She Will Be Loved

“Wear this one. No! This one!” Val exclaimed as she dug through the bags of new clothes that were sitting on the floor in front of my closet. I watched as the black and gold material fell onto the bed next to where I sat cross legged.

“You know Val, I am seventeen. I can dress myself.”

“Obviously not. You already said you hated swimming suits. Now get dressed in that or I will personally dress you myself.” With that the blond skipped out of my room, shutting the door behind herself. I sighed, climbing off the high bed. I didn’t know if Val was serious or not, but I wasn’t going to take the risk. I quickly undressed, avoiding my reflection on the mirror on the back of my door, and pulled on my swimming suit.

When I had pulled on the two piece I looked in the reflecting image. My nose unintentionally scrunched up in distaste. Val thinking I look good in a bikini - since she had forced me to try some on - was ludicrous. I walked back over to the clothes, pulling out a shirt and pair of shorts, slipping those on to cover my swimming attire. I slipped into some flip flops and placed on my bracelet before pulling my hair up. Just then a knock came at my door.

“Hey Koty,” Jimmy exclaimed the second I opened the door. I laughed as he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of my room and down the stairs. “You look nice by the way.”

“Thank-you?” My statement had come out more like a question. I still wasn’t used to Jimmy’s bluntness of speaking whatever was on his mind. Besides, it wasn’t really like I believed his words. I was anything but good looking.

“Come on! They’re here already!”

“Who?” I asked curiously. I was only met with the urge to move faster through the kitchen. We emerged into the backyard where there were too many people for me to try to distinguish them all. On the tallest platform was Matt working at the grill with Val next to him. They were both dressed in only swim wear, including Val in just a two piece bikini. She looked so pretty I felt conscious even in my normal clothes.

“Where the hell is your swimming suit missy?!” Val demanded as Jimmy pulled the two of us over to them.

“Underneath these,” I muttered, pulling at the hem of my shirt. Val gave me a warning stare before smiling widely again.

“Those are coming off sometime today.” Over my dead body. “Now Jimmy, go introduce her to everyone. I know you will be more than willing to.”

“Okay!”

“Meet who?” I asked, only to be ignored again. I sighed and followed Jimmy as he walked to the platform lower down. Three people were stretched out on the lawn chairs as a few people sat on the edge of the pool so they could all talk. On one of the chairs sat Brian and on the edge of the pool was Johnny. The other lawn chair occupants and the other two on the pool’s edge was unnamed though. The conversation paused as Johnny grinned up at us, along with the unknown people, and Brian glared.

“There you are Kota! These are our friends - ”

“No!” Jimmy shouted, kicking Johnny into the pool. “It’s my job to introduce everyone! I will not allow a gnome to steal my job.”

When Johnny resurfaced he glared angrily at Jimmy. “You asshole.”

“Okay Koty, these are part of our friends. The ones sitting on the lawn chairs are Gerard and Ray. On the pool is Bob and Frank. Frank is the same height as Johnny so you’re still the shortest. Guys, this is Dakota but she goes by Kota or Koty.”

“You know Jimmy, I really don’t care if I’m short. That just makes me cooler than you. I’m fun sized,” I retorted, jabbing a thumb into my chest. I was suddenly getting hugged which caused me to tense up. I need to get use to hugs around here too.

“I like her! And she’s so adorable! Can we keep her?” This guy, Frank, shouted to the black haired man sitting on the lawn chair. Gerard wasn’t it? That man is too pale to be sitting only in dark blue swimming trunks and sunglasses.

“Frank, we can’t just keep people as pets or dolls or something,” this Gerard guy said with a shake of his head. “Sorry about him. He gets overly excited with new people.”

“Nah it’s cool.” Frank finally let me go which caused me to breathe a sigh of relief. Jimmy was quick to grab my hand and walk along the stone edge around the pool, hot tub, and jump us off to land in front of the table I had occupied earlier. In two of the chairs under the umbrella was Zacky and another man. He wore glasses and looked somewhat familiar.

