If Looks Could Kill

Chapter 12: The Beach

This is it. California. We've made it all the way from one end of the country to the other. Sitting in the back of the van with Blake as we
make our way to California reminds me of all that has happened to during this trip. I've probably done more on this trip then I've done
in my entire life. Just being with Blake has allowed me to feel more things than I ever have before. The feelings I'm filled with when he's
near don't seem real. These types of feelings have always been just ideas in books or movies.

But they're real.

Knowing that I can feel this type of way makes it seem impossible to go back. The odds of it being forever aren't great, but I'll try to
keep Blake around as long as I possibly can.

I can't wait to be at the beach with him. I want to be with him as he feels the sand and water all around him. I want to take him out into the ocean and float on our backs together.

I want to be with him.

"Will you take me swimming?" Blake whispers in my ear from where he's
sitting next to me. He's sitting as close as he possibly can to me.

"Of course, I will," I tell him as I assist in keeping us as close together as possible.

A day at the beach with these guys is just the right way to spend our day on this side of the country. East coast kids at a west coast beach.

"Will you put sunscreen on my back?" He smirks next to me.

I look over at the beautiful boy right next to me, "Of course. I can't have you burning up on me. "

We watch as the scenery passes by us.

"Welcome to California," Reggie announces as he drives us past the welcome sign.

"3,000 miles," I whisper under my breath, but it seems to have been loud enough to earn a kiss on my forehead from Blake.

For now, I won't think about having to go back home. I won't think about facing my mom. I won't think about if things will be different between the four of us once we all get back. I'll think about the sand and the waves and the laughs I know we'll all share. And maybe, just maybe, we can take it back to Maryland.

"Which beach are we headed to?" Beth asks from the passenger seat.

It only takes me a second to think about which beach I have marked on my map, "We're going down to Laguna."

When I was looking around for beaches, it seemed like a nice one.

It's supposed to be a beautiful coastal city down in Southern California. I can't wait to get myself into the water. It's good that
we all slipped our swimsuits on under our clothes before we started on the road because I plan to race into the water the second, we park.

"I've heard that it's nice down there," Reggie chimes in.

The ride there takes about seven and a half hours, but it's worth it. The prospect of a California beath seems so new and exciting even though we have beaches over in Maryland.

When we get down to Laguna, it doesn't take us long to find a stretch of beath to settle on. I can already tell from just looking at the ocean that these are going to be good waves.

"Excited?" Blake questions me as we both climb out of the van.

"Very much so," I smile back.

With the van parked, we grab all of the things we'll need to take down to the beach. There's a good number of people here, but it isn't so overwhelming that we can't find a spot.