2brown-eyes is on board once more!
July 4th, 1993
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me—Elton John & George Michael
"So you met him where?" I ask Alice as I line my lower lid. She's filling me in on this guy they backpacked with who's flying into Seattle today. "And you're sure you trust him?"
"For sure, B." She waves me off. "Mase is cool as fuck. We met him on our first night in a Paris hostel, and we clicked. Since we didn't get to finish the schedule we'd outlined, he decided to check us out on this side of the pond instead."
"How long is he staying?" I smear on some shiny bubble-gum-flavored gloss and smack my lips.
"Mid-August, I think." Her brows wrinkle. "Or is it mid-September?" She shrugs, laughing. "Who knows, but you'll definitely like him. He's easy-going and cute too."
"Like Riley?" I lift a brow to remind her that he was never quite cute enough.
She winks. "Cuter."
"Oh god." I grab my keys and do a spin in the mirror to make sure my ass looks good in these shorts. "I don't need a boy, cute or not."
"Relax," she says, smudging the liner under her eyes. "No one's setting you up. In fact, he doesn't even know anything about you, unless Jas tells him on the way here from Sea-Tac."
A beat goes by.
"He knows," we say simultaneously.
We both laugh it off before gathering our things and heading downstairs. Alice is riding to La Push with me so that she and Jasper don't end up with two cars there. It's the Fourth of July, and among other things, there's a huge fireworks show happening out over the water. The beach is sure to be packed, so the Res guys made sure to get us a nice spot up the way where most locals won't bother us.
When I crank the engine, Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me is turned up loud, and me and my BFF don't miss a beat. We pick up right there in the middle of the song and sing it at the tops of our lungs as I get rolling toward La Push.
Five songs later, we're pulling in at Jake's place. Cars are everywhere, and there are a few people milling about. One of the boys from the Res should be back soon to guide us to the little secluded beach where tonight's party is happening.
"'Sup, Bella," Riley says, squeezing my elbow as he passes.
His girlfriend, Lauren, is following close behind. "Hey, girls," she says, pulling her hair up into a pony. "Where's Jasper?"
"He'll be here soon," Alice replies, her eyes searching. "Where's the beer?"
"Jake's already taken it to the beach." Lauren rolls her eyes. "We're stuck here sober until we get where they are."
"Well, that sucks." Alice huffs, leaning against the fender of somebody's Datsun. "I need something to take the edge off if I'm going to be around all these posers."
I bark a laugh. "You're the most social person I know, and you're already complaining. What gives?"
She leans close, lowering her voice. "Don't look now but a hot ass Trans Am just rolled up in this bitch."
"Oh god." I knew they'd come, everybody is, but I'm not sure I'm ready for the death glares. I expect them to be nasty since I mailed Edward a birthday card a couple weeks back. "Pretend you don't see them."
"He's opening her door for her." She makes like she's gagging herself, and I tug her hand down and out of sight.
"Stop it."
"Fake," she mutters, her lip curling. "There's no way they're as happy as they look."
"Alice," I say, huffing. "She's a really nice girl."
"I'll bet."
"That's what Rose said."
My forehead crinkles as I give it more thought. Bree's been nothing but gracious and kind, and Edward wouldn't spend almost a year of his life with someone who wasn't truly like that.
Except … he did.
With me.
Two years.
"Don't get in your head, B," Alice whispers, pushing my curls over my shoulder. "She can't measure up."
"He sees something in her."
"Of course, he does." We both side-eye the pair as they walk over to Sam, who's gathering a crowd to take to the beach. It doesn't need to be said, we're going to pass on this round. "And he will as long as you pretend you're happy without him."
"Alice…" I drag out her name, not willing to be convinced that all I have to do is say the word and he'll be mine.
"Truth is truth."
I open my mouth to respond when Jasper comes into view behind her. Walking beside him is a tall, sexy drink with curly dirty blonde hair, tan skin, and a pair of eyes the color of the sea.
I jerk my gaze to my best friend. "Please tell me that isn't Mase."
Alice breaks into a smile as she glances over her shoulder before meeting my eyes, waggling her brows. "Edward fucking who?"
His grin says it all.
Mase is trouble.
Oops, who dat?
I forgot Monday is a holiday, so I'm going to start this story today and post through Thurs (so 5 this week), but nxt week, you get Mon-Wed, and the following week, you get Tues-Thurs... should get to the reg Mon-Thurs schedule after that.
See ya tmr :)
