This Summer Could Kill Us

Chapter 4

When we got to the boat Callan walked over to Bryce, and helped him set up the fire. I looked up at the sky and gasped. How the hell did it get that dark so fast?

“Grayson,” Kassy called, “Did you remember to get all the smores stuff?” Grayson rolled his eyes and smiled wickedly.

            “Honey,” he said pretending to cry, “I swear it’s like you don’t even know me anymore.” I threw my head back and laughed. Grayson had to be one of the only people that could make me laugh like that. I don’t know what it was about him that made me laugh so hard. Maybe it was because he was so dorky and careless. He reminded me a lot of Callan in that way. He turned and beamed at me. His hair was as dark as the night sky, and his eyes forest green. He and I weren’t all that close, but I still considered him as a friend.

            Kassy rolled her eyes at him, and straightened out a blanket on the shore. Their relationship was the cutest. One day I hoped to have a relationship like theirs. When the two of them started dating I don’t think one person wasn’t shocked. Their personalities couldn’t have been more opposite.

             “Guess what I brought?” Shailey giggled while digging through her bag. No one needed to guess; we already knew. Her smile stretched as she yanked out a bottle of tequila.  

            “Wahoo,” Will said deceitfully, “Who would have guessed?!” Shailey threw him a poisonous glare, and Will rolled his eyes. I bit my lip; Will could really be a dick if he wanted to.

            Damen sat up from his chair, and I tensed; I had completely forgotten he was here. “How about we make this interesting?” he said snugly, “We’ll all keep count of how much we drink, and whoever drinks the least amount has to sleep on the beach with nothing but the sand.”

            The men grinned and I felt my breath hiss between my teeth, “No way, we all know it’ll be a girl who loses.”

            Damen glared at me, “You take the fun out of everything.” I smiled falsely in his direction, and took a seat in one of the chairs.

            “Okay, how about this,” Dylan intervened, “The girl that drinks the least and the boy that drinks the least both have to sleep on the shore.”

            Everyone sat there quiet for a while thinking it through, “What if someone lies about how much they drank?” Laney asked sitting Indian-style on the sand.

            “Pick someone to keep count of how much you drank,” Sam suggested smiling lightly.

            After everyone agreed and chose a partner I got down to business. I didn’t drink often, and when I took that first sip my eyes watered hastily. I glanced around to see if anyone had witnessed it, and found Will trying to hold back a grin. I don’t know how I got partnered with him, but I was happy it happened. While I was just sipping my first drink he was already downing his third. I glanced around and immediately noticed that I needed to step up my game.  So I hastily began to chug. The more I drank the lighter I felt; I forgot how the alcohol affected my system so fast.

            Before I knew it I was jaggedly walking over to Will tripping on my feet and giggling childishly. Even when he was drunk his stern expression never changed. I sat down on his lap and leaned against his chest. His cologne invaded my nose and I threw my head back in delight. “Goodness you smell so good,” I grumbled nuzzling my nose into his neck. He stiffened, but soon relaxed and slummed in his chair.

            Callan grabbed onto my shoulder and I turned my head back to him. “Leah,” he slurred jealousy engulfed in his words, “I think you- you’ve ha- had enough.”

            I pulled away from his arms and squirmed in Will’s lap, “No, I don’t want to lose.”

            The corners of Will’s lips twitched, “I’m pretty sure you won’t.”

            I sat there longer, and pouted. Why were they doing this? If I lost it was their fault. I threw my cup down on the beach, and jumped out of Will’s lap.

            “Okay,” Byron yawned, “We should st-top; who drank the least?”

            Everyone exchanged their numbers, and I was happy to notice that I drank more than most. Still Calla, Savannah, and Laney drank more than me.

            “Ah shit,” Kassy cussed, finally realizing that she had lost. Bryce took longer to react, but acted the same as Kassy.

            “Time for bed,” Sam snickered, and Kassy threw her a death glare.

            While everyone else teased Kassy and Bryce, I felt the need to stand up. As soon as I did my legs swayed. I walked towards the boat, and tripped on a rock. I sat there on the ground and shook with laughter.

            “LeLe?” Will asked, and I could practically hear the laugh he was trying to hold back. I looked up and him, and saw his hand dangling waiting for me to take it. I smiled and reached for it. When our hands met I felt butterflies stir in my stomach. He flung me up from the ground onto my feet.

            “Why thank you my kind Gentleman,” I said as I stretched up onto my tippy toes, and kissed his cheek. Will shivered, but it was so little that after it happened I wondered if it really did happen.

            Laney zigzagged her way towards us and hooked her arm to mine, “Let’s get to bed roomy.”    

            That night I slept the best I ever had in a long time. In my head I wondered whether it had been because of Will or just the alcohol, perhaps both.