by Keelan Storm
“You know, dude, the whole relationship thing really does suit you. Who knew?” Jet told Tucker after they had eaten. The girls had gone to get another soda, and the rest of the family was lighting sparklers and black cats.
Tucker nodded. Things were going really well. “I really like her, man. I just hate how July’s going to be. She’s got dance camp soon, and I leave right after that…”
“Yeah,” Jet took a swig of his soda. “But at least y’all will be gone around the same time.”
“It’s still a few weeks that I have to go without seeing her.”
“Things’ll be fine, dude,” Jet encouraged. “I know you can’t be worried about relapsing at basketball camp,” he smirked, taking another swig.
Tucker rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m worried about.”
“You’re worried about Izzy then? Why? She’s been going since she was what? Seven? And now we’re seventeen, and you’re the only boyfriend she’s ever had.”
“Yeah, but she had that thing with that Scott guy a couple years ago.”
Jet scoffed. “Dude, that was like minor leagues compared to what y’all have. They held hands and kissed maybe twice. And it sucked, from what Annie said. Besides, her dance partner’s been Leo the past couple years.”
“Leo is just a friend,” Isabel said firmly when she returned. She perched back on Tucker’s lap and pressed her hand to his mouth when he tried to argue. “Totally platonic. Just a friend,” she repeated, then kissed him for good measure.
Jet waited for them to breathe and cleared his throat. “Annie and I heard that Cory is throwing another bonfire party down at the beach tonight. Think y’all might wanna come?
He knew Tucker would be game, but Izzy wasn’t much of a partier. He had to ask, though. It had been driving Annie crazy how little time she was spending with her sister the past few weeks.
He had tried reasoning with her that they had separated themselves from their friends some when they started dating and that things had reached a new normalcy then. They would simply have to do the same for their friends. Annie was impatient, though, and truthfully, he missed hanging out with Tucker some, too.
“Please,” Annie added as she rejoined Jet on the swing. Tucker shared a look with Izzy, asking, aware of her diversion. She nodded. It was the Fourth of July, after all.
* * *
Isabel looked around the bonfire, the waves of heat from the fire strong on her face. Some people were just standing around talking, others were drinking, and someone had brought sparklers that several of the guys were using as lit swords and acting like idiots. She was surprised at the number of tourists mixed in with people she knew from school.
“Where does all this alcohol come from?” she asked loudly over someone’s blaring car radio to any of her three friends that knew the answer.
Jet smiled at her, knowing that she was fairly new to the party scene. “Cory’s older brother picks it up for him. Anyone that wants to drink just pays in when they get here, and Cory passes the money on.”
“That or BYOB,” Annie added.
“And no one ever gets caught?” she wondered aloud.
“Private beach, remember?” Jet answered again. “Corey’s dad sold some big software deal a few years ago when they moved here. He owns a couple miles of this stretch.”
“We were at his beach house last New Year’s.” The only one of Corey’s parties she’d ever agreed to go to before, but the distraction had been needed then, her father’s passing still so fresh at the time.
“Yeah, but he only gets to use the beach house if his dad’s out of town,” Annie supplied, pulling a few wadded bills from the pocket of her shorts. “I think I’m going to go pay in for some beer. Anyone else want anything?” Jet opted to go with her to see what was available that night, but Isabel and Tucker declined.
“You sure you don’t want anything?” Isabel asked her boyfriend after their friends had left. “I don’t want you to say no just because I’m here.”
Tucker shook his head. “No, I don’t always drink when I come out. I’m fine.”
Just when Tucker finished answering her, a couple of girls walked over and stopped a few feet away, whispering as they argued over who would approach. One girl was tall and blonde, and the other short, curvy, and raven-haired. They weren’t anyone she recognized, so Isabel knew they were either tourists or drove out from Summer Grove.
The taller one approached and hooked her thumb into the pocket of her shorts. “Hi, I’m Gina,” she greeted, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “You’re Tucker, right?”
Isabel knew it was bound to happen at some point in time, was sure it had probably already happened a few times when she wasn’t around him the past few weeks, but seeing another girl hit on her man was another story. She clenched her jaw, her gaze narrowing slightly at this random girl that shouldn’t matter.
Tucker put his arm around Izzy, pulling her into his side. “Yeah, that’s me.”
The girl caught the movement and stepped back in uncertainty. “Oh, uh, are you…?” she asked, pointing from one of them to the other.
“This is Izzy, my girlfriend,” he told her. “Did you need to tell me something?”
“Oh, no, never mind,” Gina replied, walking away slightly crestfallen with her friend.
“You know, I used to find it annoying that you’d always flirt with the girls that came up to talk to you, but now it’s irritating that they even try flirting with you. You’re mine,” Isabel commented soon after.
“Well, you don’t have to worry about me flirting back. I don’t even notice other girls anymore now that I’m with you.”
She raised an eyebrow and gave him a doubtful look.
He sighed. “Okay, so I notice if they’re pretty or whatever, but that’s true for everybody. You might think a guy is hot, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to go hit on him. The only person I notice that way is you,” he explained, hoping she’d understand.
