Growing Into You (First Draft; Unedited)

lxiii.

Jayen

Kuna stripped off their uniform from the estate and launched themselves into the water, wading until they could dive underneath the water. Maj laid down on the warm sand and watched Kuna splash around.

I slid off my shoes and rolled my pants up above my knee and waded into the water, squealing as gentle cold waves hit my shins as I walked in further. Alexandra followed my lead except she didn’t have to roll up her pants. She barely flinched as the freezing water hit her thighs.

Aoife took off her shoes and rolled up her pants before walking into the water. “Oh my Dei! This is so cold!”

The water was a beautiful crystal blue color that reflected the bright sun back at us. I kicked up a spray of water at Alexandra. Who turned around and folded her hands in front of her.

“I am not sinking to your level, love,” she said with a faint smile on her lips.

I suppressed a laugh as I slowly waded over to her. She looked at me from the corner of her eye, I smiled back as I kicked up another spray of water, completely drenching her side. She gasped loudly and whipped around before rushing at me. She wrapped her arms around my waist as she tackled me into the water to a chorus of laughter.

I gasped as I came up for air, sprawled in the water. My hair dripped into my face as I wiped my eyes, trying my hardest not to laugh. Alexandra was sitting by my legs, pushing her now wet hair out of her face. Her soaked shirt hung off her shoulders as her shoulders heaved with laughter.

“Do it again!” Joshua yelled from the shoreline.

“Do not,” I warned Alexandra in between fits of laughter.

Aoife splashed over to us. “How are you guys not freezing?”

My teeth chattered together, “Well I wasn’t until you said something,” I joked.

“I’m a Fire Elemental so I can withstand a lot of cold because my body has a higher temperature,” she explained.

Kuna surfaced right next to Aoife and stood up, light pink scars were visible all over them, including one that looked like a large bite mark on their shoulder. “Did you guys fall in? What happened?’

“She tackled me!”

“She actually fell on her own,” Alexandra said.

I shoved her shoulder, “Don’t believe her, she tackled me full force. For no reason!”

“I did not!”

“And I missed this?” Kuna frowned, “I guess you’ll have to do it again.”

I laughed and stood up, the warm sun providing some relief from the freezing water. Alexandra reached her hand out for me to help her up and I took it. She tugged hard on my arm, trying to make me fall again but I maintained my balance and pulled her up instead.

“It was too tempting not to try,” she smirked.

We splashed around in the water for a bit longer before the sun had lowered to just above the treeline. We all stumbled to the shoreline and sat all together. Joshua dug a small hole in the center of our circle while Kuna left for some kindling. My hair fell down in damp strips over my eyes, I was starting to dry off thanks to the warmth and the direct sunlight.

“When do you want to head back to town?” Aoife asked.

Maj pointed to the treeline, “When the sun goes down past the treeline. Devi should be here soon, if she gets here while we’re over here how is she going to find us?”

“Ishir, probably. But I don’t think she’d wander around the beaches looking for us.” I shrugged.

“I’ll go up and check in a bit if she’s here yet.”

Kuna threw the many sticks they collected into the pit. Alexandra stuck her hand and summoned a small fire that danced around her fingertips before leaping onto the sticks and roaring to life. I stuck out my hands and immediately felt the warmth creep through my hands and to the rest of me.

“Are we even allowed to have a fire on the beach?” Maj folded her leg under her and had to move the other one with her hands to a similar position.

Alexandra shrugged and leaned against my shoulder, “Nobody will know as long as we keep it under control.”

We sat around quietly, but I was transfixed by the flames twirling and licking at the wood. The orange and red flickered with a heartbeat.

“I think it’s time to go up,” Joshua finally said, his voice grave.

“Call me old fashioned, but we’re not wearing the proper clothes for this,” Maj said softly, “It wouldn’t be right.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, “We should get new clothes at the town. . . Something proper.”

Aoife shook her head, “We’re doing the right thing. We’re doing the right thing.”

Joshua stood up and stomped on the fire, sending embers up into the orange and pink sky. “Let’s go, maybe Devi is here now. We should hurry up before anybody starts to doubt this. . .”

“You’re right,” Kuna sighed, everybody else nodded in agreement, “Let’s go then.”