8. age twelve #3
Instead, I remained on the porch as the girls disappeared inside.
I watched the boys for nearly a minute, shifting on my feet as I decided my next move.
They hadn’t even noticed me, too busy in their quest to drench each other.
When I finally edged my way to the porch steps, only Ryan’s friend remained in the backyard.
While Atlas and Ryan had vanished around the side of the house, this guy was tinkering with his gun.
As soon as he saw me though, he lowered it and grinned.
He was cute. Not nearly as tall as Atlas, but taller than Ryan.
His blonde hair looked almost brown when wet, and he had a bit of a gap between his front teeth. It was cute.
“Hey there. What’s your name?” He was flirting with me. It was obvious enough in his tone, in the look on his face, that I didn’t doubt it for a second.
“Violet.” I held the towel tighter at my chest. Suddenly, I felt embarrassed about my bikini. I didn’t have boobs yet, not like Nat and Phoebe did. I probably looked boyish, and this guy would be disappointed the second he saw my flat chest.
“Pretty.”
I didn’t know if he meant my name or me, but I liked the way he smiled at me.
“I’m Chase,” he said, and I realized I should have asked. If I wasn’t so awkward, I would have.
I couldn’t think of anything to say, but he kept staring at me, like he expected me to contribute something. Luckily, Atlas and Ryan reappeared seconds later, their guns freshly refilled with water. They screamed in delight as they sprayed toward Chase, a bit too far away to hit him.
“Sorry,” he said, looking back at me. The wide grin on his face said he wasn’t sorry at all. “Nothing personal. Just need a shield.”
“What—”
Chase lurched forward, crossing the space between us in a matter of steps.
I looked to Atlas, who by now had lowered his gun to stare at me, and by the time I looked back, Chase was in front of me.
I yelped, leaning backward. He grabbed me with both hands, throwing me over his shoulder like I was a sack of flour.
The towel slipped away and fell to the ground. Chase held me in place. His hand was on my butt. I repeat, this older boy who I had never met had his hand on my butt.
I let out a surprised laugh. A squeal. I didn’t even know whether I liked the fact he was touching me. I was too shocked to process anything.
With me propped over his shoulder, Chase took off through the yard. He held his empty water gun in the opposite hand and, quite literally, used me as a shield as he barreled past the other boys. Water sprayed against us, and Ryan let out another hyena laugh.
I clung to Chase’s back as he ran, careful not to touch his butt, even as he was fully groping mine. He only slowed once we reached the side of the house, right next to the water spigot. Then, he slid me off his shoulder, steadying me before releasing me to fill up his water gun.
I stood there like a complete moron, gape-mouthed and silent as he worked.
“You good?” he asked without looking at me.
Before I could respond, Atlas came around the corner. He was alone, and he didn’t have his gun anymore.
“What’re you doing?” he asked. He sounded mad, and it took me a minute to realize he was talking to me.
“Um, nothing?” I planted my hands on my hips, even as I was tempted to wrap my arms around myself.
Atlas was seeing me in a bikini for the first time, and he wasn’t blushing or looking flustered like I secretly hoped he would.
It was because I was flat-chested. Obviously.
Embarrassment flooded through me, making every inch of me feel like it was on fire.
“I thought you went home.” His tone was dismissive. Sharp.
“Just to change.” I match my tone to his. “I was going to tan with Phoebe and Nat, but you ruined that.”
“Well, they’re inside now.”
“Yeah, I know. Because you got them all wet.”
Chase stood at my side now, holding his refilled water gun between both hands. He looked between the two of us, one eyebrow raised.
“Why aren’t you with them?” Atlas demanded, and that, more than anything, made me stiffen.
Because I’m with you, I wanted to say. Because Phoebe is Nat’s and you are mine and we are best friends and you don’t even know this guy and you already like him better than me.
I didn’t say anything. I just stared, my mind moving too slowly to be of any use.
“C’mon man,” Chase said. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and tugged me playfully into his side. “Let her play. She can be on my team. You and Ryan can—”
“No.” Atlas worked his jaw as he stared at Chase. He stepped closer, nearly a head taller despite being younger. He was glaring now, mouth puckered. “She’s not playing.”
“Screw you, Atlas.” I shoved away from Chase, only to shoot him an apologetic grimace. It wasn’t his fault Atlas was being a jerk, after all. “Thanks for trying to help. Atlas is an asshole.”
The word tasted like ash on my tongue, and Atlas’s jaw slackened. Recently he’d been teasing me about not cursing. Apparently he didn’t like it when I did either.
Before Atlas said another word, I took off around his house, not slowing until I was safely tucked inside my own.