“Mmm, mm, mm.” My friend Ashley gingerly licked her lips as she stared at Lucas Fisher, head lifeguard, do some stretches before he went off for his morning jog during his breaks.

“Ash, stop it.” I scolded, even though I too couldn’t help but stare. But then again, that’s what sunglasses were for: to check people out, without anyone ever knowing.

She sighed and rested her head on the palm of her hand, causing her red curls to tousle down her arm. “Honestly, he could save me any day.” As I rolled my eyes and repositioned my glasses to fight off the glare of the sun, she turned to me and pouted. “But you’ve totally struck out; you actually get to work with them. 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.”

I laughed, “I’m not really in the mood for boy scouting Ash. I’m kind of going to try and roll it solo.” Even though she gave me a look that said she completely didn’t believe that I was done with my player girl ways, it was the honest truth. My last relationship took a lot out of me, and I was in no rush to start a new one. “Besides, a guy is not worth losing a job over; especially when I desperately need it.” I continued. The college I wanted to attend, Duke University, was way too expensive for me or my parents to ever be able to legally afford.

Ashley sighed again, and took a sip out of her virgin Shirley Temple. She shook her head when Shane Michaels climbed up the stairs to the lifeguard stand and took over the lifeguard duties. “Such a waste!” She groaned. “God has given you this wonderful opportunity to work with the hottest guys of Trinity High School and you throw it away.”

“You do know what being a lifeguard is all about right?” When she ignored me I had no choice but to continue. “It’s about saving people.”

She smacked her lips as Shane stretched his arms out and yawned. I could tell she was done listening to me when Shane noticed her staring and winked at her, and she almost swooned.

After she was done blatantly flirting with Shane (whom I’m guessing is her new conquest), she pulled out a magazine and began to look through it. “So when do you start?”

“Tomorrow.” I looked at the dazzling beach, pondering if I should go in the water or not. I was getting bored of just sitting around, trying to get a tan but then I was also feeling a little lazy today. “They’re even having some beach bonfire for all newbies.”

At that, Ashley perked up. “Danni you have to take me!”

I rose an eyebrow. “I don’t think non-lifeguards are invited.”

She furrowed her brows and stuck up her bottom lip. “But you have to, or else.” She said darkly.

“Or else what?”

“Or else you risk breaking Girl Code, and you have to face the due consequences.”

I groaned. Ashley and I had created the Girl Code in seventh grade, when we were just fooling around at one of our sleepovers. Ever since then, that very girl code has been the bane of my very existence. “C’mon Ash, we were twelve.” I whined. “I didn’t know I was making a deal with the devil for my soul.”

She shook her head, and brought out her iPhone, where she had stored all our Girl Code data. “Too bad. Rule 36 clearly states that if said friend is not invited to a party or event that the other said best friend, must take her there. It’s common courtesy.”

I lied down defeated. “Fine. Be at my house by six, any later and I’m leaving you.”

Ashley squealed and jumped on top of me, planting a big sloppy wet kiss on my cheek.  Ashley and I were almost considered as sisters and from time to time we basically lived at each other’s house. So it was no surprise when she did this, but it didn’t mean that I still wasn’t grossed out. “Ewwwwww!!” I screamed in disgust. “Ashley!”

She rolled off of me and went back to reading with a smug smile on her face. “Sorry loser. Guess I got too excited.”

It was now precisely 6:30 and Ashley still wasn’t here. I waited in my small cozy living room couch with my legs sprawled across it and my eyes strictly focused on my cell phone. Ashley loved making people wait, it was a part of her image and an easy way to always keep people on edge. One time, during a particularly bad date, when her partner was ignoring her she purposely hid out in the bathroom for an hour to make him think she had ditched him and bring his ego down a few notches. When she finally did come out, she told him that she wanted to go home because this date (and I quote) ‘sucked.’ So I wasn’t surprised when she kept me waiting for another five minutes before she even texted me that she might be a little late, even though I was the one doing her a solid.

I checked myself out in the mirror to make sure my outfit was perfect enough for Ashley’s ridiculously high standards. My pink frilly bandeau top stood out on my super tan skin and I paired it with a black bathing suit skirt (the cute ones, not the ones that make you look old and pregnant).  I knew I would get annoyed with my stringy light  hair constantly getting in my face so I put it into a messy bun. By the time I was done double checking everything, Ashley was calling my phone to let me know that she was outside and ready to go.

Ashley had outdone herself again, she was one of the few girls who could be so curvaceous and pull off a one piece bathing suit like it was nothing. She had no insecurities about her extra weight; she took that weight and embraced it, turning it into her own new accessory. It was quite amazing; it was one of the reasons why I admired her so. She also had let her dark curls loose so that it flew freely in the wind and carried a small duffel bag. For what? I really didn’t want to know.

“So I’m guessing from how your jaw dropped that I look absolutely stunning?” She could be so conceited some times, but you gotta love her.

I rolled my eyes. “Let’s just go. We’re already late.”

She put on her glasses and flipped her hair. “Listen dahling, we are never late. They are just simply early.”

