Page 96 of We Thought We Were Invincible
“There's no way I will actually stay in L.A. I give it a few months. If he wants to see me, that is.”
“He will.” He looked down at me, getting serious. “How are you with the whole Jamie thing?”
I lifted my shoulders, dropping them immediately. “It hurts, Jay.” He pulled me in tighter against his side acting as a balm for the burn. My best friend. I breathed in, releasing it in one puff. “Maybe it's just not meant to be. I think it'll be okay.”
“A few of us are skipping the parties tonight,” he said.
“Sounds perfect.”
* * *
By a few of us,Jay had meant our group. When we got to the beach, Morgan, Colby, Parker, and Jamie were all there. A somber mood hung in the air, a smoke clogging our lungs. This was it. Jamie left tomorrow. I'd leave the day after that. Morgan and Parker were on a plane in two weeks. Only Colby and Jay were sticking around for the summer.
Morgan grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the water. I'd taken off the robe in the car and was thankful to be in my board-shorts and bathing suit. Kicking off my sandals, I dug my toes in the sand as the tide rose, washing over my feet, pulling the sand out from beneath me and letting me sink further in. It was one of my favorite feelings, like I was becoming one with the beach.
A small, almost opaque crab walked past my ankles, paying me no heed. Morgan, still in her dress, didn't seem to care that the water splashed up to catch the hem. A carefree laugh bubbled out of her chest as she swung our arms between us.
I looked sideways at her, pulling my lips to the side.
My feet came free like suction cups, protesting the movement. I broke Morgan's hold on my fingers, turning toward her and kicking the water as it came near us.
She shrieked and ran, circling back around to shove me further out toward the water. I laughed and dug my feet in, catching Parker's eye as she walked up behind her sister. She grabbed her legs, and I took her arms as Morgan squirmed and screeched, trying to free herself. We walked as fast as we could, swinging her out in an arc and letting go.
“I'm gonna -” Her words were drowned as she went under and came up sputtering and laughing. She sprinted back toward us. Colby blocked her, picked her back up, and ran into the water in his clothes. Jay wasn't far behind, and Parker dove in.
I stood there watching them, feeling rather than seeing Jamie's presence beside me.
“Still sure you have to leave?” I asked, gesturing to our friends.
“I wouldn't have a choice now,” he answered. “But yes. I'm sure.”
“Good.”
“Are you?”
“It's the only thing I am sure of.” It was only then that I realized he'd been staring at me, and I took the chance his silence gave me to escape to the water, plastering on a smile, determined to make this night a happy one.
After a while, we all left to change and get the supplies for our final bonfire. The one none of us would forget.
The light was already fading by the time we got back. Colby and I were first. He was basically a professional, always the one we relied on to get these things started. In no time, he had a small fire going.
“What's taking them so long?” I looked back toward the parking lot.
“Jay got us a permit for this, right?” Colby asked, always one to play by the rules.
“Of course.”
I spread out a blanket and sat down, watching Colby worry over the fire and just about everything else. It was such a familiar sight that I laughed.
“What's so funny?” he asked.
“You.” I leaned back on my elbows with another laugh.
He flashed me a grin, taking a seat beside me. “I can't believe you're leaving.”
“Aw, Brother.” I grabbed his arm. “Are you actually saying you'll miss me?”
He leaned back next to me. “Can I tell you a secret?” he asked. “I will.”
