Page 39 of Give Me Peace

Saylor

There’s a light tap at my door, but I’m still wrapped in my towel, trying to figure out what to put on since I forgot to ask one of the guys for another hoodie. Mindful of my lack of clothing, I peek my head out to find a grinning Kash.

“What’s up?”

“Whatcha doing, Best Friend?” he asks, a hint of laughter in his voice.

“Um…trying to find a shirt?” I answer. Kash makes a choking sound, likely as uncomfortable as I am.

“Oh.” He’s quiet for a second, but then clears his throat and says, “Would you like to go to the beach?”

“Yes!” I answer way too quickly, my excitement taking over before I can rein it in. Kash just chuckles, his brown eyes twinkling back at me.

“There’s a couple bathing suits in your dresser, but wear whatever you’d like. I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re ready.”

As soon as I hear his footsteps retreating, I close the door and scurry to my closet. Shorts and a t-shirt would be my preferable go-to, but it’d be nice to feel normal, at least for a little while. I check the top drawer, and sure enough—there they sit. There’s a white bikini, to which I instantly veto. It’s way too skimpy and my current state of paleness would make me look transparent if I attempted to wear something so light. Next, I find a black one piece. It covers all the right places, so I decide to try it on.

I’m not the least bit surprised to find it fits like a glove, and it wasn’t as hard to get on as I thought it’d be. Still feeling marginally underdressed, I grab some black gym shorts and pull them on as well. I can’t really do much with my hair without the use of both hands, so I grab the flip-flops Karley gave me and head out.

“Ready to go?” Both Havok and Kash are waiting by the patio door, one bouncing around like an eager puppy who’s been locked in a crate all day, while the other looks slightly annoyed by the hyperactivity. They’ve got a bag filled with beach towels and snacks. Obviously, the house is too far away for Kash when he might require sustenance immediately. I smile, shaking my head at the man.

“Yep,” I reply, putting the poor guy out of his misery.

“You want your hair down or would you rather have it up?” Roan asks, walking over from the living room.

“Up would be better, but…” I trail off, holding my bum wrist in the air in lieu of explanation.

“C’mere.” He pulls me closer, then tugs the tie from his own hair. “Flip over.” I do as he says, biting back a smile as he gathers my blonde strands near the top of my head. Roan tilts me up and wraps the elastic around the ponytail he’s formed, gently tightening it when he’s finished. I look back at him, something akin to awe making my cheeks flush. He chuckles, dropping a kiss to my temple.

“Have fun, Little Fighter.”

“Smooth fucker,” Havok grumbles, jerking open the slider.

The other two are nowhere to be found, so I follow Kash and Havok to the beach. The waves are calm today, the water crystal clear. There’s no yucky seaweed clinging to the shoreline. It’s the perfect time to visit. Kash drops our bag and lays out a towel for each of us, then hands me a bottle of sunscreen. I lather it on without protest because Lord knows, I’ll bake myself crispy otherwise. Once it’s dry, I take a seat and slowly lie back. I can’t help but think of how badly it hurt to even walk through the sand last time. I’m still sore, but every day I feel a little better.

“Sucker, Pumpkin Doodle?” Kash waves the candy at me.

“I’m good. Thank you, though.” I smile, turning toward him slightly, but the sun’s too bright to meet his eyes.

“So, how’d yesterday go? Anything you want to talk about?” Havok asks, leaning back on his elbows beside me.

“It was okay,” I answer. “Danielle thinks I should make a list of all the things I want to do but didn’t know if I’d ever get the chance to.”

“She gave you homework?” he jokes, but it makes me laugh.

“Yeah, I guess she did since she wants me to discuss what I wrote down next week.”

Kash snaps his fingers, like a lightbulb’s gone off inside his head. “Be right back!” In a flash, he sprints towards the house. Havok stays quiet, so I close my eyes and listen to the waves crash against the shore. Next thing I know, Kash is flopping back down, barely out of breath.

“Okay, let’s hear it. What’s the first thing?” I look over, eyeing the pen and notebook in his hand. “Tell us what you want to do, Best Friend.” His eyes are wide with excitement.

“Um.” I tap my chin, trying to think of something. “Eat pizza?”

“Okay.” He nods and writes it down. “What’s another?”

“Eat ice cream?” I scratch my head.

“Got it. Now something that doesn’t involve eating,” he says with a mock glare.