Author's Note: Here it goes; Chapter 20! So this didn't turn out at all how I expected. It's like every time I have a plan for what I'm gonna write; it ends up not sounds as good as I thought it would. But it's the best I could think of for now. I know I haven't updated since August 25th, and yeah that's because as some of you know, school just started back, and blah blah blah. Anyways, so I'm gonna update as frequently as possible, which will probably only be once, maybe twice a week. But at least once for sure. But anyways, I hope this chapter doesn't completely suck, because I did envision it another way; but ehh I wrote this and I didn't wanna rewrite it. Sooo, he goes nothing. 

A while later, Ryder hits the guide button on the remote and I see that the time is 8:23. He does something between a groan and a sigh, and then gets up from the bed. He walks over to his closet, and pulls out a white t-shirt and a pair of red board shorts. “Are you leaving?” I ask him.

Ryder nods, “Gotta go to work.”

          “Figures you would have to go to work on the day I don’t.” I mutter.

          “That’s just the way of the world Mick.” He tells me, crossing back over to the bed and kissing my forehead.

Then he leaves, going to the bathroom I suppose. I sit up in the bed, and grab my phone from the floor. Maybe this makes me sound a little dependent on Ryder, but I don’t know what I’m gonna do while he’s at work. I guess I could hang out with another one of the O’Connor’s. Todd and Chastity are probably hanging out; I swear they’re like inseparable. Will may be free. I don’t know about Jacob or Asher, and Hailey…yeah I don’t know. I mean we’re friends now, but she’s kinda crazy. Speaking of Hailey, I can tell that Ryder really thinks I should call Justin and apologize to him, which is the last thing I wanna do, but I will. At least he was kind enough to not press charges. He was pretty pissed off though when he came down to the station. He didn’t talk to me though, he just….yelled….a lot, at Hailey. Or I could hang out with Matt I suppose, but that may be a tad bit awkward seeing as I still have an attraction towards him, and I’m pretty sure he likes me. And then there’s Shawn, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t like me like that, which is good because I don’t like him like that, except I barely even know him. I don’t even know his last name. Do I even know Matt’s last name? I think it’s like Dawson or something like that.

I refuse to lie around this house all day, I just won’t do it. I toss my phone up in the air, catch it, and repeat. A few minutes later, Ryder comes back into the room dressed his lifeguarding clothes. He puts his sleeping clothes into the hamper, and then goes over to the nightstand and grabs his cell phone.

          “So what are you doing today?” He wonders as he slides his phone in the pocket of his pants.

          “Uh I dunno, still working on that.”

          “Do you wanna drive me to work? You know, so you can have my car if you decide you wanna go somewhere.”

          “Oh sure.” I reply, getting up from the bed. I pick up the hoodie from the floor and slide it over my head and then put on my flip-flops.

          “You’re wearing the hoodie outside?” Ryder asks, smiling.

          “Yes.” I say slowly.

          “It’s like ninety degrees.”    

I shrug, “I’ll live, and I like wearing it. Not to mention your car has air.”

          “That is a valid point.” He agrees, standing up.

Twenty minutes later, we arrive at the beach which Ryder works at. It’s only five, maybe six miles away from my job down at Seal Beach. I park the car in the lot, and look over at Ryder. “So what time do you get off?”

          “Three today.”

          “Alrighty, I’ll be here.”

          “See you later.” Ryder says, as he leans across and kisses me on the lips. He gets out of the car, and I pull off, going down the street. As I merge onto the freeway; I take my phone from the cup holder, and hit the speak now button. “Call Will.” I say to the phone. I swear, this phone is like my whole life. The phone rings a few times before I hear Will’s voice come into the receiver.

          “Hello?” He answers, sounding hoarse.

          “Hey O’Connor.”

          “Hi Bryant,” He pauses, and then says, “It’s 9:14 a.m., what’s up?”

          “What are you doing today?”

          “Um I don’t know, sleeping?”

          “You’re so boring, come on, it’s summer for crying out loud.” I say, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel as I check my rearview mirror before switching lanes.

          “Fine, fine, fine. What do you wanna do?”

          “Let’s go to the beach.”

Will groans, “Do I have to?”

          “Yes,” I say, dragging the ‘s’ out. “Come on, it’ll be so fun.”

          “Why can’t Ryder go with you?”

