Make Me Over

I sit at my desk chair, eyeing the bag resting on top of my bed. Momma had just bought me a new bathing suit, but I still can’t bring myself to put it on. All I can think about are my thighs hanging out, the softness of my stomach, and the parts of me everyone else will probably notice first.

I let out a frustrated sigh and lean back in the chair, crossing my arms tightly over my chest like maybe I can somehow hide from my own thoughts. The swimsuit bag practically taunts me from across the room. Pretty little floral print. Tiny little strings. Meant for girls who don’t have to overthink every inch of themselves before stepping outside.

My eyes drift toward the mirror hanging on the closet door, and instantly my stomach twists. I already know what I’ll see before I even stand up. Thick thighs. Wide hips. A stomach too soft. Arms that never look as small as I want them to.

The worst part isn’t even the swimsuit itself. It’s the feeling that comes with it—that awful, crawling awareness of your own body. Like the second you walk out near a pool, everybody’s eyes automatically lock onto the things you hate most about yourself.

I imagine the girls at the pool laughing effortlessly in their bikinis while I tug at the bottom of mine every five seconds, trying to cover skin that refuses to stay covered. I picture myself wrapping a towel around my waist the entire time or sitting in the heat pretending I don’t even want to swim, just so nobody has to look at me.

A lump rises in my throat.

Maybe other people wouldn’t notice the things I notice. Maybe they wouldn’t care. But that doesn’t stop the panic sitting heavy in my chest every time I think about standing in front of everyone half-dressed while pretending I’m comfortable.

I groan and drop my face into my hands, my elbows digging into the desk as embarrassment and frustration crash over me all over again.

God, why does something as simple as a bathing suit have to feel this miserable?

My fingers press harder against my forehead while my mind keeps spiraling, one cruel thought stacking on top of another until I can barely breathe through them anymore. Every flaw feels magnified in my head, stretched bigger than it probably really is.

I peek through my fingers toward the bag on the bed again and immediately picture myself standing poolside in front of everybody—exposed, uncomfortable, sucking in my stomach every two seconds while pretending I’m having fun. The thought alone sends heat creeping up my neck.

I can already hear the comparisons in my head. Girls with flat stomachs. Long legs. Perfect tan skin. Girls who throw on swimsuits without turning it into a full emotional breakdown beforehand.

Meanwhile, I’m sitting here feeling sick over a few pieces of fabric.

A shaky breath leaves me as I lean back in the chair again, my arms wrapping around my middle this time like I’m trying to physically hold myself together. Deep down, I know Momma bought the swimsuit because she thought I’d look pretty in it. She always tells me I’m beautiful.

But sometimes it doesn’t matter what anybody else says when your own brain refuses to believe it.

‘What if I look ridiculous?’ I mumble to myself. ‘What if everybody stares?’

Another shaky breath leaves me as I reach for my headphones, desperate to drown my thoughts out with music before they swallow me whole.

Just as I slide them over my ears, there’s a soft knock at my bedroom door.”

"Josie, dear? Are you about ready to go?" Momma asks softly as she cracks the bedroom door open and peeks inside.

"Momma, I told you I'm not going," I say, my voice tight with protest.

She stops and turns back to me. "What's the reason now? I thought we talked about this."

I look down, twisting my fingers together. "I don't want to get in a bathing suit in front of all those people, Momma," I whisper.

"Stacy? Josie? What's wrong?" Lucy asks as she walks into the room.

"Well, our beautiful girl needs a little encouragement today," Momma says gently.

You see, I have two mothers. My birth mother is Stacy Holland, and she's married to my other mother, Lucy.

Lucy's expression softens instantly, all traces of teasing disappearing the second she really looks at me. I can practically see the realization settle across her face—that this isn't me being dramatic or fishing for compliments. I'm genuinely hurting.

"Aww, sweetie, I'm sorry," she says gently as she walks over toward me. "I know things at school have been hard lately."

There’s no judgment in her voice. No impatience. Just understanding. Like she remembers exactly what it feels like to be a teenage girl picking herself apart in mirrors and comparing herself to everyone around her.

