Usually when you come into a beach house as beautiful as Daniel’s you should get the feeling that you know you’re about to have a good time.

For some reason, that feeling wasn’t there for me. I was nervous and excited but so nervous that it hid any flicker of my excitement.

The house is a vast gap from the beach but you can still spot it in the distance. It's painted white with bushes and flowers surrounding it, giving it a warm look.

As Daniel exits the car after me, he goes to the back to get our luggage and my eyes notice the other beach house from beside us.

I spot the large house easily. It's also a lovely wooden white beach house in front of the sea with large glass windows. The field in front of the house is much larger; it had a small patch of green in the middle where a fountain laid and a concrete road around it for parking.

I can tell whoever that place belongs to has to be stinking rich.

“Babe,” Daniel says from behind me, knocking me out of my trance as I turn to face him. When I do, I gasp. He’s extremely close. Daniel notices this and smirks. “Let’s go inside and settle in before the rest get here.”

“Right.” I follow after him through the small greeny embankment that leads to the porch. He unlocks the doors and steps inside and I’m in love with the view.

“It’s so cute and homey,” I tell him, my eyes scanning every inch of the place.

“My parents come here a lot so I guess they wanted to get that feeling every time they entered.” He explains with a shrug and I internally aw’ed. That was so romantic! “Let’s get this stuff to our bedroom.”

“We’re sharing?” I ask out, my face clearly red as I stare at him in shock.

“Yeah, there are only three rooms. One for Alex the other for her friend and the master bedroom for us.” He says through a smirk and I blush even more. “If you’re uncomfortable—”

“No it’s fine, lead the way,” I tell him as bravely as I can manage. “But you better not try anything.”

…

The room is blue with beautiful murals on the wall, hand painted by someone who knew what they were doing. The colors are like nothing else, vibrant and strong.

The room isn’t like the rest of the house; it's new-looking and looks like it was probably the most important part of the whole house. The Michelis probably spent most of their time here, doing things happily married couples do…

Daniel places the last piece of luggage on the dark blue carpet as I admire the place. There are three doors in the room, one that leads to the bathroom; the other was a closet and another that leads to the balcony.

As I stare off into the distance, looking at the beach from afar on the balcony strong arms found their way around me. I smile when Daniel snuggles into the crook of my neck, biting at my skin. “Daniel,” I groan in annoyance.

I told him not to try anything.

But I couldn’t stop him either.

I spin around so that our chests are touching, my hand pressing against his chest as if I am trying to push him away but as he continues to kiss up my neck I know I couldn’t lie to myself.

I didn't really want him to stop.

“Daniel,” I try again and he pulls away, his eyes filled with want and desire.

“I know you’re not holding back because you don’t want me,” he whispers and I gulp. “This isn’t about the rumors any more… just admit it to yourself, babe.” He was right; I wasn’t holding back because I didn’t like him, I was holding back because I was unsure.

Unsure if Daniel is really what Alex made him out to be?

I didn’t want to give it to him easily because if I made him wait for it, that meant I would get to keep this thing going at least. I was afraid if I gave in, he would move on and get bored of me. I didn’t want that but that also meant I truly believe Alex’s words.

And I didn’t want that either.

Daniel’s face starts to inch closer and closer as he leans in, my breathing starts to get heavy and the room starts to get warmer. His eyes flicker at my lips before I reach up and give him what he wants.

Daniel, I realize never kissed me slowly, unlike Alex.

The kiss is always intense from the moment our lips meet. He forces his tongue with mine and he starts to moan a bit. I can feel something pressing against my thigh as he grinds his hips against mine and an embarrassing sound escapes my lips.

Just as he starts to fiddle with the hem of my shirt, we hear a honk, the noise sending us jerking away from each other, my cheeks red as we try to catch our breaths.

It came from outside.

Daniel doesn’t look at me when he peers down from the balcony and I follow him to see Alex standing by the door, someone else exiting the car. Alex waves up at us and the girl beside him steps out from behind the car and into the light.

Mary.

Alex was friends with Mary!

“Hey guys the door’s open, come inside!” Daniel calls to them and they nod, entering the house as I remain frozen to my place.

Mary and Alex were friends? Since when?

Daniel rushes back into the house, fixing his hair in the mirror before walking down to greet them. I follow him and not as enthusiastically.

Daniel greets Mary and only then do I notice he didn’t realize she was the one who was behind the rumors.

Mary sends a discreet smirk my way and I narrow my eyes.

What were they planning?

When Daniel tries to hug Alex, I’m happy Alex leans back instead, patting him awkwardly on the back. Daniel rubs the back of his neck timidly before turning back to face me. “I’ll carry their luggage upstairs; you guys should go ahead and get comfortable in the living room.”

“Great idea,” Alex says, his eyes never leaving mine and I roll my eyes, following after him and Mary.

