Chapter Seven

 

Chapter Seven           

On the plane ride down toNorth Carolina, Sophie sat between Oliver and Jillian while their parents sat on the other end of the plane in first class.

            "I can't wait until we get to the beach house," Jillian said excitedly. "I got four new bathing suits for the summer."

            Sophie laughed. "I want to work on a really good tan this summer." She turned to Oliver. "You're going to lay out with us, right?" She asked, knowing full well that the only reason the idea would appeal to him was because they'd be in bathing suits.

            "I don't think so," he replied, somewhat reluctantly. "I, um, start my new job tomorrow."

            She raised an eyebrow. "Job? What job?"

            "Yeah," Jillian added, leaning forward in her set to look at him. "This is our vacation. Why did you get a job? How did you get a job?"

            "One of my dad's golfing buddies set me up with it," he replied patiently. "I'll be cleaning boats."

            "Cleaning boats?" Sophie and Jillian repeated in unison.

            He smiled. 'Yeah, that's right. Cleaning boats."

            "That seems awfully boring," Sophie commented. "And gross."

            "Well I don't think so," Oliver retorted. "In fact, I'm actually excited about it, thank you very much."

            "Okay, okay," she said. "I'm sorry." She returned to the notebook of lyrics on her lap.

            "I hope you still find time for little old us this summer," Jillian said.

            He smiled, glancing at Sophie. "Of course I will."

The house was exactly as Sophie had remembered it, but that was not necessarily a good thing. As she set her guitar and suitcases down in her room, she couldn't help thinking of what had taken place on the bed not even a year previously.

Jillian came in to see her standing in the middle of the room, unmoving. "What's wrong?" She asked, and Sophie involuntarily jumped. "Hey – are you okay?"

"Yeah," Sophie replied quickly. "It's just . . . so warm in here. Don't you think? So stuffy. I really don't think I'm going to be able to stand it all summer."

"But the AC will be on," Jillian pointed out, trying to reassure her.

Sophie shook her head. "I can't sleep in here." She looked at her. "Do you think I could bunk with you?"

"Of course!" Jillian exclaimed. "It'll be like a non stop sleepover."

Sophie laughed. "Can you help me with my stuff?"

As they unpacked in Jillian's room, Oliver stood in the doorway.

"Sleeping together, huh?" He asked with a wink.

"You're so gross," Jillian replied. "Girls sleep in the same bed all the time."

"Sure," he teased. "Lesbian girls."

Sophie made a face at him. "Shut up, Oliver. You're just jealous because you can't share a room with us."

He scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"You know it's true!" Jillian taunted him. "You've been hanging around with us girls so long that you've fallen in love with us!"

Sophie giggled, enjoying Oliver's handsome face reddening.

"You guys are crazy," he said. "And I need more guy friends." He retreated from the room as both girls burst out laughing.

True to his word, Oliver began his summer job and met several boys his age in the process. Sophie and Jillian saw less of him than they ever had, but didn't mind too much since it was causing the two girls to grow even closer.

On the morning of Sophie's fourteenth birthday, Jillian woke to the sound of her singing and strumming slowly and quietly on her guitar. As Jillian lay in bed listening, she realized how touching the song was, about star crossed lovers.

When she sat up, Sophie stopped abruptly.

"Sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to wake you up." She was sitting on the window seat on the other side of the room, her tanned legs tucked beneath her.

            Jillian smiled. "You don't have to be sorry – besides, that was really pretty. You wrote that all by yourself?"

            Sophie blushed. "Yeah."

            "Well it was really good." She got out of bed and stretched her long, thin limbs. "By the way, happy birthday. What do you want to do today?"

            Sophie shrugged, staring longingly at her friend's almost stick-thin arms and legs, flat stomach, and growing chest. Then she looked down at her own body – short, albeit lean legs and curves in all of the right places. She supposed that she was pretty, sexy even, but she wouldn't mind being tall and modeleqsue like Jillian.

            "I think there's a dance tonight," Jillian said, going into her bathroom and leaving the door open. "Do you want to go?" She called.

            Sophie set the guitar against the wall and went to the closet for something to wear. "Maybe," she replied. "What's the occasion?"

            Jillian flushed the toilet, washed her hands, and returned to the room. "What do you mean?" She asked.

            "The dance," Sophie said, pulling a pair of denim shorts from a shelf. "Why's there a dance tonight anyway?"

            "I'm not really sure. I just saw a flyer for it at the ice cream shop. I think it's a summer kick off thing."

            "Well, yeah, we should go," Sophie decided. She plucked a pink tank top from its hanger and held it against her increasingly developing chest. "It's not like there's anything else going on."

            "It's weird . . . I wonder why your parents aren't throwing you a party again?"

            Sophie shrugged, wriggling out of her pajamas and into the shorts and tank top. "Maybe they don't have the time. Or maybe they just don't care anymore."

