3 0 | l a  p e r o u s e

THE FIRST THING I NOTICED when we reached the beach was that the boys were crowded in a circle, talking excitedly together.

The second thing I noticed was the thick, black head of hair poking up from the centre of the group. All the breath in me left at once. I released Everett's hand, sprinting towards the Nauti Buoys.

"Sky!" I screamed, almost slipping on the sand.

She stood, her eyes wide and a grin on her face. Sky, with her thick, dark hair and always wild grin. Sky, who I hadn't seen in months, since she left at the start of summer for Cambodia.

She pushed past Connor, opening her arms for me.

"Isla!"

I leapt into her arms, almost knocking her to the ground. She squealed, our hands clutching onto each other's shirts desperately, trying to squeeze the life out of each other.

I buried my head into her neck, ignoring the way her long, unruly hair stabbed at my face and tickled my nose.

"I missed you," I muttered into her skin. Her grip around me tightened and I knew from the way her chest rumbled and her shoulder shook that she was crying.

I pulled away, looking at her in disbelief. "What are you doing here? You're early! You're meant to be in Thailand!"

"Surprise?" she offered with a watery smile, wiping furiously at her eyes with the back of her hand.

I narrowed my eyes at her, scanning her face. I hadn't seen her in months. Her skin had tanned, turning darker with large, brown freckles spotting her cheeks. Her hair was a little longer, but still thick and unruly – never tamed.

She pulled at her hair as I scanned her face and my eyes widened.

"You got a fringe!" I shouted.

She smiled sheepishly, running her fingers through the thin bangs that spread across her forehead. "Yeah, do you like it?"

"It definitely covers up that five-head of yours," I teased, raising a brow. Her jaw fell open and she shoved me. I laughed at her reaction, pulling her back into a hug. "I'm joking, I love it."

My heart felt lighter with her in my arms. I'd missed her so much all of summer. And so much had happened since she left, I'd wanted to call her every single day and beg her to come home. But there was bad reception where she stayed in Cambodia, and then in Thailand... my eyes widened, and I pulled back.

"Is this why you kept saying you were too busy to video chat?"

She shrugged, glancing at the giggling boys behind her with a mischievous smile.

"You!" I shouted, narrowing my eyes at Connor, River and Austin, all of whom were grinning suspiciously at me. "You knew!"

"Hey, come on. It was a pretty good surprise," Connor offered, running a hand through his blonde-brown waves.

I rolled my eyes, pulling Sky back into my arms and squeezing her again. "I did miss the hell out of you. Never leave me with these idiots again."

"You've got to tell me everything I missed," she replied, her voice muffled from my suffocating hug. "I already know this lot must've caused you a lifetime's worth of headaches without me."

"God, you don't know the half of it," I laughed. "Summer is pure chaos without you, Sky. Nothing like what I'd imagined our last summer together would be."

"Well, we still have two weeks left," Sky said, and I knew from her voice that she was grinning as wide as me. "Still enough time to have the best last summer ever."

"I have so much to catch you up on," I murmured, thinking of Everett, and Austin, and – God, and me moving to Sydney!

I pulled away, deciding to start with the easiest. Everett stood behind us, awkwardly watching.

"Everett, this is Sky Phan," I said, practically bouncing on my toes. "Sky, this is Everett Connolly."

"Hey," Everett said quickly, stepping forward and reaching a hand towards her. "Isla has told me all about you."

She took his hand, shaking it and sending me a smug grin. "Ooh, American. You know, Isla has a thing for Americans."

He laughed, raising a brow at me. "Oh, I know."

My face warmed and I smacked him square on the chest, turning to Sky. "Actually, about that..."

She blinked, confusion marring her brow. Then, realisation hit her, and her eyes widened, a wild grin spreading across her lips.

"No."

"Yep."

"Oh, my God! Since when?"

"This morning?"

"And who first?"

"Him."

"But Austin?"

"Not anymore."

"Did you?"

I blushed, shrugging innocently, and her jaw dropped open.

"What the hell are you two saying?" River interrupted.

He stared at us with confusion, an annoyed glare darting between me and Sky. I met her eye and we both released a quiet laugh, turning to face the boys who watched us with furrowed brows. 

I sucked in a deep breath, building up my confidence. My heart was pounding, blood rushing in my ears.

Sensing my nervousness, Everett stepped closer, his fingers brushing mine reassuringly. I glanced at him and his lips twitched up in a gentle smile. I swallowed thickly, turning to face the boys again. Here goes nothing.

