(Now) Alex's Perspective: What's a Fourth with no Fireworks?

If you need a refresher on the original post, you can find it here.

Of course the hikers came back just in time to eat lunch, but not to help with it.  At least they cleaned up.  After, I suggested opening up the hot tub.  I was a little irritated (and maybe jealous) that Brody got to spend the entire morning with Liv, but at least now I could check her out in her swimsuit.  As we pulled the cover off of the hot tub, I heard the girls approaching, laughing hysterically about something.

I turned to look, and spied the cooler full of beer sitting next to the hot tub.  Perfect excuse to go talk to them.  I grabbed three beers and walked over.  Damn it, Liv was a fucking knockout.  Actually, they all are.  There probably weren't three guys in the entire state that were luckier than me, Kevin, and Brody right now.

I held out the beers.  "I was going to offer these, but I'm not sure any of you need them," I said, regarding them.  Liv's face was bright red and Lauren was bent double laughing.  Kinsley was making a strangled gasping sound.

"Are you kidding?" Liv asked.  "I've never needed it more.  You try sharing a room with these weirdos."  She took the beer I held out to her and rewarded me with a nod and a perfect smile.  By the time I was done taking the caps off the other two and handing them to Kinsley and Lauren, Liv was already in the hot tub.  I groaned inwardly when I saw she was right next to Brody.

The sliding door of the deck above opened and I heard Savannah's voice.  A second later, she appeared on the stairs followed by Allie and Christian.  I went over to the hot tub and got in quickly, claiming the spot on the other side of Liv.  With everyone, it was a little crowded, but I clearly wasn't sad about having to scoot closer to Liv.  When our legs brushed, I had to stop a stupid smile from spreading over my face.

I noticed Savannah drinking very quickly on Brody's other side.  I sighed.  Drunk Savannah was a shit show.  She was likely to break something, get hurt, throw up everywhere, or cry.  That was just par for the course for Drunk Savannah.

Lauren, Kinsley, and Liv didn't last long in the hot tub.  The rest of us stayed another half hour or so.  Savannah was the next one out, and she almost toppled over as she climbed out.  Brody caught her arm right before she fell on her face.  On my other side, Allie groaned.  She touched my arm and I looked at her.  "Help me, please?" she pleaded softly.  I nodded and we both got out and hurried after Savannah.

Savannah had made it about half way up the stairs, and she was now sitting precariously there, leaning against the railing.

"This is a no stopping zone," I said, taking her arm.  "Let's go."  She looked up at me with glassy eyes.

"Will you help me get another beer?" she slurred.

"Absolutely not, but I will help you get up these stairs and to your room.  I think you should lay down for a little while.  Then, when you get up, I'll help you get another beer."  She considered this for several seconds, then nodded and let me haul her to her feet.  Allie trailed behind us, being entirely unhelpful.

I thought we were in the clear, but when we got to the living room, she yanked her arm away from me and made a dash towards the kitchen.  "Tricked you!" she cried.  Allie stepped into her path and slowed her down long enough for me to wrap an arm around her waist.  "I'm not going to bed, asshole!" she yelled, slamming her fist down on my forearm.

"Just for a little while, Savannah," Allie said soothingly.

"Oh shut up!" she snapped.  As she reached for a nearby beer bottle, I heard voices coming down the hall.  "It's empty!" she said.  And then she hurled it towards the wall.  We all spun and froze as the bottle hit the wall inches from Liv and Kinsley's heads.  Liv and Kinsley leaped in opposite directions.  It was a good thing it wasn't flying towards Lauren, because she just stood there with her mouth open.

Now behind me, Savannah suddenly started crying.  I rolled my eyes.  Seriously?  You weren't one of the ones that almost just took a flying beer bottle to the face.  I caught Allie's eye and nodded and we each grabbed one of Savannah's arms and hauled her to her feet, then through the living room towards the room she and Allie were sharing.

15 minutes later we had Savannah successfully in bed.  In the living room, the girls and Brody had gotten the glass cleaned up and were discussing going into town.  We decided against it, and sat in the living room chatting.  Liv got up and was walking towards her room when she suddenly yelped in pain.  She lifted her heel and we could all clearly see a piece of sharp brown glass there.

