Beaches*

'We were going to the beach this weekend.'

It'll be fun, they said.

Lysander offered to pick me up outside our house, bundled me into a little, classic convertible Mercedes and started the car as he hit the door opener.

So, the original plan was Gabriel was supposed to get his 'girlfriend', Lysander was going to be with me while Raven and Leif get the other girls in their fancy limo. I can't figure out why I was in the back seat while Lysander drove and Gabriel was at the front seat with him.

Oh right, so I don't involve myself in another 'killing' accident while Gabriel was not around.

My brows still knotted in confusion. 'How did Gabriel convinced Lysander to act as an unsolicited chaperone anyway?'

"Got everything you need?" Lysander asked.

"Yup," I replied.

"Check your bag," Gabriel said abruptly as he turned in his seat to face me. "Maybe, you forgot something. It could be your extra clothes or your bath towel."

"Seriously?" I rolled my eyes when Gabriel continues to glare at me, urging me to check my bag. He sounded like my mom just now. Early in the morning and he made it his mission in life to ruin my mood.

I rummaged my bag and indeed I realize I forgot my bath towel. I felt like a kid in the principal's office when Gabriel smirked smugly at me as if telling me, 'I told you so'.

"Can we turn around for a sec?" I pleaded. "I forgot my towel."

"You don't have to," Lysander said earnestly as he grinned at me. I've got an extra."

"Oh god, thanks." My face relaxed immediately and I let out a held breath. "You're too kind."

Lysander's whole face brightened up when he heard the compliment as he pulled out and headed off from our house towards the main road. He is indeed a human sunflower, treating wonderful compliments of him like sunlight.

"You don't look like you slept well," Lysander observed. "Bad dreams lately?"

I would have been insulted if I didn't compliment him earlier. He sounded concerned about my well-being and that's sweet of him.

I gave Gabriel a sideways glance. He was the reason why my eye bags are so big they look like fruit baskets, why my skin looked pasty and my hair was a mess. I practically looked like roadkill in pajamas and this is his entire fault. Insomnia becomes me. He was the one invading my dreams like it's his God-given right.

I admire his dedication to keeping me safe (even if I was technically his enemy) by telling me all the things I need to know about Greek mythology, curses, and other interesting stories but staying alert and conscious to remember all the important things when I wake up felt like I had smoked weed and partied in a club 24/7.

F.Y.I, I haven't tried that yet and I've got no plans but... you get the idea.

"Yep. Having nightmares about you." I told Lysander drily instead, ignoring Gabriel because I was still angry at him, and continued, "That fateful night you showed me your—"

"Eyes on the road." Gabriel cut me off and reminded him.

"Tongue. You showed me your tongue the other day." I continued, feigning shivers as if they're running down my spine. "I was so shocked when I saw a line on the underside of your tongue attached to your gums behind your lower front teeth. It was the first time I've seen it and I wish I wouldn't have seen that. My eyes are forever scarred." I rambled on, recalling what it looked like and describing it for Gabriel's sake. "Your tongue does look weird but it doesn't look disgusting though. I was wondering why you could still speak with that kind of tongue. It's a bit short and flat and wide---"

"Oh, there are many ways I could do with this tongue aside from speaking," Lysander said with a huge grin and I mirrored his grin in amusement.

'Here comes the dirty joke.' Honestly, guys are so predictable.

Before Lysander could speak his thoughts, Gabriel interrupted him by interjecting, "Lysander could lick shit from your shoes with his tongue and he usually does it for free!" out loud.

Lysander's playful smile faded as he pouted at Gabriel, clearly offended that his pick-up line was interrupted. I threw my head back and laughed, happy tears leaked out of my eyes as I wiped them from my cheeks. "Well, I did not expect that." Lysander, beautiful and gorgeous Lysander, licking shit from people's shoes? Now, that is a funny image. I'd pay a million to see that. "

"You're quite enjoying this, aren't you?" Lysander sulked and I met his light green eyes on the front mirror.

I snorted, "I'm sorry."

"I'd pay a million to get my image, whatever it looks like, out of your head. Anyway, I'm not aware you could laugh like that. Like it came deep from your belly. That was one heck of a huge belly laugh!" He grinned impishly as he winked at me. "For me, that was funnier to hear. You are a weird girl, Cassandra."

"She is weird." Gabriel agreed softly as he looked out of his window mooning over the seaside view. I didn't notice we were at the road bridge already.

We are almost at our destination. I looked at Gabriel and he was still frowning deeply and continued staring at the car window.

"I think we will be arriving at the beach shortly," I said to no one in particular just to diffuse this awkward silence. I realized I sounded like Siri when I said that.

Thank god nobody pointed it out.

Lysander glanced from me then to Gabriel and then back to me before his gaze stayed on the road for good. Lysander is a chatterbox, a talkative, good-looking boy but he was unusually quiet too after that.

Was he suspecting something?

Did he find a connection between Gabriel and me?