She sits carefully on the edge of my bed and nudges my leg lightly, trying to ease some of the heaviness hanging in the room.

"And I've told you before—boys are trouble. That's why there are no boys allowed in the Holland house," she adds jokingly.

It’s cheesy. Completely ridiculous, honestly. But I know she’s trying to make me smile without dismissing how I feel, and somehow that makes the tightness in my chest loosen just a little.

Her eyes drift briefly toward the swimsuit bag before returning to me again, softer this time. Concerned. Understanding.

Like she already knows exactly what kind of battle I’ve been fighting inside my own head.

Despite myself, I let out a small laugh.

"That's not helping your case," Momma teases.

Lucy shrugs dramatically. "I'm just speaking facts." Then her voice softens again as she looks back at me. "Josie, honey, people can be cruel because they're insecure about themselves. That doesn't make the things they say true."

"But Lucy, those boys will be there," I say, my voice cracking as tears fill my eyes. "They'll harass me."

"Oh, absolutely not," Lucy says immediately, her expression hardening. "You point them out to me, and I'll kick their asses. I do not play."

Momma snorts softly from beside her. "Lucy..."

"What? I'm serious," Lucy says, though her tone stays playful enough to pull a tiny laugh out of me.

She reaches up and gently wipes the tears from my cheeks. "Baby girl, listen to me. Those boys don't get to decide your worth. Miserable people love making other people feel small because it distracts from how ugly they feel inside."

Momma kneels beside my chair and takes my hand. "You are smart, beautiful, kind, and loved more than you realize. And if anyone says otherwise, then they don't deserve one second of your attention."

I stare down at my hands, trying to believe them.

"Okay, fine," I mumble, wiping at my face. "But if they start on me, I'm walking home. I don't care."

Lucy pats my back gently. "Alright, now I'm gonna tell you a little secret. And I'm not saying this just because I love you—it's because it's the truth. So listen very carefully."

She waits until I finally look up at her.

"High school boys are small-minded, sweaty little disasters," she says, making Momma laugh softly behind her. "Right now, most of them are insecure and trying way too hard to impress each other. That's why they act like idiots."

A small smile tugs at the corner of my mouth.

Lucy points at me dramatically. "But in a few years? Those same boys are gonna be wishing you'd give them the time of day."

"Lucy," Momma says with a grin.

"I'm serious!" Lucy says before turning back to me. Her voice softens. "Honey, you hold your head high and focus on building your life. Focus on school. Go to college if that's what you want. Chase the kind of future that makes you proud of yourself."

She squeezes my hand gently.

"The right person will come along one day and love every single thing about you exactly the way you are. And when that happens, you'll realize those boys and their opinions never mattered in the first place."

I let out a long sigh. "Okay, Lucy. I love you guys," I say quietly.

Before I can react, they both crowd in around me, kissing my cheeks at the same time.

"Ahh! Okay, okay! That's enough kisses!" I squeal, laughing as I try to squirm away from them.

Momma reaches up and pinches my cheeks gently. "We just can't help it. You're our little honey bear! These cheeks are just too kissable," she says in an exaggerated baby voice.

"AHH! Momma!" I groan, laughing harder as I dodge her hands.

Lucy leans down and presses one soft kiss to my forehead. "There's our girl."

I shake my head, smiling despite myself. "Okay, let me go get my bag."

I hurry to gather the rest of my things before they can smother me with even more affection. Grabbing my swimsuit and a change of clothes, I sling my bag over my shoulder and head downstairs.

"All set?" Lucy asks.

"I suppose," I mutter dramatically.

Momma grins. "Okay, let's go!"

The three of us head out the front door together and climb into Momma's Range Rover parked in the driveway. A few seconds later, we back out and pull away from the house.

A few minutes pass, and we arrive at our destination. Cars line the driveway and spill onto the side of the road. Music drifts faintly through the warm afternoon air, mixed with laughter and splashing water.

My stomach instantly twists into knots.

