112
Lucy
As I slowly blinked my eyes open, the gentle morning sunlight warmed my face. The scent of the ocean and something warm and musky filled my nose. I turned over and tried to get closer to the warm thing I was beside as the cool morning wind washed over me.
Then, I felt something around my waist.
My heart leaped into my throat as I went still. I jerked my head up as David’s eyes woke up, gleaming a vibrant purple as he looked down at me and held himself perfectly still. His gaze drifted over me briefly before the light began to fade.
“Are you alright?” David asked. His voice rumbled through his chest and sent a shiver through me.
“I-I’m okay. Just startled.”
He nodded. “Sorry. I should have carried you inside, but…”
I shook my head. “It’s okay. I—It’s fine.”
He smirked. “You were clinging to me… I suppose you were cold.”
My face heated. “I guess so.”
Footsteps came from the patio door.
Sarah called out, sounding too happy and teasing. "Well, well, look who decided to have a little beach slumber party! Sleeping beauty and her prince charming."
Amy's laughter followed her as I felt my whole body start to get hot with embarrassment. David sat up, running a hand through his hair before checking his watch.
Duke came over and leaned over the back of the lounger with a smirk.
"Looks like you two had a cozy night together. Did you make sandcastles in your dreams?"
I pouted at him as David got up. “Nothing so eventful. We did eat the rest of the cake.”
Sarah whined. “I was looking forward to that!”
I sat up, keeping the blanket wrapped around me as I stood. Duke wiggled his eyebrows.
“Are you unfit for polite society, Lucy?”
“L-Leave me alone,” I scowled at him. “I’m just cold.”
Amy laughed and Sarah rolled her eyes as she plopped down on the lounger.
"Sure, sure, Lucy. We believe you... or maybe we should start calling you 'Beach Bum Lucy' from now on?"
Amy playfully nudged me, joining in on the teasing. "Don't worry, Lucy, we're just having some fun. It's not every day we see you so relaxed.”
I nodded. I did feel very relaxed. I looked over at David as he stretched and let out a soft sigh.
“Cushioned loungers were probably one of the best investments I’ve ever made. Who’s hungry?”
“Me!” Sarah cried. “I can’t cook and there’s nothing already made.”
David shook his head. “That’s because I prefer to do my own cooking. Come on. I’ll feed you, even if you’re a brat. Can you at least pull out the ingredients?”
“Give me a list and Amy will tell me what’s what.”
We headed inside as Uma turned towards us. She crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at David.
“Blue gave me orders. You’re not allowed to do anymore cooking this weekend.”
David scowled. “You all are the worst.”
She shooed us away. “Breakfast is almost done. Go clean yourself up and get ready.”
David threw his hands up. “Fine. But only because I don’t want to be fussed at when I get back.”
He stopped and looked at me and nodded toward the stairs. “Best listen. Uma and Blue are the worst.”
I followed him towards the stairs. “Who is Blue?”
“The house manager of the Blood Moon Estate,” he smiled softly. “She’s somewhere in between a doting aunt and a worrying older sister to me.”
I laughed. “It sounds like she cares about you a lot.”
He nodded and stopped outside one the doors and nodded inside. “I’ll see you late.”
I blinked and realized that I didn’t actually know what room I was in. I hesitated as he walked down the hall. When he turned the corner, I felt something drain out of me. Then, I opened the door and gasped at the sight of the room. It was decorated with a bunch of sea-themed objects and had a large set of glass doors that looked out over the private beach.
My bag was by my bed as were the bags from the shops in town. I took a shower and washed the salt and sand out of my hair before drying out.
David said that the party was going to be at the pier so I pulled out a swimsuit for later. My face heated as I realized that Sarah had only picked out a bunch of bikinis in different colors for me. I set the blue one with pink flowers out with one of the cover-ups she picked out and changed into some loose shorts and a tank top before heading downstairs.
No one was sitting at the dining table inside. Instead, everyone was outside. Uma and a man I didn’t recognize set trays of food on the table and jugs of drink. Sarah was already serving herself. She grinned at me as I got to the table.
“You’re looking refreshed…” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Have anything to do with that delicious body pillow you were cuddled up to last night?”
“Sarah!” Amy cried. “Leave Lucy alone.”
“Not in this lifetime,” her eyes were bright. “So what did you two get up to last night?”
I huffed and poured myself a cup of juice. “We were just talking. W-We ate cake and fell asleep outside. That’s all.”
“Boring!” She cried and spooned fruit onto her plate.
Amy shook her head. “Just because you take every chance you can get to get naked with a hot guy doesn’t mean anything is going on between her and David.”
Duke snickered a little. “Not yet anyway. Give the man some time to work.”
I nudged Duke and he passed me a platter of food.
Soon, David came down to join us, dressed in shorts and a crisp white shirt.
“You don’t look like you’re getting ready to lounge around…” Sarah eyed him. “Are you disappearing for a few hours again?”
David shook his head and settled at the head of the table. “I’m not, exactly. I’ll be in my office for a bit before the party checking in on some things.”
“You can’t even take a break on your birthday?” Amy asked. “That doesn’t seem very fair.”
He chuckled. “It’s not that bad. I actually enjoy it.”
He took a bite of the French toast and grinned. “Uma must have been pleased with how easily I gave in. She’s always stingy with her French toast if she thinks I’m not doing what I should be.”
“It’s good that they care about you,” Duke said. “And you should be more obedient because this French toast is amazing.”
David laughed. We finished breakfast then David excused himself to attend to his work.
“Well, if we have a few hours to kill,” Duke said. “I’m going to get through some of this homework.”
Sarah groaned. “I had hoped you weren’t going to mention it.”
We went back upstairs to grab out backpacks and met downstairs at the outside table. Uma and the man had taken away the dirty dishes and replaced it with more drinks and snacks. For a long time, we were quiet, each of us going over our answers or reading from our textbooks. I tried not to think about all the trouble that was going on back at school. As I started my math, I found it easier to forget it with the sound of soft waves crashing against the shore in the background.
Soon, Sarah sat back with a deep sigh. “I hate math!”
“Let me see,” Amy said taking her paper and shaking her head. “Well, it might help if you used the right formula.”
She huffed and looked over at me. “Since David’s not here… any chance we’ll get some details about what happened while we were fast asleep?”
“Nothing happened. I told you.”
She pouted. “I was really hoping you wouldn’t say that.”
A while later, we had traded math packets and our papers around for each other to check. As I looked over Duke’s math questions, I couldn’t help but smile.
“What?” Duke asked, not glancing at me as he marked something on my paper. “Was I completely wrong?”
“No,” I shook my head. “I was just thinking that… this is really nice. When I was in middle school I didn’t get a chance to study with friends…”
Duke turned his gaze on me and smiled. “I wouldn’t have anyone else checking my math but you… except for Amy maybe.”
“Anytime!” Amy said waving her glittery pen in the air as she kept reading Duke’s paper. She made a note.
“A homework session, hm?” David asked coming out the back door. He’s changed into another pair of trunks and a tank top. “Glad to see that Sarah isn’t pulling everyone off the proper path.”
She stuck her tongue out. “I do my homework.”
“Mostly when I make you,” Amy rolled her eyes. “Are you done?”
David nodded. “For now. Everything else will have to wait until I get back. Are you guys at a good stopping place? The party is going to start pretty soon.”
“Yes!” Sarah cried, hopping up and starting to pack up her things. She scurried back into the house before anyone else could say anything.
“You think she realizes that she took your math packet?” Duke asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t think she cares.”
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