The Sisters McFadden

Chapter 8 - The Bombshell

Chelsea McFadden had vampire confidence. That was Dalton's first impression. Confident. As promised, he'd made it back down to the beach before the blood red sun connected with the Pacific horizon. The beach was no less crowded than when he'd left it earlier in the day.

"Dalton!" Lexie cheered as he walked up to their core group of friends.

Jimmy gave him the standard bro hug. "About time," he said. "These girls have been drinking all day."

And then she strolled up. Still in her eye patch bikini, Chelsea stood next to Lexie and propped her elbow on her new best friend's shoulder. "Hello," she said to Dalton in the same Afrikaans accent as her sister but with a deeper voice.

"Chelsea meet Dalton," said Lexie, "our best friend in the whole world."

"Hello, Chelsea. Happy to meet you."

"I am the happy one. You kept me waiting all day."

"Sorry about that."

"Don't be, it was worth the wait."

The beach goers cheered in unison as the sun set with red and orange streaks across the sky. That meant another hot day tomorrow. Even by sunset, the air was a perfect eighty-five degrees. In anticipation of the imminent fireworks show, the kids sat down on big blankets spread out on the sand. Lexie and Chelsea were drinking vodka mixed in with energy drinks. Both were drunk. Jimmy was thoroughly buzzed as well. Dalton stuck to drinking water. He sat with Chelsea as the fireworks display lit up over the ocean. More cheers from the crowd. Chelsea had not stopped talking to him since they said hello. He remained a gentleman with no intention of making a move on her. For Lexie's sake, he did want to make an effort to be friends. Lexie had never replaced Sam with another best girlfriend. She had Jimmy and a lot of friends but Sam had been her bestie since preschool. Lexie and Chelsea were a perfect match. Maybe too much alike.

"I was told you play water polo," said Chelsea with that accent.

"Yes. Jimmy and I will be varsity co-captains this year."

"That's the sport with the little swim costumes, right?"

Dalton laughed. "Yup, there's not much to our uniforms."

"Well then, I will be at every match."

"So you will go to our high school? I heard you went to a boarding school."

"I will be at your school, not to worry. But yes, I did go to boarding school in Scotland last semester. That's only because I got expelled from Camps Bay High School in Cape Town."

"You are trouble, aren't you?"

"Wicked trouble."

Dalton knew at that moment he was over his head with this girl. The flirtation was fun but he felt he better bring Ash into the conversation. There was no shortage of boys for Chelsea on the peninsula. Chelsea would move on after she realized he liked her sister, or so he thought.

"I met your sister, Ash, today. She's one hell of a surfer."

"She's a brilliant surfer. She's the prodigy in our family."

"Do you think she will surf competitively here?"

"She will do whatever my father tells her to do."

"Ash did say your dad is particular. I guess that means he's really strict."

"Not with me." Chelsea laid down on the blanket looking up at the night's sky. "Do you like my sister?"

Dalton looked down at her. What a body. He was attracted to her but he did not feel the same energy he felt around Ash. It was more of a tug with Chelsea. Like a gravitational pull. He knew better than to answer her question about her sister.

"Ash is little miss innocent," said Chelsea. "She's never kissed a boy. I don't think she has ever even liked a boy. She wants to move to Australia someday anyways. I think California is for me. I am the one you want. Trust me. You'll see."

"I like the confidence," said Dalton. "But there are plenty guys around here. Why me?"

"Because Sexy Lexie told me you are the boy for me and Lexie is awesome."

"Lexie is awesome, true. Love that girl."

"Then shut up and listen to her."