(Avi's POV)
I am bringing some more bags in when I see Mitch, Scott, and Kirstie run through the house to the back deck in their swimsuits. I can't help but notice how nice Kirstie looks in her lime green bikini. I try not and stare. Scott stops and turns back to me and says, "We are headed down to the beach, come join us!"
"I'll be there in a bit." I say back. Scott smiles and closes the sliding glass door and I see them head down towards the water.
I go and quickly put my stuff down in a room on the other side of the kitchen. I am amazed at how great all of the rooms are. Kevin grabs the room next to mine. There is one more room next to Kevin's that is a guest room. I'm sure that there will be some guests throughout the summer thinking of at least my sister, Ester. I put my suit on and go tell Kevin where we will all be.
"I'm just going to chill for a little bit, I have to go check out the studio downstairs, man. Then, I'll come out." Kevin says.
"Kevin, do you ever not work?" I say and then walked out the door towards my friends.
I see Scott and Mitch in the water splashing each other and Kirstie sitting on a small beach chair underneath a large beach umbrella. I go up to her and sit in the empty chair next to hers. She looks at me nervously for some reason. She's been acting a little different towards me ever since we got to the house today. I don't know how to tell her that I like her.
"Why aren't you in the water?" I ask.
"I don't know. I just wanted to sit for a little bit and enjoy the view." Kirstie says.
"It's beautiful here, I could definitely get used to being here for a little while, Kirstie."
"Will Ester come see us this summer?" Kirstie asks.
"I think so, not sure when," I reply and then add, "Will you have anyone come see us?"
I was wondering if she was still on again, off again, with her ex, Jeremy. She looked over at me and says, "I doubt it."
"What about Jeremy?" I ask wanting to know.
"What about him? It's over for good this time." Kirstie says with a sigh.
"What happened?" I ask.
"Long story, but the short version is that he wanted to control my every move and I don't like that." Kirstie says standing up. She pulls me up from the chair and asks, "Do you want to go in the water, Avi?"
I look at her and she is so beautiful in this moment. I nod before I say something stupid.
We go into the water slowly at first and then get closer to where Scott and Mitch are. They look at us like they are planning something and I look at them and say, "No, stop right there. Whatever you are thinking, stop."
"Us, we aren't planning anything at all." Mitch says with the most innocent look on his face trying to hold in his laughter.
Scott, meanwhile, doesn't stop and comes over and dunks me and then dunks Kirstie in the water. We are all laughing and trying to dunk each other. Kirstie was able to dunk Scott surprisingly with their height difference, but I think he let her because of how bad he got her the first time around. Mitch and Kirstie go back to the beach where the chairs are and sit out in the sun for a bit closing the umbrella. I am surprised when Scott comes over and asks, "So, do you like Kirstie?"
I look back to see if she heard and look back at him and say, "Not so loud, Scott."
Scott smiles and says, "I knew it."
"I didn't say yes." I say knowing that I am blushing.
"You didn't say no." Scott said with a laugh.
"It doesn't matter; I don't think that she even sees me in that way." I say.
"How do you know?" Scott said seriously, this time.
"I don't know. Has she said something to you?" I ask.
"No, I have just noticed some things. I get the feeling that you both like each other, that's all." Scott says.
"Really, you think that she could like me?" I ask.
"I don't know for sure. But, I do know that she has been staring at you since she has been sitting down with Mitch." Scott says with a big splash my way. He laughs and goes in to sit out in the sun too.
I laugh and look over at Kirstie and smile. She smiles back and looks down at her phone. I walk up to her and I make sure to shake my wet hair all over Scott first. I sit down beside Kirstie and lean over and say, "Hey."
She looks up at me and says, "Hey."
I hear Mitch in the background asking Scott if he had put on enough sunscreen.
"Yes, Mitchie, I put on my sunscreen like a good boy." Scott says with a smirk.
"I'm just trying to watch out for your beautiful skin, darling." Mitch says with a smile.
I turn to Kirstie and say, "Do you want to go for a walk?"
"Sure, that sounds nice." Kirstie says.
We both get up and go towards the pier in the distance. It looks like it's about a mile away from where they are. We walk in the water just barely, just enough for the waves to sit our feet. We don't really say anything, just walk. I feel like my heart is pounding out of my chest. I want to tell her, but I don't know how. This is Kirstie, we are talking about. I look back to where our stuff is and see Scott and Mitch talking. I turn back towards the beach in front of us and I decide to make a small move. I reach down and take Kirstie's hand. She intertwines her fingers with mine in response and squeezes it. I smile and we being to sway our arms as we walk. I was hoping that she was able to sense my feelings for her through me holding her hand. I think to myself, just a step at a time.