‘So, we are sure that you guys had a great night, since it’s written all over Xander’s annoying face...’
Begins Logan.
‘...But Logan and I have been waiting for you two to go to breakfast and apart from being on the brink of starvation, we also have a surprise for Clary... So, get your asses out of bed and let’s go eat.’
Xander squeezes me tighter into his arms, sinking us both deeper into the bed before complaining:
‘Since when you two complete each other’s sentences? I thought you were annoying individually but as a package deal? Unbearable!’
‘Yes, yes, out of bed, now!’
Commands Joel, coming closer to the bed and trying to grab the covers and Xander moans:
‘Could you at least go wait in the lounge?’
Logan has circled the bed on the other side and is looking at us with his arms folded on his powerful chest.
‘Ah-ha! Good try, dude! If we leave this room, you two are going to start to make out and we won’t see you until lunch time. Come on! We really do have a surprise for Clary...’
We get up and throw some clothes on: the boys have thought about everything because Logan has stopped by my cabin and got me a lose, floral sundress to wear.
‘So no one we’ll think it’s a walk of shame...’
He winks at me, ever so thoughtful in protecting my reputation.
The restaurant is busy and abuzz with excitement: everyone is talking and whispering to each other, I notice while I get eggs, bacon and toast.
We all take a table for 4 to have privacy and avoid unwanted company, since really everybody is in the restaurant this morning.
‘So, what’s the surprise you guys have been talking about?’
I say taking the first mouthful of my breakfast.
‘This, ta-da!’
Says Logan beaming and handing me a small stack of paper.
I read aloud: “Miss Summer Camp: competition rules”.
‘I don’t understand, what’s this?’
Joel explains:
‘Angie has decided to have some fun and to leave the usual silly talent show that no one ever wants to take part into apart from the smaller kids to the youngest kids, so 12-14 only this year and instead to organise a beauty contest: Miss Summer Camp. Every female guest and instructors and councillors are allowed to run as long as aged 15-21. And Logan and I enrolled you.’
He looks really satisfied with himself, so his jaw drops when I yell:
‘You did what? Are you fucking insane?’
Logan and Joel seem confused and a bit hurt by my reaction while Xander is giggling under his breath until I turn my gaze on him and tell him to shut up.
‘I don’t understand, cupcake. I thought you’d find it fun and you certainly are the most beautiful girl here at camp. Damn, you are the most beautiful girl in the world...’
I am fuming.
‘And you two are dicks! How could you think I would want to compete in a beauty contest? First of all it’s archaic and chauvinistic and anyway, I am going to embarrass myself because I am certainly not pretty enough to participate in a...’
Xander takes my hand and kisses my knuckles before saying:
‘Ok, maybe these two dickheads could have asked you before enrolling you but I’m sorry baby, you are absolutely wrong about not being pretty enough. And I think I’m talking for all of us three at this table, that we are going to be really upset if you ever say that you aren’t pretty enough for something like a Summer Camp beauty contest...’
Logan and Joel both nod in agreement and I sigh.
‘Ok, whatever! But I am not doing it, no way...’
The boys are about to say something when Lucy and Hayley stop by our table and sneer at the competition papers in front of me.
‘Ah! This is going to be fun. Is there a fat kid section of the contest?’
Asks Lucy, eyeing my figure with a malicious glint in her blue eyes.
‘Not that I know of but regardless, it’s a beauty contest and fat or not, she’s no beauty for sure!’
Reinforces Hayley.
‘Hey...’
Reacts Logan, standing up and staring at the two other girls with fury in his light blue eyes.
‘If there were sections, you two surely would be in the sluts category...’
He says and while he’s defending me from the meanness, I don’t think he should stoop down to their level.
Hayley starts walking away but then she looks over her shoulder and throws at me:
‘If you want we can make a little bet on who wins the contest...if I win, you let me fuck the other cousin...’
She walks away with a wink in Xander’s direction.
