One Shots

The sand shifted beneath my feet, the warm grains heating my body along with the pounding sun. My red hair flew about in the soft breeze. I stripped off my shirt and shorts, revealing my bikini underneath. I slathered on sunscreen and set down my towel. My pale skin was prone to burning quite easily, so I had to be careful about how long I sat here before moving to the shade. I watched the waves roll in, taking care not to let myself get wet. I was deathly afraid of water; ever since an accident in my childhood. I lay down after coating myself in a layer of the gooey protection and rested my head in my hands, letting my toes hang off the towel and digging my toes into the sand. I watch as people come and go; diving into the shallow surf, and others riding the waves a few metres out at sea.

I packed up my things and put my clothes back on, wincing at the feel of my tender skin brushing up against the fabric. As I left, my eye caught sight of four men walking down the beach. They were far away and I could only see their outlines, but I'm confused as to why they would be taking a walk now. The sun's setting, and we're the only ones on the beach.

I came back again the next day, claiming a different spot - this time underneath a tree - and leaning up against it, my legs in a "V" shape. I took out a book and placed sunglasses on my nose. I started reading, becoming engrossed in the tale it told. Once again at sunset, the four men came running down the beach. I got better look as they were moving faster. The one with spiky hair was kicking a ball, almost falling over several times in the rapidly shifting sand. I walked away, my nerves spiking as they came closer, laughing and talking as they did so.

This was it. Four days after first seeing them, I had finally gathered up the courage to talk to them. I walked down to the beach, my heart thudding and my stomach breeding butterflies by the dozen. I waited until sunset and stayed in my position, watching them come closer. I stood up and brushed myself off, wandering down to the main beach.

'Hi,' I called. The spiky-haired one looked up and flashed me a smile, his teeth shining in the dying sunlight. My heart skipped a few beats. I definitely liked this boy.

'Hey,' he replied, kicking me the soccer ball he had once again between his feet. 'Want to join us?' I smiled back and kicked it to one of his companions as an answer.

'I'm Jaime,' he introduced himself as I walked closer, and I saw his tattooed sleeve. Two of his other companions were also heavily tattooed, one taller than the other. The taller one was introduced as Mike, and he had lip piercings and the other was Tony. He had stretched ears and a dermal. The last of the quartet was Vic, he was quite a great deal shorter than the four and his only body modification was a nose ring.

'Carmen.' I smiled at them. 'Now, how about that soccer match?'

We played for about an hour, the guys rushing into the watch to grab the ball when it sailed in that direction. Afterwards, Jaime walked me home, declaring that the streets were unsafe for such an attractive, young woman like myself.

'You didn't go near the water.' Jaime stated after several minutes of idle chitchat. We were slowly trundling our way down the street, dragging our feet both wanting to spend more time to talk to each other. The sunlight was almost all gone and we had gradually gravitated towards each other. I could feel his breath as he talked and my skin was tingling with closeness. 'Why?'

I took a deep breath before answering him. I could still remember every detail quite clearly in my mind's eye. The water, rushing and foaming around me, the heavy lead feeling in my lungs as I struggled to rise to the surface to take in the oxygen I needed so desperately to survive. And finally, the silence that rang in my ears as I passed out.

'I almost drowned.' I said softly. 'I don't know how I survived.'

'Why do you go down to the water then?' Jaime asked, confused.

'The water is comforting. I can never go in it though.' I said scuffing my shoe on the ground.

'I'm sorry.' Jaime said. I laughed,

'Why? I'm alive now, aren't I?'

'Yeah, but of you had died, I wouldn't be here. Talking and looking at one of the most beautiful girls I've seen in a long time.' Heat flooded my cheeks. Me? Beautiful?

'Ever since I first saw you a few days ago, I've been working up the courage to talk to you. And now I have, I don't want to stop. You're a drug. A little, red headed, playful drug.'

'I'm not little.' I huffed, pushing Jaime's

arm gently.

'You're shorter than Vic.' Jaime said. I rolled my eyes.

'I'm glad I didn't die either. I wouldn't be talking to you.'

'What, no heart felt description?' Jaime teased. I shook my head.

'I have no words to describe you. You leave me speechless, with my heart hammering in my head and all rational thoughts gone from my head.'

We had stopped walking. I turned to Jaime and he looked back at me. I braced myself and stepped forward, pulling him down to my level and landing a kiss his lips.

He pulled back and kissed the hair covering my forehead.

'I've wanted to do that for a long time.'

Notes