Hunting Sunsets

Four

The hot sun burned on my pale flesh, searing it like meat on a cook top. Some masochist part of me found it soothing in the borderline pain, elevating my mind to a new level of calm. At least, it felt like that when it was quiet. But, Troy Chang was never one to let silence prevail.

"I did not drive forty minutes to get to a nice beach for you to lay around like an idiot."

A frown tugged at my lips, the cooling feeling of his shadow taking over my sunlight. I really didn't want to get up, not after the grueling conditioning I'd had this morning. I was too busy enjoying the burning feeling on my back with only my head wresting on a blue, folded towel to care. My fiery red hair was in a mess bun on my head, dark sunglasses resting on my face. That was one thing about my pale skin; unlike my brother, I didn't burn nor did I tan. I might have gotten the red hair and faint freckles in the summer, but Jake had been cursed with a back for turning into a lobster. At least he tanned; I stayed the same milky white all year.

"I didn't think my being here has a direct correlation with your entertainment."

"It does when I want to play volleyball and Siya sucks ass. I refuse to have her on my team," my best friend drawled, seemingly throwing a ball up in the air and catching it, the smacking echoing against the waves in my ears.

"You realize I'm just as bad, right?" I asked him while radon an eyebrow without opening my eyes. Some people liked to go to the beach to play games and others like to tan. I was neither of those; I just liked to lay in the hot sand which I realize is an odd thing, but leave my prerogatives alone.

"You played in highschool," Jessica reasoned from the left me, laying on a black towel to match her pin straight hair. The junior was a stunning Arabian with the body of a model in both height and physique. She was the type to tan at the beach, unlike myself.

"You're supposed to be on my side," I scoffed at her, begrudgingly sitting up and resting my crossed arms on my bent knees.

"Troy's my friend too," she shrugged with a devious smirk. "Go play, May. I'll videotape your fails."

"What would I do without you, Jess?" I asked sarcastically. Jessica was the type of friend to cheer as loudly as she could just to embarrass you and as much of a pain in the ass as those people were, there was no denying they were actually great people to have around. They would always give it to you straight and be supportive despite their snarky attitudes.

Reluctantly, I stood up from the sand with Troy waiting impatiently. I had driven up to Gray Whale Cove with Troy after one of our economics classes together, but really I just couldn't bare Jessica's music taste. I'm sorry, but pop music is ear suicide. That was a torture Jake, Smith, and Siya voluntarily subjected themselves too. Although I had to admit, I'm surprised Siya went with them instead of Troy and I. We were the three amigos after all.

"You'd probably die to be completely honest," Jessica shrugged. "Make me proud, Baby Girl," she laughed sitting up to smack the sand off my ass, the sound of her palm on my sore skin echoing through the air.

The sound drew the attention of the two boys and Siya, all of them turning from the volleyball nest to stare at me as Jake cupped his hands over his mouth. "Don't hit my baby sister!" He was joking with his girlfriend but the serious undertone didn't go unnoticed as Smith and I locked eyes from a few meters away. The Korean had a knowing look on his plump lips as he pursued them, side eyeing Jake as Troy and I ignored my brother and walked over. Jake turned his grey blue eyes to me as they softened back to normal but not for long. "There's a hickey on your neck."

"And you got to take your girlfriend home without me two days ago so it's really your fault," I shot back without hesitation. The particular dark purple mark on my neck was from this morning, but what Jake didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Jake and I usually switched on the nights of parties because neither one of us wanted to hear the other and according to him, I'm too loud. I think he's just ridiculous.