Summer lark

Chapter twenty five Royal

She's really pretty.

    —

It's been a week since Carmels friends showed up and they have practically become best friends with Cole and Milo. We're all constantly hanging out, playing video games or splashing in the water.

    "So are any of you guys dating?"

    "Milo shut up." I say.

    "I'm lesbian." Ocean says as they start laughing.

    "Really?" Milo asks, shocked.

    "Yes!"

    "Damn, you'd like Roxie then."

    "Why do you say that?"

    "She's also les. I should totally set you two up."

    "I mean, sure."

    "What about the rest of you?"

    "Hard pass." Clara says.

    "Yeah, no thanks." Rena says.

    "I'm engaged..." Eden says.

    "Just no." Apple says.

    "Who's the lucky guy, E?" I ask.

    "We grew up together, sort of high school sweethearts."

    "Sort of? You guys have been inseparable for as long as I can remember." Clara points out.

    "His name is Dean."

    "What you guys want to do, I'm bored." Rena says.

    "You're always bored."

    "Honestly."

    "What!? I have a short attention span!"

    "How do you stay entertained in bed then?"

    "Oh shut up!" Rena laughs. They all break out into a silent laughing fit because none of them can catch their breath. Rena takes a deep breath that sounds like a snort that makes them all throw their ends back. E starts slipping off the couch and lands on the ground loudly. Carmella starts slapping Clara.

    "I can't breathe." Ocean says through laughs.

    "Me neither." They all laugh.

    "This is weird." Milo says leaning into me.

    "Yeah, I've never laughed this hard."

    "Same."

    They all finally cool down and again Rena said she's bored.

    "I don't even know what this town looks like, so don't ask me." Carmel says.

    "We could go to the park?" Cole offers.

    "How far away is it?"

    "Ten minute walk tops."

    "Yeah sure."

    "Guys, it's almost one a.m."

    "What's wrong with that my love?" E asks.

    "Mi amor, one a.m. is never a good time for women to be out."

    "Amor, estamos con tres hombres y es un pueblo pequeño."

    "Pueblo pequeño no significa una mierda."

    "Sé que sé. Estaremos bien."

    "¿Cómo lo sabes?"

    "Confía en mi amor confía."

    "Bien nena."

    I really need to learn spanish.

—

    Carmella hooks her arm through mine.

    "What a beautiful night." She says looking up at the glowing stars.

    "I always forget to ask, why do you and E call each other love?"

    "Always have, been that way since we were twelve." She lets out a laugh and says "Going into our eighth grade year we made a bet with Ocean that we wouldn't be able to make the entire middle school believe we were dating. We did, and quite well actually Mrs. B and Mr. K knew that it was a joke but other than that, we convinced over one hundred people that we were dating."

    "Enlighten me on how you did that."

    "Well the year prior people had already thought we were gay or dating. So it wasn't that hard, we kissed a few times and people 'accidently saw' we made sure to kiss in front of someone we knew would blaber. Then word got around and tada everyone thought we were dating. She also sat in my lap a lot just for the fun it."

    "You and E have kissed?"

"Many times." E says chiming into our conversation.

"How do you kiss your best friend?"

"Eden and Ocean have kissed four or five time."

"What?"

"I don't see the big deal."

"You guys confuse me so much." Cole says with a sigh.

"Me too."

"Rena, was Carmel a trouble maker?"

"Everyone except for Clara was a troublemaker, the rest of us used to skip classes together, and walk down to Mosman Park. What a good time we had in school." Rena says with a light smile.

"Want to play it that way, Milo was Royal a troublemaker?" Apple says.

"Abso-fucking-lutely. Royal was a rebel child, ask Auntie Lo, oh boy the stories she would tell you."

We finally make it to the park and everyone runs off to get a swing because there's only four.

"Eden, move your fat ass."

"Sat here first bitch."

"You can sit in my lap."

"Nah, I'm good."

"Apple, you can take mine." I say getting off the swing.

"Did he just call you apple?" Ocean says, breaking out laughing.

"Yeah, because she's such a snack." E says with a wink then also starts laughing.

"Why do you guys laugh so much?"

"Dude, he sounds so much like Kerman." Clara says.

"No stop, he does." Eden says. As they all start quoting things he used to say.

"Rena, go for a lap, that laugh is just not acceptable." Carmel says making a circle motion with her hand.

"Do I need to email Jessica?" Rena says.

"Pick up the markers." Ocean says.

"Are you guys ok?" E says. They are all yet again laughing their heads off.

"I truly don't understand women." Milo says.

"Bud, no one does."

"What do you guys want to do?" I ask.