Chloe

Chapter 11 - Bikini Party

The fires became lively when music was added. We all randomly danced until the girls pulled me aside. They taught me special steps to what I assumed were line dances. I hadn’t laughed so much in all my life. Life was good, and I couldn’t imagine it getting any better. The socially challenged me actually made friends. Maybe I am not a complete loss. – Chloe’s diary

Chapter 11

A Bikini Party

   One afternoon Chloe opened the door to find Christine, Sandra, and Penelope standing on her front porch with their towels and bathing suits. They asked if she would join them for sun bathing but she rather thought she didn’t have a choice in the matter. They were pushy friends but she really didn’t mind.

    It was a beautiful day, as usual. The horrible winters in Germany faded further into her memory.

Sandra talked about a new little shop down the road that recently opened and how they had the cutest selection of shoes. Penelope joined in about a pair of shoes she just got and how uncomfortable they were. 

They all three discussed fashion and Chloe sat awkwardly looking at the waves repeatedly crash onto the shore. 

She had nothing to say. What was she going to say? She had these greatest tennis shoes that a boy gave her to walk to school in when her soles came off old ones. Somehow she didn’t think that’s what they were looking for in a conversation about shoes.  Not to mention that she never left the community, she only read fiction books, and she never went anywhere. She realized she was a complete and total bore. Her brain must be short wired. How could Edwin stand her?  

   A slight breeze ruffled her hair as she lay down and closed her eyes. She heard a seagull squall in the distance and the waves roll in. It was restful. She must have fallen asleep because the next thing she remembered was something tickling her nose. She swatted at it but it returned. She peeled one eye open to see Edwin grinning above her. Springing open both eyes she shouted, “You!!” As usual her intelligence was incomparable. She pushed herself but realized she was in nothing but a tiny little bikini and was immediately self-conscious. She drew up her legs to her chest and tried to act as if being half naked in front of Edwin was an everyday occurrence. He was still smiling at her. 

“Why are you here?” She asked.

Christoph, who was standing behind her answered, “We came to see you Chloe but you weren’t at the cottage. When we saw four beautiful women laid out on the beach we thought we would come and flirt.” She rolled her eyes at Edwin who glared at Christoph.  She guessed they still hadn’t gotten over their disagreement over that lunch.  

But it didn’t really matter. All she could think about was how she was going to extract herself from this beach without having to walk up to the cottage in a bikini. She realized her options were nonexistent. 

   Sandra said, “Oh cool, we were just getting ready to go back up to the cottage anyway. It is only about a couple of hours until the sun sets anyway.”

   Edwin held out his hand to help her up. She looked at the offending appendage realizing her time just ran out, and reluctantly grabbed it. He pulled too hard and she went flying into his arms. Her entire body touched every inch of his. He was grinning when she looked up at him and he said insincerely, “Sorry.” 

Humph, he wasn’t sorry at all. Christoph shook his head and mumbled something about, “Why didn’t I think of that?” 

She tried to be affronted, she really did. After all Edwin was copping an easy feel. However, it felt good to be in his arms and she made no effort to let go. He smiled down at her, his hands resting on her lower back. But their audience made her untangle herself from him, pick up her towel, and start walking to the cottage. The girls were in front of her when she noticed neither Edwin nor Christoph had followed them. She turned around to see them staring at her in such an intense manner that it made her very uncomfortable. She took her towel and wrapped it around her in a vain attempt to cover up. She heard Christoph say, “Shame.” 

“More like shameless,” she mumbled to herself as she made it up to the steps into the cottage. The girls had congregated into the living room, sliding on shorts over their bikini bottoms. She walked past them into the bedroom, also sliding on something to cover her body. The memory of Edwin’s hot expression was so deeply embedded in her brain that she almost left off the tank top she had dangling from her fingers. But her own modesty and insecurity had her thrusting it over her head and sliding it down her body.