teddy this time. A fitted black tee is sculpted across his chest, blending into the black shorts covering his thighs. Shadedaviator glasses hide his eyes, despite the sun having already set, but I know he’s watching me.
Teddy stares at me far more openly, winking as my gaze catches his, but I quickly avoid his eyes to take him in. His blond hair is messy, ruffled so much with his fingers that it makes mine itch to do the same. He’s wearing a pale-blue polo that matches his eyes, with a pair of gray shorts that somehow manage to screamold money.
Sax flanks Archer’s other side, a blue and white checked shirt bulging around his upper arms with the top buttoned up, and a pair of navy shorts that make him look almost angelic. If it wasn’t for his sheer size and cropped hair, I would believe it too.
Baron stands beside his brother, hands stuffed in his pockets. Opting against shorts, he’s wearing jeans with a deep-green t-shirt framing his chest, with brown boots finishing his look, but it’s his twisted man bun that makes me turn away quickly before I do something dumb.
I’m not speaking to Teddy, not after earlier. He apologized profusely, but it remained clear that he didn’t regret what he did. I don’t regret it either, deep down.
Apparently, I’m hellbent on murdering someone this week. Not that they don’t deserve it after murdering me.
I haven’t, though, and that deserves a medal if you ask me.
“Girl, I'm proud of you,” Meadow declares, and I gape at her in confusion, thankful for the distraction from my hated mates.
"Me?” I repeat, and she nods.
“You stood your ground with Silas. He needs it,” she says, squeezing my arm even more. “Besides, I can't see those fiery bitches here. I think we’re in for a good night. No offense,” she clarifies, and I frown, leaning in closer so she can hear me since the music seems to have turned up a notch.
“I don't know what you mean.”
“Francesca and Bonnie,” she says, louder than necessary, and Dorian stops us in our tracks, nodding toward my hated mates.
My eyebrows pinch as my gaze latches onto Teddy, amusement dancing at the corner of his lips as he offers me a wink.
“What does that mean?” I ask, glancing back at Dorian, who shrugs.
“Do you want to stress over it or enjoy your night?” he asks, talking in riddles, and I gulp.
He knows something I don't, but he's right. I want to enjoy my night and not waste it, especially since it hasn’t been ruined at the first sight of Silas.
“Enjoy my night,” I decide, and Toby grins.
“That's our girl,” he declares, patting me on the arm gently. “We'll get the drinks, you find a spot,” he states, taking off with Dorian toward some makeshift stand while Meadow drags me closer to the water's edge.
