Caught In The Tides Of Love

Chapter 8

At medium pace, feet moving in sync, the shadowy figures approached the hangout spot. My eyes, wanting to focus on Jaxon, steered to his opponent that cockily strode beside him. My brain, still in shock, wanted so badly to pass it off as an illusion but the strong scent of liquor that radiated from them was enough to snap me from my state of denial.

She is Jaxon's step-sister?!

The pale, blue-eyed, burgundy-dyed hair girl paused in her dainty tracks. Her straight hair cascaded down her white cami top resting on the waist of her pink, pleated, mini skirt. She stood there for a few seconds staring blankly into my face.

"Maya?" She uttered, her face contorted in confusion.

With my hands intertwined behind me I greeted the girl, who looked just about the same age as me except with a more mature and developed figure, with a smile.

"Teresa, hi."

"Long time no see. How've you been?" Jaxon's supposed step-sister smiled sweetly showing two rows of perfectly aligned teeth that had a thin, silver metal running horizontally across each row.

"I'm great. I've been well. You?" I asked smiling back trying to ignore the confusion that went on in my head.

She was being nice. Teresa was never nice.

"Couldn't have been better," she chirped flinging her hair over her exposed shoulder. She seated herself on the rock beside Malik and tucked her skirt in-between her legs hiding her safety shorts.

I know you must be wondering who Teresa is.

Teresa is my childhood friend, more accurately described as my frenemy. She would always make fun of me, putting me down every chance she got. Teresa excels at everything she lays hands on and is much more prettier than me; beautiful, ocean-blue eyes and naturally straight, long, brunette hair. She had quite an ego and never failed to rub her accomplishments in my face. I used to hate being around her.

"You two know each other?" Ava asked.

"Let's just say we've got history," Teresa replied sending a knowing grin my way.

My eyes whirled over to the extremely handsome young man who scooted his way over to his girlfriend. I hadn't time to properly lay my eyes on him. I knew I shouldn't and I didn't want to but I just couldn't resist the urge to. He looked so tempting in a black t-shirt that hugged his toned physique and a black, cut jeans. I watched as he brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face and planted a kiss on her somewhat chubby cheek.

A burning sensation occured in my chest.

No. I'm not jealous.

My eyes wandered on them for far too long that I didn't hear Malik trying to get my attention.

"M!" He hollered.

A bit startled that I may have been caught, I stuttered, "Y-yes?"

"What's up? We're playing dogeball."

"Sounds fun, I'm in," I said almost instantly.

A sigh of relief quietly escaped my lips.

"Cool," he replied. "So we've got you, me, Jaxon, Tyler, Kurt, Cami, Ava and Teresa," Malik listed swirling the ball on his middle finger.

"Last one in the sand is a rotten egg," Ava said leaping from the rock and darting into the sand below.

I rushed behind her making my way over to a vacant spot on the beach. The moonlight shone brightly overhead and the lights that were set up on the beach did a great job at adding that extra glow to the area.