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You’re not tall enough.
You’re not big enough.
You can’t wear clothes like that.
Why can’t you be like your brothers?
Why can’t you stop being such a disappointment?
This is just a phase.
Grow up, Magnus.
Those phrases and questions were spoken to me so often as a child that somehow it warped my brain. Now, anytime anyone underestimates me, I go a little crazy, proving that Icando it. I might not be tall or strong, but I am intelligent and determined. I can do anything I set my mind to.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I see that Colin has already texted me. Nothing exciting, just a genericnice to meet youtext.
I shoot him back a smiley face because I don’t know how else to respond. Colinismy dream guy. Educated, smart, handsome, and a real family guy who loves children. He’s everything I want in a man. I cannot blow this by continuing to engage with Sem.
No, I need to cut him out of my life entirely.
This may be problematic because he’s a part of my inner circle. And getting rid of Sem has proven to be more challenging than I expected.
* * *
“You told me he wasn’t going to be here,” I hiss at my friend Caleb as I try in vain to get my towel to settle on the sand. It just blows around in the wind and refuses to lie down flat.
My friend scratches a hand across his bare stomach and glances out at the ocean.
“He wasn’t. He was supposed to be camping with friends. Changed his mind last minute, though. Wonder why?” Caleb turns to look over at me and smirks.
I use my finger to make a motion for him to turn back around and mind his own business. Then I glance over at the waves and watch as Sem rises from the surfboard and rides a wave before getting knocked over and tumbling into the ocean. A moment later, he reemerges from the water, those muscular arms grab onto his board, and he lifts himself onto it once more. He’s nothing but determined. I’ll give him that.
“He’s gotten good, huh, babe?” Caleb tells Whit, who is brushing the sand from their little canopy. “Been coming out here with Mal a lot, I guess.”
Whit hums a response, and Caleb turns to his fiancé and frowns. “Will you stop brushing the sand from the tent? We’re at the beach. We’re going to get dirty.”
Whit sighs, pushing his dark hair behind his ears and biting down on his lip.
“I hate the beach.”
“You love the beach.”
“I love you,” he mutters. “I came here to make you happy. The beach can go to hell.”
Caleb grins widely and practically crawls into his fiancé’s lap, pressing his mouth to Whit’s and licking into it.
Okay, enough of that, I think as I turn my head away from the two lovebirds. I don’t know why I even bothered coming here with them. They’ll most likely end up under that stupid canopy making out the entire time. Ever since Caleb crawled into Whit’s bed, they’ve been inseparable. Let’s just say Idid notsee that coming.
I look out toward the ocean once more and see Sem crest another wave, the muscles in his chest flexing, the suit on his hips hanging seductively low. He has V-cut abs. I’ve never actually seen such definition in real life before. I thought that it was just a myth, like unicorns or the Loch Ness Monster. Damn him and his perfect body.
Nope. Not going there, I tell myself as I finally manage to right my towel and lower myself onto it.
I slather my fair skin with sunscreen and pull out my phone to read.
In the distance, I can hear the waves hitting the shore and Whit and Caleb chatting. I can’t see their faces, but I can see them from the waist down, and Caleb’s leg is thrown over Whit’s as they cuddle out of the sun’s harsh rays.
For a moment, I’m jealous of what they have.
