it.
Tonight is the first time in my life I’ve ever lied to my dad about what I’m doing. I don’t even know why I did it. The need to be alone became a magnet. The beach, this stretch of beach is the other half, pulling me in. Dad understands wanting to be alone. He wouldn’t understand sitting on an empty beach in a town that’s not known for its upstanding citizens.
Even I don’t understand it.
So I’d lied. I’m supposed to be having a movie marathon with Hailey. I’ll text to let him know if I’m coming home or staying over. I’m officially a liar. That’s not someone I ever thought I’d be and I hate it.
“It’s a little cold for almost drowning tonight,” says a deep voice from behind me. “I don’t have to worry about you going back onto the deathtrap, do I?”
I whip my head around. A heavy, shaky breath deflates my lungs. It’s pierced-lip boy. I knew that before I turned, but it still makes my body relax to see him with my own eyes.
“Oh look, you brought a lantern. How Virginia of you.”
He’s not wearing a jacket, which surprises me. I have my coat on and a blanket wrapped around me and I’m still not exactly warm. “You don’t know enough about me to say what’s ‘Virginia’ of me or not.” Did that come out right? This whole conversation feels weird considering I’m talking about myself.
He doesn’t move, just stands next to me, looking down. There’s a shadow in his eyes I didn’t notice the other two times I’ve seen him, or maybe it wasn’t there. His body language is different too, heavier, if that makes sense.
He shrugs. “I don’t have to know you well to see that’s something you would do, and I never would. That most of my friends never would, either. I know you’re a planner. You must have known you were coming out here tonight instead of it happening by accident, like it did the first time.”
A gasp comes out of my mouth. I didn’t tell him that I hadn't planned to be here the first night, yet he knows. And I definitely wasn’t coming without some sort of light when I knew I’d be here tonight.
“Bet you even have a weapon.” He cocks a brow, but there’s something forced about it.
“Shut up.” I turn away from him. “Or I’ll use it on you.” Yes, there’s a bat under the blanket next to me. There’s nothing wrong with being a smart girl, even when I am moping on a beach at night.
His voice sounds far off when he replies, “You’re smart. That’s a good thing.”
When I look up again, he’s staring out at the water. He’s shivering, but it looks like he’s trying to hide it. I have no business being out here with this boy. No business being out here at all, but especially with him. Still, watching him stand next to me as he looks at the black water in front of us, I wonder if he can somehow feel like I do. Trapped. Scared. Cursed. Alone.
“Obviously smarter than you. It was sprinkling a little while ago. I can’t believe you came out without your jacket. Sit down. You can use some of my blanket. I don’t want you to get pneumonia or something.”
Pierced-lip boy glances down. He gives me a half-grin, looking more like the guy I’ve seen before, while at the same time as though he’s slipping on a mask. “It’s okay to want to be close to me, Virginia.”
No, this boy is nothing like me. I don’t even know how I thought that. “Ugh. Could you be more arrogant? You’re not my type at all.”
My heart does this funny, rapid beat, slow down thing when he sits beside me. I pause a minute, trying to will my arm to stop shaking as I untangle it from the blanket and offer him part of it.
“Nah, I’m good.”
Pause.
“So, what is?” he says looking at me. He doesn’t skirt away from eye contact, I’ve noticed. Lots of the people I know do.
“What is what?”
“Your type. Tell me what rich girl Virginia—the girl with a plan, who likes to hang out at ghetto beach with a lantern and a weapon, but who also does
Tonight is the first time in my life I’ve ever lied to my dad about what I’m doing. I don’t even know why I did it. The need to be alone became a magnet. The beach, this stretch of beach is the other half, pulling me in. Dad understands wanting to be alone. He wouldn’t understand sitting on an empty beach in a town that’s not known for its upstanding citizens.
Even I don’t understand it.
So I’d lied. I’m supposed to be having a movie marathon with Hailey. I’ll text to let him know if I’m coming home or staying over. I’m officially a liar. That’s not someone I ever thought I’d be and I hate it.
“It’s a little cold for almost drowning tonight,” says a deep voice from behind me. “I don’t have to worry about you going back onto the deathtrap, do I?”
I whip my head around. A heavy, shaky breath deflates my lungs. It’s pierced-lip boy. I knew that before I turned, but it still makes my body relax to see him with my own eyes.
“Oh look, you brought a lantern. How Virginia of you.”
He’s not wearing a jacket, which surprises me. I have my coat on and a blanket wrapped around me and I’m still not exactly warm. “You don’t know enough about me to say what’s ‘Virginia’ of me or not.” Did that come out right? This whole conversation feels weird considering I’m talking about myself.
He doesn’t move, just stands next to me, looking down. There’s a shadow in his eyes I didn’t notice the other two times I’ve seen him, or maybe it wasn’t there. His body language is different too, heavier, if that makes sense.
He shrugs. “I don’t have to know you well to see that’s something you would do, and I never would. That most of my friends never would, either. I know you’re a planner. You must have known you were coming out here tonight instead of it happening by accident, like it did the first time.”
A gasp comes out of my mouth. I didn’t tell him that I hadn't planned to be here the first night, yet he knows. And I definitely wasn’t coming without some sort of light when I knew I’d be here tonight.
“Bet you even have a weapon.” He cocks a brow, but there’s something forced about it.
“Shut up.” I turn away from him. “Or I’ll use it on you.” Yes, there’s a bat under the blanket next to me. There’s nothing wrong with being a smart girl, even when I am moping on a beach at night.
His voice sounds far off when he replies, “You’re smart. That’s a good thing.”
When I look up again, he’s staring out at the water. He’s shivering, but it looks like he’s trying to hide it. I have no business being out here with this boy. No business being out here at all, but especially with him. Still, watching him stand next to me as he looks at the black water in front of us, I wonder if he can somehow feel like I do. Trapped. Scared. Cursed. Alone.
“Obviously smarter than you. It was sprinkling a little while ago. I can’t believe you came out without your jacket. Sit down. You can use some of my blanket. I don’t want you to get pneumonia or something.”
Pierced-lip boy glances down. He gives me a half-grin, looking more like the guy I’ve seen before, while at the same time as though he’s slipping on a mask. “It’s okay to want to be close to me, Virginia.”
No, this boy is nothing like me. I don’t even know how I thought that. “Ugh. Could you be more arrogant? You’re not my type at all.”
My heart does this funny, rapid beat, slow down thing when he sits beside me. I pause a minute, trying to will my arm to stop shaking as I untangle it from the blanket and offer him part of it.
“Nah, I’m good.”
Pause.
“So, what is?” he says looking at me. He doesn’t skirt away from eye contact, I’ve noticed. Lots of the people I know do.
“What is what?”
“Your type. Tell me what rich girl Virginia—the girl with a plan, who likes to hang out at ghetto beach with a lantern and a weapon, but who also does
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