Spring Break // Helpless II

𝚝𝚠𝚘: 𝚜𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚞𝚎𝚕

We talked excitedly about this until we got onto the plane. we sat by each other on the way there. I texted Tommy that we'd taken off. He responded with a smiley face. We watched Hamilton through the whole thing. It was very hard to resist the urge to cry during Stay Alive Reprise. Crying in public was not my thing. Rose, of course, didn't show any expression on her face (She had deemed herself an 'Emotionless freak' because of this). I decided to look out my window. Below us was an endless expanse of ocean. I gripped the armrests of the seat tightly and closed the window. Rose and I talked for a bit until I decided to take a nap. When I woke up, we were almost there. We soon landed. We exited the plane. At the airport, we stopped for dinner. We rented a car and drove to our rental house. It was two stories tall. I ran upstairs to claim the first room with Rose. It had a balcony that looked out to the ocean. Two twin beds were on opposite sides of the room.

"Put your stuff down and come outside! We're going to the beach to meet the Simons!" my mom called at us.

I set my stuff down and ran down the stairs. I was the first one out the door. We walked to the beach. Two cars pulled into the parking lot. Out of the first one, a tall guy with curly brown hair and glasses came out. Rose looked at me.

"It's him! It's Wilbur!" she said in almost a whisper. Out of the second car, Tommy and his parents climbed out. I ran across the sand. I launched myself into his arms and gave him a big hug. Wilbur looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"Tommy!" I cried.

"Whoa there, Eliza," he smiled.

"I missed you," I said.

"Same here," he replied, brushing a stray hair behind my ear.

"I think we have some introductions," Tommy mentioned. "Lindsey, you've met Wilbur in a call, just not in real life. Rose, you haven't met at all. Wilbur, this is Rose. Rose, this is Wilbur."

I noticed that Rose was suddenly unable to speak. It was funny considering she was able to have a normal conversation with Tommy. I also noticed another thing. She was taller than me. Before I moved, we were around the exact same height. Now, she was an inch or two taller than me. She just smiled and waved nervously. We walked closer to the water. I reluctantly took off my sandals and stepped into the water.

Tommy looked up at Wilbur. "You know, one of the first few days I met Lindsey, we were on the beach. She wouldn't go into the ocean because she was scared of it. Guess what I did, Wilbur."

Wilbur looked intrigued. "What did you do, Tommy?"

"I went up to her and kicked water at her. She got really mad. She followed me and tried to splash me back. When she realized what she was doing, she stopped. Before she turned around, I picked her up, just like this," he explained.

He demonstrated this by picking me up.

"Put me down!" I said.

Rose and Wilbur laughed.

"What should I make her say this time?" he asked.

"What did you make her say last time?" Wilbur questioned.

"I made her say I love Tommy," he said.

"Wait, you actually said that?" Wilbur laughed.

"He threatened me!" I protested.

"You let a child threaten you? That's even worse!"

"I've got it! You have to say 'Tommy is better that Wilbur'!" Tommy decided.

"Wilbur is better, though," Rose disagreed.

"She knows facts!" Wilbur proclaimed.

"Tommy is better than Wilbur!" I shouted.

"I know," Tommy said, putting me down.

I walked back to the shore.

"Wait," Wilbur said. "You don't really mean that, do you?"

"What would happen if I said yes?" I asked cautiously.

Wilbur bent down and picked up a handful of sand. He started walking toward me.

"You wouldn't," I said.

"Wouldn't I?"

Tommy stepped in front of me. "Don't worry, I will protect you!"

Rose followed Wilbur and also grabbed a handful of sand.

"Rose! I thought I could trust you! You're my best friend!" I tried.

"Oh, you're my best friend, too. Unfortunately though, we don't see eye to eye on this," she told me.

Rose and Wilbur got closer.

"Tommy, this isn't going to work. We have to run," I whispered.

He looked back at me and nodded. We ran. I almost thought we would escape, but me being me, I tripped over my feet. I fell face first into the sand. Before I got up, Rose and Wilbur surrounded me, piles of sand in their hands.

"Tommy! Help!" I called.

I saw Tommy turn around and sprint back.

They started closing in.

"Let's not get violent," I laughed nervously. "I'm sure we can settle this!"

"We'll only surrender if you take back what you said!" Wilbur demanded.

"You see, I would do that. But I can't. I wouldn't mean it if I said it," I explained calmly.

Rose raised the sand above her head, ready to strike.

Wilbur stopped her. "We'll give her one more chance. If she doesn't, we'll attack."

I laughed. "You're funny. You think I'll actually take that back."

Before they could make a move, Tommy came up and kicked sand at Wilbur. Wilbur spun around in time for me to get back on my feet.

"Eliza, run!" Tommy shouted.

I got up and ran, Rose on my tail. I swooped to the ground and picked up sand.

"So this is how it ends," Rose said.

"This is your last chance to end this argument," I warned.

She shook her head. "No. You take back what you said."

"I refuse. We must have a duel!"

Out of the corner of my eye, Tommy and Wilbur were chasing each other around. We stood back to back.

We counted in unison. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten paces, fire!"

I pivoted and threw the sand. She did too. It floated harmlessly into the breeze. We started laughing.

"I'm assuming that you've resolved this argument?" Wilbur asked.

"Temporarily," said Rose.

"We should go do a stream at my office," Wilbur suggested.

"I'll go ask my mum if I can," Tommy said.

Rose, Tommy, and I walked over to our parents, who were catching up with each other. Henry, Sarah, and Grace were playing tag.

"Can we go to Wilbur's office with him?" Tommy asked.

"Who else is going?" Mrs. Simons asked.

"Lindsey and Rose," Tommy told her.

"I suppose so," she decided.

"Mom, can I go with Tommy and Rose to Wilbur's office?" I asked my mom.

"Who's Wilbur?" she asked me.

"Tommy's friend," I explained.

"I don't know..."

I pulled the 'he sings and plays instruments card'. She reluctantly agreed. She respected people who made music. Rose was able to go because I was going.