Fault

Chapter 2

"Come on I'll introduce you to my friend Sophia." Layla says shutting her car door and immediately walking towards the beach. I take a deep breath and try to keep as close to her as I can. A bunch of gross boys look her up and down with scary eyes as she makes her way down the beach. She doesn't seem to notice. 

"Layla!" A girl calls from a little away. 

Layla grabs my hand and begins speed walking towards the brown haired girl who just called her name. The girl is pretty like Layla, except she seems to have a lot more makeup on. Her makeup is a perfect art on her. Nothing I could ever do. 

"Hey Soph!" She gives her a big hug and the two giggle like middle school girls. 

"This is my room mate, Sadie. Sadie, this is Sophia." I wave awkwardly at Sophia, who gives me a warm smile. 

"And I'm this gorgeous little ladies boyfriend." The boy standing beside her says. "But you can call me Asher."

"He isn't my boyfriend." Sophia says rolling her eyes. Asher pokes her sides, causing her to laugh as she tries to squirm away.

"We're all going to be great friends!" Layla says in a quieter voice towards me. I smile at her, not knowing how to respond. I'm not sure these people will like being near me. I already feel kind of boring compared to them. 

Once Sophia and Asher are done teasing each other, they decide to throw around a football Asher brought. I actually surprisingly have a good hand when it comes to football. Well, throwing a football, I don't actually know how to play. 

"Sadie, catch!" Sophia yells while throwing the football my way. I grab the football and Asher runs backwards waving his hands in the air. I laugh and throw the ball his way with ease.

"Damn, you're good." Asher says with an impressed look. 

"Yeah, my brother used to play here." 

"Who's your brother?" 

"Brandon Monroe?" I say, more as a question than anything. I'm not sure how he would know him, unless he caught up with all of UCLA's football stuff.

"No way! He played center. Wow, your brother is kind of a legend." 

I smile at Asher, proud on my brother's behalf. He is kind of great. 

"Alright Monroe, it's coming back to you." Asher whips the ball in my direction, and I still manage to catch it without causing myself to stumble from the force. My brother's the one who taught me how to throw a football as you probably have guessed. We used to play when we got bored at family gatherings. 

I throw the ball at Layla, whose watching me with a smile. She looks almost proud?

"Nathan, there you are!" I hear Asher say, as I watch Layla throw the football to Sophia. 

Both girls stop to look at this "Nathan" that Asher is talking to. 

He's hot. Like intimidatingly hot. He's crazy tall, probably like 6'3 which is an entire foot taller than me. He has chestnut brown hair and dark brown eyes. He reminds me of one of those Calvin Klein models. He'd be like the face of Calvin Klein if they saw him. 

"I'm heading out." Tall boy says putting his hands in his pockets. 

"Already?" Asher asks, his smile fading. He looks over at me and his eyes light up "Wait. I have someone for you to meet."

Asher motions for me to come closer and he looks back at Nathan with a smile. 

"Nate, this is Sadie. Her brother is the Brandon Monroe." Nathan gives me a once over and I nervously smile. 

"Brandon Monroe?" Nathan asks, turning back to Asher. 

"Bro. Come on. The dude who played the same position as me? We watched a few of their games and I pointed him out to you." Asher says with a bewildered look on his face. I can't help but laugh at his pouty attitude. I like this guy. 

"Oh. Right, how could I forget?" Nathan says, feeding in. "That's cool."

"And Sadie, this is Nathan." Layla chimes in. "Football scholarship man. All the girls are dying to meet him." The sarcastic tone in her voice makes me laugh. 

Nathan gives her a sarcastic smile back. 

"Well, sounds great for you." I say, causing them both to look my way. Nathan has a blank expression on his face and I can't tell if he thinks I'm super annoying or just wants this conversation to be over with. 

"Alright, I'll see you guys." He gives a wave to Asher and walks away from the group. 

"He's nice once you get to know him." Layla says shaking her head. I'm assuming at him, but it could be at my lack of social skills too. Either would suffice. 

"Who wants to go for a swim?" Asher yells, catching the attention of some people around us. 

"A swim? It's night and cold, Ash." Sophia says rolling her eyes. 

"No, it's sunset and we have nothing better to do." He looks around at Layla and I. Layla just laughs and I shrug my shoulders not particularly happy with the idea. It is cold. 

"Oh, come on. It's California!" 

"I'll go." Layla says.

"Soph?" He asks, pouting his lip.

"Asher I'm not wearing a bathing suit."

"So take off your sweater and shorts. Live a little." He walks closer to her, his eyes lighting up and she starts to grin. "Skinny dipping is always on the table too."

"Will you shut up if I come?"

"For tonight."

She takes off her sweater, leaving her shorts on. 

Asher scoops her up as she flails in his arms. 

Layla and I watch as he runs towards the ocean bringing them both in the water. 

"Asher!" Sophia screams. Just as her voice is loudly heard over the rest of the bonfire, people begin running towards the water joining in on the fun.

"Coming?" Layla asks, taking her sweater off and putting it on top of her shoes. 

"Do I have to?"

"Live a little." She says, reciting Asher's line. I sigh and begin to remove my sweater and shoes as well. I hate the idea of this, but i'm trying to make friends and deciding to stand up here alone while everyone is having so-called fun in the water, won't help this.

Layla grabs my hand and we start running towards Sophia and Asher in the ocean. 

I smile, looking around at everyone laughing and having a good time. I honestly thought it would take a while to make friends, seeing as I'm not the most social girl. But thanks to Layla, I found people to hang around, and maybe eventually to even become my friends. Layla's great. She's basically the complete opposite of me, but she doesn't use that as a reason to ignore me. Sophia and Asher seem nice, I mean I've only known them for a few hours, but from what I've seen, they're fun to be around. 

I also can't wait to get out of this water. Jean shorts and the ocean, do not mix.