Chapter 17: 16- Shark Week Is Coming

16

Friday night came in a rush. I had Bruce on my bed watching me move from one end of my room to the other, running around with clothes on my arms as I tossed them about.

I had misplaced my bathing suit. I don’t know where it was and it’s already too late to go out to buy a new one. It was already eleven and the only stores that were open were diners, convenience stores, or fast food restaurants and none of them sells swimming equipment.

Liam was at the living doing who knows what with Skittles. I had his things already packed.

“Where on earth did I put it?” I exclaimed as I paced around the room, Bruce’s eyes following my every move.

The last time I went swimming was.....eight months ago? Or nine? And that was a month after last year’s family reunion…..

It’s with Reese! She borrowed mine last month because she lost hers and just decided to buy a new one and forgot to return back mine.

Another groan made its way out of me as I collapsed on my bed, startling Bruce.

I know it’s not that big of a deal to just get a new one, but I have a few fairly good reasons.

One. It was cute. It was a green one piece suit that didn’t reveal a lot of skin.

Two. I got it at a boutique five cities over that sold a lot of nice products with no other duplicates. A one of a kind type of store.

And three. I don’t go swimming often so having two sets would really just be impractical.

Giving up, I just cleaned my room and finished packing up of my stuff which were just a few towels, shirts, shorts, and a lot of sunblock.

A familiar cloth stuck out from the bottom of my dresser. Curious, I pulled it out and all my other clothes which I just neatly folded and kept, sprung out of the closet and rained all over my room.

Out loud, I groaned in frustration, and so did Bruce. I just finished cleaning up!

Sighing, I pulled up the familiar clothing up to inspect it and my eyes widened. I knew no one was around to hear me or anything but fate was clearly toying with me right now.

I shook my head vehemently and. “No. There’s no way in hell I would wear that.”

Hanging by the tipoff my index  finger and thumb was a bandeau type of bikini set that Dani gave me for my birthday last year as a sort of gag gift- she knew I didn’t like exposing too much skin, when I celebrated my birthday and first year anniversary of Sugar Rush at the beach.

I shook my head again but still tucked it in my bag just for emergencies if I couldn’t get a new suit tomorrow.

Just when I placed the last item of clothing back in my closet, my phone buzzed. Since I did turn my room almost a hundred eight degrees earlier, I misplaced my phone. All I heard was buzzing and a light muffled sound from the ringtone.

Bruce started barking at the foreign sound with his little voice, looking around for the source.

After a few more rings, I finally found it- it was in between some of my clothes in my bag, and answered it the instant my skin had contact with it without checking the who the caller was because I was too lazy to call the person again if it stopped ringing.

“Hello.”

“Hi Bethany.”

I promptly knew it was Blake. No one else calls me Bethany except for him- and also maybe Mrs. Garfield. “Oh it’s you Blake.”

“You sound surprised. Don’t you check who’s calling before you answer?” he asked me.

“Eh,” I rubbed the base of my neck and blush in embarrassment. Of course, we were taught to never speak to strangers ever since we got out of our mother’s womb. “Yeah I do but I didn’t want to call again if it stopped ringing… and it might have been an emergency and using the two seconds to check who’s calling might be enough to save someone’s life.”

“Well if that’s the way you put it…” he trailed off. “But still, for all you know I could’ve been some creep or stalker.”

“Well you’re not.” I grinned and sat on my bed. Bruce quickly came over and started rubbing his face on my leg. “So is something wrong?”

“Oh right, I called.”

“Obviously.” I rolled my eyes then smiled. “See! I can be mean.”

Blake snorted on the other line. “You call that mean? That was just stating the evident fact Bethany. I told you, you can’t be mean.”

“Whatever. I still believe I could be.”

“Believe all you want baby girl.”

I blushed at his vanilla choice of term of endearment but still smiled.

I wasn’t the type that liked using these terms. I found it too cheesy, too cliché, and too typical. I would’ve rather have someone call me by my name instead of ‘baby’, or ‘babe’, or ‘honey’, or sweetie’ or whatever other terms out there that existed.

But when Blake said it, I felt like my entire system was running on electricity as sparks ran all throughout my body. My tummy did somersaults with the butterflies, my face flushed so red that it could’ve been mistaken for a giant tomato.

“About tomorrow, Allie and I will be over at around half past eight to pick you up.”

“Pick us up?” I knitted my brows together and frowned. “What do you mean by ‘pick us up’? I’m driving.”

“No you’re not.”

“I am and I will.”  I held my ground. “When you’re out on a road trip, it’s better with two cars because if something happened to the other, at least one is still fine. And in any case that would happen- I hope not, we still have one car for backup.”

