The Boy In the Basement (Completed)

~Shall we explore~

Everybody finished up their gourmet meals and left a heck of a mess for the employees on table duty. We all clambered back to our set of limos and raced off to our next location. Their was just a short hour before the dance started, and although nobody went right on time, we didn't want to be late, either.

"Where are we heading to next?" Riley imposed sweetly. She's not the type that enjoys to be kept wondering. We have that in common. Her date wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in.

"You'll just have to wait and see." She huffed out, turning to the window. The dude driving cranked the music, and we all sang along to Blink 182's "Please Tell Me Why." Well, most of us. Jaxon and his date were in the silent corner of the limo, either much too cool to join in, or having some sort of prejudice against a good time. Either way, it's not my problem.

"How come we're driving so far up?" I asked Austen, referring to the heavy incline the limos were taking. Out the window, I could make out more ocean lined with black water, while we climbed higher up a steep sandy hill. Austen shook his head with that dimpled smile, and I knew the case was closed. No information would be slipping. Me and Riley shared the same longing look, and sighed, slumping into our seats.

Just a little ways further, and the hill finally reached its peak. The limo leveled out on the flat ground and pulled off to the side. There was an obsolete square building down crammed into the rocky line of the beach, lit by a single lantern. A distance away stood a red-striped lighthouse, which seemed to cut through the clouds straight into heaven, it was so tall. Just like the pictures, a light was whirling around inside, gently grazing a yellow path over the water.I'd kill to see the view from up there. It's probably locked...

I turned the door handle and stood out on the cliff's edge, admiring the beautiful place I never even knew existed. The beach looked habitual and outdated, like the setting of a vintage Hollywood film, where a girl in a polka dot swimsuit and matching scarlet lipstick would be found sprawled across the sand on a hot summers day. It was a level of classiness that's impossible to find in these days. I had to come back here in the day and soak up that 1940's atmospheric air.

Austen came out of the limo along with everyone else. He filled the empty space by my side and slipped a hand around my waist. Yup, definitely not used to this.

"You've discovered paradise," I mumbled quietly. Austen chuckled, cocking his head to the rest of our group filing down the cliff.

"Here, come on. How bout we go check it out?" I just nodded, following his lead down the narrow dune trail. As we neared the shore, you could make out a line of little boats bobbing up and down in the shallow water, each one with a lantern attached to the front. Riley squealed next to me, and I bumped into her side, giggling.

"Ladies, we have a little romantic outing planned. Sadly, though, there isn't enough for each couple, so it'll have to be four to a boat." The chirpy soul announcing this to us didn't notice that most the girls weren't listening. We were too busy hastily unstrapping our heels, ready to get into the water. I was one of the first one's barefoot, and before anyone could beat me to it, I grabbed Austen's hand, used my spare hand to lift my dress off the sand, and ran with a sudden burst of energy.

Austen tripped over his own feet countless times trying to keep up with me. I towed him along to the waters edge, feeling the cold water slip between my toes. We waded through the shallows and jumped right into the first boat to the far left. I got in too fast, feeling it rock back and forth.