Toe the Line(9)

Archie shoved Xavier across the sand, causing him to land on his ass. “She clearly didn’t want it, and you kept pushing,” he spat.

Xavier looked over at me, his eyes groggy. “I didn’t do that, did I? Tell him.”

In total shock, I shook my head and stammered, “Umm…I think you should leave, Xavier.”

Xavier stood up and stumbled away.

Archie was out of breath. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I exhaled. “He was drunk. I don’t think he meant anything by it—”

“Don’t make excuses for him! I saw it. You were trying to get him to stop. He didn’t. End of story.”

I took a deep breath. “You’re right. I’m just a little rattled. Nothing like that has ever happened to me before.” I smoothed out my shirt. “I guess you were right about him, huh?”

Archie gave me side-eye. “That doesn’t make me feel good, by the way.”

“How did you see us all the way over here?”

“I saw you walk away with him earlier, so I kept an eye out. When I noticed you down by the shore, I came to make sure you were okay.”

I straightened the wrinkles in my shirt. “I’m sorry for not listening to you.”

“Well, I guess I haven’t given you a reason to trust me yet.” He tilted his head toward where his friends were congregated in the distance. “Come on. Let’s go over there.”

The waves crashed behind us, and I looked over at him as we walked. “You must be right about Cici, too. What’s the deal with her? You were never specific.”

He raised a brow. “You really want to know?”

“Yeah.”

“I was dating her sister, as you already found out. Like I told you, it was just a summer hookup with Amanda and nothing more, despite what Cici might have told you. That stuff about me breaking her heart is a total joke.” He sighed. “Anyway, one night, we were all hanging out down in their parents’ basement. Amanda was drunk. When she went upstairs to throw up, Cici tried to go down on me.”

My mouth dropped.

“I bet she’d deny it if you asked her,” he added. “But she did. You can’t trust someone who would stab her own sister in the back like that.”

That news really rubbed me the wrong way. “Yeah. No shit.” I’d only hung out with Cici a couple of times, but that seemed like a betrayal.

“Anyway…” he said. “The people you see me with, they’re all cool. Good people I’ve known for years. You should hang out with us instead.”

Well, alright then. “You mean the girl you’ve been sucking face with this summer? She’s the only person I’ve seen you with.”

“I wasn’t really referring to Bree. She’s part of the crew, though.”

“Is she your girlfriend?”

“No. I don’t have a girlfriend. She’s just someone I…” He hesitated.

“Someone you fuck?”

Archie squinted. “Why does that word sound wrong coming from Little Miss Goody-Goody?” He laughed. “We’ve hooked up, yeah. I’ve known her for years. She’s just a friend.”

“With benefits,” I added as jealousy burned my cheeks.

“I suppose. But we have an understanding about it. So it’s all good.”

We arrived at the spot where his friends always hung out, and he waved me closer. Until now I’d only gazed over at this group.

“Come on,” he said. “I’ll introduce you.”

Three guys, Bree, and another girl were talking and laughing.

“Guys, this is Noelle. She’s the daughter of my parents’ friends—the ones we share the house with now.”

Archie’s something-or-other held out her hand as her long hair blew in the breeze. “Hey. I’m Bree. Nice to meet you.”

“You, too.”

Bree was the opposite of me looks-wise: tall, skinny, and blond to my short, brunette, and curvy.

A guy smiled and waved. “I’m James.”

I nodded. “Hey.” Dark-haired James was cute, although only a little taller than me.

Archie then introduced me to Linus and Sean, along with Sean’s girlfriend, Sarina.

It turned out Archie’s friends were pretty cool. They were all around his age—a bit older than me—and everyone was home from college. I stayed quiet and mostly listened as they told stories from summers past on the island.

Bree was still hanging all over Archie, but he seemed unfazed as he chatted with the others. Out of everyone, James seemed the most interested in getting to know me. He stood next to me and kept asking me questions about myself.

“So how did you and Archie’s family become friends?”

“Our dads work for the same law firm. Mr. Remington was my father’s mentor for many years, and then they decided to invest in a property together. So we’re all staying for the summer.”

“Gotcha.” He dug his feet in the sand. “Archie’s a good dude. I’ve known him for years.”

“You’re from here?”

“Yes. Born and bred. It was a great place to grow up.”

“I would imagine. It’s so idyllic. But it’s probably a little strange when everyone converges on you in the summer, huh? When you have to share it with us city dwellers?”