Believe Me ✔️

[1] Sun, Sand, & Sea

Two Days Before

Hot sun. Warm sand. Cool sea. The last things to savor at the beach before senior year starts on Monday. In Florida it's like living rent-free in hell, so you have to enjoy the good days. I reach into my peach colored beach bag, and grab the sunscreen, applying another laying to my already crispy burnt skin. I run my hands down my arms, legs, and over my chest. Today's a good day for me; my self-esteem is at a high today. I'm rocking a black one-piece with a gold flower charm between the cups. It's Logan's favorite bathing suit. Over the summer, I started working out and taking care of myself and earned some rock-hard abs (that make Logan jealous, sometimes). I squint at my newly-polished toes, finally noticing the dried baby blue paint stained on my knees. I can never get paint off. Turning my back, I hold out the sunscreen, asking Vanessa, "Can you get my back?"

Vanessa sets her phone down and takes the sunscreen from me. She squeezes some into her hand before she covers my shoulders. "Addy, we've only been here for an hour and already you resemble Bob the Tomato," She jokes, poking at her religious life. She grew up watching Veggie Tales and whenever I slept over it was the only thing we were allowed to watch. I got caught in the wake of that veggie phase. She starts reapplying herself, adding, "Your white ass fries fast."

"It's not my fault," I quickly defend as I toss the sunscreen back in my bag. I adjust myself back in the chair and lay back, toasting in the sun. "I'm prone to burn. It's a curse. You have amazing skin, V."

"It's a gift from Him above." Vanessa runs a newly polished finger across her sun-glowing dark skin. She's absolutely beautiful. I'd never admit this, but there are times where I feel jealous of her. I don't try to, it just happens.

Down at the water, Logan, Tyler, and Paul throw around a wet football, chasing and tackling each other. They start throwing seaweed at each other. "They are so immature," I mumble, shaking my head.

"You're dating one of those immatures," She reminds me of my since-freshman-year boyfriend, Logan. "And you're related to one, too."

Paul looks over and grins as my brother tackles Logan into a wave. "Hey! Are you two gonna make out or what?" He shouts, waving.

"Is that idiot for real?" Vanessa laughs. Sharing a look, we shrug, and lean in to pretend to give in to Paul's weird and creepy fantasy. I cup her cheek, about to fake-kiss her, and at the last second we both turn and flip off Paul instead. "Grow up!"

"Tease!" Paul yells before Tyler takes him down.

"Serves you right, jackass!" I scream back, crossing my arms over my chest. Ever since Paul learned I was bisexual, he's started saying gross, vile, and disgusting things to me and any female-friend I'm with, even once begging to have a threesome with him and his horrible girlfriend, Tiana. I can't stand either of them. Logan meets my eye and I stare him down, raising an eyebrow as to say, 'Are you going to do anything this time?' He doesn't; he never does and it pisses me off.

Instead, my boyfriend comes running up and drops down beside me, water dripping from his skin to mine. "Hey," He whispers before grabbing my face and kissing me. His lips taste like salt.

"Hey," I mumble, brushing seaweed out of his hair. "Miss me?"

"Obviously." Logan grins and kisses me again.

"Ugh!" Vanessa pushes Logan away from me, saying, "Go be cute somewhere else. Not in front of the single hopeless romantic."

He smiles at her. "Don't worry, Vanessa. One day you'll find 'the one' and he'll love you for who you are." He adds with a chuckle, "And your annoying perks."

"Shut up!" Vanessa leans over and slaps his arm. She turns her gaze back to the shore, watching Tyler as he runs around shirtless with a foam football. She smiles.