We climb out of the Range Rover and walk toward the house together. Momma knocks on the door, and a second later it swings open.

"Hey! There are my girls!" a cheerful voice says.

Mariah Hudson stands in the doorway, tall and effortlessly beautiful, her long blonde hair spilling over her shoulders in soft waves. There's an easy confidence about her, the kind that naturally draws attention the second she walks into a room.

Lucy and Mariah had been inseparable ever since surviving nursing school together, their friendship forged through sleepless nights, heartbreak, chaotic ER shifts at Legions Hospital, and years of standing beside each other through every hard moment life threw their way.

"Come on in!" she says warmly, kissing both of them on the cheeks. "I'm so glad you girls made it."

Then her attention shifts to me.

"There's that beautiful girl," she says, pulling me into a hug before I can dodge it. "Where have you been? I've missed you."

Guilt settles heavily in my chest.

The truth is, I've been avoiding coming here because of the boys her son hangs around with at school. The same boys who make my life miserable whenever they get the chance.

"Sorry," I mumble softly. "I've just been really busy."

She pulls back slightly, studying my face as she knows there's more to it, but thankfully, she doesn't press.

"Well, I'm glad you're here," she says instead, giving my shoulders a playful squeeze. "Georgia and Harper are already out by the pool. Go join them, honey."

I force myself to nod even though my nerves are screaming at me to stay inside.

I start making my way down the hallway when a loud screech behind me nearly makes me jump out of my skin.

"You made it!"

I spin around to see Brie Madden hurrying toward us with a towel wrapped around her shoulders, her damp hair dripping onto the hardwood floor.

"The water is perfect, girls! Y'all better come out and join us," she says excitedly.

She stops short and lifts her hands. "I'd give everybody hugs, but I'm completely soaked."

Everyone laughs.

"You girls can change in the bathroom or in Georgia's old room," Mariah says casually. "Just stay out of Bentley's room. It's a complete war zone in there." She snorts. "That boy would lose his head if it wasn't attached."

Brie shakes her head dramatically. "I swear, teenage boys survive entirely on energy drinks and dirty laundry."

Lucy points at me with a grin. "See? More proof boys are disgusting."

"Facts," Brie agrees instantly.

I laugh softly despite the nervous flutter still twisting in my stomach. For a moment, being surrounded by all their warmth and teasing almost makes me forget why I was so afraid to come.

I nod quietly and make my way down the hallway toward the bathroom just past Bentley's room.

My heart pounds harder with every step.

As I pass his door, someone suddenly steps out at the exact same time.

"Oomph—"

I stumble back slightly after running straight into a solid chest.

"U-Umm... excuse me," I mumble quickly.

Strong hands catch my arms before I can lose my balance.

"It's quite all right," a deep voice says calmly.

I glance up for half a second.

Bentley.

He's standing there in dark swim trunks, damp hair slightly messy like he'd just come in from the pool. He's smiling at me softly, not mean or mocking as I expected.

Still, heat rushes to my face instantly.

I look down at the floor and quickly move around him toward the bathroom. "Sorry," I whisper again as I hurry inside.

Before shutting the door, I glance back once.

He's still standing there watching me, that same unreadable smile on his face.

I quickly shut and lock the door before leaning back against it with a groan.

Great.

This is exactly why I didn't want to come.

Bentley hangs around the same group of boys who torment me at school constantly. He never really joins in on the jokes or the cruel comments, but he never tells them to stop either.

And somehow, that almost hurts worse.

Bentley and the boys he hangs around with are all set to graduate this coming year.

Part of me is relieved about that.

Maybe once they're gone, the hallways at school won't feel so suffocating all the time. Maybe I'll finally be able to walk to class without hearing whispers behind me or feeling eyes on my back.

Still, the damage they've already done lingers.

I still have two more years left of high school, though technically I'm already starting college classes through an early-entry program. Momma says I should be proud of myself for getting ahead.

Most days, I am.

But no amount of good grades seems to erase the dread I feel walking into places like this.

