Dinner tasted bland. It wasn't the salmon or the key lime pie's fault. It was Eli, and Missy Chambers the brunette bombshell who hadn't taken her eyes, or her hands off of him all evening. Shelling out her phone number hadn't been nearly enough. Missy had forced constant conversation with Eli all evening long too.
Somehow, Eli and Missy had been seated right next to one another, while I had been banished to the opposite side of the table, across the thick cedar wood and down a few chairs. I was wedged directly next to Collins and my father, both of whom looked equally as miserable.
"I think I'm going to head home." I murmured touching the cuff of my father's shirt, half way asking for permission and half way not caring.
"Do you want me to take you?" He offered, but stared at where my mother and Reid West were having an animated conversation across from him.
"No, no I brought my car." I stood, removing myself from the dinner table as quietly as I could, not wanting to make a scene. All I wanted was to retreat to my bedroom and lock myself away for the rest of the night. I wanted to lay with my One Direction posters and forget Eli and my painful insecurity with Missy.
"I'll see you back at home." I waved, walking quickly toward the door and out into the chilly summer evening, the sea salt laced air making me feel like I could breathe deeply again.
"Are you over all the bullshit too?" Asked a British male voice, from somewhere along the perfectly manicured shrubs out front. The smell of cigarette smoke curdled the salty air and I turned up my nose a little.
The man who came out of the shadows was handsome enough, and if I was being honest, he was kind of...hot. His bright silver serving name badge simply read Ethan in a pretentious cursive print.
"I'm just over Malibu in general." I responded, accepting the cigarette he offered. Truth be told, I'd never really smoked one, but this guy made it look cool, like in all the old time movies. It was a summer of firsts so I wondered why the hell not.
"Why are you sick of it? Have you lived here long?" The stranger, Ethan, asked and I sucked on the cigarette fighting every instinct in me to cough. He was strikingly handsome with caramel colored eyes and tan skin and blonde hair that was cut close to his scalp on the sides and longer on top. He pulled his own cigarette away from his full lips with a hand that was covered in tattoos. He reminded me of a guy who would be in a band. A guy like my father.
"I've lived here my whole life." I admitted.
"Well, I guess it's time you get out then." He said, flashing me a wicked crooked smile. The kind that was impossible to forget.
"You might be right." I grinned back, stubbing out the small tail end of the cigarette beneath my heel. "Thanks for the smoke."
"Thanks for the company."
**************
By the time I made it out of my shower to wash the smoke from my hair, and pulled on my UCLA sweatshirt and sweatpants, I felt like a zombie. Zombie Barbie.
I brushed my hair with my large pink paddle brush, recalling how our mother had told Collins and I she'd worn a Zombie Barbie outfit the Halloween our parents had reconnected. As if on cue, I could hear a commotion downstairs. My father's voice was louder than usual, arguing with my mother. I opened my door a little so I could hear what they were so passionately debating.
"You're crazy." My mom was laughing. "He's married, and so am I. I love you babe. I chose you, even all those years ago. Reid is our friend..."
YOU ARE READING
The Sweetest Summer
Romance**COMPLETE** Elijah West was everything, and I was just...Avery Adams. The tomboy, the girl next door, the friend zone occupant. The girl who somehow grew up while he was gone filming his television show. But this summer he's back, and the sparks a...