            Jillian looked at her sympathetically. "I'm sure that's not it,' she said, though it was not secret to her that things had been strained lately with Sophie and her parents.

            "It doesn't matter." She ran a brush through her golden tresses. "We'll have fun anyway."

            Jillian smiled. "That's right – we always do."

            When they got downstairs they were greeted with empty rooms and a note on the refrigerator that informed them of their parents' plans for the day that consisted of shopping, lunch, and museum outings.

            "Not one 'happy birthday,'" Sophie said. "Not even written down. I don't know why I'm so surprised, but I am."

            Jillian touched her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

            Sophie sighed, blinking back her tears and forcing a smile. "It's fine, Jill. I mean, I'm too old for birthday parties now anyway, right?" She grabbed an apple out of the refrigerator and took and angry bite.

            "So," Jillian said, "what do you want to do all day until the dance?"

            Sophie thought a moment and then a smile slowly spread across her face. "Let's go see Ollie," she replied. "I feel like playing."

            Jillian smiled. For the past few weeks, the two had taken to playing the game of strutting down the docks in their short shorts, sticking out their chests, and flirting shamelessly with everyone Oliver had come to know. And their favorite part was seeing how red his face got.

            "You're so bad," Jillian said.

            Sophie grinned. "I know."

            But what was the point on being a teenager if you couldn't break the rules and relax every once in awhile?

            Even at eleven o'clock in the morning, the air was hot and sticky. And as Jillian and Sophie made their way down the dock, several shirtless boys stopped to stare.

            Sophie giggled, threading her arm through Jillian's. "This is fun," she gushed. Boys were so easy, and she knew they were both appealing in short cut offs and clinging tops. Sure, they were only 14 and didn't plan to do anything more than kissing, if that, but it was a thrill to get so much attention.

            When they reached the boat Oliver was working on, Sophie coughed loudly to get his attention.

            He looked up from the floor he was scrubbing and groaned when he saw them. "Come on, you guys," he said. "My boss will kill me if he sees you two here again."

            Jillian rolled her blue eyes. "You're such a liar. He's never even seen us down here and you know it."

            "And even if he did," Sophie added, "he wouldn't be complaining."

            Both girls laughed conspiratilly.

            "You got that right."

            Oliver turned around to see his best friend and fellow yacht cleaner, Jack. He was 16 years old, cocky as Hell, and ridiculously good looking. A terrible combination.

            He smiled at the girls. "And what brings you two beauties here this fine morning?" He asked.

            "They were actually just leaving," Oliver said quickly.

            "Actually," Sophie said, enjoying every minute of this, "we weren't planning on leaving anytime soon at all."

            "Unless you want us to," Jillian said with a pout.

            "Not at all," Jack said, running a hand through his sandy blond hair. "In fact, why don't you give us a hand? I don't know about Oliver but I sure could use the help." He winked.

            Jillian giggled. "Okay."

            He held out his hand and she took it, stepping onto the boat. They looked at Sophie expectantly.

            "That's okay," she said quickly, wondering why Jillian was actually going with him. That wasn't part of their game. "You guys go ahead."

            They disappeared below the deck and Oliver turned back to Sophie.

            "What?" She finally said.

            "Happy Birthday," he smiled.

            She blushed. "Thanks."

            "What are the plans for tonight?" He asked.

            "We're going to the dance on the boardwalk. You coming?"

            "Of course. That is, if you'll save me a few dances." He smiled.

            She laughed. "A few?" She said. "Getting a little greedy, don't you think?"

            "Okay, so maybe one or two. But as long as you don't dance with Jack."

            She laughed. "Ha! Trust me – I promise." There was no way she'd ever fall for his phoniness and so-called "charm."

            Just then, Jillian hurried back up, her cheeks flushed.

            "Come on!" She said, grabbing Sophie's hand and pulling her away.

            Sophie laughed, waving to Oliver. "See you tonight!" She turned back to Jillian as they walked back to the beach. "What was that all about?" She asked.

            "Jack," she replied excitedly. "He's meeting us tonight."

            "That's what you're so excited about?" Sophie said, scrunching up her nose.

            "And he kissed me," she revealed. "Oh my gosh, what a great kisser!"

            Sophie laughed. "But Jack?" She said. "He's just a part of the game. He's not like boyfriend material."

            "Oh hush. I think I really like him."

            "You like his lips."

            "Well speaking of liking people, isn't it about time you came clean to Oliver?" Jillian demanded.

            "About what?"

            "Don't play dumb with me. You can't fool your best friend. You're obviously like in love with him."

            "Whatever," Sophie replied. "I like being Oliver's friend. That's all we are and that's the way it's going to stay."

            Jillian rolled her eyes. "Yeah – say it enough times and maybe it will be true."