There will always be another party, another cookout, another social function Momma drags me to. Another room full of people,, I'm convinced are staring at me.

I guess I just have to survive it a little longer while I'm still living at home.

Once I leave for college full-time, maybe things will finally be different.

I take a deep breath and force myself to change into the swimsuit. After a minute of silently psyching myself up, I unlock the bathroom door and head outside onto the back deck.

The sunlight immediately warms my skin.

Across the pool, Georgia and Harper are stretched out in lounge chairs, looking effortlessly beautiful and put together like always. Even though they're older than me, they've never once made me feel unwanted. They've always included me in everything.

Still, standing near them makes every insecurity I have feel louder somehow.

Laughter erupts from the pool.

I glance over and see a group of boys splashing around and shoving each other. A couple of them look in my direction and begin whispering and laughing.

My stomach drops instantly.

Bentley stands off toward the corner of the pool by himself. He pushes wet hair back from his forehead and wipes water from his eyes before looking directly at me.

God, please stop.

I know I'm huge.

I know I look ridiculous standing out here.

I lower my gaze quickly and force myself to keep walking toward the girls.

"Hey, girls," I say softly as I approach Georgia and Harper.

They both lean forward, shielding their eyes from the sun as they spot me approaching.

"Hey, join us, Jos," Georgia calls out warmly.

"Yeah, come lie next to me," Harper adds, patting the lounger beside her.

I walk over and lower myself onto the foldout chair beside Harper before leaning back against it, trying to relax even though my nerves still buzz beneath my skin.

Georgia smiles as she looks me over. "I love your swimsuit, by the way. It makes your boobs look amazing."

A surprised laugh escapes me before I can stop it.

"Thank you," I say quietly, ducking my head a little.

For a second, I almost start to feel okay.

Then I hear them.

"Two-Ton Tessa is blocking our view," Chad says loudly from the pool area after sinking a basketball into the hoop.

"Yeah, I'm blinded by all the cellulite," Logan adds.

The words hit me like a slap.

The tiny bit of confidence I'd managed to build disappears instantly.

I lean back against the chair and close my eyes, willing myself not to react. My throat tightens painfully as tears start slipping down my cheeks.

Quickly, I reach for my sunglasses and shove them onto my face before anyone can fully see me crying.

I glance over toward the deck and see Momma and Lucy laughing with Mariah and Brie like they don't have a single worry in the world. Their voices carry across the yard as they joke and tease each other.

Nearby, Mariah and Brie's husbands, Dylan and Seth, stand by the grill with beers in their hands while smoke curls up into the summer air.

The whole backyard feels warm and alive.

Then suddenly—

Splash!

Cold water sprays across my legs.

"Damn it, Rhett! I'll kick your ass!" Harper yells at her little brother.

Rhett bursts into laughter before diving underwater to escape her. A second later, he pops up in the shallow end, grinning like a menace.

I can't help smiling a little.

Across the pool, Georgia's boyfriend, John Luke, is in the water with their little girl, Scarlett. Tiny pink floaties hug her arms while he carefully helps her paddle through the water.

Scarlett squeals with laughter, kicking her little feet wildly while John Luke beams at her like she hung the moon.

It's honestly adorable.

John Luke is also Harper's older stepbrother. He had just returned home a few months ago after completing a tour in Afghanistan with the Marine Corps, and ever since then, he seemed to soak up every second he could with his family—especially Scarlett.

The back door slides open again.

Maggie—Dylan's younger sister—steps outside with her husband, Oliver, and their three kids trailing behind them. Two of them are twin girls who immediately sprint toward the pool in matching swimsuits and floaties, shrieking with excitement the second they spot the water.

They cannonball right beside Rhett, splashing water everywhere.

"Oh no," Harper mutters dramatically.

Rhett grabs a bright green squirt gun from beside the pool and immediately starts spraying the girls while they scream and scatter around the patio.

"Hey, Rhett! Cool it!" Seth hollers from the grill.

Rhett laughs and tosses the squirt gun aside before swimming across the pool.

