AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We continue walking down the beach, the sound of the waves providing a comforting background noise. I still have so many questions, but I don’t want to push Summer and risk scaring her away.
As we reach the end of the beach, Summer turns to me, her eyes searching mine. “Do you want to talk about what’s been bothering you? I can tell there’s something else on your mind.”
I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of my thoughts. “It’s just...I don’t understand why you disappeared on me, why you’ve been avoiding me. And then seeing you with those guys, bleeding, and...I don’t know, it’s just a lot to take in.”
Summer’s expression softens, her hand reaching out to grasp mine. “I’m sorry, Malia. I didn’t mean to make things difficult for you. I just needed some time to figure things out, and I didn’t want to burden you with my problems.”
“But you’re not a burden,” I protest. “I care about you, Summer. You’re my best friend. I want to be there for you.”
She smiles at me, her thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of my hand. “I know you do. And I’m grateful for that.”
As I wonder how to broach the real conversation I want to have with her tonight, Summer takes a deep breath and begins speaking.
“Malia, I have to be honest with you. I know you probably want to talk about what happened at the police station. I want to apologise for disappearing on you, for ignoring you. I just didn’t know how to face you after what I did. But seeing you here, standing up for me like that – even though you didn’t have to – it made me realise that you’re still someone I can trust. I’m sorry for pushing you away.”
My heart swells with hope at her words. “It’s okay, Summer. I’m just glad you’re okay. And...I miss you.”
Summer smiles, a genuine smile that reaches her eyes. “I miss you too, Malia.”
We stand there, the tension between us slowly dissipating. I don’t know what the future holds for us, but for now, I’m just grateful to have Summer back in my life.
As we continue to stand there, Summer’s hand reaches up to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. Her touch sends a somewhat unwelcome shiver down my spine, and I can feel my heart rate quicken. Why? It’s just Summer. My only friend in forever. She’s the only one who could ever touch me before.
Before them. Now theirs is the only touch I welcome.
I shiver again and rub my hands on my arms to disguise it. Looking at Summer, I can’t help but wonder if this is a chance to start fresh or if it’s too late for us.
“I know things have been rough between us,” Summer begins, her voice low and soothing. Compelling, almost. “But I want to make things right. I want us to be friends again, at least.”
I nod, unable to find my voice. It’s not that I don’t want to be friends with her, it’s just that so much has happened. So much is happening. And I feel like I can’t tell her about any of it.
“Yo! Sum! Come on!” One of her guys shouts from a short distance away. Have they been this close the entire time?
“Sorry, I should get back to them. Making them wait will only make things worse for me.” I gasp and she winks. “In the best way, of course. Listen, I’ll call you tomorrow. We can meet for coffee or something or I can come to you wherever you’re staying. I’m guessing you’re still not in the dorms?”
I shake my head but something in my brain tells me not to give anything away. “A coffee would be good. We can have a proper chat and a catch up then.”
“Great!” She beams at me. She pulls me into her arms for a quick hug, chuckling when I tense under her touch. “Okay, Malia, I have to go. Enjoy the party!”
She drops me and races off towards her guys, leaving me standing alone and feeling more lost than ever. As I watch her go, I think about the things she doesn’t know. The things I can’t tell her. When one of her men looks back at me, I feel that sense of unease rise up inside of me again.
I turn away from them, my mind wandering to the only touch I welcome now. Reef. Cove. Bhodi. The professor. They’re the only ones that bring me to life.
The ones that fill me with a pleasure that I crave but can’t have. Not forever anyway.
Deciding I can’t face the party, I make my way back to the house, realising that aside from a pretty weak apology, Summer didn’t actually give me any explanations as to why she’s behaved the way that she has. Maybe I’m to blame for not demanding answers, but it was like when I was finally faced with her, the questions slipped from my mind like water through my fingers.
Instead of obsessing about that, I think about the thing that’s been weighing the most heavily on me lately. The thing that’s been eating away at me from the inside out. That I think I’m falling in love with them. With all of them. The ones who have to kill me.
And because I love them, I’m going to let them.
“Professor?” I turn back toward Cove’s room, dragging my eyes away from the revelry down on the beach. Even from up here on the balcony, I swear I can feel the heat of the bonfire pressing against my body, causing me to overheat even more.
I just needed a breather. Some solitude and solace from everything.
I should have known I wouldn’t truly be left alone.
“What are you doing here?”
