: ̗̀➛ part three of the
one for the road series
SNOWFALL / CL16
in which two childhood friends reunite. a formula one driver wants to learn how to snowboard and it just so happens that the daughter of his mum's be...
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✧ ˚ · . CHAPTER EIGHTEEN . · ˚✧ we didn't know the sun was collapsing
🎶 everywhere, everything by noah kahan
palermo, sicily, summer 2014
The sun was warm on my back, my sun hat shielding my book from its blinding light. The sounds of the ocean hitting the shore drifted towards me at rhythmic intervals, and a soft breeze brushed my legs. It was heaven. In the distance, the boys were hollering as water splashed where they broke through the waves, the thud of a beach ball being thrown back and forth accentuating the symphony of sounds.
I slipped a bookmark between the pages of my book and turned around so I could face the ocean. My toes sunk into the golden sand, the warmth slipping up my body like vines. I smiled as I watched Charles tackle Lorenzo, the both of them disappearing under water for a brief few seconds.
When the both of them reappeared above the surface and I leaned back on my elbows to more comfortably watch the spectacle, I was taken aback by the water droplets on Charles' chest glittering in the light of sun. His abs flexed as he shoved Lorenzo playfully, his loud laugh ringing across the distance between us, and I couldn't help but smile.
We were spending a day at the beach with just the five of us—Alfie, Lorenzo, Arthur, Charles and I. The parents had wanted the house to themselves and had been acting secretive all morning, to the point Lorenzo had had enough and asked to borrow the keys to the Jeep. He had driven us all down here after a quick stop at the grocery store, and now I was guarding the snacks (i.e. slowly finishing our supply) while reading a book.
It was great to get out of the house with the group for once. I'd felt like we'd spent the whole four weeks of summer holiday so far cooped up in the house, and I had a feeling our parents' secretiveness had something to do with that. I'd come downstairs yesterday night to overhear a conversation about a boat of some sort through the open French doors.
I was perfectly content on watching on while tanning in the sun, enjoying the last moments of peace before we would get home to chaos. At least, that was what my gut was telling me.
Charles' gaze caught mine from across the water, a wide smile stretching on his face before he muttered something indecipherable to the boys. He started walking over towards me, golden skin lighting up under the suns bright illumination. The closer he got, the brighter his smile, and I couldn't help the excitement fluttering inside of me at the sight.
He blocked the sunlight over me, casting a shadow on me that provided a brief relief from the constant burn of the sun's warmth. As he reached for a bottle of water from the cooler, a couple of drops of water fell on my chest, and Charles' gaze slid to them with a mischievous smirk.
