Chapter 14 #3
Home? This place is nothing like 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, in a good way.
Across from me, a couple girls lounge with their eyes closed, sun-soaked and content.
Inspired, I peel off my pink cover-up. Elle swore this white two-piece was peak “it girl,” but today, I’m just a regular American teenager hanging out at a summer party.
I sink into the lounge chair, the cushion soft against my back, the sun bathing me from head to toe. This is it. Bucket list item, hang out at the beach for as long as I want. Check.
I twist to get some sun on my back, and am awarded with an unexpected view. A very hot, nonchalant Gabriel without his white T-shirt is heading back in my direction. I force myself to look away, even though I know that image is now permanently etched into my brain.
And I notice I’m not the only one who’s staring. Gabriel has some fans.
No, nope. I banish any pesky thoughts away. Think of Oliver. Good old Oliver Darby. My bestie and soon to be more. I’m sure of it. As soon as I see Oliver again, all will be right with the world.
“Abby?” Kyle is waving a hand near my face.
I blink. “Sorry?”
“Come join us!” I look where he’s pointing, and it’s a group nearby dancing and grinding on the sand not far from someone’s Bluetooth speakers.
“Dude. Let her be,” Gabriel says with a warning look that kind of irks me. Why shouldn’t I dance? Sure, the buttoned-up, perfectly poised Abby would sit it out.
But this is Bucket List Summer Abby. And she says: Why not?
“Sounds fun,” I say, ignoring Gabriel’s concerned expression. Soon I’m holding my drink in the air and moving to the beat as a bunch of people circle around.
My eyes close, and I let the music take control, my body bouncing along without overthinking it. Several folks shout, “Go, Abby!” and some crowd around, dancing alongside me.
I laugh from the exhilaration of doing something spontaneous for once.
I check out Gabriel a couple times and am a bit disappointed to see him sitting on his lounge chair, sunglasses on and fiddling with his camera.
Not paying any attention to me. It’s fine.
As Pat at the ice cream parlor said, his camera is his significant other.
As the song dips into the next, a bunch of people run into the lake. Billie and Jaisha leap into cannonballs, calling me to join them.
I laugh and follow right behind. I shriek with delight as the lake’s chilly water surrounds my body. A welcome relief from the summer heat.
I swim a bit to where I have to tiptoe to stay above the water. I hear some splashing and see Gabriel joining me.
“Shaw doesn’t look like he’s enjoying the water,” Gabriel warns. I see my agent standing knee-deep in the lake holding a life preserver.
I sigh. As much as I’d love to stay out here, how embarrassing would it be to have my Secret Service agent nearby, floating on his own plastic flamingo life preserver?
Gabriel reads my mind and motions me to follow him. Clumsy-rella I am, I slip on a rock on the lake bottom and take a little dive into the water.
Gabriel helps me out. “I’m fine,” I say, quickly wiping the water off my face. He offers me his hand. I ignore the jolt that thrums through my body as he leads me out of the lake. I hold on to his hand a little longer than necessary while I regain my footing when we’re back at the shore.
“Thanks,” I say. “I’m having the best time ev—” I cover my mouth as I’m hit by a fit of coughs.
He frowns. “Are you okay?”
I gasp. “I inhaled some lake water.”
“Let me get you a drink.” He doesn’t wait for a response before he jogs toward a watercooler. I watch him. For someone I barely know, he’s surprisingly super attentive.
I take my time walking back to my beach chair, letting my feet kick up the lake water and feeling the sand between my toes. I relish the heat of the sun warming my skin, contrasted by cool water dripping from my swimsuit.
In the distance, a soothing beat from someone’s speakers hums in the air. I feel my body relax. This is what summer should feel like.
I stop mid-step as I notice a swift movement from the corner of my eye. My body tingles with warning.
A boy crouches behind one of the lounge chairs, cradling something in his arms. My eyes widen as he turns in my direction.
“Ooof!” I yelp as I’m pushed down and hit the sand hard.
“Stay down,” Nessa hisses into my ear. Not like I have a choice as her body covers mine.
I turn just in time to see Shaw yelling at a boy.
“It’s a toy,” he insists. “It’s just a game.” I follow the boy’s gaze and see water guns in the sand.
Nessa grips my arm and hauls me to my feet. “We’re leaving.”
“But they’re just toys,” I protest.
Doesn’t matter. Her tone says this isn’t up for debate.
In the distance, an angry Gabriel yells at a guilty-looking Kyle before walking toward me. His expression is so furious he looks like he could burst into flames. “They’re playing Assassin,” he says. “It’s a silly game where players are assigned targets and use toy water guns to take them out.”
“But my agents would’ve swept the place,” I say.
He points at Kyle. “Turd-breath has water guns that look like foam pool tubes, which security must have missed, and I think the Millers at the next house over brought some water guns too. Kyle should’ve suspended the game today.”
I’m barely listening. My stomach lurches, seeing the terror and confusion on everyone’s faces as Shaw and the rest of the Secret Service agents who’ve now arrived on scene yell at them to keep back and be quiet.
Guilt fills my chest as Gabe’s classmates freak out. It’s not fun having massive superhuman-sized agents barking orders at you. “Let’s get out of here,” I say to Nessa.
I ruined Kyle’s party. This is why I shouldn’t have friends.