          “He’s at work.”

Will sighs, but I hear the sound of something moving in the background, and I take it to mean he’s sitting up. “Alright, we can go to the beach.”

          “Yay, okay. I’m pulling up right now.” I say as I park in the driveway of the O’Connor’s house.

I get out of the car, and put Ryder’s key in the lock, and twist it. I push the door open, and then lock it behind me. I bound up the stairs, then go to my room. It really has been too long since I’ve slept in here. Like when I do start back sleeping in here, it’ll feel all weird and foreign. If I sleep in here that is. I really am getting much too close to Ryder. I’m seriously gonna be so sad when I have to go back home. “Don’t think about Mickey. That’s still eight weeks from now.” I tell myself. Oh God, I just subconsciously referred to myself as Mickey. This place really is growing on me.

I shrug it off, and then go to my dresser. I pull out a bathing suit and quickly get dressed. Over the pink leopard print bikini, I pull on a white t-shirt, and a pair of blue jean shorts. I slide into a pair of flip flops, and then leave my room; turning out the light. I go down the stairs, taking them two at a time. I make my way through, and then down the hallway to where Will, Asher, and Jacob’s rooms are. I push open William’s door and then go in.

I put my hands on my hips when I see his still sleeping frame on the bed. Seventeen year old boys, I swear. “Will!” I shout. He jumps up, effectively falling out of the bed. “Oww.” He groans from the floor. Will sits up and then rubs his head, making his bed head look even worse. “That was so wrong. In so many ways.” Will announces as he stands up from the floor.

          “I told you I was outside, didn’t I?” I reply.

          “Well yeah, but who’s ever actually outside when they say they’re outside?”

          “Huh?”

          “Ya know, like when someone says there like ten minutes away, they’re really about twenty.”

          “You have really weird logic.”

          “Maybe so,” Will agrees, shrugging his shoulders.

I gesture towards the door; “I’ll be some other place. Chop chop, I’m not getting any younger here.”

          “Yes ma’am.” He retorts, mocking a salute.

I shake my head, leaving his room. I go to the living room and sit on the couch where Jacob is sitting flicking through the channels. I watch the large screen television turn from football to basketball to Disney Channel to Family Guy, to the early morning news to some telemarketing thingy, before my eyes go cross. My temples throb and I rub them. My eyes always do that if I focus on something that keeps changing like that. That includes disco balls, strobe lights, all of that kinda stuff.

          “Please stop doing that.” I say blinking and rubbing my temples.

          “Changing the channel?” He guesses.

          “Yes, please.”

          “Okay then, is there something you wanna watch?”

          “No, not particularly, just waiting for Will.”

          “Going to the beach?” Jacob wonders.

          “How’d you know?”

          “It’s what every teenager does during the summer.”

          “Then why are you here then, huh?”

          “Because it’s the a.m. and I don’t leave the house before twelve.”

          “What do you do for school then?” I wonder quizzically.

          “Okay well I do; but I prefer not to.”

I nod my head in understanding, “I got you.” Suddenly Will comes into the room; and I spin around on my heel, looking at him. “Ready?”

Will nods, “Since you won’t let me sleep; then I have no choice but to be ready.”

          “You should be thanking me. I’m sprucing up your boring summer life.”

          “Oh yes McKenna, thank you so much for bringing this bucket of joy to my life. How will I ever repay you?” Will asks sarcastically as we walk towards the door. “You can come if you wanna Jacob!”

          “Nah I’m good!” He calls back.

About twenty, twenty five minutes later, Will and I are in the ocean. Actually there aren’t many people in the ocean. Half of the girls are just over in the sand tanning, and the guys are all walking around parading their very attractive chests. Though I think Ryder looks better, but then again I’m biased.

I peak out of my sunglasses, looking around the beach. Will seems to get a quick out of tickling me to the point of tears. I swear he wouldn’t stop tickling me until tears legitimately came out of my eyes. Then he finally decided to have mercy on me. I turn back around to him; where he’s floating on the water. I shove his shoulder; wiping my eyes under the glasses.

        “You’re such a jerk.” I tell him jokingly.

        “Uh huh, sure I am.” He sarcastically agrees.

        “Now I hungry; I’m gonna go over to the food both. Coming?” I ask him.

        “Is that Cassidy girl back yet?”

