The Beach, The Boardwalk, The Diner, The Summer Love (gxg)

4. Scarlett

My alarm goes off at 5:30 am and it is a shock to my system. It's so easy to stay asleep especially at this time, it'st's dark, you're already comfortable, and everybody else is asleep. Although the fact that everyone else is asleep is giving me a thrill to be awake at this time.
I get up and stubble through my dark room to the bathroom. I turn the lights on and squint as I tie my hair back and wash my face. After I brush my teeth and do my skincare I put on a blue bikini with jean shorts and a yellow Piper's beach t-shirt.
Since we are on the east coast we can see the sunrise on the beach and it's very peaceful when everyone isn't up yet. I can see the sunrise from my window but seeing it on the beach is just a level up.
I put my phone in my tote bag and go downstairs. I put a sticky note on the island to write: "Seeing the sunrise on my bike x Scarlett"
I do this from time to time and my parents know there isn't anywhere I'm going that's dangerous or far.
I put on my flip flops and head to the garage. It's packed with bikes, food, jumbo sized everything so we don't have to go out to the store as much while we are here. There is also a bunch of beach chairs, toys, and wagons to carry the toys. I don't know why we have so many chairs when you can always find some on the beach. I kick everything out of the way and wheel my bike out. My bike has a small wire rack in the front where I can put some essentials. I found a way to make my bag fit and started pedaling.
I ride into the bike lane.
There are no cars on the street and it is getting brighter by the second. I put my airpods in and shuffle my beach sunrise playlist. Wildest Dreams starts playing. It's lowkey enough to start because I can't start out with a song I want to scream.
I get to the boardwalk connecting all of the entrances to the beach and ride up the ramp. "Bikers from 10 pm to 8 am" It is only open for bikers at a certain time so we don't run into the kids walking to the beach. I can stay here long after the sunrise though. I see it just getting brighter. It's 5:58 so the sun should be peaking out of the horizon any minute now. I turn to my left and start biking. I will probably turn back and go to my right eventually because the sunrise goes pretty fast when you are biking.
There aren't many people I see walking probably because they would be actually walking on the beach portion. I will not be doing that because I don't want my bike to be sandy. I pass bikers that probably do this daily like twenty times to get their miles in.
The boardwalk overlooks the beach and the dunes aren't high so I can see right over the ocean. I see the first sliver of sun and the sky is exploding with oranges and then the clouds are turning pink and it is a light blue at the top of the sky. As the song ends my headphones play Sofia and I feel myself moving my head to the beat when nobody is in front.
I am dancing to the beat so much in my head. I see a person on a bike coming towards me and I tone it down. They seem young, not like the old bikers that I usually see.
As she is coming towards me I can make out a black tank top and cream sweatpants. She is looking over at the sunrise as she's getting closer to me.
When we pass each other we both smile at each other. Then i recognize her too late as the girl from the diner and the beach. There's no way. But it is. She has the same kind of style, same hair, and her face is the same.
When we are past each other I tell myself that that is a really rare coincidence. I look back to see her and I almost forget how to ride a bike when she is looking at me back.
She is looking at me back. I think she also recognizes me, she has to right? I quickly duck my head and look back in front of me and I can still feel her eyes on me. I allow myself to smile to myself. Then mentally say goodbye to the stranger I will never see again.
Jaz
There is no way. No way i see this girl again. I had to consciously not let my jaw drop when I saw her. I purposefully made contact so she maybe gets the hint but i don't know what to do with that. I know she recognized me. I know it.
I also know that I said I would get her number again if I saw her. But I wasn't about to turn around just to see if she remembered me. That is just a crazy coincidence. Not many people go out in the morning to bike down the boardwalk especially my age.
I wasn't even just going for fun. I am biking to the bakery that sells out almost immediately. They open at six so I can definitely grab some things for the week.
When I get to the bakery which was only a few blocks away I come to the conclusion that I should have turned around and gotten her number. I don't think it would have been weird because I really do think she remembered me. But also I feel like I would be awkward. I kept dreaming about how if I did turn back she would ask where I'm going and I would tell her and I would ask her if she would like to come with me and then we would go to the bakery together pick up bagels and cinnamon rolls, we would share one because they are huge and then we would get to talking and it would be very fun.
