Chapter 8

"Finally, I started to worry that you drove into the ocean." Leigh exclaimed as I opened the door and got out.

It was around noon when we got to the address that Leigh had sent us. When I turned around I didn't even acknowledge the house at first.

It was a dark brown house with a balcony in the front. The stone yard leading to the entrance was decorated with a few lamps. It reminded me of our house, the only difference was that I would be spending time with my friends and not my immature mother.

"I wasn't that lucky," Seeley teased and I tried to swap his cap off of his head.

"You wish," I narrowed my eyes as he walked over to the back of his car.

When he opened it, I stepped next to him already reaching my arm to my bag when he gently pushed it aside.

"I got it," he said without looking at me.

"Thanks," I stepped away and watched him grab my stuff. Emilia gave me a questioning look and I just shrugged before walking over to them.

"And I would have thought that I would be the one who would take ages to arrive," Leigh smiled as we walked to the entrance.

"My mother might have had a little chit-chat with Seeley when he arrived," I lowered my tone and Leigh's eyes widened.

"I thought she would be working by now!"

I pressed my lips together and stopped in front of the wooden door.

"She will be," I added. "In the afternoon."

Leigh groaned and ran her fingers throforh her colorful hair.

"I wanted to pick you up, I swear." She tried to explain herself with a painful expression.

"Yeah, right." I teased her and she nudged my arm.

"I really did," she defended herself. "I guess mothers are a wrack this day."

"Most likely," I agreed as Seeley walked up the stairs and joined the boys who were already drinking cold beers.

"I've heard there was an accident," Casen started and crossed his legs. "It was two cars slamming into each other and being a train or something."

"Yes, it happened a few miles ahead of us." I said and crossed my arms.

"I hate traffic jams," Austin agreed and grabbed his beer.

"How fucking empathic you are," I said turning to him while he was sipping from his beer.

"I am," Austin spread his arms. "Don't you see how empathic I am for you two?"

"We don't," Seeley joined our conversation.

"It's not my problem that you are incapable of noticing a friend expressing his sorry for you," Austin said in a dramatic way.

"You might start to go on a seance to improve your people skills." I slapped his shoulder and he arched an eyebrow.

"Artists don't need to go things like that," he pointed his finger at me.

"Define artist for me please."

"Have you not seen my drawings, lady?" He asked and leaned forward. "I am a goddamn successor of da Vinci."

I rolled my eyes and laughed at his choice of words.

"Da Vinci actually had a talent for art," I commented with a grimace. "It seems like it must have ran out over his generations."

Seeley and Casen shared a laugh between them while Austin gave me a pure look that was a mixture of disappointment and surprise.

"You did not just say that," he genuinely seemed offended by my comment.

"She certainly did, dude," smiled Casen and leaned his elbows on the table between us.

"But I thought that you loved my pictures," Austin turned back to me with sadness and hope in his eyes.

"I love them," I tried to change his mood but his furrowed eyebrows told me that he was still pretty fed up with my remark. "You just need to improve your lines a little."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He stood up, getting too invested.

"That you need to sit down and let me into the house because I sweat like a pig and had a long drive," I pushed him away with a smile. "Don't push your luck now. You know how deadly I can be if I'm hungry and tired."

"Sounds like my little brother," Austin murmured and gave me a side glance.

"Then shut up if you don't want to be reminded of your brother," I said and opened the door.

The air was heavy inside but a little cooler than outside which made me relax a little.

The living room had a black couch with a television in it while there was a huge bookshelf behind them, lined up right against the wall. The walls were white and gray, giving stillness to the house.

The kitchen was in the corner of the house with everything that we needed. A cooker with an oven, a fridge and a table that was enough for almost ten people.

I watched the plants next to the windows while the curtains were dancing to the rhythm of the soft wind.

"Looks promising," Seeley followed me inside and looked around.

"I love it," I said and ran my fingers over the couch's leather.

"Okay, the thing is…" Leigh caught up to us and stopped in front of us. "That there are only three bedrooms which means that two people sleep in the same place."

"Don't put me into a room with Austin now," I put my hands up in defense.

"I don't think he'd want to," Seeley joked. "The poor guy has been tormented so much that he can't even finish his beer."

I turned back toward the balcony and saw a troubled-faced Austin sitting in his place with his arms crossed. He was still and didn't even blink as he was glaring at the street in front of him.

"You ruined his day," Leigh commented in a flat tone.

"Don't be ridiculous, Leigh," Seeley glanced back over his shoulder. "She ruined his entire summer."

I clenched my hands and lifted them to my chest, suddenly feeling bad that I had made fun of Austin's hobby and possible profession.

"Stop it, now I feel horrible," I said with a horrified expression.

"You should be," Leigh stepped on my heart with her answer. "I just heard him that he wanted to take you to dinner because he knew that you'd be hungry once you arrived."

Now I felt my heart break into pieces. Why did Leigh feel the need to enlighten me about everything? Knowing less wouldn't be this painful.

"Why did you have to tell me?" I asked and dropped my hands against my legs.

Leigh shrugged and gave me a knowing smile.

"Just to brighten your day," she said and I narrowed my eyes.

"You just made it ten times worse, I hope you know that,"

"Oh, I know that," she clapped her hands together in an exciting way. "That's why I'm your best friend."

Seeley slowly turned his head to me and lowered his voice.

"You suck at choosing your best friends," he whispered as he leaned over my shoulder.

"You don't say," I replied and Leigh gasped.

"You're heartless," she laughed and I shrugged.

"It's one of my best personality traits," I agreed.

Leigh shook her head at me with a smile shining on her full lips and sighed.

