Peeling Back the Top Layer 🇯🇲

46| Escape

I drift on my back with little regard for Chaunard and his friends chatting nearby. One of the reasons I love the beach is because I get to do this — float around aimlessly while water laps at my skin, washing away all my worries. The weightless feeling provides the perfect escape from the burden of everyday life.

My mind is clear of all thoughts. It allows me to focus on the warmth of the sun above me and the coldness of the ocean surrounding me. Sensing his presence, I open my eyes to Chaunard standing beside me, staring down with a half-smile.

"Yuh nuh fraid yuh drift too far?" he asks.

"Nope. I can swim and yuh nah mek dat happen," I grin, pulling myself up to stand on the seafloor.

"Kelsie, do you work out?" Marco's girlfriend asks as Chaunard and I make our way back to the group.

"Yea I do, why?"

"Mi want a body like yours. Everything chisel out and yuh nuh look tough and muscular."

Her flattery catches me by surprise. "Thanks, I guess. It takes a lot of effort to get here but once you get in the groove of things it comes as easy as taking a shower."

"And mi never yet see her workout," Chaunard chips in.

"And mi nuh see you do nutten either. Does that mean you don't?"

"Nope. Mi do it when yuh gone a work. Mi know fi sure seh yuh nuh do nutten."

"It's because of you though why mi nuh work out di whole week. Yuh nuh think yuh keep me active enough?"

"Eh ehm," Marco clears his throat just as Chaunard opens his mouth to respond. "Mi nuh think none a we waan know how yuh keep har active."

"Which gym yuh go?" Tricia, one of Toni-Ann's cousins asks.

"I don't go to a gym. I work out at home."

"So yuh nuh use weights and dem thing deh?"

"Yeah I have my own stuff."

"Again. Mi never see dat yet," Chaunard says, presumably trying to portray me as a liar.

"So how mi keep mi body toned Mr Riley? Tell them please."

"I'm just saying I've never seen you workout. I need to see it to believe it."

"Yuh jus a look somebody fi come pump iron wid yuh. Tell di woman di truth," another of his friends Andre says.

"Oh...so that's the trick! Yuh want a workout partner? Not gonna happen," I smirk at Chaunard.

"Di two a oonu need fi share di secret wid me because di one year a England tek a toll on my body," says Toni-Ann.

With her utterance, the focus of the conversation switches to her studies in the UK on a scholarship, which bonds her to Jamaica for the next five years. She tells the group how gloomy the weather is in London but she found fun activities to partake in.

The remainder of our time together in the water is spent splashing each other and playing around until it's time for food.

"Wait babe, mek dem gwaan first," Chaunard prevents me from going ashore.

"Why? We need to eat."

"Yeah. But mi nuh ready yet." There's no questioning where he's heading with this when he pulls me closer to him.

"Seriously though? Yuh really think now is the right time for that?"

"No such thing as a right time," he grins, pulling me with him into the deep. "Jus need a quick release."