But thinking about that when I open the bakery doors isn't very helpful because I don't think I am going to find her again. I try to remind myself that there will be others but it's fine. I just wish my daydream played out and now I missed it.
The bakery smells like yeast, sugar, and flour, and just amazing. It's something I would want to put in a candle but you can't because the candles never smell like the real thing.
There are tables for two outside and in. I approach the counter with glass showing off all of the bagels, cinnamon buns, and other pastries. The bread is shown behind the counter along with the donuts. I don't know how they make all this stuff that it is all so good. I think they actually use magic because there is no way that they make so much and it's all the best things i've ever eaten.
I get a dozen bagels, half plain, five everything, and one cinnamon sugar because we like to spice things up. Then, a loaf of bread that we can use for sandwiches, a small box of donut holes as a surprise for everyone.
Then I look at all the sticky buns. There are ones with apple, strawberry, and hazelnut spread filling. And lots with different kinds of nuts. I get a strawberry one and a hazelnut spread one. This is so much food. They all are gonna venmo me when we get back.
My hands are full as I go to one of the tables outside. I drop everything and go searching for my strawberry filled roll. I cut it in half because they are the biggest rolls I have ever seen. Eating them is a whole experience. It's so soft and pillowy and sweet and tastes like strawberries. This has to be one of the best things they have. I can feel a light breeze blowing and I get the chills reminding me of how early it still is. I check my phone: 6:20 am.
I spend a good ten minutes savoring every bite of my strawberry roll while looking around at the strangers walking along the streets or in the cars. There still aren't many people up yet except those who like to run or really do things in the morning. I put on some music. I don't bother putting in headphones because the only people around me are those walking into the shop and I don't think they would mind.
I try to find a lowkey song that would fit the mood right now and start playing wonder by shawn mendes. Putting music on when I'm doing anything makes me feel so special. Dancing in my room is one of my favorite past times right up there with runway walking to the music in my headphones while I'm going to the grocery store or something.
When I finish the first half and am tempted to just eat the whole thing I start unlocking my bike. Still not putting headphones in because there are barely any people awake yet. I put on Do I wanna Know? By the Arctic Monkeys.
This is a song that I want to runway strut to. Songs like this while I am walking or biking or whatever really makes me feel like I am slo-mo walking out of a building up in flames behind you and you walk towards the camera on beat because you just saved everyone and then the credits start to roll.
I get on my bike and ride to the boardwalk to get home. I could go on the street but the boardwalk is easiest to tell the street numbers and also hold a huge bag of baked goods because there is no incoming traffic and you are not scared cars are going to hit you while you are biking with a big bad in one hand.
I am very tempted to lock up my bike, walk to the beach, and watch the sunrise that has mostly already happened, the colors are draining out of the sky now. I don't want to risk someone taking my perfect little pastries though. I woke up at the literal crack of dawn just to make sure I get first pick. Thinking about someone stealing my stuff is reminding me about the girl at the beach, and the diner, and the boardwalk.
I might do that though, stop at home, drop off food, then head to the beach. The time is kind of awkward though. The sun would have already risin and the colors wouldn't be shown anymore and obviously nobody would be on the beach yet. The water would also be freezing so maybe not the best idea.
I wonder what that girl was doing. I have to go over when i see her because it feels like a lot happened in my head. I saw her at the beach when I got wrecked by a wave and then when we were sitting down next to her we noticed each other.
Then I saw her at Aunt Suzies yesterday and we made eye contact a bunch and smiled a few times. I don't know if she recognized me that day.
And finally, I saw her today biking. I run those scenes over in my head and remember that she looked back after we passed each other. The fact that we both did a double take for one another makes my little hopeless romantic heart pound right out of my chest like a cartoon character.
I'm scared I'm making all of this up.

Can you feel the summer vibes?