For a few moments, everyone is so busy laughing and chasing kids around that the cruel comments from earlier fade quietly into the background.

Chad swims over and grabs the squirt gun from the edge of the pool before filling it with water.

At first, I don't think anything of it.

Then he turns toward me.

Before I can react, a stream of water blasts directly into my face.

I gasp and jerk backward as laughter erupts around the pool.

"You're blocking the view, heifer!" Logan yells.

Something inside me finally snaps.

That's it.

I'm done.

I jump up from the lounge chair and storm toward the patio door as fast as I can without completely breaking down in front of everyone.

"Josie?" Momma calls the second she notices me. Her smile immediately disappears. "What happened?"

Lucy, Mariah, and Brie all look over at me with concern as I approach.

"Nothing. I just have to pee, that's all," I lie quickly, forcing a tight smile onto my face.

Momma reaches for my arm gently. "You sure?"

"Yes," I say sharply.

I pull away from her grip before she can stop me and hurry inside.

My chest feels tight, like I can't breathe.

I grab my bag from the hallway and rush toward the bathroom.

"Hey!"

I freeze.

I turn around slowly and see Bentley standing a few feet behind me.

"What do you want now?" I snap, my voice shaking. "You come to torture me some more?"

His expression immediately falls. "No—I—I came to..."

"Leave me alone!" I cry before he can finish.

I turn around and slam the bathroom door shut behind me.

A minute later, I hear the patio door close softly somewhere in the distance.

Then the tears come hard.

Why me?

Why are they so cruel to me?

I look up at myself in the mirror. My soaked hair sticks to my cheeks while mascara smudges beneath my eyes.

I look pathetic.

Quickly, I peel off the swimsuit and throw my clothes back on with trembling hands before grabbing my bag.

Nobody notices me slipping quietly out the front door.

The second I'm outside, I start walking home.

I need air.

I need silence.

I need to get away from those cruel little assholes.

By the time I finally make it home, my chest aches from holding everything in.

I run upstairs to my bedroom and slam the door behind me.

The second I'm alone, I completely fall apart.

My phone vibrates beside me.

Momma: Where are you?

I stare at the screen through blurry eyes before typing back.

Me: Leave me alone.

Then I shut my phone off completely.

I curl up on my bed, exhausted from crying.

At some point, without even realizing it, I fall asleep.

---

Bentley's POV

I need to get ready. Momma said Josie would be here soon.

God, that girl makes me nervous in both the worst and best ways at the same time.

Like one look from her can either completely ruin my train of thought... or make my entire day.

Maybe both. Usually both.

I hurry and pull on my swim trunks before rushing out of my room.

"Oomph—"

I nearly run straight into someone in the hallway.

Shit.

It's Josie.

"Umm... excuse me," she says quietly, stumbling back a little.

I instinctively reach out and steady her by the shoulders. "It's quite all right," I say softly.

Then she looks up at me for half a second.

Those gorgeous honey-colored eyes. Damn...

Every single time she looks at me, it feels like my brain completely short-circuits.

For one stupid second, all I can think about is what it would feel like to kiss her.

She immediately looks down, nervous as hell, and practically rushes into the bathroom.

Right before she shuts the door, she glances back up at me.

I can't help smiling.

She's adorable when she gets flustered.

A second later, the door slams shut, and I hear the lock click.

I shake my head to myself and head outside toward the pool.

The second I hit the deck, I sprint and launch myself into the deep end with a cannonball big enough to send water flying everywhere.

"Dammit, Bentley!" somebody yells while the guys scatter away from the splash.

I come up laughing and swipe the basketball out of Chad's hands before dragging him underwater with me.

"Cheating asshole!" he sputters when we resurface.

I just grin and toss the ball toward the hoop.

Then I see her.

Josie steps out onto the deck in her swimsuit, her nervous eyes darting around like she already expects people to stare.

And honestly?

I think every guy out here is insane.

Because she looks beautiful.

She walks toward the loungers where my sister and Harper are sitting, her arms folded awkwardly across her stomach like she's trying to make herself smaller.

I can't stop watching her.