“And finally Kota, we have the two quiet, boring, and practically anti-social friends of the two groups. Zacky and Mikey, Gerard’s younger brother.” Well that explains why he seems familiar.

“What the hell’s that suppose to mean Sullivan?” Zacky demanded, glaring up at Jimmy. Mikey, who seemed unsure of what to say, just wore the faint sign of a smile towards me. I returned it just as shyly.

“Exactly what I said. You two are boring and always away from the group,” Jimmy replied, practically whining it.

“Just because we don’t go running around saying stupid shit doesn’t mean we’re boring.” Jimmy’s mouth fell open in fake appall. “And we stay away from the group because we’re obviously smart enough to know you will probably cause mayhem.”

“I am offended Zacky! I hate you!” Jimmy cried like a drama queen, running over towards where Val and Matt still talked by the grill. I let out a relieved sigh, plopping down in one of the chairs.

“So I see Jimmy’s grown attached,” Zacky laughed.

“Oh yeah. I’m his new puppy. And apparently Frank over there wants me as a doll,” I remarked, pointing a finger in the area of the group on the other side of the pool.

“Frank has always been like that. Anyone new and he practically craps himself,” Mikey said, the first words of the day. I wasn’t too shocked at how quiet his voice was. It matched well with his exterior appearance.

“Fun to know.” Soon the three of us entered into a conversation. It mostly consisted of horror movies, music preferences (which I couldn’t really contribute on), and zombies. Everyone’s great conversations, huh? It was then that Val called out food was ready. The three of us stood up in unison, continuing our conversation as we walked towards the large table set up near the grill.

“Hey Koty?” I turned around to see Val smiling. “Can you come help me grab the stuff from inside?”

“Sure thing.” I followed after her, heading into the kitchen where the door led to. She grabbed a bowl of salad and a huge plate of fries. She left the room, leaving me to grab the big bowl of mixed fruits on the counter. I turned around and almost dropped the glass bowl. The sliding door was now firmly shut, Brian leaning on the doorway. “Holy shit Brian.”

“Why are you here?” I sighed, placing the bowl back down. I really tiring of this bullshit.

“I’m here because Zacky wanted me to be here. I’m here because I wanted to get away from my house and Zacky wanted to help. Why do you think I’m here?” I snapped.

“I think you’re here to get his money, and possibly fuck him to brag you did. I think you’re here to hurt him way more than anyone ever could.”

“And that’s where you’d be wrong.” I stomped forward and jabbed my finger into his chest with every word I spoke. “I use nobody, I hate taking things without paying back. I plan to pay back every cent if it takes my whole life.”

“That what they all say,” Brian said, slapping my hand away.

“But they’re not me. I know you hate me just because of your ex, I’ve met her.” His eyes filled with questions but I didn’t give him time to respond. “She seems like a pretty fucked up woman in the head. There’s something unscrewed up there, especially if she hurt you on purpose like that. But not everyone in the world is like that.”

“You don’t know shit about me,” Brian snarled, shoving me back. I glared, lowering down my shorts and swimming suit bottom to show the faint, straight cuts on my very low waist that read ‘ruined’. He physically softened when he saw the word. I sighed, pulling the materials back up.

“I know you’ve been hurt, I have too. Also by someone I had loved dearly. I have been through the heartbreak, but here I’m learning not everyone’s the same. Except you. Maybe you should learn it too.” With that I picked up the huge bowl, walking pass him and outside.

“God Koty! I was thinking you got lost,” Johnny joked when I stepped outside. I laughed, placing the bowl down.

“No, I had to use the restroom. So nosy shorty.”

“You’re shorter!” I laughed, sitting across from him. Zacky sat on my right and Mikey on my left. I heard the door reopen and close and didn’t turn to have to know it was Brian who came out. Brian sat next to Johnny, across from Zacky. He looked over at me and smiled.

“Can you pass an apple?” I nodded, handing it to him from the bowl to my right. Hopefully this all means a change in attitude around here.