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CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX! . *. ⋆ THE GOODBYE ⋆ . * .
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The Joza's House, Bel-Air (Thursday, August 24th, 2023 - 09:30am)
i woke up to sunlight streaming through my curtains, stretching my arms above my head as i remembered the plans i had for the day. today was the day i would hang out with austin before he headed back to new zealand. my stomach fluttered at the thought.
after getting ready; just a simple sundress and some casual sandals; i headed to the kitchen. the smell of coffee and pancakes filled the air, and my mum looked up from the stove with a smile.
"hey, ready for your day?" she asked.
"yeah," i said, grabbing a small pancake. "i have a picnic planned for the beach."
"sounds lovely. have fun, mon soleil," she said, her eyes sparkling with that familiar motherly excitement.
i finished my toast, grabbed my picnic basket, and double-checked everything inside: sandwiches, strawberries, some cookies, and a couple of bottles of water. it was a simple spread, but i thought it would be nice for a laid-back afternoon.
after packing the last of the food, i grabbed my keys and headed out to pick up austin. as i drove through familiar streets, i felt a mix of nerves and excitement. the sun shone brightly, and the ocean breeze made me roll down the windows, letting the salty air fill the car.
when i arrived at his hotel, he was waiting outside, leaning casually against the wall. as soon as he saw me, his face lit up, and that grin made my heart skip a beat.
"hey," he said, walking over and helping me with the basket.
"hey," i replied, trying to keep my tone light even though my stomach was doing flips.
we drove to malibu, and as we approached the private beach, i couldn't help but smile. it felt special to share this place with him again. i parked and grabbed the picnic basket, leading the way down to the sand.
once we found a spot, we set up the blanket and started pulling out the food. "this looks awesome," he said, grabbing a strawberry. "you really went all out."
"i wanted to make it special," i replied, trying to sound casual, though my heart raced at the thought. i didn't want him to think it was a big deal, but it kind of was.
as we dug into the snacks, we chatted about everything and nothing; our favorite shows, life plans, and random things that made us laugh. the sound of waves crashing nearby mixed with our laughter, creating a comfortable atmosphere that felt easy and right.
