The Fight In You [18+]

19 - All This Love

Summer before Corri's Senior Year

"Do you want some?" 

I glanced up at Ari as she tipped a fifth of cake flavored vodka in my direction. I shook my head and lifted the bottle of Seagram's wine cooler. "I'm good with this."

"Live a little," she laughed, thrusting it a little closer. "Monday morning we'll all be seniors and have time for nothing but college applications and internships and jobs. This is our last chance for fun."

I didn't feel like reminding her that senior year would probably be loaded with fun and parties and prom. Finally I relented, stood from where I had been sitting in the sand and took the bottle from her. I took a small swig and passed it to Becca. It burned like crazy and warmed my belly.

"Let's dance!" Ally called out, changing the music to something we could all move to. 

The plan was a girls only party on the beach. We had spent the whole day there swimming with a pause for a picnic lunch. Then when it got dark, we started a small fire and the girls revealed the alcohol they had been keeping in a cooler. The wine cooler was fine with me. I hadn't really ever drank much and I didn't feel comfortable getting too crazy when I wasn't even at home. 

But the vodka made it rounds and the more I drank, the freer I felt. On a daily basis I was worried about everything. And yes college would be a concern so I had to keep my grades up. But most of all, my concern was boys. Specifically Colt. 

I was moving to the rhythm of the music, my skin warm from being out in the sun all day. I had only slipped on a pair of denim cutoffs over my bikini. I had brought more clothes, but between the alcohol and the fire, I didn't need them yet. 

I ventured out a little bit until my bare feet touched the shore. The water seemed endless here but it wasn't. We were on Sauvie Island and during the day you could see the land on the other side. But now the waves lapped at my feet and the water felt murky and dangerous. 

When I turned to head back to my friends, I ran into a broad chest with scattered tattoos. "I'm sorry," I gasped, my hands still pressed against him.

He smirked as his eyes moved over me. "I'm not."

I glanced around nervously. We had specified no boys tonight, yet I saw a group of them had made their way to our little group and presently three of them were talking to my friends. 

"I'm Perry," the guy in front of me offered. 

I had seen him at school, but it wasn't anyone I had ever spoken to. He and his friends were known for their parties and tattoos and loud motorcycles roaring through the parking lot after last bell. Perry was handsome, in an unconventional way. His eyes were a pale blue, maybe even gray and his hair was a dirty blond, much longer than the boys at school normally wore it. His eyes twinkled when he held on out for me to shake. "You're Corri, right?"