Page 61 of All Too Well
“I see. We wouldn’t want the government funds to go to waste.”
Lachlan huffs. “Enough with the inquisition. We need to practice to be ready for next week.”
They grab their bags and Frisbees and head off to the field. This time it actually looks like a team. They line up in different ways and start the game, tossing the Frisbee. Is it tossing? Chucking? Maybe it’s something else. I make a note to ask them the correct terms.
After about thirty minutes, I think I might be roasting. I wore a bathing suit under my clothes because I knew it was going to be so freaking hot. It was like the heater got turned on and now I miss those cool mornings. I pull my tank top off and respray my sunscreen. There is literally nothing happening that I need to pay attention to, so I pop my earbuds in and take advantage of the sun.
Just as my favorite song about tortured poets hits the bridge, my sun is gone.
I open my eyes to see Lachlan standing over me.
“What are you doing?” I ask as I pull my earbuds out.
“I was going to ask you the same.”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m tanning.”
He sighs and wipes the sweat off his forehead. “Put clothes on. I really don’t want to have to kill anyonetoday.”
I smile and then hide it before he can get too mad. “Lach, it’s freaking gross out. I’m enjoying the sun.” I glance at the guys from around him, and no one is paying any attention to me. “From what I can see, you’re the only one fazed by this.”
“I’m not fazed. I’m irritated because instead of focusing on the game, they’re all trying to get an eyeful.”
“Maybe you all should learn to avoid distractions. Now please stop blocking my sun, since I have another hour of waiting for this to be over.”
He shakes his head, probably realizing he’s not going to get anywhere with me, and heads back onto the field.
I stand and spread the blanket out beside my chair and pull my shorts off, then lie on my stomach. There, that should be better.
With my eyes closed, I let the lyrics lull me into a state of nothingness. It was an exhausting night where I got no sleep and was hit with a lot of anxiety.
“Ainsley.”
I hear Lachlan and feel additional heat on my shoulder. “Go away, sleeping.”
“Come on, you need to get up. You got one hell of a sunburn.”
“Sunscreen on,” I mutter.
“Well, someone should tell your ass that, as it’s rather red.”
I go to roll to my side, but as soon as I do, I feel the burn. “Oh my God! I burnt my ass!”
I push up and turn my head to look. It’s red. Likeredred. This is going to be horrible.
“I have aloe at home,” says Lachlan.
That’s not going to help me now. “That’s great, but I have a chapped ass. Literally!”
He tries not to laugh but fails. “Sorry, well, not really.”
I give him a good glare. “This isn’t funny. How the hell am I going to sit?”
This is going to be miserable. I carefully slide my shorts on and bite my lip when the material just barely grazes my skin.
Stupid me for not spraying the damn sunscreen on when I took my pants off. Ugh.
“Are you going to be all right?” Lachlan asks with way too much humor in those brown eyes.