I shrug, “I mean she doesn’t have salmonella anymore; but I don’t know if she has to work or not.”

        “She’s….attractive, sorta.” He informs me, “Let’s go.”

Will and I both get out of the ocean and walk over to the pile that our stuff is sitting in by a beach chair. I pick up my phone and shield it from the light. Along the top of the screen; I’m informed that I have one missed call. I sit down in the beach chair, and slide my finger across the screen. I see that the call is from Ryder.

        “You can go ahead; I have to call Ryder back.” I tell Will.

        “Yeah; I’m gonna go ahead and go. I don’t think I wanna stick around and hear you guys have phone sex.” Will says.

I take my towel and toss it at the back of his head as he walks away, chuckling to myself. I wait while the phone rings, taking the other towel and draping it around my shoulders. On the fifth and final ring Ryder answers.

        “Hey.” He says quietly.

        “Hello. Why are you speaking so quietly?”

        “Huh?” He whispers.

        “Why are you speaking so quietly?”

        “Oh because I’m at work; and my boss is like two feet away.”

        “Oh,” I say, pulling the towel closer around me. “Well I don’t wanna get you in trouble.”

        “Nah, it’s alright. You’re worth it. So what are you doing?”

        “I’m at the beach hanging out with Will. Well he’s talking to someone right now, but yeah.”

        “Well that’s good; having fun?”

        “I’d have more fun if you were here,” I tell him, “But yeah, Will’s nice company.”

Across the beach I see a pair of familiar blue printed board shorts. I move my eyes up to the wearers face and see that it’s Matt who’s sporting them and that’s why they look familiar. The first time I met him he was wearing those. Well those or a similar pair. Next to him is Shawn and he’s busy texting or something on his phone. Matt must sense me looking at them because he looks towards me at that moments and waves his hand at me. I raise my hand in reply; waving back slightly.

        “Mick? Are you there?” Ryder’s voice wonders.

I clear my throat, “Yeah I’m here. Sorry I couldn’t hear you.”

        “Oh that’s okay.”

        “So what time did you say you get off?”

        “Three o'clock.”

I grimace internally, then I look at the time on my phone; 10:32. “But that’s like five hours from now.”

        “I know, I know, but trust me, time flies.”

        “Nu uh.” I argue.

        “Little McKenna; you always have been so argumentative.”

        “Have not.” I say just to humor him.

        “I rest my case.” He says, chuckling quietly. In the background I hear a deep male voice call out, “O’Connor, are you on the phone? Someone could be drowning in your section right now!” I assume that it’s his boss. Ryder calls back, “No I’m not on the phone Dave!” Then to me he replies with, “I have to go. Dave won’t go away. I’ll see you later okay?”

        “Okay.” I reply quickly.

        “I love you.”

        “Love you too, now do your work.” I tell him, hanging up the phone.

I put my phone down in the tote bag and take the towel from around my shoulders; and wrap it tightly around my waist. I pick up the towel I threw at Will and stuff it down in there too. Then I hoist it up on my shoulders; sliding my flip flops on and then run across the sandy terrain, towards the food stand. The sand burns my feet which encourages me to run faster. When I get to the food stand; I sit down beside Will who’s really flirting it up with Cassidy. He’s such a flirt; I swear. I sit their patiently, not really minding that Cassidy hasn’t asked me what I want.

Then I feel someone standing behind me and I spin around; looking up and seeing none other than Matt Dawson? I’ll have to clarify on that last name. Shawn isn’t with him – shocker – he’s just alone. I force myself to keep my eyes trained on his face, and not his chest or any other assets. I mean, I don't like Matt, I really don't. I just think he's kinda attractive. Obviously though; I think my boyfriend is much more attractive. It's just kinda awkward because I know Matt still likes me - not to sound conceited or anything; but he makes it kinda obvious - and anyways, I just think it'll be awkward between Matt and me for a while. 

        “Hi Matt.”

        “Hey McKenna.” He replies; sitting down next to me on the chair.

        “How are you?”

        “Good; you?”

        “Pretty good. So how’s the girlfriend search coming along for you?”

He makes a noise with his lips and gives me the thumbs down. “Nowhere.”

        “Nowhere?”

        “Nope.” He tells me, popping the ‘p’.

        “Oh well, I’m sure something will work out for you.”