I stand up from my chair, ready to chase that bitch down but all the boys crowd over me and whisper to me to calm down.
We walk out of the restaurant and I am still seething: how dare she? Not only she implied that she’s had sex with Austin but making a move on Xander, right in front of me?
I say that to the boys when we get to my cabin and sit all down on the front porch with the intention to make a plan for the day.
‘Baby, she can say what she wants. I would never touch her, if she were the only woman left on earth I’d rather have sex with Logan or Joel...’
‘Hey!’
The other two protest, laughing.
‘We get your point but we aren’t into you, thank you very much...’
Says Logan but Joel smirks.
‘Hmm, I don’t know, Logan, if there was only one woman left on earth, I think you’d look at Xander differently... He’s a very pretty boy, after all...’
Xander slaps Joel on a shoulder and proclaims.
‘Thanks, man! Wow, I can’t believe it’s the second time in less than 24 hours that someone calls me pretty...’
He’s obviously referring to me calling his... Man parts pretty, last night.
I burst into laughter and go give Xander a hug: he always finds a way to make me feel better, no matter how dire the situation.
The other two boys look at us a bit confused but I can’t exactly explain or they will have their own beauty contest. Or at least Logan will get offended since I haven’t seen Joel without his underwear. Not that Logan has anything wrong with how he looks down there, I just find Xander’s proportions particularly pleasing to the eye.
I must have blushed because Joel and Logan are looking at me with concern while Xander, who knows exactly that my mind was in the gutter, is looking at me with the most amused expression on his handsome face.
‘Hey, you! I heard you are running for Miss Summer Camp?’
Brie arrives from the pool wearing a yellow skimpy bikini, dripping with water and wearing her towel around her shoulders.
‘I...’
I begin and Logan confirms to her that I am.
Am I? I guess I could show a certain slutty bitch that I can place better than her... So I nod at my BFF.
‘I guess I am.’
She squeals excited making a little happy dance.
‘That’s awesome! I am doing it too, it will be so much fun. We could ask Austin to do our hair and make up...’
The mention of my... Ex boyfriend?... I still don’t want to accept that we might be over, if what Xander said that I should believe what he said that Hayley kneeling between his knees didn’t mean what I assumed, but we certainly aren’t together.
Anyway, I was saying, the mention of my ex boyfriend makes my smile disappear and I tell Brie that right now Austin and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms.
‘What? Why? Is he still jealous of Xander and Logan?’
I ask my BFF to go talk inside, away from prying ears and the boys follow us.
I explain what happened and the role she had in our ongoing quarrels.
She looks at the floor, embarrassed probably by the fact that the boys are listening and I wonder if she has realised that Brooklyn is Xander’s cousin too.
‘I... I’m sorry, Brookl
yn is lovely but he’s a kid. He’s happy to sit on the bed and kiss all day...’
‘What’s wrong with kissing all day?’
I object and she narrows her brown eyes at me.
‘Oh come on, Clary! Don’t be a hypocrite: your boyfriends are experienced, so much so that Austin scared you off. And I know you haven’t just been kissing with Logan and Xander... Brooklyn wouldn’t even try to touch my boobs unless I put his hands on them myself!’
I roll my eyes:
‘This is not the point, Brie. And yes, Logan and Xander and I... Well, at the beginning I would have been happy with just kissing and I still would be even though I admit that the other stuff is... Good.’
‘See? Even you like third base and stuff. You have to understand that I went from having trouble to keep Justin from ripping my underwear off and fuck the shit out of me to having to beg Brooklyn to put his hand on my tits through my t-shirt!’
The boys are all looking at her in shock.
‘But... The good thing is getting somewhere together, Brie. Explore and doing things...’
Xander intervenes.
‘Yeah, but he would do nothing. I’ve seen you getting all handsy with Clary and Logan too when she sprained her ankle... Brooklyn would have just held my hand!’
She groans frustrated.