We sit down on the soft sofas in the living room, Alex and Mary across from me as they silently admire my boyfriend’s beach house. “I didn’t know you guys were friends,” I start, catching their attention.

“Oh yeah, I met Mary near building C. I overheard her talking about something we had similar interests in,” Alex tells me before they share a look. I frown at that, my eyes down to slits. I know he knows Mary’s history with me, that’s why he decided to bring her along.

“So you and Daniel?” Mary asks and I turn to her with the nicest face I could probably ever give her. Although I hated her, I hated her fake smile, her horrible personality and the fact she reminded me of me in high school was what I hate the most.

But I don’t think I was ever as evil as her.

“What about us?” I ask.

“I would’ve never thought you were interested in him, and to think you’re still together.” She starts simply. “I thought you were—”

“A whore?” I finish for her and it shocks her and Alex both. “What? If I remember, those were your words specifically.”

Before either of them can say anything further, Daniel walks back in with the last bit of luggage and enters the living room.

“Hey guys, let’s head off to the beach for a bit?” I eagerly get up to walk over to him, slinging my arm around his waist.

“ Great idea,” I mock Alex from earlier, my eyes finding his. I know he couldn’t possibly want to go to the beach or his cover would be blown. It was easy to fake them under clothes but in a bikini? I know Alex would die before putting on one of those on anyway.

He couldn’t even risk putting on a one-piece.

“I’m feeling kind of si—” I cut Alex off.

“We’ll get ready and meet you guys there.” With a flash, I pull Daniel up the stairs before Alex can make up another excuse.

After I put on my red bikini to match with my scarlet hair, I place a thin cardigan to cover my body and shorts.

Daniel is already ready by the time I’m rushing downstairs and so is Mary but Alex, on the other hand, was wearing a long summer’s dress, with a long sleeved shirt over it.

“You’re going like that to the beach?” I ask with skepticism.

“I’m going to change there.” He explains with a glare, walking out to follow Daniel into the car before I can say anything further. I chuckle lowly under my breath, shutting the door behind me.

It looks like I have the upper-hand this time.

As I walk down the wide porch, over to Daniel’s father’s truck, another car is speeding down the street before serving in the concrete road of the large beach house beside us. I notice Daniel visibly stiffens, his eyes trained on the figure exiting the car.

Hayden emerges from the BMW, his hands running through his hair before his eyes meet Daniel’s and then they meet mine.

“Hayden?” Daniel calls over, a smile on his face as he walks over to him and I watch Hayden smile himself. Did they know each other?

I know Hayden knew Daniel and I were dating, but to think they actually know each other?

I watch them do their bro-hug thing, before talking casually as if they were catching up. Mary and Alex are already in the car, also watching the exchange. Alex was probably wondering who the hell Hayden was.

I could almost imagine the look on his face once I tell him he’s my roommate.

Soon after, Jack, Hunter, and Clark are exiting the car, talking animatedly before I see Hayden introduce them. From the distance where I'm standing like an idiot, I see Daniel calling me over.

Slowly I walk over to him.

“Everyone this is my girlfriend Charlie,” he greets. “Charlie this is Jack, Clark, Hunter and my old childhood friend Hayden.”

Before I can react, Clark and Jack are lounging at me in a bone-crushing hug, shocking Daniel.

“You guys know each other?”

“Uh y-yeah…” I manage to get out.

“You told us you weren’t coming and we were so sad!” Jack tells me, squeezing me tighter.

“I can believe you’re here,” Clark adds.

“Okay guys, her face is turning red.” Hayden pulls them away and air starts to fill my lungs once again.

“Wait, what do you mean you said you weren’t coming?” Daniel asks, completely perplexed.

“He asked me to come to his beach house so we could all hang out; I told them I was already going with you,” I explain to Daniel.

“I didn’t know his beach house was right beside yours, that was something Hayden forgot to mention.”

The last part is directed to Hayden and he just rubs the back of his neck with a shrug. "When you said you had plans, I didn't know you were going to his beach house."

“So you guys know each other?” Daniel asks, seemingly surprised.

“Yeah, they’re roommates,” Hunter explains while trying to pull Jack and Clark apart. Seems they were having another one of their petty fights.

“Oh?” Daniel says, raising a brow and for some reason, I feel like he’s hinting something as he gazes at Hayden.

“Yeah, forget it. So what are you guys up to?” Hayden asks, completely dodging whatever Daniel was hinting.

“We’re going down to the beach for a bit, you guys should join us?” Daniel suggests. Hayden has barely met my gaze the entire time but when Daniel says this, his dark eyes meet mine.

I smile at him shyly and he turns back to Daniel.

“Sure. We’ll meet you down there.”

___________________________

I bet none of you were expecting to see Hayden.

If I reply to your comments with " ;) " it's most likely because I'm trying so hard to keep my mouth shut and not spoil the book for you. Especially when it comes down to the love interests. So ... ;)

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