Chapter 31

                                    

                                          
Isla
 
As Julian shouts out the activity we are going to be doing next, I'm in. It is entirely too hot out here for us to be doing anything, and I really want to go out on the water. I tap Julian on the shoulder, and he glances at me. "Where can I change?" 
 
Julian gives my outfit a once-over but doesn't comment on how I was already wearing my swimsuit. He leads us back into the kitchen, where he opens a door next to it. "This is a bathroom." 
 
"Great, thank you," I say, moving past him and into the room. The bathroom is a small space, but it has a toilet and a sink. It was designed with a picture frame of the water, so it fit the vibe of this home. I grab onto the door handle and pop my head out. "I'll be out in a second." 
 
"Okay," Julian says, and I watch as he goes to take a step away from the bathroom. The idea of having to walk out of the house in my bikini all alone is terrifying. "Can you actually just wait out here?" 
 
He nods, as if that request should have been obvious, with a hand in his hair. "Sorry," he says, ringing a hand down his hair. "Yeah, I'll stay." 
 
"Okay," I say, closing the door behind me. I stand in front of the mirror and discard the pants that I bought with me. Then I pulled the sweater over my head—the one top that made me sweat even though it had holes in it. The crocheted look was cute for a bikini cover-up, but it was also a type of material that produces a lot of heat. I take a mental note to not wear it out anymore, especially in 100-degree weather. 
 
After the top is gone and I'm standing in the bathroom with only my swim suit on, I look in the mirror. My hair was flowing past my shoulder in waves that had gotten worse from the humidity. I wet my hand and run my fingers through the ends of my hair, even though I knew it would only become more unkempt later. Once my hair is looking a little fresher, I place my clothes in my bag and stand up straight. 
 
It shouldn't be awkward to walk out of the bathroom with only my bikini on, as I did it so often in the summer, but it was. The people I was around weren't people I was familiar with. They were siblings, and most of all, they were the family of Julian. I wondered if my bikini was appropriate before shaking my head. 
 
I was thinking entirely too much. 
 
I splash cold water on my face before drying it with a towel and swiping lip gloss over my lips. Once I'm done, I open the door to find Julian leaning back against the wall with his eyes on his phone. He presumably shoots off the text and then places his phone in his pocket. "Hi," he says to me, and I stand up straighter, hoping that I don't look too exposed. 
 
I give him a smile as I say, "Thanks for waiting for me here." 
 
"No problem," he responds as the both of us fall into step together. We get out of the kitchen and walk outside, where the rest of the family is waiting. The three sets of parents, safe for Cecilia's husband because he had other duties, looked ready to leave as well. I place my sunglasses on top of my head as Julian and I walk toward his cousins. 
 
"Hey," Julian says, taking note of everyone who was standing around. There seemed to be two groups: the older cousins and the parents with the younger ones. Julian reaches over and places a hand around his brother's shoulder. "I think Jack's old enough to hang out with us; what do you guys think?" 
 
The older cousins all give a nod or a shrug to say they don't mind. 
 
The younger cousin, Joe, from the other side sees this exchange and says, "Hey! If Jack gets to go with you guys, then so do I." 
 
"You're only eight," Jack says, not noticing the smug expression on his face. "I'm turning eleven." 
 
"So?" Joe asks, rolling his eyes at his cousin's actions.