Chapter 15 Playlist Main Character Energy #2
Myles keeps his gaze on me. “Don’t listen to them,” he says. Then, with a cute little grin, he adds, “Unless you want to.”
Then they head back to the volleyball courts, and my eyes follow Myles as he tugs his shirt over his head and joins his friends on the court.
His muscles bunch and strain as he serves and dives, and it’s impossible to tear my gaze away.
Shelby and I cheer as promised, and after three games where Myles’s team wins two out of three, he and Brady come back over, high-fiving everyone they pass on the way.
Myles drops down beside me, still panting, and I sit up and hand him a water.
“Thanks.”
“What about me?” Brady asks.
I shrug. “That was my last one.”
He turns to Shelby. “What about you, gorgeous? Got a drink for me?”
“Don’t call me that. What are you, like, twelve?”
Brady puffs out his chest. “Fourteen.”
“Go away,” Shelby says, and Myles and I laugh.
We watch the next game together, side by side with thighs nearly touching. Myles taps my knee whenever he wants to point something out, and leans his shoulder into mine each time he laughs. His skin is warm and gritty with sand, and smells faintly of sunscreen.
Too soon Brady says, “Dude, we’d better head back before your mom sends someone after us.”
Myles sighs. “You’re probably right.” He gives me a forlorn look, like he doesn’t want to go, and lumbers to his feet.
“Amelia, go ahead and give Myles his kiss so we can be on our way,” Brady says.
Myles shakes his head. “I’m sorry I brought you.”
“It was Shelby’s idea,” Brady defends.
“That’s true,” Shelby adds.
“If Amelia ever decides to kiss me, it won’t be in front of both of you,” Myles says. He looks down at me and holds out a hand. “I will take a hug, though.”
Butterflies take off in my belly as I reach toward him and let him gently pull me up.
I wrap my arms around his waist at the same time he curves his around me.
His shirt’s still off, and I’m in a bikini, and a zing of electricity arcs through me at the feeling of so much of his warm, smooth skin on mine.
“Sorry about my cousin,” he whispers, and I don’t know where I get the nerve, but I sneak a peck to his cheek. He sucks in a breath and pulls back, eyes bright and grin wide. He gives my hand a quick squeeze before they leave.
“See?” Shelby says when they’re out of earshot. “Big plans.”
I sink back down to the towel and bask in that moment for a good half hour.
As we continue to periodically rotate like rotisserie chicken, Shelby tells me about college and how weird it was the first few weeks, having zero accountability to anyone.
“I swear, for the first month I kept panicking when I realized I was at a party past midnight. But then I’d remember I wasn’t living at home and didn’t have a curfew. My roommate stayed with her boyfriend and didn’t sleep in our room once, so it’s not like anyone was waiting up for me.”
“Wow, a dorm all to yourself? That sounds pretty nice.”
“It was.” She waggles her eyebrows. “Especially after I met Brian.”
“Are the dorms coed?” I ask.
She chuckles. “No, but it was pretty easy to sneak him in. We just had to be quiet.”
My cheeks heat, and it must show because she laughs again, this time louder.
“Oh God, I didn’t mean, like… be quiet while we were doing that.” She pauses. “Though, that was true, sometimes…”
I elbow her with a grin. “Dang, girl.”
She just smiles secretly and shrugs, then tilts her head. “Have you ever…?”
I shake my head. Kat and I are both still virgins, but I’ve heard all about it from Ruby, who kept us well informed as her relationship with Julian progressed. I know more about their sex life than I ever cared to.
“I hadn’t either, at your age,” Shelby says. “My mom’s only advice was to wait until I was in college. And to make sure I was really, really sure about the guy.”
“That’s what my mom said too! Behind my dad’s back, though… I think he’d rather I wait until I’m thirty or so.” I roll my eyes. “So, did you? Wait?”
“Yeah. I never had a serious boyfriend in high school. Then once I was at Brown and I’d been dating Brian for a few months, it was kind of weird how one day I just felt… ready.”
I nod, determined to have that level of confidence when I make that decision too.
Sex is this abstract thing to me, but obviously something I think about and that people talk about all the time.
I hear its either so hot and amazing or not at all worth the hype, depending on who you ask.
I don’t feel ready now, but I don’t know if it’s because I need more time or because I haven’t met a guy I feel that comfortable with, yet.
“Do you miss him?” I ask. “Brian?”
“I did at first, but not anymore.” She sits up and takes a swig of water. “That reminds me—you got any cute single guys my age coming to your place for the fireworks tonight? Because I’m single and very ready to mingle.”
I scrunch my nose. “Sorry. Only Gregory, Ruby, and Julian. Oh wait, I invited Ned, and he said he might come! He’s a senior.”
She makes a face. “I’m not hooking up with the guy I need to work with all summer. That would be awkward as hell.”
I rub a hand across my opposite shoulder. “Well, feel free to invite your future husband, the lifeguard over there.”
Shelby considers this, nods, and flops onto her back. She shields her eyes with her hand and smiles. “I just might.”
I laugh and roll onto my stomach.
Later that night, as the first bursts of light fill the sky and my friends (plus, yes, lifeguard Luca) ooh and aah beside me, my phone buzzes with a text message.
Myles: watching the show?
I send him a selfie with the fireworks behind me. I’ve been taking pictures all night with my camera, handing them out to everyone who’s here. But this one’s just for Myles.
Myles: you’re beautiful, you know that?
Myles: I wish I was there
I can’t help the huge grin that spreads across my face, or the giddy sensation sliding across my skin.
Gregory glances across the deck at me, eyes shining and smile wide, like he’s about to say something—but his expression falters when he clocks the lit-up phone in my hand.
He turns back to the show and leans over to say something to Julian.
No one’s close enough to read my screen, but as I respond, I bend over my phone all the same.
Me: I wish you were too.