SZNS SERIES 1: Summer

by Maria Writes

  "Well maybe you should talk to your parents about it. Then decline politely. Even I want to see Caroline and Britany endgame, but let me see Nate first. I might change my mind." then she hangs up without hearing Caroline's reply. She's sure that her friend will just complain about being married to their former nemesis.

  Chloe is put her phone on her bag and closed her eyes. She was taking a nap when someone sat on the sand beside her chair. She didn't open her eyes and just let that person there. She was guessing who that might be, when the man beside her spoke?

  "Why do you have to be so beautiful, Ginger?" It's Jesse. And he finds me beautiful. She can feel her cheeks warming up. She didn't open her eyes but she replied making Jesse startled.

  "You should ask my parents. They have exquisite genes." she laughed and open her eyes to stare at Jesse, only to realize that their distance is just an inch away. Their faces are almost touching. She can feel his breath fanning on her lips. She can't help but bit her lips and stare deep into his eyes. Damn, that dreamy eyes. She is lost in the depth of his eyes that she didn't realized that their face's distance is decreasing. She closed her eyes. Anticipating what will happen. Waiting for Jesse's next move. His close, she can now smell his minty breath. His lips were about to touch hers when her phone rang.

  Chloe immediately opened her eyes and grabbed her phone. She looked and Jesse and just saw him chuckled. She answered the call without looking at the caller ID. "Who the f*ck is this!?" she exclaimed.

  "Chloe Celestia King, don't you dare curse at your mother!"

  Her eyes widen and looked at her phone screen. Well, it was indeed her mother. And she's dead for cursing.

  "I'm sorry mom. The call woke me up, I was taking a nap. What's up?" she getting nervous. Her mother despises bad manners. She remembered being grounded for a month just because she shouted out of anger.

  "I just want to ask if you can come home for your father's birthday next week? I'll be throwing a party for him, but it's a surprise. Help me buy all the stuff I need, okay?"

  "I'm available tomorrow mom, just text me. I have to go now; I'll see you tomorrow."

  "Okay, dear. I love you."

  "I know, momma. I love you too. Bye."

  She hangs up and saw a message from Caroline containing a photo of a handsome man. Maybe 6 foot in height, tan skin, muscles in the right place. So, this must be Nate Tulle 2.0, what a glow up. She scrolls through the photos that Caroline sent her. This girl has the audacity to capture some stolen shots of this man.

  She got to admit, he’s good looking now.

  She quickly typed a reply to Caroline while laughing.

  From Chloe: Now tell me you don't want to marry him.

  She was still chuckling to herself when she heard someone cleared their throat. She didn't realize that Jesse was still sitting beside her. She rolled her eyes at him and continued her nap. She should have been asleep by now if Jesse didn't bother her earlier. She's already feeling sleepy when she felt a towel laid on her back.

  It must have been Jesse. He has been on her side the whole day. He has been very attentive of her. And she liked it.

  Though she still preferred keeping her distance away from him. Chloe is trying her best not to get too close, but sometimes she can't help it. Especially when his looking at her as if she's a goddess. It's confusing her. She's scared of where this will lead her.

  Shrugging of all her thoughts, she forced herself to sleep. But what she was expecting as a peaceful slumber was turned into a Jesse-filled nightmare.

  She quickly gets up from where she was laying and head inside the cottage. No one was there which was great. She scanned their icebox looking for something to drink. Then she heads to the powder room inside their cottage and changed her swim wear to a floral beach dress. While changing, she can hear commotion happening at the back of the cottage.

  After changing her clothes, she heads out of the cottage and went at the back. She drank 3 bottles straight of beer before heading out to have courage of what she's about to do.

  "There's Chloe, finally you're awake. Come here, join us." Paul grabbed her a chair and she pulled it beside Jesse. God, I hope my plan works. It's now or never. If this is the only way for him to know what she's feeling, then so be it. She will risk anything. Even if it'll make her a big embarrassment. She felt Jesse stilled her she wrapped her arms with his.

  That's her plan for tonight, be a slut. Well not really, just for Jesse. If he still thinks I'm not good for him then she'll force herself to really keep her distance from him. And if his mind changes, on with step two.

  She took a deep breath and looked at the bottle in front of the table. She already had an idea what they will do, but she acted innocent. "So, what are we going to do?"

  They are all giving her a weird look especially her arms wrapped around Jesse. But not Rebeca, she's smiling at them. She gives her a wink then she took a glance at the man beside her and he seemed to be enjoying it. That's a progress. She laid her head on his shoulder and to her surprise, Jesse lean his head on hers. She's screaming inside but she keeps her face calm. She must not blow her plan; this is the only shot she has for Jesse to notice her.

  And Chloe thinks it's already working. Well, he called me beautiful earlier so that's a point.

  "We will be playing 'spin the bottle/truth or dare', if you failed to comply to what is asked, you'll take a shot. We're going to get wasted tonight." David said then pointed at Jesse "Well except for him, he can't drink too much, he'll be the one driving us home tonight."

  All of them were sitting around the long table, on the left it was Rebeca, Ashley, Blake, David, and Kayla. On the right is Allie, Barb, Paul, Shawn, Nadine. On one end of the table is her and Jesse while on the other end is Peter and Katherine.

  Half of them already went home so it's just them. Katherine grabbed the bottle and spin it. "The narrow end will be the victim, and the wider end of the bottle will get to ask if truth or dare." The bottle stopped spinning and it was pointed to Blake.

  Paul was grinning from ear to ear while asking Blake if truth or dare.

  "Dare." Blake said with a smug look on his face.

  Paul's grin looked even wider "I dare you to give me two hundred bucks." he said calmly while Blake lose his smug look. Every one of them laugh at his face. Blake stands from his seat and took his wallet from the back pocket of his pants to get 200 dollars and tossed it to Paul. If his smile earlier was from ear to ear, now his eyes are shining in delight. All of them are still laughing.

  But her laughter stops when Jesse removed his arm from her hold. She felt a bit disappointed but decided not to show it to anyone. Blake spins the bottle and it was pointed at her. Before Katherine could ask, she already said dare with no emotion on her face.

  "Your dare is to... kiss Jesse for 20 seconds."

  Her eyes widen at what Kath said, but instead of being a chicken, she stands up and straddled on his lap and started kissing him. She just wanted to do a peck for the entire 20 seconds but she went on and deepen the kiss. She went all in, not just a peck, but with tongue involved. Jesse didn't hold back. When he is about to hold her head to keep her still, she put a distance between them and get back to her seat. She wiped of her smeared lipstick and spin the bottle.

  Chloe was Rebeca giving her a wide eye then mouthed 'What was that about?'. Chloe just shrugged her shoulder and watched as the play go along. She looked beside her and saw Jesse looking at her intently. She gave him a playful smile and looked away from him. She then bit her lip when he drapes his arm over her shoulder, pulled her closer then whisper on her ears.

  "We need to talk later, Ginger."

  Why does it felt like their talk is not going to go well? She shouldn't have kissed him like that. She should've controlled herself. Now thinking of her plans, she felt very stupid. Chloe didn't reply to what Jesse said, she just sits up straight and removed his arm from her shoulder.

  As she was about to reach for a beer the bottle was pointed to Jesse
. Peter asked Jesse, and he chose truth. He's maybe afraid of what they're going to dare him. Chicken.

  "What's up with you and Chloe? Why are you calling her Ginger? You guys dating?" Peter asked.

  She didn't look at Jesse but she's waiting for his answer. She wanted to know what are they. She doesn't want to assume but she's hoping something was there. He's the one who kissed her first. He called her beautiful. He constantly calls her Ginger as if that's her name. And he wanted to deepen the kiss earlier. So, there must be something, right? He must be feeling something as well.

  "Just one question at a time, Pete. But to answer your first question, nothing is up with us."

  That hurts. Chloe can feel her eyes watering up but she didn't let it fall. She just nodded at everyone and gave them a smile. Luckily, her phone rang so she has to answer it.

  She looked at the caller ID and saw her mom calling. She immediately calmed herself and answer the call. "Chloe, where are you right now? Let's do the shopping now, if that's okay?"

  Yes, mother. You're a life saver. "Yeah, I'm available now, I'll text you the location you can pick me up now. See you." then she hanged up. She knows it's rude to hang up on her mom without saying goodbye, but she cannot risk letting her mom hear her cry. Her mom sometime can't stop herself in prying to other people's business.

  She heads to the cottage and grabbed her bag then exited the resort. While walking out of the gate, she texted Rebeca and told her that she'll be heading home because of an emergency. Yeah, right. What an awful emergency.

  While waiting for her mother to arrive, she can't help but think of how stupid she has been today. That is what's scaring her, taking risk then her feelings are not reciprocated. It hurts her, especially it's her first time making a move to a guy she like.

  So much for risking. I should have just kept my distance from the very beginning.

  CHAPTER 9:

  Do I Look Like I’m Joking?

  Chloe has been staying with her parents for a week now. Her father let her borrow his car to drive herself to school. Ever since she her mother fetch her from the resort, she never steps foot on the boarding house. She focused herself with her studies. Yesterday, they had their first rehearsal for the play that they will perform. Good thing Jesse wasn't there. She never seen her the whole week. Caroline said he was absent the whole week and doesn't know the reason why.

  So far, her week has been very productive. The good thing was no one asked anything about her and Jesse, that made her breathe properly. Today is her seventh day in her parents' house. She should have been in the boarding house today but decided to stay here until tomorrow night. Her parents are out for some business meeting so it's just her and the party organizer left in the house.

  Tomorrow is her father's birthday and her mother is planning a grandiose event. Here she thought that it is just an intimate party, just family and a few friends. But her eyes almost went out of its socket when she was the guest list. Her mother invited 500 people just to celebrate her father's birthday. Now the entire house is being decorated to accommodate all of those people.

  "Ms. King, someone is at the door looking for you. Some Caroline Reed." Emily, the party planner informed her. She's been with her the whole day and for the record, she's kinda bossy. She hates Emily's bitchy attitude.

  Chloe turned off her laptop and left the kitchen. She was looking for Caroline in the living room when she saw her by the door. Outside the house as if she's uninvited.

  "What are you doing there? Come in." she invited. Ever since Caroline and her became friends, she has always been welcomed to their home. That's why she doesn't get why Emily has to inform her of Caroline's arrival. She usually just barges in the house unannounced.

  Caroline rushed inside and drop her stuff on the sofa nearby. She's scowling so she already gets it that Caroline is mad. Emily must have pissed her off too. Chloe gathered Caroline's stuff and dragged her to her room. She will be staying here for the night for her father's party tomorrow.

  "When are you going to tell me that you have a secretary now? I could have just chosen me and not the bitchy woman downstairs. Did you know how rude she was? I was already in the living room then she told me to get out. Who does that?"

  She laughed at Caroline's madness. Well, it was kinda true. Emily is a bit rude. "First of all, she's not a secretary, she's a party planner for tomorrow's event. Number two, yeah, she's rude. Did you know that she thought I was a maid this morning? And my mother can't stop laughing about that. And third, we'll get your revenge later for making you go out of the house."

  They have to go shopping for her dress today. Her mother wanted to throw a Victorian masquerade ball tomorrow night and she must be look very sophisticated at the party. She also hired someone who will do her and Caroline's hair and make-up. All they have to do is go gown and mask hunting.

  "How's everybody doing in the boarding house? I'll be back by Monday, maybe, or tomorrow night after the party."

  Caroline sighed and sat beside her on the bed. "You're not really going to tell me what happened between you and my brother, are you?"

  "There's not much to tell, Care. I'll just change then let's go out, it's suffocating in here."

  They left the house using the car her father let her borrow. They drove around Beverly Hills looking for the best boutique to buy her gown. Gown hunting is very exhausting especially if you're doing it on last minute. But finally, after hours of searching, Chloe finally found the perfect dress for her. It was very pricy but it was worth it.

  After buying her gown, they went to the mall to eat. They were walking towards their destination when Caroline halted on her spot. Chloe was confused as to why they stop when she looked at the direction where Caroline is staring. It was Max and Britany. The two seemed to be so close as Max has his hands intertwined with Britany's. Caroline pulled her out of the mall and let Chloe drove somewhere else. While driving she booked a reservation at her favorite steak house in Beverly Hills.

  Britany and Caroline are in an on-and-off relationship, but they're staying strong for each other. It must have been hard for Care to see her girlfriend being too close with someone else, especially with someone who Caroline had a fling for a short time. She's driving so fast and looking for a new place to eat.

  Caroline was just sitting quietly beside her. She has no emotion on her face but her eyes are watery. She didn't speak, afraid that she will say something that will upset her friend even more. Chloe have never seen Caroline like this before. The Caroline she knows was strong. And won't just walkout and weep. She's better than that. But maybe she's had enough. Two years of being in a relationship full of toxicity is really very exhausting.

  Ever since Caroline entered a relationship with Britany, she has always been at her back catching her every time she falls. She cannot stand seeing her friend crying over someone who actually never gave a damn about her. Care is like a sister to her, that is why she's doing everything she can to save her from a relationship that will hurt her.

  After driving for a few minutes, she stopped at a steak house.

  "We're here, Care. Let's go."

  She's starving. Caroline and her walked side by side inside the restaurant where the maître d leads them to their table. While looking at the menu, she can see that Caroline is spacing out. Tears are in her eyes but it never rolled down. Chloe knows she's trying to be strong. She doesn't know if Britany was cheating at her because when it comes to these two, no one knows if they split or not.

  Their food already arrived and the moment the waiter placed a plate in front of Caroline, she quickly digs in. Hmm, stress eating. Chloe just let her friend savor her food. It's much better than throwing tantrums. The last time she saw Caroline had a tantrum, she nearly burned her parents beach house. Reason: Britany broke up with her, for the umpteenth time.

  Staring at her friend, she can't help but feel a little pity for her. She's always stressed with Britany.

  She wanted to confront Britany because s
he doesn't want to see her friend suffer but she knows it's none of her better. It's much better to don't pry with their issue than to take sides. Britany must have her reasons for their unending break-up, but that reason must be music to her ears or else, she won't hesitate to separate her and Caroline.

  "Caroline, after here where do you want to go? Maybe we should go bar hopping, Yeah? I wanna get wasted tonight."

  Chloe is hoping to lighted up her friend's mood. But nothing happens, she just nodded at her then continue eating. "Care, maybe you should just end up things her. I don't want to pry into your business, but what's happening to you, it's not healthy anymore. I can't see you getting hurt all the time. So, in order for this to stop, you and Britany needs to cut ties."

  "I wanted to do that, Chloe. But I don't know how to stay away from her. I thought if I tried going out with a guy, I will forget about her. But I'm wrong. I want this pain to stop. I'm getting tired of it, but I don't know how." Caroline is trying her best not to cry, but she can see through her. Chloe knows that her friend is tired of what is happening. "I love her, Chloe. And I don't know how to lose my grip on her."