Lavender | Wakatoshi Ushijima

21 | Spring Sunburns

Before I know it, I'm living the day I kept on dreaming of. It's not as I expect, though. Rather than sitting in silence next to Mother far from the sand, I'm bombarded by screams and lots of conversation and sandy volleyball games. Rather than coming with a full stomach to avoid city food, we eat right on the shore. Rather than a gloomy feeling, there's happiness, for the first time in a while.

"Happy birthday!" They're screaming in unison. The team are all in beachwear, standing below the high wooden stairs. I have to cover my hand as I laugh. They look hilarious.

I stand up there for a good three minutes in silence, admiring the sun, the waters that seem to never end, and the boats far away that sit on the surface. I could write a thousand stories and a million poems and a never ending chain of stories, right here and right now. The air sticking to my skin makes its way past me, it's giving me a humid hug. The salty smell makes my lungs feel more alive than they've ever felt.

They're screaming with joy with every moving breath. I put my hands up and cover the sun, what a bright sphere. It looks like a marble I can hold in my palm, warm and loving. It's warming my hands already, even though it's a world away. My hands move across my vision, stroking the coming waves and assuring me this is real, I'm real. This view is right here.

My hands then point to my friends who are still down there, waiting for me. I run down there, my dress ruffling against the wind. Wakatoshi is following behind me.

I tackle Kiyo when I get down there and feel the hot sand under my feet. The sand makes its way between my toes and it feels ticklish. I almost burst into laughter and tears at the same time. The others join us before they go back and continue setting up.

"Surprise, surprise!" She laughs and hugs me.

"Thank you," I whisper and pull away.

She pushes a ball of light fabric in my hands.

"You can't swim in a dress," she whispers back.

I look down and see my swimsuit. It's the pink floral one-piece I haven't gotten to wear yet. The coincidence is unusual, I'm wearing floral through and through.

"How'd you get this?" I ask.

"I have my ways. Come on, the bathroom's over there." She smirks, dragging me away.

I decide to keep my hair loose after I put on the swimsuit. It fit me just right, hugging my curves perfectly. I want the breeze to play around with my hair and make it flutter around. I have the freedom to do so. I enjoy every stroke of the wind.

The weather isn't perfect for swimming, but the sun is slightly making up for it. It's still early spring, after all.

"It's so cold!" I shriek as the little waves stroke my feet. The wet sand is hard and compressed. It still feels peculiar.

"Wait, wait! Please!" Semi shouts, cruising on an inflated ring.

That's when the flock of tall boys, some short, come running straight into the water. Some jump too, clearly the underclassmen. He screams as they run towards him, splashing him with water. Echoes of their laughter ring out and I'm frozen in place. I catch a glimpse of their faces as time takes a stop, wrinkling eyes and toothy smiles. Warm blooded faces and bodies full of joy, running to the waters and living their youth. Living their teenage years with me.

I'm horrified as freezing cold water splashes me. Right up to my thighs. Every drop is pulled down to meet my knees. I bite back a scream.

I see some of them sunbathing, including Shirabu and Kai. They have swatches of sunscreen on their cheekbones and the tips of their noses. Wakatoshi steps in the shallow water beside me. He's in his dark swimming trunks, bare-chested. I notice his physique and speedily look away.