Me:I invited X to our bonfire tonight
Martin:Okay
Cassidy:K
Sophie:Ok
Me:Huh
Me:You guys don’t have anything else to say?
Cassidy:Nope
Cassidy:Why?
Cassidy:U have sumthing else 2 say?
Me:Nope
Cassidy:Fabulous
Martin:Excellent
Sophie:Copacetic
Me:I don’t even like you people
CHAPTER 24
Not a Date, Part 3 of 3
DOCKWEILER STATE BEACHis one of my favorite places in the world. The beach itself is beautiful, with wide stretches of (mostly clean) sand and an always-churning dark-blue ocean that seems to fall off the end of the world. There’s a bicycle path and a picnic area and even showers. My favorite part, though, are the fire rings that line the beach. If you get here early enough, you can claim one and have a bonfire with your friends underneath a darkening sky while listening to the Pacific crash all around you. It might be the most perfect place on earth.
“Is that him?” Cassidy asks.
I look up from the fire pit to see X wobbling across the sand.
“It’s easier if you take off your shoes,” I yell to him.
He stops to take them off and then wobbles a slightly steadier wobble toward us.
“You’re X,” Cassidy says when he gets to us. “Evie’s friend.”
I don’t know if I’m imagining the small pause between “Evie’s” and “friend.”
“I’m Cassidy,” she says. “I’m the rich, wild, parentally neglected friend. I got you booze.” She picks up one of the five bottles of white wine she brought. Earlier when I told her we didn’t need that many, she said, “My parents won’t even notice they’re missing.”
“I’m Martin. I guess I’m the sensitive one,” Martin says to X. “I got you a chair.” He points to the beach chair nestled in the sand next to mine.
“And I’m Sophie,” Sophie chimes in. “I’m the steady, boring one,” she says.
Cassidy takes a sip of wine. “You’re not boring,” she says.
“Thanks,” Sophie says, smiling. She turns back to X. “I brought you the most delicious sandwich in all of Los Angeles.”
X waves. “Thanks for letting me crash.”
“Evie says you’re incredible,” Cassidy says.
