Page 24 of Under the Waves
Though, at the same time, I also had to maintain my grades above average, perfect my image at all times, teach my students at the surf school, look after my mom, manage my finances and my future…it was allexhausting.
People always looked at me and thought everything was easy for me, and I never made any effort to change their minds. It didn’t bother me what they thought about me, but the way they all looked at me…I had always been everyone’s to love but no one’s to keep. To them, I was just something to be desired, a box to be ticked off awant-to-fucklist.
My mom had always told me that I had to start doing this becauseIwanted to and not because everyone else expected me to. That if this was my way of trying to fill my father’s shoes and continue his legacy, it had to be becauseIwanted to and not because I felt like this was something Ihadto do just to prove myself worthy of my last name.
Through the crowd, I spotted Xander, drink in one hand and the other slid around some girl’s waist, talking to a whole friend group of them. When his eyes met mine, the smirk on his lips thinned into a small line. Excusing himself with a playboy smile, he walked over to where me, Lachlan, and Kai stood on the back porch of Jakson’s house.
His parents were some hotshot real estate agents who were never home, so he got some of the spare rooms renovated for me and Lia a good handful of summers back. I, for one, practically lived there with him now, and I knew Lia tried to spend as much time as she could there with us—anything, if it meant not going home. I knew if I asked her, she’d say that Jakson’s house was more of a home than hers ever would be toher.
“Cap,” Xander slurred, a reddish glow around his bloodshot eyes, “nice seeing you here.”
I was in no fucking mood for games. “What the fuck is this?”
He laughed, spreading his arms out to gesture to the beach where more than seventy students, give or take, were drinking and dancing around the fire. “Another party, can you believe it? It’s like Christmas.”
I pushed my hands against his chest, which sent him stumbling a few steps backwards. “What the fuck are you doing, man?”
“You’renotmy father, Jasper,” he gritted out, “I don’t need you micromanaging my life too. I’ve already got a whole fuck load of people doing that, I don’t need you to as well.”
“Oh yeah? You may be the king of these streets, Xander Hawthorne, but make no fucking mistake that when your here, your undermyauthority.I’myour Captain, so sober up, get your head on straight, and give me a fucking reason why I should keep you on this team. Are we clear?”
His glossy eyes blinked.
“Are we fucking clear, Hawthorne?” I repeated.
Xander nodded and tipped out the rest of his drink onto the sandy grass of the garden that was littered in grains of golden sand and red plastic cups.
Stepping around him, I began to walk down the path onto the beach feeling completely and utterly drained.
“That was an asshole move, Xan.” I heard Kai say behind me.
“I just wanted a bit of fun,” Xander grumbled, “I never get to have any fun. Not like you two. You don’t get how good you have it. You get tochooseyour own future! Whilst I…It was just a bit of fun, since when was that a crime? Come on Lachlan, back me up here.”
Lachlan grinned mischievously. “Nah, Cap just seriously needs to get laid.”
I turned around to see them all nod in agreement. As soon as I flipped them all off, they dispersed and began to walk over to groups of people in hopes of getting them to leave.
I was about to join them when I spotted a familiar beigeand gray folklore cardigan and an idiot who didn’t know how to follow instructions. Making a headline over to Jakson and Lia, I ignored the group of girls calling my name. He’d gotten her that cardigan whenFolklorecame out, I think anyway. She had a whole collection of them in her closet that he’d gotten her just because it was somethingshewanted.
I remembered whenLovercame out, we were in the queue for the drop tower at the carnival and she looked up at him with those midnight eyes. “You need to stop it Jak, I don’t need you buying me gifts! I feel guilty enough that you pay for my lunch every day already.”
A grin tugged on his lips as he nudged her playfully. “Come on, little Blue. You know if it’s something you want, I would get it for you in a heartbeat because seeing your joyous smiles and knowingIwas the reason for them is better than anything else my money could ever buy.”
I grinned, proudly overhearing his words as the woman checked our safety bars were secured. As much as I hated the idea of them together, I knew that there would be no one else worthy for each of them but each other. I was surprised that both of them didn’t seem realize that too.
Just as I reached them, ready to punch Jakson in the gut because if I bruised his other eye, he’d probably whine saying that one black eye was sexy, two was like taping a piece of paper to his back calling him a loser, Lia grabbed both my hands and looked up at me with those ocean blue eyes.
“It wasn’t his fault, Jas. It was mine, don’t blame him, please.”
Fuck, how was I supposed to say no to that? She knew that I would never hurt her, the little devil. Lowering my hands, I glared at both of them.
“What the hell guys? You should’ve taken herhome,” I said, pointing to Jakson before turning to Lia, “andyoushould’ve let him.”
As Jakson was about to speak, Lia sent a warning glance at him before turning back to me. “I just wanted some fun, Jas. You owe me that at least.”
I stopped myself from gaping at her.
I owed hernothing,but I knew better than to argue with Lia Davis.