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She thought about taking her phone but didn’t want to risk dropping it and

breaking it. She decided on the beach, since she didn’t have to be wary

about any wild animals there. Or, at least, she hoped she didn’t. It was

probably safer than climbing the tree or sitting underneath it and waiting for

something to fall on her head.

Since she was so tired and so annoyed that she couldn’t sleep even

though she was exhausted and had been all day, June missed the strange

shadow on the beach until she was almost there and the shadow turned into

a living, breathing person with a rush of blonde hair and eyes that looked

like black onyx in the dark.

Arabella.

June wanted to turn around and head back to the cabin, but it was too

late. She’d already been seen. She could tell, because Arabella smiled and

the sliver of moonlight up in the sky reflected off her teeth. Her eyes shone

too, wet and glistening. She looked almost ethereal like that, in the

moonlight and the shadows, some kind of silver dust fairy that worked their

magic in the secret hours of the night.

“This is becoming a ritual,” Arabella said softly. She crossed her legs on

the beach. She was wearing her bikini, June realized. She very quickly

focused on Arabella’s face instead of considering the yellow swimsuit. Or

more like the assets that it displayed.

“Were you going to go for a swim?” Right, just point out what you’re

trying to ignore. That’s wonderful. Very subtle.

“I’m not sure yet.” Arabella’s eyes raked down June’s t-shirt and her

pajama shorts. “You?”

“No. I was just…it was hot in the cabin. I couldn’t sleep.”

“Me neither.” Arabella turned her head, her eyes sliding away, giving

June a small reprieve from the gaze she probably didn’t realize was burning

in its intensity. “I thought a midnight swim would be fun, though. The water

is probably nice at night. Actually, it was the only thing I could think of to