Because of Haven Beach

5 | jayus

jayus (n.)

a joke so unfunny and poorly told that you can't help but laugh

* * *

FOLLOWING Environmental Science, I had Spanish class with Ethan. I only managed to embarrass myself by mispronouncing words, so that had to count for something. When the forty minutes of tortura no deseada were over, he escorted me to the cafeteria for lunch.

"So, how's your first day going?" Ethan asked, filling the silence.

"Okay, except for the fact that my Environmental Science teacher already hates me."

"Who is it?"

"Mr. Richards." Just saying his name left a bitter taste on my tongue. The next eight months in his class would be a lot of fun, that's for sure.

He grimaced. "I have his class last period. My friend Eli likes to call him 'Dick.'"

"Seems like a common nickname. The kid next to me called him that, too," I mused, not feeling bad for Mr. Dick at all. With that attitude, he deserved it.

We approached the table Aubrey and Delaney were at. Ethan scooted a chair next to Aubrey's and proceeded to make out with her. Delaney puckered her lips and made kissing noises to mock them.

I chuckled and took the empty seat next to her.

"So Charlotte, how do you like Haven Beach so far?" Delaney asked, ignoring the sloshy kissing noises as she unpacked her lunch.

"It seems nice, I guess. I haven't seen anything but Ethan's house." I hoped to get the chance to explore soon, and maybe see the beach. We didn't see it on the drive to school, which seemed odd to me. The house must have been farther from the beach than I initially thought.

Aubrey elbowed Ethan. "Babe, why haven't you shown her around yet?"

"I will later today," he hissed, rubbing his side. "Maybe after football."

She smiled kindly at me before giving him an apology kiss.

A tall, Hispanic guy with curly hair and tanned skin approached our table. He eyed me up and down with a lazy smirk before setting his tray next to me. In a blink of an eye, a heavy arm was thrown over my shoulder. "So this is your cousin, man?"

I shrugged his arm off. "Yes. I'm Charlotte," I answered for Ethan. I always hated it when people talked about me like I wasn't sitting right there. How hard was it to just ask me?

"Well, sweetheart, I'm Benjamin, but you can call me Benny," he flirted, reading over to toy with a brown lock of my hair. "And I will be calling you Char. Hope that's okay, gorgeous."

"Ben, knock it off," Ethan scolded. "She's not going to be one of your fuck-toys. My cousin is off-limits. You hear that?"

"Babe, be nice," Aubrey chastised softly.

"Who's off-limits?" A familiar voice said from behind me. I turned around and saw the attractive brown-haired boy from Environmental Science.

A smile involuntarily took over my face. If he was sitting here, Ethan had to be friends with him. Maybe I didn't already ruin my chances, after all.

"My cousin, Charlotte," Ethan said, pointing at me with his fork. "I guess she's off-limits to you too, not that there's anything to worry about."

My smile faltered. What did Ethan mean? Did the hot boy already have a girlfriend? Or was he gay? Both would be a shame because I selfishly (and weirdly) wanted him all to myself. I just met the guy—this was crazy.