2 3 | m a n l y

THE NEXT DAY, I leaned against the sands of Isla, the latest postcard from Sky clutched in my hands. 

It had been weeks since her last postcard, but as soon as I'd seen it in my mailbox, I hadn't been able to stop reading it. I missed her with my entire heart.

I flipped it over in my hands admiring the vibrant photographs plastered on the front. A massive ancient temple covered the background with smiling tourists in the foreground. I imagined Sky with her unruly hair and freckled grin touring the temple. She would fit right in.

I turned the postcard over and reread her smudged handwriting for the millionth time.

Dear Isla, I miss you! Yesterday we went to the coolest temple. I wish you were here. I tried some street food and ended up sick for hours, but I think I'm better now. Tomorrow we're leaving for Thailand, though I've probably been there for ages by the time you get this. I can't wait to get some shopping done! I hope you're having fun back home. Miss you! Love, Sky

I sighed running my fingers over the scrawled lines. Thailand. Temples. Shopping. At least she'd have better reception in Thailand. Maybe we could video chat, if she had the time.

She was probably busy having the most amazing summer – the incredible last summer we'd all planned. The only problem was that she was having it without us.

I glanced up to see the boys sitting across from me beside the lagoon, their bare chests still gleaming with drops of water. Their tanned skin shone in the sunlight as they bit hungrily into the sandwiches they'd brought. Beside Austin, Mia sat, invading Isla as usual.

I watched, disgusted, as they shared their food, feeding each other with loving grins. Gross.

Turning away, I vaguely remembered that I should be eating too, but my stomach churned, and suddenly I wasn't hungry anymore.

I released a breath, packing the postcard and my uneaten sandwich away, shoving it all into my duffel bag before leaning against it and the warm rocks. The sun warmed my skin, turning my brown skin darker and my black hair a hint lighter, streaking it with amber. My bikini, army green, stood out against my dark skin – still damp from swimming in the lagoon.

Normally, I'd spend my entire break swimming. Savouring the caress of water on my skin every spare hour – the kiss of sun on my face.

But today I didn't feel like it.

Isla had somehow managed to lose all its charm. I found myself counting down the minutes until I'd have to return to work.

Everett sat beside me in tense silence.

We hadn't spoken since our kiss. I'd left in a hurry, thinking Tom would fire me if I was any later. He'd scolded me for not texting him, but summer was approaching its end, and we weren't too busy anyway, so he let me off with a warning.

When I'd met with Everett this morning, he'd launched into a lengthy conversation about how hot it was, and how sunny it was, and how annoying all of that put together was. I'd rolled my eyes and played along, but I got the message.

He didn't want to talk about it.

I understood it. We only had less than a month of summer left, and then he'd be gone. Even if we wanted something out of this, it was impossible. We'd only both end up hurt.

Besides, I loved Austin.

When had this all become so complicated? I sighed, leaning back against my duffel bag. With the movement, my leg brushed Everett's, and he immediately froze, jerking away.

I blinked, turning to see him glaring at the lagoon, his face pink – decidedly not from the sunlight.

"Everett," I started, quietly.

He shook his head, effectively cutting me off. I frowned at the reaction. We'd have to talk about it eventually. Clear the air.

Uncomfortably, I glanced at the rest of the boys. River sent me a suspicious look and I quickly turned away, deciding now was definitely not the time.

"So, Isla," River started. His voice sent a wave of anxiety through me and I forced myself to meet his gaze.

"Yes, River?" I smiled sweetly.

He lifted a single brow at me. "How's work?"

"Great." Get to the point. "Excellent, actually. We're slowing down now, so it's been pretty chill."

"You must be suffering with Everett's company twenty-four seven," he said slowly, smirking at me like he knew all of my secrets. "Especially when you can't busy yourself with work."

I narrowed my eyes at him. I knew what he was doing. "Not really, actually."

I turned, meeting Everett's surprised look. I sent him a gentle smile. It was the truth.

I wasn't sure when it happened, but at some point, I'd stopped wanting to strangle Everett so much. In fact, I'd started getting used to his company. I'd started enjoying it.

Right. Enjoying it so much that I went and kissed him.

"Really?" Connor asked now.

I turned to see him looking at me in surprise, his brows raised. Austin, beside him, had also turned to listen to our conversation now, his hand going still on Mia's thigh.

I warmed beneath his gaze, turning back to Connor.

"Yeah," I said. "He's... alright."

"Gee, thanks for the glowing review, Isla," Everett said, his voice drawling and sarcastic.

