I laugh out loud. “Are you serious?”
“Deadly. And what’s worse is the insecurity and backbiting that goes on within our circle. Everyone wants to be slightly better than everyone else. Own more second homes and holiday villas. Have a better designer handbag, or more expensive designer shoes. That’s why I just wear jeans and T-shirts so they know I’m not involving myself in the competition.”
“Yeah, but your jeans and T-shirts are all designer,” I counter in amusement.
She grins. “Well, I have to make some concessions.”
I smirk at her.
“What? I like quality stuff, okay?”
“Okay,” I reply, glancing up at the group sunbathing on the beach. It looks like Robert and Kara are having another argument, and I’m glad I’m not up there in the thick of it. They’re both sitting with their heads facing one another, while Gary looks like he’s on the verge of jumping from his seat to punch Robert in the gut.
“Who’s the blonde girl?” I ask Sasha. “The one sitting next to Sandra.”
“That’s Michelle.” She takes a moment to look up at her in the distance, considering what to tell me. “Don’t be fooled by the shy and quiet act. She’s a total bitch. She’s Kara’s best friend. What Kara doesn’t know is that she came onto Rob at Alistair’s birthday party last year.”
“Really? What did Rob do?” I ask with interest.
“He told her it wasn’t happening. I know, big shock for Robert to turn down a good-looking girl who’s offering herself up to him on a plate. I suppose he could see that getting with Michelle would be more trouble than it’s worth. She’d only end up telling Kara and causing a drama. It’s not as obvious as it was when we were younger, but there’s always been a big competition between the girls to see who would snag Robert. I don’t get it myself, but then again, he is my brother.”
Sasha might not get it, but it makes perfect sense to me. Robert’s one of those guys who will always be the one the girls want most. I guess it’s a mixture of his beauty, his charm, and the way you can just tell he’s going to be a wanker. Nice guys are all well and good, but there is something in the female brain that will always makes us swoon for a wanker. They have that bad-boy swagger about them.
Yeah, I just used the phrase “bad boy swagger.” Kill me now.
“I’m going to have to go find somewhere to take my insulin soon,” I say to Sasha. “What are we doing for lunch?”
“We’ll find a restaurant somewhere in town, I suppose. I can get the keys for Rob’s car and you can go take it in there, what do you think?”
“Sounds good,” I reply as we wade our way out of the water.
When we reach the group, Robert and Kara aren’t arguing any longer, thank God. Robert is lying on the sand, his muscled chest gleaming with sweat under the summer sun. He looks magnificent, and I wish it wasn’t something that affects me, but it does.
“Rob,” Sasha calls. “Lana left something in the back of your car. Can she have the keys to go get it?”
He opens his eyes, shading them with his hand. “Sure she can.”
Reaching for his discarded pants, he digs the keys out of the back pocket. I pick up my towel and wrap it around myself, patting dry the wet ends of my hair, which have gone all curly.
“Here you go, little red,” he says, holding the keys out to me. I take them, just as Kara’s eyes shoot open and she makes a face of disgust.
“Little red?” she asks.
“I’m sorry, did I say something to you?” Robert bites back, his voice clipped.
“Uh, no. I was just wondering why you called her that,” she answers, snotty.
Victor and Jacob open their eyes to take in the new spat. They eye each other, amused, before focusing back on Robert and Kara. God, high school doesn’t ever end, does it?
Since their attention has been grabbed, I take the chance to shove what they said about me earlier back in their faces. What can I say, I don’t like them thinking I’m dumb and oblivious to their male bitchiness.
I’m looking at them while I answer Kara’s question. “It’s because I have a little hairy red bush that I use my granny’s old swimsuit to cover up. Like I’ve never heard that one before. And the swimsuit’s vintage. Get it right,” I snap.
This single moment defines my personality as defiantly shy. Every word was like swallowing glass, but it had to be said.
Kara snickers. Clearly she heard what they said earlier. Robert quickly catches on.
“You’re a right pair of bastards. Is that what you said about her?” he questions.
“It was only a joke. We didn’t mean any offence,” Jacob explains.
“Oh, of course not,” I mutter to myself, disgruntled.
“Just don’t let it happen again,” Robert warns them, standing up from his sitting position.
Sasha eyes her brother suspiciously. Pulling him aside, she asks, “Why are you acting like Lana’s knight in shining armour all of a sudden?”
He looks at her, feigning incomprehension. “What are you on about?”
“You’re up to something. Not too long ago you’d have been the one saying insulting shit to Lana. Now suddenly you’re defending her. Sorry, bro, but that just doesn’t sit right with me.”
I dry myself with my towel before holding it up to take off my soaking-wet bathing suit. All the while I’m listening intently to Sasha and Robert’s conversation.
Robert turns to me. “Tell her, Lana. We made a deal to get along, didn’t we?”
I nod. “Yep. Robert promised to be respectful if I agreed not to kick up a fuss about him staying at your place for the summer.”
Robert doesn’t takes his eyes off me as I do some pretty impressive under-the-towel manoeuvres to get clean, dry underwear on without showing any skin. I let the towel drop for a split second, and his eager eyes get a glimpse of the top of my boob.