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We share the chips and dip while our friends start chatting and Zayn smiles at me. I smile back, realizing how comfortable I’ve grown around him since I’ve been back. I don’t know what we are—friends, more than friends—but it feelsright.
After we’ve both had a few chips, Zayn stares into the dip container. “Ya know, I never noticed how ruthless you are with the chip dip.”
“What?” I ask.
“Yeah, you just stick the chip in anywhere, the sides, the middle, and it makes it all uneven,” he explains. “I didn’t know you were a chipcaveman.”
I hold my hand in front of my mouth to laugh. “Excuse me,” I scoff.
“Excuse you is right,” he teases.
“I may like to plan, but you, sir, are such a perfectionist. Even your chip dip has to be evenly spread. That’s what isn’t normal! I’m the normal one. Right, guys?” I ask, glancing around at everyone. They’re all too busy eating their own sandwiches or sunbathing to care about how we eat chips. Taylor and Natalie shrug. Ryker doesn’t say a word. Mason uses his hand to shield his eyes to look at us better before he says, “Get a room, you two.”
I wave off his comment.Damn it. Are we that obnoxious right now? I find a napkin and wipe the chip grease off my hands. I take another swig of water and think about how I really need to remember that I am not in the mental state to be dating, especially Zayn Mitchell.
“So, what’s next on our agenda?” Natalie asks, interrupting my thoughts. “I’ve got a bit more energy to do another one of your WOLO adventures with you guys.”
Zayn and I exchange glances. My lips purse together briefly before I say, “Well, there is one thing we could all do.”
Natalie gasps in excitement. “Yes! What is it?”
“Anyone up for burying someone in the sand?” I ask.
“Absolutely not,” Taylor says. “It’s a huge fear of mine.”
Zayn stands to his feet, wiping the sand off him. “Well, you’re in luck. It’s Autumn’s, too.”
Taylor looks at me with eyebrows raised above her sunglasses. “So you’re gonna do it for the first time?”
“Yeah, I’ve been doing a lot of firsts this year thanks to my sister, Summer. Long story,” I explain. “You guys in or what?”
Everyone’s eyes shift around nervously. Mason laughs and says, “Oh, I’m so in.”
I’ve never been more uncomfortable in my entire life. I’d rather have Liam tell me he’s remarrying a hundred times than be under the sand like this for a second longer.
Zayn laughs. “You’re so uncomfortable under there, aren’t you?”
Okay, Mr. Mind reader.“You have no idea.”
Mason shouts out, in his best Jean Ralphio fromParks and Recreationvoice, “This is the woooorst.”
All of us laugh, even Ryker, who’s buried right alongside me and Mason.
“This is hilarious,” Taylor says.
“Yeah, I’d be saying that too if I’d chickened out,” Mason quips.
“Sorry about that. But y’all are doing great.” Taylor starts to walk away. “Okay guys, let me grab my phone so we can get a picture.”
I hear a stranger’s voice ask, “Would you like me to take a picture of all you?”
“Yes,” Natalie exclaims. “We’d love that! Right, Mace?”
I lift my head as much as I can, watching as Taylor hands over her phone to the girl before sitting right next to our buried trio. Zayn and Natalie join her.
The girl yells out, “Okay, three . . . two . . . one . . . say cheese!”
We all yell ‘cheese,’ including the three of us in the sand. The girl hands Taylor her phone back and says, “Here you go. I took at least a few.”