        “Yeah; well I have my eye on this one girl.”

        “Yeah? That’s great, why don’t you ask her out?”

        “She’s got a boyfriend, and I hear it’s pretty serious.” He says, burning holes in my retina’s with his eyes.

I look away, suddenly interested in the neon green fingernail polish on my toenails. He sure knows how to take a conversation and make it weird. Nice going Matt. I clear my throat; looking back up at him. He clears his throat too and then gestures over to Cassidy; getting her attention.

        “Can we have some water, please?”

        “Sure.” Cassidy says, turning around. She quickly grabs Matt and I two bottles of water and then closes the freezer. Then she averts her attention back to Will.

        “Sorry.” Matt mutters after he sips down his water.

I gulp down some of mine just to have something to do and wave my hand dismissively. “It’s alright.”

All of a sudden; a feel a drop of water hit my shoulder. I assume it’s from my hair but when Matt looks up at the sky; I copy his movement and look up athe one blue sky. The sun is now hidden behind a large grey cloud; and the sky in itself is now grey. I frown as raindrops pelts my nose. I get off of the stool and pull my shirt on out of the bag so as not to get sick.

I look out onto the actual beach and see that almost everyone is running across the sand; trying to get to their cars. I tap Will’s shoulder, but he doesn’t turn around. Jeez, he’s so involved in this conversation with Cassidy I don’t even think he knows it’s raining. And it won’t be long before it really pours down. I drop the bag down on top of the table, and hit his shoulder again and Will says, “What?” But he doesn’t turn to look at me. “It’s raining, we need to go.” Will doesn’t reply, so I step off of the food booth floor and walk across the sand. I hear feet behind me and then I hear Matt say, “Are you leaving him?”

I shake my head, “No, I’m not that mean. I just have to go to the bathroom.”

        “Oh, well I’ll go with you.” I raise my eyebrows at him and his face goes crimson red. “I mean you know and just stay outside until you’re done. Though I’m pretty sure it’s a unisex bathroom; so I could come in if I so chose. And why are you coming to this bathroom? No one uses it.”

I shrug, “It’s closer than the one all the way over there.” I tell him gesturing to the other side of the beach where the other bathroom is.

        “Smart ass.” I mutter jogging across the wet sand and going into the bathroom. I pull open the stall and use the toilet. Once I’m done, I flush the toilet and then come back out and wash my hands.

I dry them off with a paper towel and then toss it into the trash. I head over to the door, about to pull it open when it comes straight towards me. I step back in alarm as the door opens; nearly hitting me in the head. Matt appears before me; walking into the bathroom.

        “What are you doing?” I wonder.

        “I have to use the bathroom; I am human you know.”

        “Right; well I don’t necessarily wanna hear you use the bathroom; so I’ll wait outside.” I tell him as I tighten the towel around my waist. I go over to the door and pull it. It doesn’t open. Well that’s peculiar. I on the door again; harder this time and it still doesn’t open. “Uh Matt?”

        “Yeah?” He calls from some other part of the bathroom; I’m assuming where the urinals are since it’s unisex.

        “The door won’t open.”

        “What do you mean it won’t open?”

        “It won’t open. Like it won’t open.” I reiterate.

        “Oh step aside rookie. Let a man do this.” He says, walking towards me.

        “Be my guest. If you can get that door open I’ll…I don’t know, I’ll do something.”

Matt pulls the door handle; and again it doesn’t budge. Not even a small amount. He tugs on it, and then pulls again exerting all his energy on it. Then he turns around and looks at me, “It won’t open.”

        “Thank you Captain Obvious.” I mutter. “And don’t do that whole Sargent Sarcasm. Or whatever it is.” I warn him. I pull on the door; throwing all of myself into it. It doesn’t move. Note even a fraction of an inch. “Fuck.” Matt says, watching me. Together the two of us try pulling on it together; and even then it still doesn’t open. I slump down to the ground when it becomes evident that neither of us are gonna be able to open the door. I cannot be trapped in this bathroom with Matt; I really cannot. That’d put a real damper on things. Matt continues to pull as hard as he can on the door handle while I sigh heavily.

        “McKenna?” He says a few minutes later.

        "Yeah?"

        “We’re stuck.”

        “I know.” I reply. Then he slides down beside me, knocking his head gently on the wall behind us.