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"Lana!" I pause when I hear Grant's voice. Kaely does as well. I wish she'd keep walking. He runs up to us, still in his lifeguard gear. "Hi," he says with a bright smile.
"Hi." Why do I feel like everyone stopped what they were doing to binge watch us like we're Netflix?
"Are you guys still coming over tomorrow?"
"I think so," I reply, glancing around. They really are staring. All of them. What the hell?
"Can you come by early, like around noon?"
"I can ask." This is so awkward. Go back to whatever you were doing, people! We're just talk--
This thought is interrupted by Grant's lips. It's not a long kiss. But it's long enough for me to lean into him, forgetting we're not alone. Until I remember ... we're not alone. Grant pulls back and smiles. "I'll see you tomorrow."
I can't move.
Kaely is covering her mouth like a PG-girl. And everyone else dramatically goes back to whatever they were doing like they weren't watching, but it's so obvious they were.
Ashton struts up to me and leans down so we're eye level. "He just claimed you in front of ev-er-ee-one. What are you going to do about that, huh? Because it's not nothing. Not to him." I think she's a second away from poking a finger into my chest, and that wouldn't go over too well. Instead she laughs like a villain and storms off.
I try to shrug it off, like it really was nothing. Whatever.
But I can't.
"Shit," I groan.
Just to rub it in, Brendan appears next to me and wraps an arm around me. "Didn't I warn you that he's too good for people like us?" He chuckles. "You have to learn everything the hard way, don't you, my feisty little pixie?"
I shove his arm off and outpace everyone to the locker room. I don't bother looking over at Lance and Lily. Maybe they know that it won't last. That it's just a summer thing and means nothing. Someone needs to know this ... especially me.
By the time Lance, Brendan, Ashton and I arrive at Stefan's the next day, I've convinced myself that I just have to be me, not the stupid, giddy version who loses herself every time I'm in Grant's presence. That way we can just be ... nothing. We can be two people who like to hang out and kiss, and maybe other things if he'll let me. But absolutely not us-like.
Stefan, Squirrel, Grant and a couple other guys are putting out lawn games when we emerge from the house into the backyard.
"We're really early," Ashton observes from beside me, finally acting normal again. Or at least, I hope she is. "Want to lay out for a while?"
"Sure," I reply, walking toward the beach.
When she doesn't walk with me, I turn around. She gives me a questioning look.
"What?"
"Aren't you going to at least say hi?"
"They're busy," I tell her and keep walking.
"Hey!" Grant calls to me. I stop and close my eyes, silently reminding myself to do what I always do when I'm around guys I hook up with. Just be me.
I turn. "Hey." I fight the smile that wants to hijack my face. My heart is pounding. I silently curse my body which has completely abandoned the plan.
He walks over to me and bends like he's about to either hug or kiss me. I do the worst thing I possibly could ... I take a step back. He straightens, completely confused. My pulse spikes.
"We were going down to the beach," I say, trying to sound light and casual. "Unless you guys need help?"
"No, that's fine." His voice is cautious, like he's trying to read me. I give him a tight-lipped smile. "I just wanted to say hi." Then he walks away. And my heart seriously twists in my chest.
"So, this is you?" Ashton scowls in disapproval. "You're kind of a bitch." Then she walks off, leaving me alone with the truth.
Yes, I am.