‘Your youngest cousin is a pussy! I so should have gone for Austin! If I only had met him before Clary! He’s perfect: hot as hell, experienced, and he is amazing at make up, hair...’
‘He’s also jealous, unyielding and blamed me for the way you treated Brooklyn! Since when does being respectful and a gentleman equal to being a pussy?’
I snap.
‘Well, Justin is exciting and hot and makes me feel like a woman and...’
‘Is he now? Or does he just selfishly take from you without giving you anything back? Not his love, his commitment and not even an orgasm? Because flash news, Brie: if you aren’t sure about having had one, you definitely haven’t!’
The boys look at our fight with shock on their handsome faces.
Brie folds her arms over her chest and proclaims:
‘Orgasms are overrated!’
This time is Joel who comes to my defence.
‘Oh come on, Brie! We’ve known each other since we were a little more than kids, that’s a whole lot of bullshit! So why would he spend his time trying to fuck anything that breathes? Why would your ex boyfriend dump you over a not great blow job and why would Matt prefer Ella last year? That’s what guys look for: orgasms. And the difference between a boy who is worth your time and one who isn’t is his interest in giving you pleasure too, rather than using you...’
Brie retorts:
‘That’s rich coming from you, Joel! First of all, you have been fucking 10 times the amount of girls that Justin has! Secondly, only last night Jemma was saying how you wouldn’t let her come!’
Joel blushes: if I wasn’t mad at how Brie is talking to him and shocked at what she just said, I would find the pink on his cheeks extremely cute.
‘Really? Did she explain the context of it or just told you how mean I was keeping her from feeling pleasure? If you must know, we were playing around and the whole point was for her to beg...’
I look at Joel and I force my features into staying neutral: I really don’t like to hear about him having sex with another girl: it makes me terribly jealous, way more than it did last year when I saw him kissing Lucy or other girls.
‘We are missing the point: Justin is a scumbag, Brie. You are lucky that he hasn’t tried to force himself on you...’
Brie reacts straight away:
‘He would never!’
‘Brie, babe, maybe you don’t know Justin as well as you think you do...’
I tell her what happened yesterday and she shrugs.
‘Yes, he told me what happened. He was just joking, it’s his way of joking. He told me it isn’t the first time. He has been trying to become friends with you and every time he talks to you, you misunderstand him. He says you really aren’t his type anyway...’
All the boys open their mouths to say something in the exact same moment but I shake my head at them: if even catching Justin in bed with two girls hasn’t convinced her of what a despicable human being her crush is, nothing will.
I am just worried about what will happen when she will finally realise the truth. So I ask her if they are together or what is going on.
‘Not exactly... He wants sex, he’s not keen on the whole me wanting to wait till marriage thing and he doesn’t believe me that if I do have sex with him, then I won’t try to force him into an engagement by telling my parents and making a big deal of it. So he told me he’ll only consider sleeping with me if I take care of my first time elsewhere. He said Rob would help me, but I really don’t like him, at least I would like to feel attracted to the guy I lose my virginity to... This is why I was disappointed in Brooklyn... But I am hanging out with Matt and see if he can...’
She’s back to her original stupid plan to throw herself away for a guy who doesn’t deserve her. How is it possible that Justin has such a hold on her?
‘Isn’t Matt dating Ella?’
I object.
‘Well, if she could fuck Justin, it’s only fair I do Matt... But I’m working on it, for now we are only hanging out as friends, apparently he’s still resentful about the “nagging” I put him through last year when I caught him with Ella...’
‘Nagging? How is it nagging when he was actually cheating on you? You were dating, like seriously dating...’
This time is Logan to be surprised and Brie nods enthusiastically:
‘See? I wish I was as lucky as you are, Clary! Your boyfriends are nice, they don’t try to fuck anything that has boobs...’