“Good,” she smiled, tiptoeing to meet him for a kiss.
“Come for a walk with me?” Tucker asked her as he took her hand. She nodded. A break from the crowd and swirling heat sounded wonderful at that moment.
“I guess that’ll be a normal thing, though, girls trying to flirt with you when I’m around,” Isabel said as they strolled along the water’s edge, the wet, night-cool sand squishing between her toes. The coolness felt unusually good compared to the hot, July air, especially after leaving the blazing fire. It had been getting to her head, honestly.
“Only until people realize that we’re together,” he assured her.
“I can’t really blame them, though. I do have the hottest guy around.”
“Oh, really?”
“Have you looked at you?”
“Is that all you’re in this for?” Tucker teased. “My looks?”
Isabel shoved him playfully, sending him a few inches into the water. “Oh, hush, you know it’s not about that.”
He laughed and took hold of her hand again. “It’s not just about that for me either, but you are beautiful. Gorgeous eyes. Crooked smile. Smokin’ legs…” he listed his complements, making her blush.
“Now if only I was able to tan it would complete the look,” she joked, a little bit of longing disguised in her voice.
“I don’t know…I think I prefer your skin creamy, and perfect,” he said, running a finger down her arm and sending tingles throughout her body.
“Yeah, right,” she performed a mental eye roll. “You’re just saying that because I can’t tan.”
“No, that’s not why I’m saying it.”
“Then why?”
“Because I love you just the way you are.”
She stopped, and he paused next to her. “Did he say what I think he did? Tucker loves me?” Their time together the past few weeks had been wonderful, each day being better than the last. He was everything she could want: comfo
rt, passion, and friend all in one.
Isabel stared up, losing herself once again in those warm, chocolate eyes. The water sparkled behind him as the moonlight reflected off the gentle, dark waves. Wind wafted up from the ocean then, flowing through the layers of tresses that fell across her back and causing a few of Tucker’s sandy blonde strands to lie against his forehead.
She breathed, emotion flooding her chest. It had happened strong and fast for both of them she realized. Almost surreal, yet perfect. “I love you, too,” she replied, enraptured as he leaned down and gave her one of his body-melting, knee-weakening kisses.
* * *
“Where have y’all been?” Annie demanded, practically storming towards them when they got back to the bonfire. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“We just went for a walk down by the water,” Tucker replied, his brow raising. It wasn’t like Annie to be annoyed about something like this, especially after she had a few beers in her.
“You weren’t answering texts or anything. I’ve been trying to let you know that Wesley’s here,” she grated.
Tucker looked around wildly and saw the defined, medium build Hispanic flirting with a group of girls on the other side of the fire.
His jaw tightened as he clenched his fist. His knuckles had finally healed earlier that week, but he was more than willing to damage them again if that asshole tried anything…if he so much as even talked to Izzy.
“Thanks for telling us, Annie. Come on, Tuck. Let’s just go,” Izzy said, giving his arm a slight tug in the direction of where they had parked.
“She’s right. We should go. It’s not worth it,” Tucker thought, trying to put his anger aside. His hours lifeguarding had already been cut some since he told his boss he couldn’t work any shifts with Wesley anymore. Sure it meant more free time he could spend with his girl, but his cash flow was a bit limited now.
He didn’t want to make matters worse than they already were by staying here tonight. That would just be asking for a fight, and this time there would be witnesses. And he’d just bet Wesley would jump at the chance to press charges, too.
No sooner had they started to make their way through the crowd, than a windblown mess of strawberry blonde curls bounded out in front of them.
“Do you care to explain yourself?!” Lisa shrieked, drawing the attention of anyone nearby.
“Ugh, I’m not going to get a break from this girl, am I?” He groaned, fighting to stay polite. “Lisa, calm down.”
“I will not calm down!” She threw her hands on her hips, her curls bouncing as she moved. “I thought we had something. I told you I would wait for you to be ready, but instead…but instead…” She huffed in hurt frustration, “I find out that you’re here with her!” A hand flew up from her hip, and her finger pointed in Izzy’s face.
Tucker pulled Izzy behind him. He looked up as a small crowd started forming around them to watch the show. Wesley’s eyes met his, and a devilish grin spread across his face.
“Shit, we need to leave.” He swallowed, searching for any remnants of restraint. “Lisa…I’m going to say this nicely one more time. There is nothing between us. Now please move out of the way so Izzy and I can go.”
“No, I’m not through with you yet! How can you just act like there’s nothing between us?! After we made love!”
That was the last straw. His patience was gone. He could see Wesley moving in toward them, getting closer by the second, and by the look on his face, Tucker knew that a fight was sure to start if he didn’t get them out of there.
“That is it! I’m through being patient with you! We never made love. It was just sex. A onetime mistake! That’s all! I don’t want to be with you! I never have! I’m with Izzy! Now move!” he yelled and stepped past her, pulling Izzy along with him by her hand.
Tucker fumed all the way to his truck. He held the door open for Izzy, who still hadn’t spoken, and did his best to calm down before getting behind the wheel, not wanting to ruin things any more than they were. Once he made it out of the sand and back on the paved road, he watched Izzy’s reflection in his windshield. She pulled her legs up, resting her head against her arms. “I’m so sorry,” he told her, “I wanted tonight to be special for you.”