"Isla?" Austin echoed, raising a brow. "So, you guys are on a first name basis now, huh?"

"Yeah, is that a problem, Wright?" Everett challenged.

"So, Everett," River cut in with a smirk. "You must be suffering, then. Stuck with Isla all day. Right?"

I shot him a glare and tossed the nearest object – a stick – at him. He dodged it, shooting me a snide look, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"No," Everett said, surprisingly confident. "She's cool."

"Cool?" Austin repeated, his voice growing louder. He sent Everett a look. "So, you're friends?"

"You could say that," Everett said, quirking a brow at him. Austin's jaw tensed and I knew he was reading Everett's words completely wrong.

"We're friends, Austin," I cut in quickly. "That's what happens when you spend every minute of every day of the summer together."

You know, like we were supposed to do?

"Right," Austin said slowly. He lilted his voice as if he were joking. "Just be careful. Don't want you getting hurt, you know?"

"Thanks for your concern," I replied, pursing my lips.

"Because," he continued, grinning as if he was telling a hilarious joke. "You never know, right?"

"What do you mean?" I asked carefully, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Well, you remember the last tourist you liked, right?" he asked, raising a brow. "He left you for Sky in a week. It's like I said, Isla. You have to be careful. I don't want you getting hurt."

I flushed in embarrassment, remembering the tourist Austin was referring to. I hadn't even liked him that much. It was just nice to be wanted for a while. For a week. Until he was off drooling over Sky – not that Sky gave him the time of day.

My face warmed, humiliation flooding through me, and my eyes darted to meet Everett's. What would he think? He'd probably laugh. So, you've always been a second choice, huh? That's probably what he'd say.

But he said nothing. In fact, he wasn't even looking at me. He glared at Austin. His fists clenched by his side.

"Wow, Isla," Mia chirped suddenly. She let out a high-pitched laugh. "I didn't know that!"

"Yeah," I started lowly. I settled Austin with a glare through my humiliation. "No one did. But thanks for telling us all, Austin."

He blinked, frowning at me. "Isla –"

"And on that topic," Everett interrupted, his voice deadly. "Even if our friendship was like that, I wouldn't leave Isla for anyone else. Not all of us enjoy playing around with her feelings."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Austin spat.

"Take a wild fucking guess."

I shot River a glare and he looked at me wide-eyed. This was all his fault for bringing this up. He always did love drama. So did Connor, apparently, because he was watching the conversation with a wide grin.

"You'd better choose your next words really carefully," Austin started, glaring at Everett. "Isla is my best friend. We've been friends since we were kids. I was there for her through everything."

"Right," Everett snorted, rolling his eyes. "Because you're so fucking honourable, aren't you?"

"You little –"

"Guys!" I shouted, springing to my feet before Austin could lurch towards Everett. I sighed, crossing my arms at them. "Stop. Please. I have to go to work, so can we all just get along for a five-minute boat ride?"

Everett continued glaring at Austin, who had softened his expression into a soft smile at me.

"Of course, Isla," Austin said, gently. "I was just warning you. You know I worry about you."

"Well, thanks, Austin," I said bluntly. "But I don't need it. We're not ten anymore. I'm seventeen. I can handle a boy myself."

His face dropped slightly, and I watched the embarrassed blush creep up his neck. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly but before he could speak, I grabbed my bag and swung it over my shoulder.

"River," I said curtly, nodding towards the shore. "Let's get the boat started."

His face blanched like he knew he was in for a scolding. I turned, making way for the Nauti Buoy. River scrambled to his feet behind me, jogging to catch up.

We were a few metres away when he tossed an arm around my shoulder with a grin.

"So, Isla," he started.

Before he could finish, I shoved his arm off me and delivered a resounding whack to his head. He pouted, clutching the spot I'd hit him.

"You idiot," I seethed, continuing to walk. "You shouldn't have done that."

"It's not my fault Austin's an idiot," he said, shrugging.

"You should've known how he'd react," I scolded. "Besides, why are you meddling in my love life? Don't you have your own to worry about?"

"Shut up!" River said quickly, his eyes widening. He lowered his voice into a hiss. "Be quiet, they'll hear you."

"Oh, please," I said, rolling my eyes. "Connor wouldn't get it if you hit him upside the head with a sign that said I'm in love with you!"

"Shut up!" River repeated frantically. "And I'm not in love with Connor. What the hell are you on about?"

"Right." I raised a brow at him.

"Seriously," he said weakly. "I – I like girls. You know. Like Charlotte."

"And what do you like about Charlotte, exactly?"

