It’s cold.”
“Wimp.”
They were silent together for a moment, looking out at the black water and sky. It all ran together, with no horizon.
“This is seriously the worst beach.”
“Are you always so unhappy with your surroundings?”
She glared at him. “No, I’m not unhappy with them. I’m just saying. It’s hardly a beach. It’s just sand and rocks that happen to be next to water.”
Max stepped backward and sat down on the sand, away from where the water was breaking.
She followed him.
She leaned back like a pinup girl, and was quiet for a moment. “Why doesn’t anyone here drink?”
“What’re you talking about, there’s a bunch of people in there drinking as we speak.”
“Yeah, but at my old school, there were parties all the time.”
“Public school?”
“Yep.”
“Where can you have parties ‘all the time,’ doesn’t everyone live with their parents?”
“Yeah, but there was this guy Vince that always had people over. He was like nineteen and lived by himself.”
He nodded. “We drink in the dorms, we’ve just never come down here.”
“That’s because of the cameras, but I handled that.”
“What’d you do, blow the guy?”
She turned sharply and was about to look angry when she saw that he was smiling.
She smiled, too. “No, I didn’t blow him. I just talked to him.”
“Okay.” He said it like he didn’t believe her.
So her conversation wasn’t doing it for him. She’d try something else.
She put her hand on his hipbone and moved it up his stomach. He didn’t flex, but it was still flat and solid.
She looked up at him and moved her hand across his stomach muscles. “Should I stop?” Please don’t say yes …
He shook his head. She ran her fingernails up his chest. She put her face close to his. Her hand, now in his hair, tugged lightly. He kissed her. A moment later they were making out.
He was on top of her. He kissed her cheek, her neck, pulled up her tank top and kissed her more.
They took each other’s shirts off. He put a hand on her thigh, and then up her skirt. She let him. She was getting nervous, but fought it off. He was strong and a little forceful—but not in a bad way. Then Becca made a decision.
If he wanted to, then she was going to. And it seemed like he did.
He was an amazing kisser. He was hot enough that everyone else was obsessed. He was evidently popular. And she was sixteen already. This needed to happen.
“Do it,” she whispered in his ear when the time seemed right. The second he did, Becca realized she didn’t even know his last name.
That was messed up—even Becca knew that. You should seriously know the full name of the guy you lose your virginity to.
chapter 5 becca
“HEY, BECCA.”
Johnny stopped in front of Becca. He, Cam and Max all had lacrosse bags over their shoulders. Blake smiled at her, her hand in Cam’s. Apparently the last two had taken her advice and had been talking, a lot.
Becca smiled, her eyes slightly narrowed. “Hey,” she said to Cam and Blake. To Max she said, “Mike, was it?”
He had not said anything to her since they’d hooked up. That was weird. And she hadn’t just made out with him. They’d actually done it. He was really going to act like it hadn’t happened?
Max grinned. “Yep, that’s it.”
She looked back to Johnny, wondering if he knew what she and Max had done. “I was just on my way to the courtyard,” she let out.
“Mind if I come with you?” he asked.
No, she didn’t mind. Maybe Max would get jealous and then realize he should really talk to her.
“Sure.” She glanced back to Cam, Blake and Max. “I’m sure I’ll see you all soon.”
Cam said nothing, but smiled and started off with Blake. Max held her gaze a few extra seconds, laughed, and followed them. Something in her plummeted as he did it.
She shook it off, and turned her focus to Johnny. Walking with him to the courtyard felt like walking the red carpet with Brad Pitt for all the stares they were getting. In the tabloids, she’d be a “mystery blonde.”
Not for long.
He held the door open for her. “After you.”
She walked through and sat down on a bench obscured mostly by bushes. “These socks are so ugly,” she remarked, taking a cigarette from the top of one of hers.
“Everyone has to wear them, so it’s not like you’re going to stand out. You’re not going to be the girl with those weird, ugly socks.”
Becca raised her eyebrows. “Well, at least I found a use for them. They’re so freaking bulky you can’t even see my cigarettes—” she reached for her other sock “—or my lighter.”
“You kind of can,” he said, and watched her as she lit it. “I didn’t know you smoked.”
“What, do you not like it or something?”
He made a face. “Not my business.”
True.
“I’d stop if I had to.” She eyed him, and took a drag. “So, why did you want to come out here with me?”
He looked as if this was a subject he’d hoped she wouldn’t broach. “I don’t really know. I kind of … just wanted to talk to you.”
“Oh, really?” She smiled playfully. She was used to this approach. This was much more comfortable for her than what Max was doing. Or wasn’t doing.
People passing by the windows that overlooked the courtyard were noticing them. She blew some smoke out of her lungs and stood in front of him.
“Do you like me, Johnny?”
“I barely know you.” He looked into her eyes. “But I’d like to get to know you.”
“Good. I like you, too.”
