Exhale by Jennifer Snyder

it…some tribal tattoo or something? It isn’t even pretty,” Missy said, her voice laced with disgust as she continued lathering sunblock all over her exposed skin.
    I shimmied out of my shorts and squinted my eyes against the sunlight to get a better look. “I think it’s flowers or something.”
    “Either way, I don’t like it,” Missy said flatly, wiping her greasy hands on the edge of her towel and piling her blonde curls on top of her head once more.
    I thought it was cute, but didn’t say so. One thing I had learned a long time ago about being Missy's friend, was that you had to learn which battles to pick and which ones were just not worth it. This one was just not worth it.
    I spread out on my towel, closed my eyes, and allowed the sun to kiss my skin. Missy continued talking, but I’d long ago blocked her out. I was stuck between that place where you’re asleep but you’re not. Where you can hear everything going on around you and your body is so rested and relaxed that it tricks you into thinking you’re asleep. This state is pure bliss. Missy’s chatter died down to utter silence suddenly, just before I heard her inhale sharply. Curiosity swam through my mind and I fought with myself internally as to whether or not I should open my eyes to see what had caught her attention, fearful it was something about Holly Booker again.
    “Quick, make yourself look sexier. Here comes lover boy,” Missy whispered, jump-starting my heart. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something. Since it’s Derek that you want and not Kyle…would you mind if I attempted to take Kyle off your hands?”
    I sat up and leaned back against my palms, stretching my legs out in front of me. I struggled to act natural while I searched for Derek. “What are you talking about?”
    “Well, you and Derek aren’t going to be able to hide what’s between the two of you for long, and when Kyle finds out, he’s going to be all depressed…so hello , I’m asking to be the one who helps him through his difficult time .” She winked and flashed me a wicked grin.
    I spotted Derek and Kyle down the beach a little ways walking with a group of guys I recognized from school, tossing a football back and forth between the five of them. They hadn’t noticed us yet; eagle-eyed Missy must have spotted them way down the beach.
    “Umm, I guess.” I shrugged my shoulder to appear nonchalant, but my stomach was really churning. I didn’t want to think about Kyle being hurt by Derek and me being together, but I also didn’t want to think about my best friend trying to take advantage of Kyle during that time either. It seemed twisted. “I don’t know. I mean it’s up to you.”
    “I bet I can make him forget all about you,” Missy said, practically mind-fucking him as he strolled closer to where we sat, oblivious to our conversation.
    My jaw slacked at her bold choice of words. I had never been jealous or envious of the girls that Kyle had flirted with, draped his arms over their shoulders, or slept with—but for whatever reason, I sat there feeling more jealous and irked than ever by the fact that Missy was going to try to get in Kyle’s pants. Kyle wasn’t mine. We’d never dated. We’d never kissed. Nothing. We were just friends. So why this bothered me so much, I couldn’t say. I just knew that it did.
    “Look away,” Missy slapped my thigh. “Pretend we didn’t notice them at all.”
    I licked my lips and turned my head, thankful for the oversized sunglasses I was wearing, because they hid my heated gaze from Missy’s view perfectly. I swallowed hard and hung my head back, trying to shake the burning sensation that was scorching my insides suddenly. What was wrong with me?
    I liked Derek. I loved Derek. I knew this.
    My stomach flamed even more, this time though, it was directed at myself. I was just beginning to realize how twisted I was for still wanting Kyle to like me in a lustful way, even though I only had those feelings