The Lovestruck Summer

Chapter One

It's been three months since Rusty and Stella started dating. Now it's summer and we decided to head down to the beach.

"Excuse me, Tara!" Stella snapped, glaring up at me from her beach chair.

"What?" I asked, feeling the strongest urge to roll my eyes.

"You're in my light! I can't get a tan if you're standing right in front of me." She said. As if she really has to explain it.

"Ok, well, I'm going to go buy a snow cone." I said, and walked towards the concession stand on the beach.

I bought my dragon fruit snow cone and began to walk.

"Hey, T. Was Stella yelling at you again?" I heard a voice say from behind me. I knew exactly who it was.

I turned around and smiled at my other best friend, Miranda "Mira" Hawthorne.

"Hey, M. Yup, she always acts like such a female dog when Rusty's around. It's like she thinks he'll leave her for me." I said, grinning.

"She's so self centered. She thinks that the whole world revolves around herself." Mira said, rolling her eyes. "News flash, it doesn't."

"I just wish he would see me as more than just a friend. I know he's dating Stella, but she's just so mean." I stated.

"Well, I know how we can start." Mira said.

"What are you thinking, M?" I questioned her, a little bit confused.

"I mean it's time to update your wardrobe. You should wear bikinis instead of one pieces." She said. "I mean that thing you have on looks like something my granny has."

I didn't want to look like anybody's granny. "But I don't have another bathing suit." I complained.

"Well, I do, so come with me." She replied, and we walked to her car.

When we got there, she unlocked the car and popped the trunk open. Inside, sat an amazing amount of bathing suits.

She had two smack full boxes just sitting in her trunk.

"Take any bathing suit you want and you can even keep it." She said.

"Wait, what? Really?" I asked.

"Yes, really, what bathing suit do you want?" She inquired.

My eye settled on a red wine bikini with two ties at the hips. "Can I have that one?" I asked.

"Yeah. Here." She said, handing it to me.

I ran to the bathrooms and put it on as quick as I could. Then I went back down to where I was at earlier.

"Hey, Stella."  I said, standing to the left of her, where the sun wasn't shining.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" She asked, looking confused.

Did this bikini really change how I look? Nah, it couldn't have.

"Stell, it's Tara." I said, grinning.

Stella's mouth dropped down. "Where did you get that gorgeous bathing suit?" She asked.

"A good friend let me have it." I said, then I started heading towards the ocean.

I got in, then started to swim around, looking for Rusty as if that wasn't obvious. I looked for about five minutes, then I found him.

"Hey, Rus!" I greeted him.

"Oh, hey. I'm sorry, but do I know you?" He asked.

"Yeah, you do. Dude, it's Tara." I said, trying not to giggle.

"Wait really? I guess you just look somewhat different to me." He inquired, looking down at my bathing suit.

"You want to get a snow cone?" I asked.

"T, you just read my mind! Let's go!" He said, and we quickly got out of the water.

We went to the concession stand and got two watermelon snow cones. I hope this helps him see me as more than just a friend, but if it doesn't, I don't what I'll do.