Page 60 of Summer, in Between
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‘YOU’REsoooout of control, bitch!’Isabel Scuzzbucket and some random girl pick their way across the rocks.
‘Hey, guys!’Isabel moves her way around the Neanderthals, air kissing some, hugging others.As Paul pulls himself up and over the cliff, she takes off her dress and arches her body against the sun, making sure everyone has a chance at a good look at her.Her bathers are pulled up too high and she giggles as she puts her pointer finger between the bikini and her butt, flicking it back to where it should be.
‘Hey, Paulie!’She runs her hand down his arm.‘Ooh, goosebumps!’
Ignoring her, Paul steps across the rocks to stand behind me.His arms come around me, crossed against my chest like the safety barrier on a rollercoaster and he plants a gentle kiss on my cheek.
‘No, stop!’Tom flings Isabel’s friend over his shoulder, full Neanderthal style, her shriek the aural equivalent of stepping on Lego with a bare foot.
‘Aww, they’re such a cute couple,’ purrs Isabel.She drapes her arm across Cavey’s shoulders and points at Tom and her friend.‘Aren’t they just adorable, Cavey?’
‘So adorable,’ he says in a monotone, his hand sliding down to rest on her backside.
‘Oh, shit, look who’s coming,’ says Ant.
A convoy of lifeguards have deserted their post and are striding across the beach towards the rocks.
‘They think they’re cops now?Stuff that!’One of the Neanderthals runs and jumps off the cliff, shouting obscenities all the way down.
‘This area is off limits.’A lifey steps across a rockpool.
‘Yeah, what are you going to do about it?’says Cavey as he, Paul and Tom walk towards them, arms crossed.
With the boys distracted, Isabel takes the chance to be her pleasant self.‘What are you doing here, Kitty Cat?’She looks at me over her sunglasses, head tilted.
‘I live here.’
‘You don’t normally slum it with us locals though, do you?Where’s all your rich friends?Have they dumped you?’
‘Oh, that’s so sweet.You’re concerned about me!’I say, putting a hand to my chest.‘But it’s quite pathetic.How much real estate am I taking up in your brain?You never cross my mind.’
‘Why don’t you just go have sex with a book?’she snarls, all the vomit-inducing sweetness gone.
‘Is that really the best you’ve got?’
‘You’re just jealous!’She’s shouting now.
‘Of you?Hilarious!Why would I be jealous?What do you think you have that I could ever want in a gazillion years?’
‘Your “boyfriend” is happy with what I’ve got.’She puts her hands on her hips.
‘Whatever.’I grab my shorts.‘I’m so not interested in sharing any more oxygen with you.’
‘You’re full of shit,’ Paul says, his voice low.
I spin, my mouth dry.He’s staring at Isabel, his glasses pushed up onto his head.Behind him, Cavey and Tom are arguing with the lifeys, all of them throwing their arms around, chests puffed like a lion standoff in the savannah.I walk past them towards the beach.Thongs slap behind me.
‘Man, that’s not going to end well,’ says Ant as he saddles up beside me.‘Cavey would die before backing down to those dicks.’
‘You think?’