Brody led her off to take care of it, causing another small surge of jealousy and irritation.  While they were doing that, I got up to start the grill for dinner to distract myself.  I turned the gas on and pressed the starter button but nothing happened.  It didn't click, the grill didn't light.  I tried again.  Nothing.  I turned the gas back off and walked into the kitchen.  I pulled drawers open looking for matches or a lighter.  I knew there was one somewhere.  I searched all the drawers with no luck.  I called Christian in to search, and he didn't find anything either.

I headed inside and down the hall towards Brody's room.  It was quiet as I approached, and as I stepped into the open doorway, I made eye contact with Liv who was standing by the window.  My stomach dropped as I surveyed the scene in front of me.  Liv stood facing the door, and Brody was there too, with his back to me and one hand on Liv's hip and one on her neck.  Brody noticed Liv react to my presence and let his hands fall away, turning towards me.

"Um, sorry.  Did you have any matches?  Or a lighter?  The starter button on the grill..."  I stopped, staring at them.  I could feel my face get hot.

"Sure.  There are some in the kitchen drawer," Brody responded, starting to turn back towards Liv.

"Yeah, we looked.  Couldn't find them.  Can you come look?"  I stood there stubbornly.  I wasn't sure why I couldn't just let them have their moment.  Spite, I guess. 

Brody glared at me, which pissed me off.  I was even more determined to stand here until they moved now.

"Okay.  I'll be there in a second," he said finally.  I didn't move.  Brody sighed and said something quietly to Liv.  She nodded and they walked towards the door.  I watched Liv as she walked towards me, conscious of my red face.  The anger was fading and now I was just embarrassed that I believed her when she said she wanted to get settled before she started dating anyone.  I stepped aside to let her pass, and resisted the urge to body slam Brody into the door frame as he exited after.

I avoided both of them for the rest of the night.  Kevin asked me why everyone looked so pissed and I muttered that I interrupted something when I went looking for matches and left it at that.  I ended up being one of the first people to go to bed because it was getting harder to avoid either of them.

I got up fairly early the next morning and grabbed a soda out of the fridge.  I walked out onto the deck and was surprised to see Liv sitting there, reading.  "Oh!" I said, stupidly.  "Um...hey.  I didn't think...I didn't think anyone was out here.  I'm just going to..." I trailed off, then turned and walked back inside.  Real smooth.

I went back to the room I was sharing with Kevin and laid low for awhile.  When I came back out, Lauren, Allie, Kinsley and Kendra were in the living room.  I looked out onto the deck and saw Brody sitting there, alone.  I decided I had to say something, and I went out.

"What the hell, man?" I asked, sitting down next to him.  He looked at me in surprise, but didn't say anything.  "Why didn't you just tell me you were interested in Liv?  It was pretty shitty to find out by walking in on you guys almost kissing."  Behind us, the door slid open.  I looked back and saw Kevin stepping out onto the deck.

"Shit, Alex.  I'm sorry.  I was going to say something, but I don't even know if she's interested in me," he responded.  Pathetic apology, if you ask me.

"Are you an idiot?" Kevin asked.  Brody raised his eyebrows.  "She's definitely interested in you."  Ouch.  Thanks, Kev.

But even though it sucked to admit, Kevin was right.  I nodded.  "She is, dude."

Brody looked at me questioningly.  Sometimes he was such an idiot.   I sighed.  "If you want to go for it, go for it.  But fucking hell man, next time have a little respect for me and let me know, okay?"

He nodded.  "I'm sorry.  I should have, you're right."  After a pause he asked if we wanted a beer.  We both nodded and he got up and walked towards the house.  He paused at the door.  "Are we cool?" he asked.

"Once I have that beer in my hand we are," I said.  He laughed and headed in.

"You good?" Kevin asked, looking at me curiously.

I shrugged.  "Sucks, but what do you do?  If she's not into me, then she's not into me."  Kevin nodded and I continued, "But if he's going to go for it, I just hope he doesn't fuck it up."

"Yeah, no kidding," Kevin agreed.  "He's awfully good at that."