“I said, what are you doing?” He repeats it through gritted teeth, his rage growing, and Charmaine's smug snort behind him as she breaks into a bitchy smile sets my teeth on edge. I’m aware of others standing further off and catching a glimpse of Dane’s bigger group of guy friends holding a volleyball. We have an audience. There are at least four more of Dane’s crew, which means girls will follow.
“Standing up for myself…. we were here first. What the hell has it got to do with you?” I don’t know what is going on or why he is being this way, and instead of my fighting spirit staying strong, I suddenly feel out of my depth. My tone dropping, and my bravado dimmed.
“You going to have a fistfight over a square of sand? Get knocked about over something this stupid… just move, Kayla. Stop making a scene. It’s embarrassing.” He snaps at me, and it wounds my feelings. Being humiliated by him backing her up and not me confuses me that he’s like this.
Tyler moves past him, avoiding my eye, and nods to Elisa to get up, so she does so obediently. I'm furious that this is happening. Tyler doesn’t say anything to defend me either, and Elisa goes into shy and scared mode and allows him to control her.
“No… sit down, Elisa. Fuck off, Dane. Keep out of this. We were already here, and I have no reason to get up just because she demanded it…. You have no right to tell us to leave…..”
“Pretty sure he just did, honey,” Charmaine smirks, and Alice does too, both eyeing me up like the cat who got the cream and my face flames. All thoughts of confusion and possible crushing on this asshole die a death at his obnoxious feet, and I know this will only escalate with the rearing of wounded pride and crushing pain in my chest.
Dane glares at me. His gaze locked on mine in an unflinching show of dislike as though trying to intimidate me into leaving. Standing there like some thug boy, shielding those two bitches and acting like I’m an outsider who came to cause trouble.
My throat constricts, and I have to swallow hard to get my saliva down, hands sweaty from whatever this is.
Elisa is right.
In all the years we have known one another, Dane always steps in and shields me when things happen at school. I don’t know what this is, as he's never sided against me in this way with anyone, for any reason. I have never been bullied because he’s always right there, and no one would mess with him.
“It may be a stupid square of sand, but it’s the principle. We were here first and minding our ….” My voice trembles.
“Leave.” Dane grinds it at me, low and commanding, not letting me finish, and my eyes smart as I narrow them on him, my heart thundering in my chest. He stops focusing on me and instead turns his attention to the two other girls, turning his back on me and making me feel even more worthless. I'm aware Tyler is ushering Elisa further down the beach, leaving me alone, and I lose my courage.
“Screw you.” I gush at him breathlessly, eyes dampening. Mad as hell but also humiliated and crushed. I can feel all eyes on us as his friends stand silently and are probably confused. I scoop up my bag and yank my towel from the sand before turning on my heel and storming after my friend, vision blurring because I am so close to angry tears, catching up with her, also looking tearful like she’s been told off by Tyler, and I give that jerk a hateful stare too.
“Let her go. Go away and leave us alone. Your two women are calling.” I shove Tyler back with force, so he stumbles away and hook Elisa’s hand before walking at speed and tugging her with me, so close to crying it’s not even funny.
Tyler has the sense to remain silent and stands somewhat awkwardly to watch us walk off with a feeble expression like he knows he just did wrong.
Assholes.
“What the fuck was that?” I snap under my breath as we distance ourselves from him, for her ears only, and yank her along even though she’s struggling to keep up in the soft sand with her sneakers on.
“Tyler said it was for our own good and we should go… he said….”
“I don’t want to hear it.” I shut her down, then turn sharply left, dragging her up the embankment towards the car park, not caring if I am acting crazy. Making the walk take half the time it normally would as I am powerwalking her legs off.
I don’t look back because seeing them all cozy down there will make me tear my hair out and have the urge to run back and rip hers out, too. I'm no longer in the mood to be here. Shamed by my own fucking brother over something this stupid.
“The absolute nerve… how dare they….. Who the hell do they think they are?” I'm bubbling up inside with a mix of anger, shame, and something painful and sharp lodged in my chest. I feel like Dane has personally wedged a knife in my chest as I huff and stomp and don’t let up until we get to my jeep.
Almost ripping Elisa’s arm from her socket with the angry way I am dragging her with me, she stays quiet and doesn’t complain. Just trots along awkwardly to keep up with me. Knowing it’s better to let me vent first before she attempts conversation.
When we get to the car, I beep it unlocked and rip the door open, throwing my bag into the back with force and storming in before slapping both palms on my steering wheel so hard it stings like crazy. I jerk my seat with a harsh thrust and have to curb the urge to kick at the pedals.
“What is his fucking deal?” I yell at the windscreen and start gasp-panting as I combat a surge of emotion that feels like I can’t catch my breath. Swarming me like smog. Gripping my wheel and clenching everything up tight to combat the urge to scream.
Elisa cautiously climbs into the passenger seat and gently closes her door before turning and depositing her bag back there as well, carefully and precisely, as she measures her movements. Glancing at me timidly for a second before reaching out and touching my arm with the featherlight stroke of air.
“Calm down, Koala bear……. You know Dane does things to be a jerk. He seemed really mad yesterday when they left, and this is him taking a tantrum out on you.”
“He’s been mad at me a million times before, but never ever let anyone bully me!” I wail at her, tears pricking my eyes out of nowhere, and Elisa's widen in shock at seeing them. She, too, has never seen me cry in so long, yet in only a couple of days, here I am at it again. I don’t know what is wrong with me lately.
She bites her lip a little, looking pensive before patting my cheek and trying to cool down my obvious distress.