Page 21 of Old Acquaintances

Tucker picked up his bag and walked down the hallway. “Whatever, I’m going to the beach.”

As he brushed past me, I remember thinking about our sex education class and what would be different about his sixteen-year-old body when he woke up in the morning. If I would be able to see it from my twin bed. I was mortified before it even happened. Lori was a teen mother. How could she be okay with this?

Within a half hour, the boys and my sisters had gone down to the beach while I stewed. I looked at the two little beds. I imagined him next to me. I knew he slept with his mouth open, he fell asleep on Johnny’s couch all the time, not to mention in Geometry, where he sat beside me, and I stuck erasers on his tongue.

We had two different lives, he and I. The one where we barely interacted at school, semi-interacted around our best friend, and reluctantly paired off around our families. We didn’ttalk to each other on purpose. We didn’t have much in common. But, because of our age and familiarity, we always ended up being cast as a little duo, something we occasionally indulged in.

Going for hikes in Yellowstone. Watching a movie on Christmas Eve. Trading candy on Easter.

Of course my mother would put us two in this room together. We’re Ella and Eli. Eli and Ella.

I changed into my bathing suit in the hallway bathroom. I’d just gotten a bunch from the mall the weekend before, and I really liked this tie-dye one. While our dads were dragging chairs and umbrellas down to the beach, our moms filled up coolers with drinks, and when I passed them in the kitchen, Lori called out, “That’s a pretty bikini, Ells.”

I adjusted the band under my boobs. “Thanks.”

As I walked to the sliding back door, I heard my mom say, “See what I mean?”

Lori replied, “Jesus, Eli’s going to lose his mind. We should take that bedroom door off its hinges.” They snorted a laugh and turned on the blender and I stood, frozen, on the back deck.

I looked down at my chest. I tried to convince myself they weren’t talking about me, but I remembered the rash guard my mom threw in my bag, saying something about sun protection. Gracie had said, “She just wants you to cover up your knockers in front of the boys.”

I’d been swimming in the ocean and the pool with these boys most of my life. I didn’t think they cared. They were like brothers to me. The idea of any one of them studying my body never registered in my brain.

I stepped barefoot through the sand toward a canopy being set up and put my towel on the back of a beach chair.

Gavin called out, “Ella, come play!” They were playing volleyball, my sisters and Steve against the other boys. “You can be on our team.”

Tucker argued. “No, she sucks at volleyball. She can go over there.”

I turned around and marched over to him. “Screw you.”

Tucker was frozen, his eyes glued on my bikini top. “Fuck,” he said loudly.

Christian Harrison yelled back, “Elijah!”

Everyone looked at Tucker to see what was wrong, but all he did was continue to stare at me. Really stare at me. There was no mistaking what drew his attention. Everyone else began to stare at me. My cheeks flamed, my arms crossed over my body, and I felt like running back inside. Then, I remembered what little satisfaction I liked Tucker to have.

“Stop looking at me,” I hissed.

The tips of his ears turned red. “I’m sorry, it’s just…can you put a shirt on?”

Jake turned around and laughed, “Oh man.”

“No!” I shouted. “We’re at the beach, dumbass!”

“This is what I meant about you not being appropriate.” Tucker gestured to my body.

My jaw dropped. “What is inappropriate about my body?”

He shrugged his shoulders sheepishly. “It’s distracting.”

“That’s ayouproblem,” I huffed.

“It’s an everybody problem right now.” He looked around the group for support, but Gracie and Hattie were bored with the conversation, and his brothers had their faces in their hands.

I pointed to his bare chest. “Why don’tyouput a shirt on?”

“Because I don’t have to.” He threw his hands up as if that made sense. Of course, he shouldn’t have to put a shirt on even though some girl might find his tan, muscular, tall body distracting, whereas I should be made to cover up my tempting form.

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