She’s a lost cause. I have been trying to tell her that she picks the wrong guys but she won’t listen. She goes for the biggest assholes in the room, every single time. I guess she confuses being total dicks with being cool. I am actually surprised that she wasn’t into Joel when he was being... Joel.
We change topic for the sake of our friendship: if we keep arguing about Justin and how she acted towards Brooklyn, we will have a proper falling out. And I know it’s hard to believe it by looking at her behaviour these days but Brie is a very smart girl, funny and sweet. I guess the whole promise ring has fried her brain cells: I think it’s like when I try to go on a diet and all I want to eat is French fries and chocolate...
We decide to go clothes shopping in two days when hopefully my period will be gone, so we can choose a dress for Miss Summer Camp.
She leaves to go meet Hazel at the beach and I collapse on the bed with a huge sigh.
Xander takes my hand and kisses my knuckles.
‘Baby, I know you are worried about her. I am too...’
‘Yeah, and do we want to talk about Justin trying to grab you twice as a joke in an attempt to become your friend?’
This is Joel. I seriously don’t want to talk about anything, right now.
I tell the boys that I need to go and find Austin:
‘Xander, you were right that I need to try and resolve everything before I leave here, especially with Austin. Maybe I should go talk to him: find out what’s going on with him and Hayley. But I warn you that if he’s involved with her, this is the end for me and him...’
‘I don’t blame you, baby. Who’s going with you? I have a tennis lesson in 15 minutes...’
‘I promised Brooklyn to kayak around the lake but I can go tell him that we’ll go another time...’
Considers Logan.
‘No, need. I have nothing to do, I can go with Clary.’
So it’s decided that I go with Joel.
We go look for him at the art centre but there’s no one around, so we go by his room.
Joel stops before we get in full sight of the cabin and tells me that he will stay behind and watch me.
‘Maybe seeing you with me isn’t the best idea, since last time he
got really angry...’
I squeeze his hand in a silent thank you and I’m about to walk the rest of the distance to the front door when I see it open and Hayley walks out of it.
It feels as if a giant hand had slapped me and punched me really hard on the chest: I have difficulties to breathe and big tears start rolling down my cheeks.
‘He’s sleeping with her, I knew it...’
Joel takes me in his arms, stroking my hair and kissing the top of my head.
‘I’m sorry, cupcake. But maybe...’
‘No. There’s no other explanation. It’s Hayley we are talking about...’
I keep crying and he holds me tight, whispering soothing words into my ear, telling me that everything will be all right and that he’s there for me.
I find comfort in his warm embrace, his scent of sunscreen and soap starting to become familiar.
His lips find my forehead and stop there, warm and soft.
I hug him tighter, still crying but now not only because of Austin, now I’m crying because his closeness is wonderful and I don’t want to get used to it, in case he decides that I am not what he wants, after all.
I don’t say anything, I just cling to him when a voice startles us.
‘Well, I was coming to look for you to try and talk things out but I guess I have been replaced...’
Of course it’s Austin: he’s standing right in front of us and he looks pissed.
How dare he being mad? I never lied to him while he keeps being jealous and yelling at me and walking away and he had the nerve to hookup with Hayley!
I tell him that much, still holding Joel’s hand to give me courage.
‘Believe what you need to, princess. I told you that I am not sleeping with Hayley but I guess it makes you feel better to think that, so your nights with Xander and Logan and your hookups with Magic Mike, here won’t make you feel too guilty.’
I clench my fists, furious and trying to keep myself from hitting him: his green eyes are blazing with fury, his gorgeous features looking more hard and statuesque, set in a stern expression.
Right now I hate him, more so because I am still so attracted to him.
‘I’m not the only one who believes bullshit then. Since you won’t get it in your head that I am not doing anything with Xander and Logan at the same time and Joel and I aren’t hooking up! You took the most beautiful relationships I have and turned them into something dirty to feed your stupid jealousy!’
Lake Emerald Chronicles: The First Summer: A Reverse Harem Romance Page 41