Skye slept on and off; she needed to talk to Trevor. She also needed to decide what to do about her job. Was she going back? Could she go back? She felt her insides heating up and her stomach getting nauseous. Was it too much stress, alcohol from last night, or hunger? It was probably a little bit of everything.
By eight she had no choice but to get out of bed and get something to eat. She’d been ignoring the calls and light knocks on the door asking if she was awake. She just curled up in bed and pretended no one was there.
Skye had stayed in bed for only one reason. She didn’t want to face Trevor and try to explain she wanted to be just friends and that she couldn’t get involved with someone, especially long distance. They would be leaving soon, and she would never see him again. Why start something that would only end sooner rather than later?
She didn’t care that the thought of leaving and not seeing Trevor’s smile, strong shoulders, and those muscled arms made her heart hurt. She would miss seeing the sun shining off his naked chest. Oh, for the love God. I have to stop imaging him without his clothes on.
By the time she ate with her friends then left the beach house, it was after eleven. Trevor and some of his friends were outside on the beach talking. They went over to talk to the guys and walked into the ocean. The group talked, waded waist deep in the water, and collected more shells. After a while, burgers and hot dogs were fixed along with chips, salad, fruit and drinks. After eating, Skye went inside to shower and change.
Going out the front door, she saw Trevor standing by his car on the phone. As soon as he saw her, he got off the phone and headed right for her.
“Hey, there. I’m glad you’re outside. We need to talk.” There, right to the point.
Trevor stood only one step away. “Yes, we do.” She glanced around. “Why don’t we sit on the steps?”
At the bottom step, Skye sat down with her feet and knees together and hands crossed around her stomach. She leaned against the railing to give him enough room so they wouldn’t be touching.
Both of them just sat there not saying anything. She knew what she had to say, but every time she tried to speak the words out loud, they got stuck in her throat. Why couldn’t she just say, ‘We had a nice time together, but we both know it won’t last’? She just couldn’t get those words out. She rubbed her sweaty hands on her shorts, her nerves getting the best of her.
“Have you had fun with your friends?” She decided to start small, but she couldn’t bring herself to face him. Instead, she peeked over at him slightly.
Trevor turned with his back against the railing and stared at her for what seemed like an hour. “Yes. I always enjoy seeing my friends. You?”
“Oh, yes I enjoy seeing them,” Skye replied, but she still didn’t face him fully. She didn’t understand why it was so damn hard. Maybe if she stood up she would get her confidence.
Standing up and putting her best therapist mask on, she turned only to notice that Trevor now stood too. “Trevor, we will both be heading back to our own lives in separate states. So, I believe it would be best for both of us to say goodbye now. I had a lovely time, however what’s happened here at the beach… we will just chalk it up to the romantic atmosphere.” Perfect. Please, just say goodbye.
He didn’t say a word. Just glared at her with wide eyes; she didn’t know if he was stunned or shocked. “I am not clear what you are saying.”
She knew he was full of shit. Needing to move in order to keep him at a distance, she headed to the side of the house, and he, of course, followed. “We can be friends, but that’s it.”
“Friends.” Trevor said the word very slow and in a monotone voice.
She hated when anyone sounded or talked that way, even herself. “Yes, friends. If you don’t want to be friends, I guess that’s okay too. But, I would really like to keep in touch.”
Again, he said, “Friends.”
“Will you say something else besides the word friends in that voice? It’s really starting to piss me off.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she hoped to get him to just give up and leave. Skye didn’t have the strength to move.
They both stood there facing each other. Not realizing what he planned to do, Trevor reached out and pulled her away from the house. “What are you doing?”
“Getting us out of sight of your friends and mine. So, no one can hear us.” Trevor moved her toward the front of the guy’s house. He didn’t appear to be happy. His lips were in a firm line, his jaw tensed, and his brows pushed together.
Skye tried to remove her arm from his hand with no success. “Trevor, let me go. It won’t work between us. We just need to end this.” She panted for breath and tried to keep up with his long strides.
At that, he abruptly stopped and stared, still holding her arm. She cleared her throat. “This will not work between us, Trevor. I just want to be friends.” It hurt her to say that to him.