"I'm dating Everett," I said carefully with an unsure smile, trying to make the words sound as light as possible.

There was a painful pause.

The word hung in the air like a heavy cloud, weighing on each of their shoulders. I waited for each of their reactions, chewing on the inside of my cheek.

River was first, his lips stretching into a snide smirk that clearly said I knew it'd happen eventually.

"No special look, huh?" he teased smugly, raising a brow at me. I warmed, shooting him a glare, but his smirk didn't falter, because he'd been right all along. From the day he made fun of me for the way I looked at him, until now – he'd known. And I would probably never hear the end of it.

Connor was next. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped before he was jumping around like a toddler, whooping and patting Everett roughly on the back.

He paused, his feet slipping in the sand before pointing a threatening finger at him.

"If you hurt her," he said slowly, narrowing his eyes dangerously.

"I won't," Everett said.

"In that case." Connor's grin returned and he tackled Everett in a round of whoops and cheers. Sky rolled her eyes, grabbing him by the nape of his neck and tugging him off of my boyfriend, though a smile pulled at her lips the entire time.

I laughed. At least River and Connor had taken the news well. But there was one Nauti Buoy left.

I turned cautiously to gage Austin's reaction. His was the most dangerous. Just last night, he'd broken up with Mia to ask me out, and I'd rejected him, going to Everett instead.

And now he knew.

Now he knew what it felt like to be second choice, what it felt like to be me for the past ten years, because I chose Everett and not him.

His jaw tightened and he met my stare, a dark look in his eyes that sent a shudder down my spine.

"Isla," he said, his voice dangerously low. "Can we talk?"

I glanced at Everett, who was glaring at Austin, his fists clenched by his side. I sent him a look, a small smile, and he relaxed slightly, his eyes softening.

I swallowed, turning back to Austin and nodding. We had to settle this. We had to clear the air.

He sent me a curt nod, leading me a few steps away from the others so that we could speak privately. Over my shoulder, I watched as Sky made her way to Everett, grinning widely and no doubt interrogating him about us.

But he wasn't paying attention. His eyes were trained on me, his jaw tight and eyes narrowed. I sent him another look that I hoped said don't worry, I'm fine, and turned back to face the brown-haired boy waiting for me with a stiffened back.

"What's up, Austin?" I asked, hoping my voice sounded stronger than I felt.

"You're dating him?" he sputtered, his eyes wide. "I thought you liked me."

"Not anymore," I said pointedly. "You're ten years too late, Austin."

"Why?" he asked, shaking his head in disbelief. "Isla, we've been friends for our entire lives. I know everything about you. You've known him for, like, a month. You can't date him."

"First of all," I said, my voice dangerous. "I can do whatever I want."

He blinked, taken aback. I stepped closer, narrowing my eyes threateningly.

"Second of all," I continued. "I was never Everett's second choice. He wants me and only me."

"I do too, Isla."

He moved to take my hands and I ripped them out of his reach.

"No, you don't," I said. He sent me a pained look and I sighed, pursing my lips. "Austin, you're just used to having me around. And now that Everett's here, and I'm moving to Sydney, you're scared. You don't actually want to date me."

"But I do."

I shook my head, resting a hand on his shoulder. He stiffened beneath my touch, pouting up at me like he always did. But this time I wouldn't give in.

This wasn't like those times when we'd fight, and I'd apologise first. This wasn't like those times where all he had to do was shoot me a look and run his fingers through my hair and I'd melt – give him everything he'd ask for.

He didn't have that effect on me anymore.

"Austin, can you honestly say that you like me? Like that?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but faltered, and I sent him a gentle smile.

"No," I sighed. "You can't. And that's okay."

"But, Isla," he said, his voice cracking painfully. "Don't leave me."

And suddenly, he was the five-year-old boy again. The one I'd hated. The one who was better than me in everything, but always offered to help.

He was the seven-year-old I'd fallen in love with, with his big brown eyes and innocent smile. He was the nine-year-old who held my hand at my dad's funeral. The ten-year-old who carried me home when I sprained my ankle. The eleven-year-old who sat with me in class when I had no other friends.

The seventeen-year-old who I'd fallen out of love with.

The seventeen-year-old who didn't want me to leave.

"Austin," I said, my voice gentle. "I'm not leaving you. You're still my best friend."

"But you won't date me?"

I shook my head, glancing at Everett over my shoulder.

He still watched us, the anger gone and replaced with nervousness. I sent him a small smile, loving the way I felt all warm beneath his hazel gaze. Loving the way my body tingled at the sight of him, craving his skin against mine.

I looked back at Austin, shrugging. "Austin, we don't like each other that way. We got used to having each other around. There's a reason I was always your second choice, and not your first. We're just friends. It's better that way."

"I – I don't know..."

"Then tell me." I settled him with a sharp look. "Name one thing you like about me. One reason you want me as your girlfriend."

He looked up. His eyes were ablaze, full of passion and fire, but he faltered.

"You're –" he paused, wavering. And the fire faded. "You're smart. And beautiful."

"Is that what you like about me?" I asked. He nodded firmly, though his certainty was quickly fading. I released a breath, frowning. "Are you saying I suddenly became smart and beautiful in the past week?"

He sighed, his shoulders relaxing and the tension fading from his stiffened posture. He chuckled lightly, then began laughing, shaking his head.

"No," he said weakly. "No, I just –"

He cut himself off and I waited for him to continue. When he didn't, I shot him a smile.

"Austin," I said carefully. "You don't like me like that. I was never your first choice. You're just scared that you're losing me."

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. They glimmered sadly in the sunlight and I rested a hand on his arm.

"I am losing you," he said.

"You're not, you idiot," I said, whacking him upside the head. His eyes widened, his hand flying up to his head and holding the spot I'd hit him. "How can you? You're my best friend." I paused, arching a brow. "But that's it."

He released a long breath, his shoulders slumping, before meeting my eyes again.

"Alright," he said, sending me his usual Austin-grin. "Alright. You're right. We're just friends. But just – Just don't leave me, okay? You're visiting once a month when you move to Sydney."

"Okay," I laughed, rolling my eyes.

"And – and you're texting me every day."

"We already do," I said. He narrowed his eyes at me, stubborn, and I laughed. "Fine."

"And if River does anything to you, you're telling me straight away."

"Austin, we've been friends for years," I said pointedly. He said nothing, sticking me with that unusually stern look and I let out a breath, shoving him jokingly. "Fine, fine. Are those all your rules, Mr Wright?"

He hummed, pretending to think for a moment, before his face split into another wide grin. He nudged me back, turning to make his way back to the group and throwing me a teasing look over his shoulder.

"That's all of them," he said, sticking his tongue out at me like the idiot he was.

I smiled, pausing for a moment to watch as he returned to the rest of the group. Sky threw an arm around him – an awkward angle for her tiny body beside his towering figure, but she didn't let that stop her. He laughed at something she said, flashing his charming smile at her and the others.

A weight had been lifted from my chest. The air had been cleared. And even though Austin no longer sent my heart racing and spread warmth across my body the way he had for the past ten years, it was a relief.

No more waiting.

This was how it was meant to be. The whole group together, having fun, joking around on the beach. We'd already missed out on most of our last summer together – with Sky overseas and Austin preoccupied by Mia.

But we had two weeks left, and we'd make the most of it while we could.

Besides, I had a boyfriend now.

My eyes settled on Everett, who was still watching me. His brow raised when I caught his eye and with the most minuscule movement of his head, he nodded me over. I grinned, jogging across the sand to stand beside him.

He tilted his hand, just barely, brushing his knuckles against mine. With just that brush of skin, I felt set alight. My body grew hot, my heart thundering in my chest. I loved what he could do to me.

I slid my hand into his, tangling our fingers together, and he squeezed it in reassurance. He leaned down until his lips were an inch from my ear before whispering, "Everything okay?"

I nodded, turning to meet his eyes.

"It's fine." I kept my voice quiet but let a small smile tug at my lips to settle his worries. "We agreed we're better as friends."

"Okay, good," he muttered, his grip tightening. He tugged me closer and I relaxed into his side, grinning to myself. "Because otherwise we'd have a problem."

I laughed, nudging him lightly with my elbow. "What, you're suddenly tough? I punched you in the face the day we met."

He quirked a brow at me, his mouth tilting into a smirk. "I pinned your wrists."

I flushed in embarrassment, pulling back slightly to send him a deadly glare.

"You say one more word," I said slowly, keeping my voice quiet so that the others wouldn't hear. "And I won't hesitate to punch you again."

He cleverly shut up.

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A U T H O R ' S   N O T E

So, Isla finally spoke to Austin! And Sky is back in town!! Thoughts? Next time: summer vibes!

Thank you as always for reading, commenting and voting! 2 chapters to go! 💕