While my friends went off to retrieve their swimsuits, I swaggered all over the beach flirting and chatting with every hot girl I could find. Maybe having a beach full of admirers would finally make Sage jealous. My confidence was back in spades. Most of these girls were friends from work, some of them were friends they brought along, others were just common beach bunnies who wondered into my party. Sweet! Many of them wished me a happy birthday while others had something to say about how 'odd' my speedo looked. I groaned at the latter. Ingrid was right, there were so few people out there who knew how to appreciate art. I personally loved how flashy I looked, Rorke Blazeman was born to shine.
"Rorke, happy birthday my friend."
I turned and smiled at this new voice. "Avery! Buddy! I'm so glad you could make it."
One of my best friends, Avery Finn, was another handsome gentleman with a tan complexion, jet black hair, and a pair of oval-shaped glasses that framed his symmetrical face. He was smart enough to become a college professor who actually teaches Scarlet and her group of friends at a prestigious university called Intectus Deprehendi. His well-muscled chest gleamed from sunscreen and he was wearing a pair of board shorts covered in a hibiscus flower pattern.
His winning smile faded when his eyes fell upon my own swimsuit. "What in God's name are you wearing?" Avery looked disgusted.
"What?" I put my left foot forward, my hands behind my head, and my elbows towards the sky in another one of my muscular poses. "I look like a fucking badass in this suit." I gave a cocky grin.
Avery removed his glasses and rubbed his fingers against his temples. "You have got to be the only person on Earth who would think that."
"He most certainly is not!" Ingrid's voice cut across the beach. She was wearing an exotic green bathing suit with blue flowers that skillfully decorated her waist and cleavage. Following behind her were Scarlet in a cerulean two piece suit, Santiago in orange trunks, and last but definitely not least...Sage. She was wearing a sexy black one piece swimsuit that had straps in the front to emphasize her enticing decolletage. I tried not to drool.
"I see," Avery placed his glasses back on his face as he looked to Ingrid. "Surely this is another one of your failures that you dumped on Rorke. It's his birthday for Christ's sake, he deserves better than that."
Ingrid looked genuinely hurt.
"Hey...Professor Finn," Scarlet's voice was chilling. "You better mind your attitude. No one's allowed to dump on Ingrid's clothes except me. My friend worked really hard on that gift for Rorke."
"Well perhaps if she worked half as hard in my class as she did on making that trash she might get a passing grade."
"Dude...not cool." I loved Avery but sometimes he could say some pretty harsh things. Ingrid held her elbows and looked towards the ground kicking the sand.
"Enjoy the party everyone." Avery spoke in monotone and walked off.
Scarlet was trembling in fury. "WHO DOES THAT ASSHOLE THINK HE IS?! CRAPPING ALL OVER MY FRIEND'S DREAM LIKE THAT! OH, HE IS GONNA PAY!" Santiago threw his arms around her as if he were trying to wrangle in a feral cat.
Sage stepped forward and placed a consoling hand on Ingrid's shoulder. "What he said was uncalled for. But believe me when I say Avery is harder on himself than he is on others."
"I don't get it," Scarlet shook her head. "How did my Santiago, Rorke, and sweet Jack ever become friends with that dickhead? The three of you are so nice, how did you guys even meet?"
Santiago and I exchanged a panicked look and blushed. "It's a long story." We both said at the same time.