Waking up to Snow Patrol every morning is always a wonderful surprise. Shutting off the alarm clock, I unlaced Ashley’s firm arms from around my waist and wiggled out of her tight grip. I was exhausted; I would have been more that open to the fact of going home early last night but Ashley had other plans- of the sexual kind. I took a glance at the multiple hickeys around her neck and shoulders, it was almost inappropriate. But I was no one to judge, there was a point where one night stands were my kind of thing. Although I was still a little ticked off, last night she completely ditched me. It wasn’t until I called her for the seventh time in a row did she finally emerge from the supply shack-or as it was renamed by the residents of Laguna Beach, “The Love Shack” with Shane and a very triumphant smile. He of course looked very flustered, and his lips were swollen and red.

 I pulled off my shirt as I walked into the bathroom and allowed the warm water from the shower to soothe my tired muscles. After, I got out and put on my favorite black bikini and my red uniform shorts and white tee. Lastly I put on the whistle Lucas had given me and grabbed my dark sunglasses.

“Ashley!” I grabbed a pillow and threw it at her head.

“Unnnnn..” She groaned and repositioned her face to give me an annoyed glare. “What?”

“I’m leaving.” I grabbed my bag. “Foods in the fridge, and in case the hangover hits you particularly hard, you know where the pills are.”

She gave me thumbs up and a big smile, “You’re the best Danni.” Then she passed right out again on my bed.

As soon as I got to work I met up with the rest of the lifeguard group in front of the activity board.

“I call dibs on vending machine duty.” Shane smugly wrote his name on the board first.

“No, fair!” A stout girl with moonlight grey eyes pouted and snatched the marker away from Shane. “That only leaves bathroom duty, beach trash duty, bug extermination, and equipment cleaning.” She then wrote her name- Kayla Michaels- on equipment cleaning. “This sucks.” She grumbled.

“Hey sis, don’t feel down. I’m sure the equipment will only be slightly moldy this time.” Kayla huffed and walked away from Shane’s eruption of laughter, briskly brushing me past the shoulder.

I didn’t know Shane had any siblings, let alone a sister. She looked nothing like him. Her eyes were a pale gray in comparison to his dark brown ones. Her cheekbones were plumper while his were sharp and defined. Even their hair was completely different: Kayla had jet black hair that was as a straight as a pine needle, Shane’s reddish brown hair was a clump of curls hanging loosely on his head framing his face.

“Danni!” Shane’s eyes lit up with an odd sense of happiness as he ran up to me and put an arm around my shoulder.  I shrugged him off awkwardly. Shane and I have only talked a handful of times and our conversations literally consisted of a Hi and Bye. We weren’t friends.

“It’s your lucky day today!”  He smirked and gestured me over to the chore board. “You have the lovely options of bathroom duty, trash attendant, or the community favorite: bug extermination.”

I heard a large cry from inside the equipment room and turned my head to see a fuming Kayla running up with two life vests in her hands.

“How the HELL do you guys find a way to make a life jacket smell like the underside of your balls Shane?”

I didn’t know what I was more shocked about, the fact that this sweet young girl could spew such vulgarity or the fact she knew what the underside of Shane’s balls smells like. I looked at a bemused Shane who seemed to not even be fazed by her words. He shrugged at her and shoved his hands into his shorts pockets. “I can work wonders when It relates to causing you discomfort.”

“I can’t stand you.” She spat.

“Love you too, but please” he scolded. “Can you at least calm the dramatics so you don’t scare off all our new recruits?”

I’m guessing he was talking to me. “Please,” I rolled my eyes. “I hang with Ashley, this is like baby talk for her.”

Shane burst into laughter “Oh trust me, I know.”  He licked his lips seductively. “She has quite a way with words.”

Kayla shook her head. “Isn’t he disgusting? I’m ashamed to be related to him.”

I smiled and struck out my hand. “I’m Danni.”

She took mine and shook it. “Kayla.”

“Aww, isn’t this just so cute. You’re already making friends.”

Oh hell no.

Bridgette walked in like the devil himself. I already felt my nerves going on edge and hatred coursing through my veins. God, I hated her. Her hair was made into two long braids and her lifeguard outfit hugged so tightly around her small frame that I half expected her to die from lack of oxygen.

Now wouldn’t that be a fun development?

“Not to break up this little kumbaya circle but shouldn’t you guys be doing something? Like…your jobs?”

“Says the one who came in 20 minutes late.” Kayla whispered under her breath and I tried to stifle my laughter.

“What’s so funny Danni?” She glared at me and I shrugged my shoulders gingerly. I wasn’t in the mood to start a fight on my first day. Remember what I said about going on that good girl streak?

“Nothing.” I replied. “Nothing at all.”

“As I thought.” She walked up to me and snatched the marker from my hands and wrote her name next to trash duty. When she turned around, I half expected her to hand me back the marker with maybe a small glare-but no, that was just way to easy for her. Bridgette dropped the marker onto the floor, when I clearly reached out my hand and walked away without another word.

“What a bitch.” Kayla huffed as she grabbed some bleach and began to spray it all over the life vest. I wrinkled my nose; even though I hated to admit it Kayla was right. The vest did smell like someone’s balls.

Shane sighed. “I was honestly hoping there was going to be a catfight or at least something close to what had happened last night.”

“What happened last night?” Kayla looked up to her brother surprised.

“Nothing.” I rolled my eyes again. “Shane just likes to gossip more than a female.” I then picked up the fallen marker and wrote my name next to bathroom duty. There was no way I’d be going near any kind of bug.

*

Never had I seen such disgusting bathrooms. I almost couldn’t take it. It was like every time I scrubbed the floors more grime would appear. It was awful. But I had to finish because I only had 30 minutes to finish cleaning and I was already way behind schedule. I cleaned the mirrors one more time before I began to move on to the dreaded stalls-thank god I was wearing gloves.

“Need any help?”

I felt my body turn rigid as I recognized the deep voice coming from outside the stall I was in.

“Lucas!” I squeaked. I spun around so fast I nearly slipped on the wet floor and fell into the toilet. Thankfully, Lucas wrapped his strong arms around me, and stopped my fall. Even when I was steady on my feet, his fingers lingered a little too long on my skin and left a lonely feeling when they had finally left. When I finally looked up he was staring at me with such intensity that I nearly dropped my rag and blushed as bright as a tomato.

Smooth Danni, you’re definitely over him for sure.

After a brief moment of silence he finally cleared his throat and ran his fingers through his hair “So do you?” He said coolly.

“Do I what?” I was too busy studying the way his muscles flexed to really pay attention. Ashley was right, it should literally be a crime to be this freakin hot.

He chuckled. “I asked if you needed any help.”

I did, but not in the way he was referring to. For a second I almost gave into my primal urges, and I almost went back to the old me. The ‘me’ who wouldn’t mind hooking up with a hot guy I’ve been crushing on for 10 years inside a bathroom stall. I could already imagine it: his firm hands roaming my body hungrily kissing my lips like they would be gone tomorrow-

“Danni?” A concerned voice called out to me.

“Huh?” I snapped back to reality and blushed again. “Sorry, yea. Help would be nice.”

No interwork relations. And absolutely no exceptions. I chanted this into my head as we worked together in cleaning up the rest of the bathroom. If I repeated it enough then maybe I’d be able to follow it. I watched as Lucas ripped off his sweaty shirt, revealing his rock hard abs and got right back to work.

I sighed in utter despair. This was going to be a very long summer.