When we arrived, the party was just getting started. Tyler Wytner had brought his pick up truck and set up just in the trunk of it were two large speakers. Behind those speakers were numerous packages of alcohol. Oh. I thought. So it’s that kind of party. Below was a huge bonfire with roasted marshmallows, hot dogs, you name it.  Everyone was laughing and screaming, and of course flirting. Even though Mr. Lee had clearly said that it wasn’t allowed, I guess a little innocent fun never hurt anyone. Before even I had started to walk down to where everyone was gathering around the fire, Ashley was already out scoping for someone. I’m guessing Shane. I sat down next to her as head bobbed from side to side looking for Shane everywhere. The light disappeared from her eyes when Shane emerged from behind a large rock with Bridgette Styles, the she-devil herself. Even though Ashley quickly composed herself before Bridgette could notice us and give us her notorious victory smile. I still saw the hurt on her face. Whether Shane was just a boy toy or a real legitimate love interest I could tell that this news had really hurt her.

“You never said that she’d be here.” Ashley seethed.

It was known by everyone in town that Bridgette was a senior lifeguard. Why wouldn’t she be here? But I held all that to myself. A ticked off Ashley was never really good at making conversations. Her high pitched laugh filled the air. When I saw Shane resist the urge to cringe I almost choked on my soda. I looked over at Ashley who had seemed to calm down over the fact that Shane still hadn’t fallen for all of Bridgette’s charms.

“Attention!” Everyone turned to face Lucas who had found a wooden box, and decided to use it as a stand. His cheeks were a rosy shade of red and his eyes were just a tad bit glossy. Only one hour in and he was already drunk. Real attractive. “We’ve gathered you all here,” He slurred. “to welcome the new members of our Lifeguard Community.” At that, everyone cheered in recognition. He smiled brightly and continued. “They have worked very hard, and because of that we’ve decided to honor them,” he paused for dramatic effect. “with their very own whistles.” More cheers. “Now if all new members could please stand. We will each hand you your very own whistles. I promise you, they’re not used.” At that Bridgette laughed a little loud, which ended in a very unattractive snort. I half believed she was drunk too. As I got up, I realized that almost everyone had a bottle in their hands and sighed. Just great.

Five other people, other than myself stood up as well. Some I recognized from the hallways at school, others were just complete strangers. When Lucas came around to me, he looked me over twice and whistled quietly. It took everything I had to keep myself from blushing. He put the whistle around my neck-just like he did with everyone else- but I doubt he said this to everyone: “They just get hotter every year.”

This time I really did blush and my blush only got deeper when everyone called attention to us with their ohh’s and ahh’s. After effectively being embarrassed, I sat back down and finally took my first breath since he whistled at me.

“Damn.” Ashley chewed on a celery stick intensely as she stared after Lucas. “He certainly knows how to turn a girl on.”

“Ashley!” I screeched as I felt the blood rush back up to my face. I swear, sometimes this girl needs to be censored.

She laughed and pinched my cheeks. “You’re just so cute. And I thought your crush on him ended in the third grade?”

“Ashleyyy!” I covered her mouth and looked around to make sure no one heard that. When I knew that I was safe I released her on a sigh. “It did end, I just wasn’t expecting that kind of attention.”

She rolled her eyes and flipped her hair again. “Whatever. ”

I was about to answer her back when I saw Bridgette and her ‘goons’ walking towards us. “Shit.”

When she finally reached us, I watched as Ashley refused to give her or her friends the light of day. I saw irritation flash across Bridgette’s dark brown eyes but when she twirled a lock of her dark hair, it was like it was never there in the first place.

“Guys,” she taunted, “Who decided to let Fat Ashley in here?”

I hated when they did that, when Bridgette was friends with us she knew how much Ashley struggled with her weight yet she still used that fact against her. “I’m sorry,” I looked around confused. “who decided to let the dog’s out?”

Her snapped her head over to me. “Oh. I almost forgot about you.”

I scoffed, “Don’t worry, I don’t really care.”

She gave me a smile. “I saw that you’re moving on from Derrick.” I could already tell I didn’t like where this was going. I grabbed on to a handful of sand-the only thing that seemed to be calming me at the moment. “I was talking to him the other day, reminiscing to the good ole’ times when you were dating.” He paused and covered the side of her mouth as she turned to one of her friends. “He’s a really good kisser.”

Yes, my ex-boyfriend cheated on me, but I never knew with who. Somehow though, knowing that it was with her made things a little better for me.

“You bitch.” Ashley snarled. I held up a hand to silence her.

“Wow.” I replied breathlessly. “I guess it’s true that once you’ve had the best you can’t do better…I just didn’t know you could do so bad that you would resort to trash.”

I’d never seen Ashley laugh so hard in my whole entire life. She laughed so much that she began to turn red. Even as Bridgette walked away in anger I saw her lackeys try and hold in their chuckles.

It was stupid of her to think that I would let what a scumbag like him effect me like that. While I was his best, he was definitely not mine.

He was a bad kisser anyway.

A/N: What do you think? leave a comment below (: