Lessons in Love

Chapter 22: "Then maybe you'll see someone else you know."

Once I realized just how much I cared Ali, I knew I couldn't let her out of my grasp. I had taken her on a trip for spring break, under the advisement of Will and Nate who thought it was a good idea to try it. Even though, both Sara and Taylor were with them. It was only natural that those two should come since Nate and Sara were now step siblings. Although, according to Sara, they were just siblings, no 'step' needed.

This trip had been made months in advance so I couldn't back out, no matter how uncomfortable we all were. Sara was still pissed, and I couldn't blame her. I used her more than anyome here, and Taylor was just supporting her because she had seen what happened to her after the last guy used her. Will and Nate just stayed out of it as much as possible, but the real problem was Ali. Sara hadn't told her why she was so mad at me so that Ali wouldn't get hurt like how Sara felt. 

Although, I could tell if I didn't fix Sara's anger than this trip was going to suck. So I decided that the beach was just what we all needed to the tension eased with our group. It was just a plus that I got to see Ali in a bikini. I had spent the last few weeks coming up with little things to do that wouldn't put pressure on her, but keep other guys away.

I walked her to class, wrote her poems that Nate and Will had to help me with, brought her flowers and made a CD so that she would think I was just being sweet. I had to convince her that I really did want to give it a try, but I had to do it quickly so that if it didn't work out I could finish my numbers. This trip would hopefully tell me the answer, if all went according to plan.

"What are you doing in my room?" Sara asked as she walked into the room she shared with Taylor in her grandparents bay front home.

"I needed to talk to you." I said as I plopped myself onto the bed.

"I don't want to talk to you. I can't even believe you had the audacity to come here this weekend." Sara sneered as she pulled on a pair of shorts over her bikini bottoms. 

"I need to know about your ex."

"Carter? Why?"

"That's his name? I finally got his name out of you wait, Carter Richards?"

"What do you want Jace, honestly?"

"I just want to help." 

"I don't need your help. Now get out of my room and go swim with the others in the bay." She said shoving me out of her room.

"Why aren't you swimming? It's all you do."

"I'm scared of the bay. Now get out! We are going to the boardwalk tonight in Wildwood."

"That's where everyone goes..." I whined.

"Then maybe you'll see someone else you know." Sara smiled as she forcibly shoved me out of her room and back toward the bay.

*****

I glanced between the three girls that I would be hanging out with for the week. They all wore short shorts, or in Taylors case a sundress, and a tight top to show off their bodies. Although Ali looked uncomfortable, she had chosen a looser shirt than Sara and Taylor, and didn't seem to like her short shorts. 

"You look beautiful, don't worry." I whispered in her ear as I took her hand to lead her along the boardwalk. Sara and Nate had given us the safety speech before leaving the house, as if we didn't already know to travel in pairs. Plus, girls always go to the bathroom together, so I don't know why they felt the need to give us a safety lesson.

We walked along the boardwalk, stopping every once in a while when one of the girls wanted to stop in a shop. Taylor and Ali stopped in all of the clothes shops while Sara just shrugged her shoulders and followed. You could tell she didn’t really want to go shopping now that she wasn’t spending her ex’s money. I just wished I could get her to open up again. I needed to fix this before she got too angry because then she might tell Ali what I did without thinking.