Teenage Dream

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"But I fear that they already got all the best parts of me. And I'm sorry that I couldn't always be your teenage dream."

Teenage Dream - Olivia Rodrigo

In the morning, Margaret was awakened by the sunlight. She got up and breathed in the sea air from her balcony while watching the dawn light up the ocean. This place filled her with such a comfortable inner peace that she knew it would be hard to leave, but that moment was far away. For now, she wanted to enjoy each day with her friends, making the most of every precious moment they had together.

She went downstairs to join everyone in the kitchen for breakfast. Knox offered her some coffee, and she accepted. Margaret observed all her friends in their pajamas. Good grief, puberty had changed them like a sledgehammer to the head. They were no longer the awkward teenagers she remembered, but young adults with the world at their feet.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Todd asked, yawning and stretching.

"Beach, beer, and pancakes?" suggested Knox, his eyes twinkling with excitement.

Everyone agreed, but Margaret made a remark:

"And who's going to make those pancakes?"

"We can all pitch in," said Meeks optimistically.

"It's going to be a disaster," concluded Charlie, shaking his head.

"You said it," confirmed Margaret with a playful smirk.

They put on their beach clothes and headed to the shore with energy. The sun was bright, it was warm, and nothing seemed to stand in their way. Once they arrived, they set up the umbrellas and various foods. Margaret lay down on a towel and started to sunbathe, feeling the warmth of the sun seep into her skin.

The boys, on the other hand, dove straight into the sea and played like children. Noticing that Margaret hadn't followed them, Charlie and Knox came over to pull her out of her little nap and began carrying her to the sea. She struggled as much as she could, but the two men got help from the rest of the group.

They carried her over the water on a small elevated patch of land. She knew that at this spot, the water was deep, and she absolutely didn't want to end up there.

"You'll regret this for the rest of your lives if you drop me," she threatened, trying to sound serious.

"We'll also regret not doing it," said Pitt, grinning mischievously.

"I think we should do it," affirmed Charlie, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"I agree," added Todd with a laugh.

Margaret knew it was a lost cause. She closed her eyes, and suddenly, she felt the water engulf her entire body as she went under. But she didn't come up to the surface. Instead, she stayed submerged as long as she could. The boys looked at each other apprehensively; they couldn't see her coming up and started to worry. Charlie and Todd leaned over the water to try and spot her. Suddenly, she emerged, grabbed both of them by the collar, and pulled them into the sea with her.

Everyone burst into laughter. The two emerged from the water, shocked. Margaret couldn't stop laughing, but since she wasn't a strong swimmer, she had to cling to Charlie to stay afloat. They got out of the water, and Knox commented:

"It's better than lake water, isn't it?"

Margaret gave him a light slap on the back of the neck and laughed, then they all went to play in the sea before settling on the towels to eat sandwiches.

"Knox, can I ask you a question?" Margaret asked, curiosity piqued.

"Of course."

"How did you find all of us?"

"Well... it took me a while, but after months of searching, I eventually tracked you down. Explaining how would be boring and a waste of time."

"Alright, then tell us why," suggested Charlie, raising an eyebrow.

"To reconcile with the past," Knox replied, his voice sincere.

Everyone was convinced by this explanation. Charlie and Margaret exchanged a glance and looked away. Were they completely reconciled with the past? They were the ones chosen to prepare the pancakes. They gathered the ingredients, and Charlie looked at the recipe. He observed it and concluded that it was like Latin to him. Margaret took the recipe from him and sighed.

"Alright, we need to melt the butter first."

Margaret handed the butter to Charlie, and while catching it, he grabbed a saucepan and prepared to melt it. She laughed at her friend's seriousness and continued to list the steps. They mixed the flour and sugar, added the eggs, the butter, and whisked it all together.

After letting the batter rest, they began cooking the pancakes. Margaret tried her best, but she struggled.

"You do know a pancake is better when it's not burnt, right?" Charlie teased, his tone lighthearted.

"Shut up and come help me."

He positioned himself behind her and placed his hand on the one holding the pan. He helped her make the pancake, guiding her movements. He was much taller than her, and she felt almost enveloped by his body. She had to make a great effort to concentrate on what she was doing. They managed to make the pancakes and congratulated each other. Charlie tried to taste one but was scolded by Margaret.

"Oh come on, we worked hard to make these beautiful pancakes."

He placed his hands on Margaret's waist and lifted his head to meet her eyes, pleading with her, which amused her more than anything.

"You haven't completely changed after all," she commented, a hint of nostalgia in her voice.

"Neither have you. You're still... easily frustrated."

He gave her a light flick on the nose and grabbed a pancake, running away before she could get revenge. She watched him leave and waited until he was far away to catch her breath. Even after all these years, he still had an effect on her. They joined their friends and shared the pancakes while telling stories, laughing, crying with joy, and reminiscing. What stories for a summer adventure.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink, Margaret felt a deep sense of contentment. She knew these moments with her friends were fleeting, but she cherished each one. They all gathered around a bonfire, the warmth of the flames warding off the evening chill.


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