Elle Ashford had a plan for her summer before college.
Read. Relax. Reflect.
That is until her dad's job decides to send him around the world all summer.
Luckily for Elle, her nana owns a beach house, so maybe summer won't be so bad after all.
"Jesus Christ grandpa" I know Nan said it was a man-made lake, but whoa. It looks like a tropical paradise.
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30 minutes earlier...
After unpacking my bags, checking my phone and a quick shower, I changed into this cute black and white bikini and a pair of cotton shorts. Shaking out my thick brown hair with caramel highlights. I let it fall where it lands.
"Damn, I really need a trim" I remind myself for the 100th time. Grabbing a towel, my purse and phone I venture downstairs to ask Nan for directions.
"Nan, Nan are you down here"
"In the kitchen" I follow the sound of her voice to the huge kitchen, that I'm fangirling over.
"Can you tell me how to find the lake?" I ask her
She nods, already at the door with a bottle of water and a key in her hands.
"These are for you, the water because it's hot and I can't have you getting dehydrated on your first day here, your father will never forgive me" she says.
"And the key fob?" I ask her quizzingly.
"Oh, I bought this cute car recently, but it's a little to high up for me so I want you to have it" Nan says smirking.
"Nan I already have a car, remember you went with dad and picked out my BMW" I remind her of my 16th birthday.
"Yeah but it's not here is it, so let me spoil my only grandchild and that was 2 years ago" "Now come on, once you step foot out this door here follow the path and it'll lead you right to Lake Ashford"
"Thanks Nan" I kiss her cheek, and head out the door to find the lake.
Grandpa really outdid himself with this. I really can't believe dad deprived me of this.
Standing on the top of the hill, I can see about 15- 20 kids moving around below, some look to be around my age and some a little older.
They all have red solo cups and music blasting from someone's car. Two guys are pulling lawn chairs from the bed of a truck while a blonde girl instructs them where she wants them. They all seem to know each other well and here I am, an outsider looking in.
I decide to suck it up and head down for Nan. Securing the key fob in my pocket and throwing my towel over my shoulder, I hold my head up high, channeling my inner Evelyn Ashford and I walk down to go join.
No one notices me at first but then one of the guys carrying chair looks up and spots me.
"Damn, who's that" he shouts at the group, they all stop what their doing to look at me. Suddenly the music cuts off.
Awkward.
Walking up to the blonde girl. I look around, saying a quick "hi" to the people I lock eyes with.
"You can say hi to me any day honey, I'm Noah" the guy says smirking, he's cute about 6'0, long blonde hair wrapped up into a man bun, big brown eyes, swimmer's body and a Nordic nose. He's cute and he knows it.
"Nice to meet you, I'm ..."
"Who cares, this is private property and a private party, trespassers will be shot" the blonde girl says " So I suggest you leave before you regret it"
"Rory, what the hell!" Noah says "Don't mind her, she's a bitch"
"It's okay, I didn't know it was a private party, I'll leave" I say to them.
"Yeah you should before I call up to Ms. Evelyn and ask her to send George with the gun" Rory says smirking.
I turn to leave, but Noah grabs my hand, "you don't have to leave, the lake is open to anyone who respects the place and cleans up before they leave, and besides it's my best friend's birthday and he never turns down a pretty girl, Rory's just jealous and intimidated."
I smile at him, saying Thank You to him for being kind to me and I leave.