"Anyway, we would be sharing a room together, if that's okay," Leigh told me as she started to walk down the hallway.

"Really?" I asked acting surprised. "You think you can handle me as a roommate?"

Leigh was thinking for a second and stopped in front of our door.

"Good question," she answered lightly. "Who knows, I might strangle you with a pillow if you can't behave."

"Kinky," I joked and then we laughed.

We've always been making misunderstandable jokes like that and the others knew that too. It all started a year ago when Clara started to make up a rumor about Leigh and me. She'd say that we were lesbians and would be always late to class because we'd kill time in the girls' bathroom and have fun together.

How childish and immature. At least she could say that we kept each other busy in her car or somewhere more comfortable. The girls' bathroom has always been an insult to me.

"Mind if I join?" Seeley showed up and we jumped at his sudden appearance.

"You wish you could have a sexy time with us," Leigh said and opened the door to our bedroom.

"I'd never turn a threesome down," Seeley winked at me and took my bag into the room and dropped it on one of the beds.

Our room wasn't particularly big, it had two beds on the opposite sides of the room, a wardrobe in the corner, and a table in front of the window. Not that we needed a bigger room but knowing Leigh, she'd do something sooner or later which would make me think that we needed a bigger bedroom. The walls were colored cram and the curtains were dark to contrast the bright colors of the room.

She's liked to blast her favorite music and sing and dance at the same time. She was a horrible singer and dancer but that has never stopped her from being passionate about her favorite artists and song for hours.

"If your girlfriend would hear that she'd whoop your ass, you know that, right?" Leigh asked as she plopped down on her bed.

"She doesn't need to know anything," he said and sat down on my bed. "Besides it's just a joke."

We shared a knowing and smug look with Leigh which Seeley noticed right away. He moved his head from side to side while he was examining our expressions.

"What now?" He asked. "What's that look?"

Leigh sighed and leaned on her side on the mattress.

"Oh, nothing," Leigh shrugged and put her arm beneath her messy hair. "We just know that people like Clara wouldn't appreciate harmless jokes like that."

Seeley frowned and dropped his gaze to the ground. He looked guilty and maybe sad. The more he withdrew and just turned away whenever Clara had been brought up, the more wI worried.

"She didn't freak out when you came away, right?" Leigh asked and I tried to warn her with a glare but she wasn't even looking at me.

"We talked about it," he avoided giving her a straight answer.

Luckily Leigh wasn't in the mood to push his buttons, she just licked her lips and leaned her head down.

"Okay," she said and let it go.

"Do you have any idea where you'll be working at?" Seeley asked after a few seconds of silence.

As if Leigh has been waiting for someone to ask it, she immediately satu p and wiped her hair out of her face and mouth.

"Okay, listen…" she started to fan herself with her hands in her hurry. "There is a tavern right next to the beach. Many hot people, water, and all I need to do is pour drinks and flirt a little for a tip."

"What's it called?" I asked.

"Bronze Harbour," she smiled. "And I'm starting tomorrow."

"That was quick," I said in a surprising way.

"I've been applying for the job for weeks now," she explained. "And I might have asked Gideon to say a few appealing words about me."

Gideon was the landlord of the house. I'd only met him a few times while he was still living in Hillsboro and every time I met him he just gave me a cool uncle vibe. He was tall and almost bald but he always let his beard grow. He was always kind and helpful. I could still remember him fixing my bike when I was a freshman and Leigh accidentally crashed into me.

Maybe riding a bike drunk hadn't been the best idea that's ever crossed our minds. The scar on my forearm was still somewhat visible.

Gideon had never said a word about it to Leigh's parents. We could always trust him with our little secrets. Sometimes he'd even invited us over to give us ice cream while we were outside.

I hated when Leigh had announced to me that Gideon would be moving away. He'd been giving his other house out for holidays but after a while, he'd made the decision to move to Cannon Beach because he hated to drive between cities.

"Nepotism at its finest," Seeley commented.

Leigh shrugged and wiped her shorts.

"I'd be crazy not to use it for my advantage," she admitted and I nodded. I would have probably done the same if I'd known someone whose words mattered around town.

"What about you?" Leigh asked Seeley who sighed and took off his baseball cap.

"I've been thinking about going to a local restaurant called Voiceless Cobra," Seeley admitted. "I'd be working most likely in the afternoon until midnight."

"That's a good place," Leigh nodded. "It's always full of people, so get ready to lose your temper over idiots."

"The distraction I just need," Seeley nodded and pushed himself up from my bed.

We watched him leave then I took a seat at the table, looking out. The houses around us were already alive. I heard dogs bark, kids laughing and families having a great time together.

I wished that once I'd be able to sit down with my mother and just enjoy nature without any drama or rude remarks.

"I hope you're not daydreaming about working as a model and walking the beach in the most extravagant bikini that's ever been created," she commented after I didn't say anything.

I turned back to her and clicked my tongue.

"Why not?" I asked. "I'd look smoking hot almost wearing nothing."

"I always knew you were ready to make money with your body, you just have had that look," she narrowed her eyes and I laughed.

"No, I just…" I pinched my shirt n a nervous manner. "I was thinking about something that wouldn't require spending too much time with people. I just want silence and peace for once."

"I hear you," she said taking her shoes off. "The Weran Hotel is looking for cleaners if you want to be disgusted by other people's lifestyle while never meeting them."

Even though she joked, I grew to like her idea. It wasn't the best job but it didn't require too many social skills. And learning things wouldn't take too much time either.

When Leigh walked out of the room to get the others, I grabbed my phone and searched for the hotel she's just mentioned.