"Oh, you know," he muttered, furrowing his brow. "Big... big tits... and all that. Nice nails."

"Nice nails?" I echoed.

"Yes."

"Right," I said, stifling a laugh. "You like girls because they have nice nails. I'll keep that in mind."

River's lips twitched into a half-smile and he nudged me with his shoulder. "You're one to talk. I see the way you look at Everett."

"What!" I sputtered, quickly glancing behind us to make sure they hadn't followed yet. I frowned, beginning to push the boat out with River. "I don't look at him in any special way."

"Uh huh," River hummed, raising a brow.

"I don't," I said firmly.

"Keep telling yourself that."

I frowned, ready to argue more, when footsteps sounded from behind us, crunching on the sand. I pursed my lips shut, turning.

Everett emerged first with a sour look on his face. His skin glowed beneath the afternoon sun, his eyes turning that greenish hazel that I loved. His hair tinted a lighter brown than usual, and I wondered briefly what his mother's hair looked like. What her eyes were like. Whether they were as green as his in the light.

I thought briefly of Everett in his room, when he'd cried. When he'd gripped onto my hand like a lifeline. When he'd taken my mouth with his and kissed me until my heart had leapt into my throat and butterflies erupted in my lower stomach.

His eyes were still slightly pink and swollen around the edges, and I wondered how much he'd cried after I'd left yesterday. My heart sank and I found myself regretting leaving, instead wishing I could have stayed and comforted him. I found myself wishing I could wipe that frown from his lips and see his smile, that heart fluttering smile that sent my head spinning.

"Right," River's voice snapped me out of my gaze. He smirked at me, his lips hovering close to my ear in a quiet whisper. "Not special at all."

I shoved him away, rolling my eyes and facing Everett completely. He was already watching us, his jaw clenched tightly, and eyes narrowed at River.

"Everett," I said, stepping towards him. He stiffened, avoiding my eyes. "Can we talk?"

"About what?" he asked, bluntly.

I rolled my eyes. So, we were playing this game, huh?

"I'll give you three guesses," I deadpanned.

"Is it about how fucking annoying Austin is?"

I stifled a laugh. "That would take all day."

"And yet he's still somehow your best friend," he said in a low drawl.

"Like I said." I grinned, lifting a brow. "He has a car."

"Of course, that makes up for all his other distinctly lacking qualities."

"Stop trying to change the subject, Everett," I said, narrowing my eyes. "You know what I want to discuss."

"I still have two guesses."

I shot him a glare and he sighed, his shoulders sagging.

"Isla." The corners of his lips dipped into a frown, and his hand lifted, drifting in the air between us for a moment before falling back to his side. I swallowed, trying not to let the rejection show on my face.

He released a breath, his eyes drifting over my shoulder again as the tips of his ears turned pink. I opened my mouth to speak when Austin's voice came booming from behind Everett.

"River!" Austin shouted.

I jumped back, realising in that moment how close I'd been standing to Everett. Austin strode right past us, though I didn't miss the tightness in his jaw and the shadow that had settled over his face. Mia was a few steps behind him, practically jogging to keep up.

"Let's go," he said, stepping onto the Nauti Buoy. "Fast."

I glanced at Everett. He'd stopped paying attention to our conversation, his gaze settled on the horizon, a distant look in his eyes.

I frowned, deciding that we'd have to talk about it another time, before stepping onto the boat. I definitely wasn't about to sit beside Everett for the whole boat ride back – not when every brush of skin shot electricity through my body and had me reliving that morning in his room again.

So, I bee lined for the passenger seat, flopping beside River with a dramatic sigh. He quirked a brow at me.

"That's not your usual seat," he said simply, though his voice lilted in that prying way it usually did.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Were you hoping for someone else?"

That shut him up. His face glowed pink and he spun back to face the steering wheel.

"Not particularly."

"Right," I hummed, smirking cheekily at his reaction. The boat rocked as the rest of the group took their seats. I glanced at Connor before turning to mutter to River. "I can ask Connor to swap if you'd like."

He glowered, turning the key and drowning my voice out with the rumble of the engine.

"Sorry Isla," he shouted. "Can't hear you."

I rolled my eyes, though a grin tugged at my lips and I leaned back in my seat, ready for the ride back to Shellside Bay.

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A U T H O R ' S  N O T E

Hey! I feel like most of you will want to kill me after this chapter hehe but I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Okay, so it wasn't a huge fight, but the tension is building 👀 Next time: Evla bonding (is that the ship name we're going with???)

Thank you for reading, voting and commenting! y'all are the best! see you! x