The Almost Summer

Chapter 7: Splash(and other)zones♥

"Two portions of chips please," I say, handing over a fiver. The greasy-haired teen behind the counter scowls and counts out my change before shovelling some delicious smelling chips into a paper cone.

"Salt and vinegar?" he growls.

"Just salt, please," I say. He sprinkles on the salt crystals before handing me the already grease-speckled funnels, which I gladly take. I snaffle a particularly tasty looking chip before the rest of the gang descend on me like the packs of seagulls hanging around the beach.

Let me tell you something about Blackpool beach. It's got muddy gold sand, constantly damp and rippled with little crevasses. It's almost completely flat, endless sand stretching out to meet the level sea. All day donkeys trek their familiar paths across the beach, from the steps to the pier to the edge of the sea. It's not exactly beautiful, or breath taking, but it's familiar and I love it all the same.

We stand leaning over the stone wall, looking out to the sea. The last rides of the day are going on: a group of kids are sat giggling atop grey donkeys, which are being led by a tired looking man. Their parents watch from afar, already picking up the picnic baskets and pairs of shoes, ready to go home.

We spent the afternoon in the arcade. I played about fifty games of air hockey, and somehow ended up mooching about twelve colourful teddy bears off of Lucas, who is insanely good at those crane-thingy's. Now though we've almost finished the chips, and are bickering over who gets the stragglers at the bottom.

"I paid. I call dibs!" I say.

"Yeah you paid - with my money!" Charlie replies.

"I think Halle should get them, she's hardly had any." Matty says, and we all groan.

"Of course you'd say that," Piper mutters. "And Halle had way more than me!"

"Yeah but I didn't have breakfast so..."

"Excuses!"

With that, Lucas takes the two cartons from my hands and chucks them over the railings.

"The birds can have them." He announces. He is met with five murderous glares, except from Halle who smiles.

"That was nice of you, they're probably hungry."

"They're seagulls, you idiot. They'll eat anything that stays still for long enough!"

"I paid a fiver for them."

"No, I paid a fiver for them!"

"Shut up, Charlie." We get angry looks from the family nearby, who are now being surrounded by squawking seagulls.

It's hard to stay mad at Lucas though, especially when the setting sun looks so beautiful hanging above the water. Bending over I pull off my shoes and socks.

"What are you doing?" Jake asks. Instead of answering I roll my jeans up to mid-calf and hop over the railings, landing a few feet below on the pebbly stone, holding my shoes in one hand. I turn over my shoulder to see Piper and Halle with their shoes half off already.

"Coming?" I grin, before breaking into a run towards the sea.

I can hear the others behind me, laughing and shoving each other. When we reach the sea I leap in, splashing around and screeching with the cold. I shut my eyes and revel in the freshness of it: I let the tide wash over my feet and try to remember the last time I felt this happy, this free.

"Gah!" Matty yells, jumping up and down as if that will keep the icy water from swirling around his ankles. I feel arms around my waist and suddenly I'm in the air, wiggling and screaming to be put down.

"Put me down!" I yell, seeing the dark water below. "If you drop me I swear-"

"You'll do what?" I turn my head and I'm staring into Lucas's hazel eyes.

"I'll kill you!" I yell, effectively ruining the moment. I shake my head slightly, there are no 'moments' with Lucas.

Suddenly we're both tipping sideways, and I'm crashing into the water. I'm immediately soaked through, and yelling at Lucas, who is sat bemused beside me.

"I didn't think you'd actually drop me!" I yell. The others are practically wetting themselves laughing: I probably look like a drowned rat. Lucas shakes his head like a dog would, as Matty unexpectedly surfaces in between us.

"You know, when I planned that I didn't mean to fall over too." He says, cracking up.

"How are you all finding this funny?" I shriek. I mean, I'm not high maintenance but I'd rather not be sat on the train soaking wet.

"She's taking this surprisingly well,"

"I'm surprised she's not killed both of them yet,"

But I'm too busy thinking. The last train to Warrshire was quite early today, and I have no idea what time it is.

"Guys, what time is it?" I ask, and Halle checks her watch.

"Ten to five. Why?" She replies. There's a couple of seconds before everyone catches on. We're all leaping into action then, running back across the beach and pulling on socks and shoes over sludgy, sandy feet. We reach the bus stop as our bus appears, and only just persuade the driver to let me, Lucas and Matty on, considering we're dripping water and reek of the ocean. We get to the station just in time to make it onto the last train.

I'm sat next to Lucas, which I'm not happy about. For one thing: he smells as bad as I do, like really concentrated sea salt. For another, he dropped me in the sea.

"Sorry about dropping you in the sea," he grins. "And throwing the chips at the seagulls." I slap him on the head and call it even. Besides, he did give me the teddy bears. I lean back into my seat, completed exhausted, and allow my eyelids to close. Just for a minute, I think, before inevitably drifting off to sleep.

I'm brought awake by Piper whistling in my ear. I leap up so fast I end up banging heads with Lucas, who I realise I must have been sleeping on. Thankfully he was asleep too, or that would've been awkward.

"What was that for?" He asks sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"You're both really heavy sleepers." She says, hauling me to my feet.

"So people keep telling me," I yawn. Outside the station it's dark and cold, but I can see Lucas's mum's car waiting. Before I can head towards it I feel someone taking my arm.

"I just wanted to say I had a really good time," Jake says, a small smile spreading across his face. I smile back sleepily.

"Me too," I say, already being tugged by Piper towards the car.

"Autumn?" He calls, and I turn over. He looks nervous for a few seconds, and then shakes his head. "See you at work." He shrugs, and I wave goodbye.

Lucas's mum is a far better driver than mine, and Piper and Charlie take care of any questions. She drops Piper off first, and then pulls into her driveway.

"Thanks," I say, getting out of the car and waving bye to Lucas.

I think back to what Jake was saying earlier. I was half asleep, but I think he was going to ask me something. Instead of dwelling on this, I just shrug it off. It was probably nothing, I remind myself as I unpack my bag. I dump my towel and costume in the wash, before upending it onto my bed. A dozen rainbow coloured teddies slip out among my purse and phone, tangled up in my headphone wires. The sight of them makes me smile.