(BOOK 2) Summer Love - A One Direction Fan Fiction

Chapter Nine - Zayn Almost Drowns

As the brand new convertible the boys bought whizzes past the California houses, you throw your hands up into the air and yell with excitement.  Niall chuckles as he leans back in his seat.  Harry insisted in sitting next to you, so here he is, his arm touching your side.  Louis is driving, making Liam a bit uneasy in the passenger seat.  The car goes up a hill and the beach and ocean comes into view just over the pavement.  You shriek with delight, wondering what your friends could possibly be up to at this moment that could top this. 

A few minutes later Louis slams on the breaks in the beach parking lot.  When the car comes to a screeching halt, Liam is left grasping the handle on the door for dear life.

“Louis…” he gasps, “drive…more carefully…”

“Ah, cheer up, Liam.  I got you here alive, didn’t I?” Louis asks, raising one eyebrow.

Liam just gives him a quick look before getting out of the car.  He opens the door for you and you step out.  As soon as Louis leaves the car, he tosses the keys to Liam and goes running and yelling down the beach.  Liam shakes his head as he grabs Louis bag and follows him.  Niall and Harry go running past Liam in order to catch up with Louis, who was already almost to the water.  You giggle.  You look to your left and see Zayn, just…standing there.

“Zayn?” you say.

He jumps and looks at you.  It was almost like you put him out of a trance.

“You okay?” you ask.

“Yeah, I’m cool,” he says.

“You ready to go?” you ask.

“Yup.”

You and Zayn walk down the beach and toward the water.  When you finally get there, Liam is setting up beach chairs, umbrellas, and a couple of blankets on the sand.  You laugh when you see Louis already dunking Niall’s head into the water and Harry’s hair already soaked and fully covering his eyes. 

“Liam, are you going to swim?” you ask.

“Yeah, I just have to put on some sun block first,” he says.  “You had better put some on, too.”

“Actually,” you say, “I’m going to work on a tan.”

Liam looks at you.

“What?” you ask.

“Tans aren’t good for your body,” Liam explains.  “The sun’s rays can damage your skin cells.”

“Fine…” you sigh playfully, “give me some of that.”

Liam smiles and tosses you the bottle.  As you smear the sun block all over your arms and legs, you happen to glance at Zayn and notice him staring out at the sea. 

“Zayn, are you sure you’re okay?” you ask.

Zayn jumps again.

“Ya, of course,” he says.

“ZAYN!” Louis yells.  “You comin’?”

“Ya!” Zayn yells back, “I’ll be right there!  Hey, give me some sun block?”

You smile and hand the bottle to him.  Zayn squirts a bunch onto his fingers and puts it on his nose.  He smiles his famous smile and shakes his “gun hands” at you.  You giggle as he goes running down the beach.  You make yourself comfortable on one of the beach chairs Liam set up, being sure the umbrella’s shade covered your whole body.  If Liam was concerned about the sun’s rays, then maybe you should be, too.  After all, Liam seems to know best.  Liam sits on the chair next to you and sighs.