My back smarts again as Cam's lungs fill with a sharp intake of air. He swallows, then exhales. "Do you wanna talk about it?"
I shake my head again. "Not tonight. I just wanna sleep," I whisper back. I feel Cam's nod.
"Okay. Night, Ror." He kisses my hair.
"Night, Cam. Love you." Feeling how emphatically I mean the words, I regret every time I said them to Robin. I'm quite sure now I never really loved him at all.
"Me too, Rory girl."
I breathe deeply, inhaling Cam's scent, purposefully filling my lungs with his masculine essence - clean, and strong... like home.
"Ror?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you just- uh... sniff me?" he asks. I hear the smile in his voice.
I jab him lightly with my elbow in response and we both laugh.
Finally I close my eyes, and slip back into sleep.
EIGHTEEN
P R E S E N T D A Y
I’M A DIFFERENTperson in Miami. The sun is shining, and I let the vitamin D seep into my skin. Here I don't have to be Rory: victim, survivor, or damaged mess. No -hereI'm just another high school senior blowing off steam on Spring Break.
I walk alone on the beach as the sun begins to set. We all spent the day by the pool, relaxing and swimming - just messing around like normal teenagers. And here, now, I can pretend I'm one of them.
I've showered and slipped on my cutoffs and a tank top, and decided to sneak in some quick alone time on the beach before I head up to Carl and Tina's room to submit to Carl's insistence on doing my hair and makeup. Tonight, we're all going out to dinner and then to club and bar hop. Dave has the scoop on which establishments don't ask for ID, and I'm surprisingly looking forward to continuing Operation: Normal Rory.
I was shocked when I saw the room Sam's uncle put me up in. It's more like a giant studio suite. A contemporary king bed dominates the large space, with a huge modern marble bathroom with both a shower and tub, not to mention a vanity area and a bidet. It has its own living area and an incredible balcony overlooking the white-sand beach. But that's not what most shocked me.
When I texted Sam that there must be some mistake with my room since the rate I paid shouldn't cover even the most basic accommodations in this hotel, an immediate knock sounded on my door.
But not the main door. No, the knock came from the door to the adjoining room.
My room attaches to Sam's suite.
And a suite it is. It's a freaking luxury apartment.
Sam's suite has a separate bedroom, living room, and even a small kitchen with a dining table. His uncle sure took care of him.
Sam even offered to keep the doors connecting our rooms open, or at least unlocked, since he has a separate bedroom anyway, but I told him I didn't think it was a good idea. I know he thinks it's because I don't trust him, not fully - not to give him unfettered access to my bedroom - but the truth is, I'm worried I'll let this new Normal Rory thing go to my head. That after a couple of drinks, I could crawl into his bed in the middle of the night like I used to do with Cam, but without the element of innocence.
I'm sure Kendall wouldn't appreciate us keeping our rooms open to one another anyway, and as jealous as I am of her, she's never done anything to me, and I wouldn't disrespect her like that.
I make my way up to Carl's room, and I'm instantly shuffled into a whirlwind of clothes, makeup brushes and sponges, hair irons, and eye shadows and lipsticks of every fathomable color. Carl wants to dress me, but I insist on wearing my own outfit, and she only agrees when I promise not to wear jeans.
Tina styles my hair in long, loose waves - a more polished and dramatic version of my natural look - and Carl goes to work on my face. Even when I wore makeup regularly it never took me more than twenty minutes, but Carl spends almost an hour doing God only knows what. She applies products I've never even heard of, and I start to worry she'll make me look like a hooker.
"You are going to get a lot of attention tonight, Rory," Carl murmurs while she works. I roll my eyes. "Hey! Don't do that, do you want your liner uneven?" she asks, and I laugh. I really couldn't care less about uneven eyeliner.
"I don't want attention. I just want to have fun with my friends. You guys aren't gonna ditch me for Tuck and Andy, right?"
Tuck and Carl have been bickering like crazy. They still consider each other a casual hookup, but it's plain for anyone to see there are real feelings there, though neither of them will admit it, and it's causing friction between them. I'm hoping this trip will bring them some perspective, because Tuck is obviously head over heels for Carl, and Carl is way too stubborn for her own good.
"We promised we wouldn't leave you alone. Relax. And I'm sure Cap will be watching you like a hawk anyway," Tina murmurs flippantly while she teases my hair.
