𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬, 𝐬𝐞𝐭, 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐤𝐞!! ʳᵃⁿᵇᵒᵒ

FOUR.

SPENCER.

the crashing waves melted into the sandy beach as the tide pulled away ever so slightly with each rush of water. the yellow sun beamed and glistened as it reflected off the blue ocean, white sparkles glimmering back into my eyes, causing split-seconds of blindness. the chime of people slowly dissipated as we got closer to the spot we'd come to every day. a quiet hide-away beach, with rocks framing it, barricading it from the rest of the beach-goers. the volleyball net we decided to leave, remained untouched and still in the windless sky.

cassia smiled as she pulled the car into the small patch of yellowed grass on the side of the sandy dirt road. as soon as it was in park, the brunette raced out of the car and to the trunk.

"i brought a shit-ton of stuff," she beamed, carrying a various assortment of bags, beach balls, and even pool-floats.

she was struggling to carry it all, so i quickly rushed to her side and took half of the items. we both began to make our way down to the hide-away.

after putting everything down on the warm sand, cassia told me to go fetch one more thing from her trunk. i made the trek back up the hill and saw a large beach umbrella carefully stashed away to
the side. when i held it up after pulling it out, i almost fumbled from the weight.

i made my way back to cassie, taking each step carefully, as not to fall down the hill. she took it from me with ease, digging it into the sand at our feet.

"its like a little paradise..." i muttered, almost a whisper.

cassia smiled brightly, "yeah, and its all ours."

i turned my head to face her, "does anyone know about this place? what about vivien?"

she shook her head, "nope. just you and me, babes!" she punched my arm lightly before moving to fumble through a bright yellow and pink beach bag.

"what spf do you need?" she began to pull out multiple bottles of sunscreen, "i have 15, 30, and 50."

i laughed, "50 would be best, probably."

she rolled her eyes and tossed over the bottle, "whatever, white boy."

i already had on my swim shorts, i had changed before cassia picked me up from school, so that wasn't an issue. i almost began to take off my shirt, but stopped just at my fingertips hit the fabric's ham.

there she was, her olive colored skin clad in a knit reddish-brown two piece. she was stunning. i couldn't move, my mind was racing.

when it came to attraction, i kinda just went with the flow. i never bothered to put a label on my sexuality, but in recent years i had leaned more to same-sex attraction.

but despite that, i think that this was the moment i fell in love with cassia boyer.

she raced to the water, i hadn't realized she was finished applying her own sunscreen. with haste, i pulled my grey t-shirt above my head, forgetting to even apply the sunscreen i so desperately needed, and quickly ran after her.

cassia fell into a wave, letting it pull her back a bit. she melted into the water, allowing the ocean to over take her as she laughed.

"fuck!" she smiled as she sat up, her gapped teeth just barely showing behind her lips, "i missed this."

i unconsciously smiled, "how long has it been since you swam in the ocean?"

"like... 2 years? maybe three?" she stood up, her back covered in sand.

i laughed, only to be caught by surprise as cassia dragged me by my forearm into the ocean. a large wave crashed onto my head, engulfing me in the cool blue that was the pacific.

 ' , —

"lay down and open your mouth, loser."

"what?"

we now sat on the beach, safe from the sun under the umbrella. cassia packed an assortment of foods for a small picnic which we enjoyed together.

she giggled, holding up a cluster of red grapes, "let me feed you like you're dionysus."

"aren't you greek?" i questioned, my head tilting slightly as if i was a curious dog.

"what an astute observation, spencer wilson. let me feed you."

i complied hesitantly, leaning back and biting the grapes off of their stem. we both laughed boisterously. cassia leaned forward and rest her head on my chest as she cackled.

my face heated, and it didn't help that at the time i was completely unaware of my budding feelings for this girl.

she turned over, now laying on her back with her head comfortably atop my upper abdomen. the crashing of the waves, the light squawk of seagulls passing over us, and our synced breathing was the only sounds presented to my ears. it was calm, and it was perfect.

cassia suddenly spoke, "when's your school's prom?"

i hummed, thinking for a moment, "june 11th, i'm pretty sure."

cassia nodded, a pondering look on her face.

"why, when's yours?" my eyes stayed staring at the sky, the umbrella only blocking a small amount of my view.

"may 29th."

"oh wow, thats like, a month from tomorrow."

"mhm."

silence again.

"do you want to take each other as dates?"

my heart stopped. what? admittedly, that thought had crossed my mind well before the talk of prom came up between us. still, my head just couldn't wrap around the idea of her asking me instead of the opposite.

"like, i have a dress, i went shopping with vivien back in january, i just don't have a date, and i assume you don't either."

"okay, first, ouch?" i laughed lightly, "second, you're right i don't—"

cassia laughed, i only rolled my eyes before continuing, "if you want to, i'd be down."

she quickly sat up, a large smile plastered onto her face. with no words, she quickly dragged me onto my feet, hand strongly holding my own. and with each other as our prom dates, we ran back into the crystal clear ocean.