I Wish You All the Best(96)

Nathan sighs and rolls his eyes. “Just like everything else.”

There’s a tap on the window that makes us both jump. “If y’all don’t hurry up, we’re dragging you out of that car,” Sophie huffs.

“I didn’t spend three hours in a car to watch you two make out.” Meleika’s standing behind her.

“Come on. Our party awaits.” He grabs the huge white blanket out of the back seat and pops the trunk so I can grab the umbrella. No way I’m flying to Los Angeles red as a lobster. I still can’t believe it’s happening, that I’m leaving this place. January feels like such a lifetime ago.

But when Mariam asked me to help them with a new project they’re starting, there was no way I was going to turn them down. Even if it meant leaving Hannah and Thomas. And Meleika. And Sophie. All while providing a little emotional support for my boyfriend, while he spends long nights writing papers and drinking way too much coffee. Of course, he has to live in the dorms for the first year, but Mariam and I have worked something out.

My boyfriend.

That still feels weird to say. But the good weird. The weird that I never want to stop. Because Nathan Allan is my boyfriend. It’s taken us both some time to really get used to it. Because dating wasn’t exactly different from being the kind of friends we were before.

Nathan had suspected that he’s bisexual for a while. And when he started going to the safe space meetings with me, everything sort of clicked for him. His parents took it well. Honestly, they really didn’t care who he was dating as long as whatever we did involved condoms, a talk neither of us was really too thrilled to have. Hannah and Thomas weren’t all that surprised, but we did have to leave the door open anytime Nathan was over.

I sink in the sand, and it’s already burning the bottoms of my feet. “Sand should be illegal.” I try to shake it from between my toes.

“Quit whining.” Nathan leans over and kisses my cheek.

Meleika mimes sticking her finger down her throat to Sophie, and I flip them both off.

“Jealousy isn’t a good color, girls.”

“Whatever.” Meleika rolls her eyes. “You’re gonna let me repaint those today, right?” She waves around the bag of nail polish she’s holding. “I’m thinking polka dots, for your big day.”

“Of course,” I say. My nails are looking pretty rough, the black paint chipped in a few spots. This is the first time I’ve been able to wear it long enough for it to chip away.

I’ll have to find YouTube tutorials or something. I don’t think it’ll be very lucrative to fly back and forth between California and North Carolina just for Meleika to do my nails.

The beach is as crowded as I thought it would be, but we find a spot that isn’t too far from the entrance. I hammer the umbrella stand into the sand, going a few rounds so I know the wind won’t blow it away. I’m already hot and sweaty when I’m done, but I don’t feel like taking off my shirt. I collapse beneath the shade of the umbrella and look up at Nathan, and even though I’ve seen his bare chest a dozen times now, I still can’t stop myself from staring.

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” He balls up the shirt and tosses it to me.

“Funny boy.”

“You aren’t even going to try and get in the water.”

I shake my head. This is why I brought the sketch pad. “No way.”

“Come on, it’s your last chance.” Nathan holds out his hands.

“They have oceans in California.”

He does that weird eyebrow wiggle thing that he knows drives me up a wall. “But not this ocean.” I sigh and take his hand. “You might want to leave that here.” He pulls at the hem of my shirt.

“Is this some elaborate plan to get me to take my shirt off?” Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve both been shirtless around each other. Won’t be last. At least, I hope it won’t be.

“Come on. It’s a science.”

“Okay, you’ll have to explain that one.”

“Your shirt gets all wet and you’re uncomfortable for the rest of the day because you’ve got this gross heavy thing weighing you down.”

“Yes, all science.” I slip my arms through the gaping holes of my tank top and leave it on the towel next to Meleika and Sophie. They both already look like they’re asleep in their chairs, but the sunglasses make it hard to guess.

“Have fun.” Sophie waves at us. “Don’t cut yourself on a seashell.”

“I regret telling you that,” I say before Nathan drags me down the sand and toward the water.

We wade around for a few minutes before I’m ready to sit back on dry land, but I tolerate it, at least for Nathan. I can do that for him. But eventually he gets tired too, and we head back to our spot, the sand sticking to the bottoms of my feet. It’s terrible. But for once I don’t mind.

The beach starts clearing out after a while, the sun slowly setting until it’s this huge ball in the sky. That’s when Meleika and Sophie decide to head into the water, never going more than thigh deep.

“Hey.” Nathan’s hands wrap around mine. He’s sitting behind me, his legs stretched out around me, his stomach pressed to my back, so his chin can rest on my shoulder.

“Hey.” I squeeze. I really can’t believe I’m this lucky.