Strictly Summer Romance (ON HOLD)

Chapter Thirteen, All-Knowing

"Hey."

"Hey," I greet Alice. She lays down a beach towel and plops onto the sand beside me. "Seems like you had a fun night," I say suggestively. Alice hadn't come to our room at all last night.

Her cheeks grow pink, and it isn't due to sun exposure.

"Yeah... I didn't plan on giving in so quickly. I was going to make him suffer, but..." She trails off and blushes a deeper pink.

I laugh at her admission. Alice wasn't one to boast about sexuality, but a brief sense of relief floods through me. I haven't seen her this happy and at peace in a long time. Three years to be precise. I like seeing my best friend giddy again.

"Madison left this morning?" She asks trying to change the subject.

I let out a deep breath and try to focus on the sun's rays soaking into my skin. "Yeah, he left."

"I'm sorry, Em. I know you liked him," she says sympathetically.

I shake my head lightly. "It's fine. I knew he was leaving. Besides, now I have an excuse to road trip it to Florida next summer." I wiggle my eyebrows at her to which she giggles.

"Where's Hayden?" I ask veering the conversation back to her.

"Oh, he's still sleeping. I got tired of waiting on him to wake up."

It's half past ten. I'd gotten out of bed nearly three hours ago, extremely early for a summer day due to a restless sleep. When I'd finally climbed under our blankets last night, all I could think about was a certain someone a few rooms over. I'd tossed and turned until the sun rose.

"Alex was worried about you," she lets out.

I turn my head a little too quickly resulting in a loud crack from a joint in my neck. "Ah," I rub the spot.

"You okay?" She asks, but I can see the laugh she's trying to retain.

"Yeah. What do you mean he was worried? When?" I don't know why, but I don't want Alice to know about last night. Probably because I don't want to have to acknowledge that any of it actually happened. If she didn't know I could pretend it was all just a dream.

"At the bar. After you and Madison left he acted really weird. He kept asking if I knew where you guys had went, and he kept trying to get us to leave." I see her turn her head towards me out of my peripheral. "Did something happen?" She asks slowly.

Alice knows me too well. It was a blessing and a curse. She probably sees right through me, but I debate on whether or not to withhold the whole truth from her anyways. If I tell her, it means I have to admit out loud what I'm trying to deny.

"No. He did say he was sorry for being a dick though," I say half truthful.

I feel her study me for a little longer, she probably knows I'm full of crap, but she doesn't say anything.

"Hm," she finally lets out. I expect to hear more about it, but she just goes on to say, "Shaina wants to have lunch with us."

"Yeah?" I ask perking up at the thought.

"Yeah, your mom and mine just left for the city again, but she stayed behind. She said we could go to Rodan's around one."

Finally, Rodan's.

~~~

"Oh my gosh, I've missed these," I moan as I stuff my mouth with more fries. Shaina laughs from across the table, and Alice happily slurps her milkshake to my right.

"It's hard to find a good burger joint. Especially in New York. Everywhere's so gourmet," Shaina says with dramatic posh. "It's infuriating. Like damn, just give me a burger with bacon, for goodness sake. Is that too much to ask?"