Josie's gorgeous. Soft curves, pretty eyes, flushed cheeks whenever someone gives her attention. Half the idiots around here are too immature to see it.

She glances over at me for a second.

I wipe water from my eyes and watch her quickly look away while sitting beside Harper.

I'm honestly just glad she came.

Then Chad opens his damn mouth.

"Two-Ton Tessa is blocking the view," he says with a laugh.

Logan snickers beside him. "Yeah, I'm blinded by all the cellulite."

I immediately tense.

Fucking morons.

I glance toward Josie and see her go still for a second before putting her sunglasses on. Even from across the pool, I can tell those comments got to her.

Anger crawls up my neck.

Half these guys only come over here to stare at my sister and Harper anyway, acting like hormonal idiots the entire time.

Before I can say anything, Rhett swims over and splashes Josie without thinking.

Harper instantly snaps, "Damn it, Rhett! I'll kick your ass!"

Rhett cackles and dives underwater to escape her.

But Josie barely reacts.

She just keeps staring off toward the deck like she's trying really hard not to cry.

Harper yells at Rhett while he laughs and grabs the squirt gun again, chasing the twins around the pool deck until Seth barks at him to knock it off.

My attention barely stays on any of it.

My eyes keep drifting back to Josie.

Her long, dark brown hair falls in loose waves around her shoulders, catching the sunlight every time she moves. Her skin has this warm olive tone that makes her glow out here.

And yeah... she's got curves.

I don't get why everyone acts like that's a bad thing.

Personally, I like it.

A lot.

She's soft in all the right places, and every time she smiles—even though it's rare—it completely wrecks me.

Josie has one of those smiles that makes you want to keep looking at her.

Then suddenly—

A blast of water smacks her right in the face.

I jerk my head toward the pool and see Chad holding the squirt gun while Logan nearly doubles over laughing.

My stomach instantly twists.

Josie stands up so fast her chair almost flips backward before storming toward the house.

I watch my mom, Lucy, and the others immediately notice something's wrong and get to their feet.

"What happened?" Stacy asks her.

Even from here, I can tell Josie's trying not to cry.

I climb out of the pool fast enough that water splashes across the concrete.

Something twists hard in my chest watching Josie disappear inside like that.

I jog through the patio door after her just in time to see her snatch up her bag from the hallway table.

"Hey!" I call out.

She spins around so fast it almost catches me off guard.

"What do you want now?" she snaps, her voice shaking. "You come to torture me some more?"

The words hit harder than they should.

"No—I... I came to..." I stammer.

Shit.

Why can't I get the words out?

I wanted to tell her I wasn't laughing at her.

I wanted to apologize on behalf of Chad and Logan.

Hell, I wanted to take her somewhere quiet and tell her she's beautiful and that every one of those idiots out there is blind.

But standing there looking at her with tears filling her eyes, my brain completely locks up.

"Leave me alone!" she cries before turning away.

A second later, the bathroom door slams shut hard enough to rattle the hallway walls.

I stand there staring at it for a moment.

Too late.

I already fucked this up.

Anger surges through me so fast it makes my hands shake.

I turn around and storm back outside toward the pool.

Chad and Logan are still laughing when I jump straight back into the water.

Before Chad can even react, I drive my fist straight into his face.

"OH SHIT!" somebody yells from the deck.

Chad goes underwater before popping back up sputtering.

I grab the front of his shoulder and try jerking him toward me.

He shoves away hard and scrambles backward toward the side of the pool.

"Benny, what the fuck?!" he yells, holding his jaw.

Then I turn and lunge at Logan.

I grab him and yank him underwater with me. The second we come back up, I start throwing punches before he can even defend himself properly.

"Bentley! Stop!" somebody yells from the deck.

Water splashes everywhere as Logan tries to shove me off him.

I barely hear any of it over the ringing in my ears.

All I can picture is Josie standing there trying not to cry while those assholes laughed at her.

Suddenly, strong arms lock around my chest and jerk me backward.

"What the fuck is wrong with you boys?!" Seth roars.