She turned to him, confusion covering her face. “What are you talking about? Tonight was special.”
“But what about Lisa? You didn’t need to deal with that. And Wesley almost made it over to us.” There was no way she should be okay after all that.
“Tucker, you love me,” she replied quietly. “I’m still riding on that cloud right now. The other stuff doesn’t matter.”
“How can it not matter? Lisa just got in your face in front of a whole crowd of people, and she’s delusional about having a relationship with me.”
“Because I’m in love. We’re in love, and it’s the best feeling in the world.”
11
Reunion
“Are you okay, sis?” Annie asked as they loaded up the suburban a few weeks later. One of Isabel’s last summers at dance camp had come to a close, and her family had come to see the final performances of the top routines that morning. After a big lunch and an awards presentation, they were finally heading home.
“Never better,” Isabel replied, still waiting for the whooshing feeling to leave her head after she’d bent for her bag. “I just need some more water.”
“I’ve got Gatorade,” her mom said as she closed the back to their suburban. “Check the cooler up front.”
“Thanks, Mom,” she said, snatching one as she followed Annie into the back set of seats. Tyler crawled into the center section, grabbing his Nintendo Switch for the forty-five minute ride home.
“You did great today, honey,” her mom congratulated her as she pulled out into the long line of cars trying to exit the parking lot. “You and Leo are such a great pair.”
“I can’t believe y’all got three awards this year,” Annie added. “And that jump and spin thing where he lifted you? I would have peed myself. It was awesome.”
“It was a lot of practice,” Isabel replied, leaning against the window to rest her eyes for the drive. “Let me know when we’re close to home.”
“and five, six, seven, eight,” Isabel counted, she and her partner falling into the steps with the music.
“No,” Leo piped up several beats in. Isabel hit pause on the stereo as he linked his hands behind his head and paced a bit in front of the mirror. “The pattern just isn’t flowing right. We can do better.”
She nodded, her hands resting at her hips as she contemplated how to fix it. There was a competition between the senior teams that Friday at camp. She and Leo had won the past two years in a row for best dancing, the fresh news of her father’s illness driving her to new heights last summer as she’d clung to dance for her escape, but this year they were trying to up their choreography game as well.
“How about we change the motif before the spin instead?” she suggested. “We could go from this,” she demonstrated one of the moves they’d already planned, “and go into a backflip. Then I can jump or go into an arc where you catch me and flip me around over your back into a lift?”
He nodded, considering. “Ok, I’m intrigued. Let’s give it a try.”
She reset the music as they took their place and counted them off again…
“Perfect,” Leo beamed, panting with exertion, giving Isabel a hug after they’d run through it a few times. He began to cough, tucking his head into his elbow. “Break?” he wheezed.
“Yeah,” she agreed, grabbing her water as she caught her breath. She toweled at the sweat that was beading across her chest and brow and went to sit on the mats. “You okay?” she asked when he sneezed a few times.
He threw her a dismissive wave as he took the seat next to her. “Been fighting the last of a cold lately. Just need to sit for a bit.” He leaned his dark curls against the wall, breathing deeply for a minute before faci
ng her. “Seriously, though, you’re a freaking genius, Izzy,” he praised. “Tell me you’re still thinking about applying to the Baste Academy with me next year.”
“I still don’t know,” she replied, sitting back as the room began to spin. “Woah, more water,” she reminded herself. Sometimes, she’d just get lost in the dance and forget.
“Come on,” he encouraged, nudging her leg. “You’d be a shoe in, and think about all the opportunities you’d have. A college dance team won’t be anything compared to the Academy on your resume.”
“I know; I know,” she insisted between long pulls from her bottle. The Academy would be fantastic. They specialized in all kinds of dance, and they had great instructors for her favorite contemporary modern style. She sighed. “It’s just more complicated for me than it is for you.”
Leo watched her suspiciously. “Is this about some guy or something?”
She couldn’t help but smile. “Maybe…partly.”
“No way. Not my innocent, little Izzy,” Leo half teased, half scolded. “You’ve always known better. What are you thinking about getting mixed up with one of us?”
“It’s not just anyone. It’s Tucker.”
“The big guy you’ve always talked about?”
She laughed. “Yeah. Things are going really well with us, and I’d like to think we’ll still be together next year. He wants to go pro, too, but with basketball.”
“Is he any good?”
“He’s awesome. Scouts have already given him scholarship offers, and we only just finished junior year.”
“So you might have ended up at separate schools anyway,” Leo reasoned.
“Yeah but what about Annie? And Jet. Annie and I have never gone longer than dance camp without seeing each other, and I don’t know if I could not live near my sister.”
“The twin thing,” he nodded, his lips pursing in consideration.
“The academy would be amazing, though,” she admitted.
“Then do it.”
Isabel rolled her eyes, getting up. She held out her hands to pull her dance partner to his feet. “I’ll think about it,” she repeated. “But for now, we need to perfect this dance.”