The following day, before Elena had a chance to ask if she could see Mark, he showed up. Then he told Elena about how he and his cousins had decided to the beach.
"Is it far?' asked Elena who had not been to a beach for a while.
"No, it's not far. It's quite close by!" said Mark, the village borders on to the beach. "I came to ask you if you would like to come with us."
"Well, let me ask my aunt if I can come along," Elena went to the house, where she found Mrs. Lavenia reading a book.
"Aunty, I was wondering if I could go to the beach with Mark."
"Well, you just got out of a cold and fever, but I guess the sea air will do you good!"
"Could I, please?" asked said Elena, tapping her foot on the floor.
"Yes. You may," said Mrs. Lavenia said putting her book aside. "I think it be good for you. But wait a moment," she and went to her room and came back with her purse.
"Give me a minute," said Elena and ran to get her pouch. She came back with it and Mrs. Lavenia gave her some coins and notes.
"Have fun," said Mrs. Lavenia waving. Elena waved back.
Elena ran outside where Mark was waiting for her. She got on to the backseat of Mark's bicycle and they rode off.
"I wish I had a bicycle of my own!" thought Elena dreamily. She had always wanted one of her own.
They rode past the houses and gardens. They came to Mark's gate and Elena leapt off the bicycle. Mark went to the garage and left his bicycle there.
Then as they walked up to the door, a girl and a boy came running out of the house.
"Well, hello," they said together coming to meet Elena.
"This is Emily, my cousin, and this is Rudy, my other cousin"
"Well, it's nice to meet you both," said Elena shaking hands with both of Mark's cousins.
"But how are we going to the beach?" asked Elena remembering that only Mark had a bicycle.
"By bus of course!" said Mark and together they all set off to the bus stop. They didn't have to wait long. A bus came rambling along and they all got in and sat down.
Elena sat next to Mark. The bus went on passing the fields and farms and soon they came in sight of the beach.
They got off the bus and walked down to the beach. The sun was shining brightly in a forget me not blue sky. The breeze was refreshing. Gulls glided through the air screeching.
They ran into an ice-cream seller on the beach. Elena brought everyone ice creams. All of them decided to go for chocolate ice-cream with nuts and started eating them. The ice-creams were cool and refreshing. Everyone enjoyed them.
They went to the edge of the shore and looked, and the waves come and go. "Shall we build some sandcastles?" asked Elena, who always made sandcastles whenever she went to the beach.
"But we didn't bring and buckets or spades!" said Mark remembering that they had forgot to bring them.
"Well, I saw a shop? Let us buy some!" said Elena walking towards some shop further away from the beach. Everyone followed.
There was a tiny shop called, "Sea Store" and they went in. There was a plump woman wearing a cowboy hat at the counter. "How can I help you?" she said smiling.
"We came to get some buckets and spades. Could you give us four bukets and four spades please?"
"Yes. Certainly miss. But that would cost you fifteen pounds!"