He drags me away while Dad steps between Logan and me.

The entire backyard has gone dead silent.

Kids stare wide-eyed from the shallow end while the adults rush toward the pool.

Dad grabs my shoulder and spins me toward him. "Boy, you got some explaining to do!"

My chest heaves as I try to calm down, but my whole body is still shaking with rage.

I look around and realize every single person out here is staring at me.

"Chad and Logan were making fun of Josie," I snap. "It pissed me off."

Seth's expression hardens immediately.

He looks toward Chad and Logan. "Is that true?"

Neither of them answers right away.

They just shrug.

That somehow makes me even angrier.

Dad points at both of them. "I won't have you little shits coming to my house disrespecting a female. You hear me? Not in my damn house!"

Stacy and Lucy walk over toward the pool with worried looks while Mom follows close behind them.

"We were just joking around," Chad mutters defensively while rubbing his jaw. "We didn't mean anything by it."

Dad steps closer to him. "Well, she sure as hell didn't find it funny."

Chad looks down at the water while rubbing his jaw.

"Oh, is it fun to make fun of someone?" Stacy snaps, stepping closer to both boys. "Do you think it's fun for her? Or for the people who love her?"

Neither of them says anything at first.

"Sorry," Logan mutters quietly.

"Yeah... sorry," Chad adds.

Stacy lets out a sharp laugh with absolutely no humor in it. "Oh, well, good. That fixes everything then, doesn't it?"

"Stacy..." Lucy says softly, trying to calm her.

But Stacy is furious now.

"You know what? I'll see you boys again someday in a courtroom when your future ex-wives take you for everything you have," Stacy says, pointing directly at them. "Trust me when I tell you it'll happen, you little bastards.

A few people nearby awkwardly look away while Seth mutters, "Jesus Christ..."

Lucy steps closer and places a calming hand on Stacy's shoulder. "Baby, let's go," she says quietly.

Mariah looks absolutely mortified. "Lucy... Stacy... I am so sorry."

“Yeah,” Stacy whispers bitterly, her composure finally cracking as tears well in her eyes. She presses her lips together hard like she’s trying to hold herself together, but the hurt and fury bleeding across her face are impossible to miss.

“I’m sorry too,” she says shakily, tears gathering in her eyes as anger flashes across her face. “I’m sorry that I keep putting her in situations where those two little assholes get the chance to tear her apart.”

The entire backyard falls silent again.

"It won't happen anymore," Stacy says firmly before turning away.

Stacy storms toward the house without another word while Brie quickly hurries after her.

"Stacy, wait!" Brie calls.

Lucy pauses long enough to give Mom a small apologetic look. "Sorry, Ri. It'll blow over," she says softly before following after Stacy.

Mom presses both hands over her mouth, tears filling her eyes.

"You know what, you little punks?" Dad barks suddenly, turning toward Chad and Logan. "Get the hell out of my house."

Neither of them argues.

Dad and Seth yank them out of the pool and march them toward the gate while the rest of the backyard watches in uncomfortable silence.

I turn and look toward Georgia and Harper.

Both of them are sitting upright now with guilty, upset expressions on their faces.

This fucking sucks.

A heavy feeling settles in my chest as everything replays in my head.

Why was I ever friends with those idiots anyway?

All they ever did was tear her apart every chance they got.

And I let it happen.

Maybe I didn't laugh along.

Maybe I didn't join in.

But I never stopped it either.

And now she probably thinks I'm exactly like them.

Hell... maybe I am.

She didn't deserve any of that.

I drop my head into my hands for a second, anger and guilt twisting together so hard it makes me feel sick.

Dad walks back over and stops beside me.

"I'm proud of you, son," he says quietly, squeezing my shoulder once.

I don't feel proud.

I feel too late.

"Alright, show's over, people!" Seth calls loudly, trying to break the tension.

Slowly, awkward conversations start back up while people pretend the afternoon hasn't completely imploded.

I climb out of the pool and head inside without saying another word.

The second I reach my room, I shut the door behind me.