Chapter 66

JUNE.

I get down from the bus, my chest still tight from my dream and my mind still whirring wondering what it all means. Seven is indeed waiting for me outside, and the world seems to light up when I meet his eyes.

“Hey there,” he says gently, holding my hand and leading me to the restaurant where we’re supposed to eat. “We didn’t get to talk this morning, but I was thinking of you.”

His words are sweet, but as I try to reciprocate, something else comes through my mind like a stab. It’s what my dad said. About staying away from him….

I swallow hard as we settle inside a booth. The three girls are just behind us, and I don’t know why, but suddenly that makes me uncomfortable. Even when the other students pass and glance at us with our hands intertwined across the table… I feel like I want to sink into the chair and disappear.

“Is everything alright?” he finally asks as food arrives, already ordered by the school. “You’re being really quiet, and Tiffany told me you were sleeping. Did I bother you?”

“No,” I say, and that comes out more forcefully than I thought. “Well, no. You didn’t bother me. I just haven’t been sleeping for the past couple of nights and I thought I needed to catch up on some sleep.”

“I understand,” he says gently, then he squeezes my hand. “If there’s anything I can help you with, just let me know. You should eat now, and when you get your room assigned, just take a nap and get more sleep.”

It’s such a nice thing to say. He’s being so kind to me right now. I should be able to take all of this and just forget everything that was being said to me, but I can’t do that. I’m overwhelmed and bothered by everything. Now I’m starting to regret ever coming to this trip. Maybe some time off was what I needed.

“I’m getting worried about you,” he says again. And suddenly I feel a little irritated. Okay, more than a little. “If there really is something, just tell me.”

We finish our meal and Seven kisses me on the cheek before getting back to their bus. “I’ll talk to you when we get to the beach, okay? I love you.”

“I love you too,” I just mumble.

“Hey.” He holds me by the shoulders before I can go up the bus. He’s smiling, and for some reason I just feel annoyed. I’m angry. And I don’t know why. “I’m here if you need something. I can tell that something is upsetting you, and I really want to help. If there’s anything I can do, all you need to do is tell me and I will try to—"

“Seven, just leave it for now,” I finally snap. “I don’t need help. I don’t need anything. Especially from you.”

An awkward pause hangs in the air. I realize too late that I just told him off, out of nowhere. My voice was harsh. I also realized that I just pushed him from me. His eyes are flashing with hurt, but he quickly recovers with a dry, fake smile.

“Seven,” I start to say, but this time he’s the one walking away.

I get on our bus as the driver honks the horn and the ride goes on for another half hour before the view of the sea finally looms into view.

It’s beautiful, I have to admit. Just a vast blanket of glimmering blue water stretching out into the horizon. The sand is a perfect golden color, and the sun is so high up in the sky that everything is just washed in this yellow light, making everything look almost glowing.

Everyone is getting so excited. There are people running up to our side of the bus to take pictures. I can’t help but smile too, especially when I see Tiffany’s face lighting up. She holds my hand as she takes a video, even pointing the camera to me. We take a couple of pictures together, but I can’t bring myself to even smile fully. All I can think about is how harsh I’ve been so Seven, and how bad I want to make things right….

But first I have to shake off this feeling that something bad is about to happen, and I don’t know how to do that.

* * *

“That’s the last bag,” Amelie says as she closes the door. “All the beds are set up. We have the entire afternoon to do absolutely nothing. Who’s taking a nap?”

She raises her hand to cast a vote. We’re now in our room, which is pretty small, but it has enough space for two bunk beds and two huge desks pushed against the window. Plus, we have a full view of the beach.

We spent all afternoon unloading our stuff and fixing the beds, changing the sheets, and vacuuming sand off the floor. The sun is setting now, and after a moment, I know it would get dark. It’s been difficult, but now we’re done, and a nap sounds good right about now.

But something is stopping me, even after Tiffany and Nancy raise their hands to vote on taking a nap. Amelie looks at me expectantly, but I shake my head. “I already had enough sleep on the bus. I think I might be all caught up now.”

“Are you sure?” Tiffany asks. “You do need sleep. You don’t look good.”

“I’ve been told,” I say dryly. “Look, you guys get some rest. I’m going to go out and look at the beach. It’s my first time seeing the ocean.”

They all look at one another, but none of them protest as I go out. I close the door behind me and head downstairs, still in awe of how big this beach mansion is. It has twenty freaking rooms for god’s sake, and the boys are also renting out the mansion next door.

And that’s where I’m heading.

I don’t know if I’m going to be kicked out for sneaking inside, but right now I don’t care. What I did to Seven was wrong and I just want to make up for it.

I look around just to make sure that there’s no one watching me, then I walk casually to the next mansion, pulling my hood up.

While the girls were all tired and retiring to their rooms when I left, it was a different story for the boys. They seem to be hyping it all up. They’re getting a bonfire ready in the back, and they’re moving furniture all around their house to make way for a pingpong table. Some of them are talking about inviting girls, and I can’t help but feel a bit more confident since it seems to be okay to just mix the houses together.

Still, I don’t dare pull my hood down. I just look around, trying to find a hint of Seven. I go up the stairs, and that’s when I realize the problem. This house has just as many rooms as our mansion, and I can’t go through the rooms one by one.

I need to ask someone.

I turn around to find someone downstairs who won’t rat me out, but then one of the doors at the end of the hallway opens and Seven comes out.

The only problem is, he’s naked except for a towel hanging off his hips.

I swallow hard, my eyes raking down his body. He’s so toned and muscular, and I had no idea that that’s what the uniform is hiding all the time. I mean, I already touched him that night after the arrest, but seeing it like this in its full glory is a whole different ballgame.

My face heats up. I think about leaving. But then I almost stumble into a lamp and Seven sees me.

He frowns. “June? What are you doing here?”

Before I can answer, he drags me into his room and locks the door behind him.