I heard him let out an exasperated sigh.

“It’s just a few towns over, a short two and a half hour drive.” I heard a short muffling sound before he continued speaking. “And it’s a huge waste of gas Bethany. Two cars for four people when one can just fit all four of us.”

“But still, what if something bad happens…”

“Bethany, we’re travelling in broad daylight, nothing would happen.” He reassured me. “Plus, we’re on the highway where a lot of people pass so it’s absolutely fine. And if would use separate cars, you might get lost. The beach isn’t out for the public to view.”

“But still, what if-”

“Nothing bad would happen Bethany.” Blake repeated, cutting me off of my negative thoughts. “Repeat with me, nothing bad would happen, nothing bad would happen.”

“Nothing bad would happen.” I chanted with him. “But if something would happen, it’s all your fault.”

“Yeah sure whatever.” I could hear him rolling his eyes as he spoke. “But,”

“What?” I asked but he didn’t reply, I sighed and chanted again, “Nothing bad would happen.”

“Exactly!”

“But please? I want to drive.” I mumbled the words out and zipped up my bag.

I heard him sigh on the other line and faint sound of footsteps. “Fine I’ll let you drive-”

“Seriously?” I grinned and sat up almost too quickly a short lightheadedness was what I felt but it left quickly as it arrived. “Ow.”

“Are you alright?” I could hear the concern in his voice and the stupid smile that had disappeared came back almost immediately.

“Yeah, I just sat up too fast.” I had Bruce on my lap now, with him rubbing his face against my clothes. “So, about me driving: are you serious? You’re going to let me drive?”

I knew most guys preferred to drive. I don’t know why though.  Was it because they wanted the feeling of being in control (my reason right here, does this make me a guy?) Or was it because they’re afraid that we, girls, would scratch or dent their cars? Let’s be honest here, not all girls are terrible drivers.

“If you agree that we’ll only use one car.”

“My car!”

“No, mine.”

I frowned. “What happens if I say no?”

“Then I’ll only be bringing Liam with me tomorrow then. Please do separate your clothes. I don’t want to be arrested for stealing.”

“Don’t forget kidnapping.”

“It’s not kidnapping if the victim is willing.”

“Back to the topic.” I steered us back to the subject which was about me driving. “Why not my car?”

“Because.” Blake stated and I waited for him to continue but he didn’t.

Oh god. He was starting to sound like my mom.

“Because what?”

“Because I said so.”

Yep. Definitely my mom.

I bit my cheeks. I know I couldn’t win with this game and honestly, a part of me, a huge part of me really wanted to ride with the same car with him because well, I have a crush on him. It’s an obvious reason. Who wouldn’t want to sit beside their crush for two and a half hours straight in the same car?

But then there’s the other part where paranoia is present. Something bad could happen and we both wouldn’t want that.

And there’s the other part: I don’t want him to see me sleep. I might snore or drool or something and that would be embarrassing. I have shamed myself in front of him too many times already and I am not interested in adding another one to the list.

“So what? It’s either my car or be home alone.”

I shifted in my seat. I knew Blake wouldn’t just take Liam with him and leave me. He was just saying that so that I ended up agreeing to whatever he says and I gave in.

“Fine fine.” I sighed. “But we are stopping by Dunkin’ Donuts first.”

“Why?”

“I’m craving for their doughnuts.” I answered him simply. “And I’m too lazy to make coffee so early in the morning.”

“Craving?”

“Uh, yes?”

A short awkward silence followed but was broken by Blake.

“Bethany, are you sure you can swim tomorrow?”

This confused me, a lot. “Uh, yes?” I repeated. “Why am I not?”

“Well, you’re craving something and cravings in a woman’s dictionary mean that shark week is coming.”

I paused and did a double take on his…odd choice of words. Shark week?

“What the…shark week?”

“You know…” he sounded embarrassed at the most and it was absolutely cute. “Periods.”

I burst out laughing. I literally laughed out so loud Bruce looked at me with a look that said ‘What the hell is so funny?’ I had to put a considerable distance between my face and my phone because I was laughing so much. I wonder if any of my neighbors woke up.

I need to hear the reason behind this ‘Shark week’.

It was after a few minutes when my laughter died down.

“Where did you get shark week from?” I asked him/ “I’m definitely calling it that from now on.”

“Well that’s what Stephanie used to call it and it kind of stuck I guess.”

My laughter died down almost immediately. It wasn’t because he mentioned his ex-wife’s name. It wasn’t because I was jealous.

It was because he sounded sad when he mentioned her name and I knew he missed her.  I would too if I was in his shoes.

“So, is shark week approaching?”

_________________________

Shark bait, ooh ha ha!