Lilac's Lies

37

July 22 2019

"This is what summer is all about," Clara muttered to me. We were laying on our lake floats, our hands hooked together so we didn't float apart. My skin was absorbing the waves of sun, and I could feel myself turning more tanned by the minute. My eyes were closed, and I was simply feeling the way my body was swaying on the water.

"What," I started, moving my sunglasses to the top of my head, "being almost naked all the time?"

I felt like I hadn't worn clothes in weeks, we'd been spending most of our time at Khalil's cottage, which fortunately for us, sat on the beach. Pigeon Lake was a popular destination for the summer, people flocked here to escape the heat that lingered in the city air. The lake was also a popular tourist destination, due to the beautiful rocks that surrounded the perfectly blue lake.

"Boyfriends, boats, booze, what more could we need?" Clara hummed out, she sounded like she was in complete bliss. Not that I could blame her, I was too.

"How many hours of sun do we have left?" I asked her, not wanting to open my eyes.

"Not a lot, the sunset should be starting soon," Clara told me, causing me to groan. Nothing was better than the moment that I was in. Content, happy, and with my best friend.

"Are you girls done baking yet?" I heard Jesse call from the boat, and if my eyes were open, I would have rolled them.

"No," I called back, though I felt uneasy at denying him.

Things hadn't been good with Jesse and I. Though, I was trying. He was just so... different than how he was, how he used to be. I felt on edge all the time, just waiting to see what he was going to lash out on next. And the worst part was that he didn't seem to care about the way he was acting. He didn't flinch anymore when he put his hands on me. He used to apologize, he used to beg me not to leave him. He used to tell me all the things I wanted to hear. I wasn't sure if he wasn't sorry anymore, or maybe he never really was.

The only thing that Jesse seemed to care about, was that we were together. He was obsessed with our image, he was obsessed with the way people in our school regarded us as the golden couple. He loved the way people loved us, and he loved the way it made him look. Like the good guy.

"Okay, babe," Jesse surprised me by laughing out. Maybe he was in a good mood today. Everyday he was in a good mood, it gave me another reason to stay. And I knew it was wrong, and I knew I shouldn't, but a part of me hoped that maybe the guy I used to know would come back to me.

"Listen, we're going to head up to Three Point to watch the sunset. Brett and I planned it all out... super romantic," Jesse continued, causing me to finally open my eyes and glance over to Clara. She didn't seem excited at his words or their plans, and I knew why.

She just wasn't that into Brett anymore. Which, well, wasn't a great thing. Jesse and Brett and been so happy that Clara finally agreed to be his girlfriend. They said we would rule the school together. The Dream Team, they said.

"Leaving me to be the fifth wheel, again," Khalil muttered, making me chuckle.

"Okay," I answered for the both of us, since Clara didn't seem to care to.

I pulled on Clara's hand, which was still linked to my own, causing her lake float to be pulled into mine.

"Clara," I whispered, getting her to finally open her eyes. "Did you hear that?"