Ice Cream In Malibu

23

"How's this one?" Ezra asked holding up another swimming suit. I looked over and laughed. It was a stripy hot pink and leopard print, I snorted most unladylike and shook my head.

"I like this one personally." I told him holding up a dark grey uni-kitty one piece. He looked it up and down and smiled.

"I like it." He said, I had to try two different sizes on first so he waited while I tried on them.

I came out after a couple minutes and he smiled as I deposited the most ill-fitting one and walked up to the counter hand-in-hand with Ezra. We paid and left the store quickly, too many teenagers were flooding the store and making it uncomfortable. I laughed at this.

I am a teenager.

The day was hot and sticky.

And the best day of my life.

The beach was packed. But I wasn't self-conscious in my bathing suit, as I normally would have. So many people were there you juts blended, not something I like to do most of the time. But when I'm half clothed I'd prefer not to have people looking at me.

Ezra holding my hand; Starting over.

We spend hours playing in the beach and me wading out only so far and of course, Ezra holding my hand.

I love the way it feels to have his fingers entwined with my own, even though both of our hands are sweaty and clammy we still hold them. I love the way he rubs my thumb with his own. The way his hand is bigger then mine and engulfs it comfortably.

Ezra kicks me with water and sand, and we both get sunburnt. But we're happy.

Cedric and Zuri take us out to dinner at a Mexican food truck. I was nervous at first about the whole 'Food truck' thing, but Zuri assured me they go there all the time and she loved it. So I gave in and we're eating food at an outdoor table right next to a Mexican food truck. Eating tacos. And drinking Mexican sodas, I've never had a Mexican soda before. But they're so good. I got a pineapple one, and Ezra got lime. Zuri asked me about my family and I told them, she didn't offer any pity when I told her about three years ago. She just said my father was a pig and didn't deserve a daughter like me. I laughed at that and she shook her head eating another bite of taco.

"What are the plans for tomorrow?" I asked Ezra and he spared a quick glance at Cedric who had paused in the middle of taking a drink and he raised his eyebrows. "What?" I ask, confused by the sudden change in behavior.

"It's a surprise." Ezra said clearing his throat and smiling, but not sincerely. Forced and his faced looked like he was swallowing a giant multi-vitamin, I nodded, confused. But I didn't want to push it, we were finally good, and I didn't want to spoil it.

Zuri cleared her throat, diverting the attention from the awkward silence and everyone looked at her.

"So, this kid in my painting class yesterday was supposed to paint the vase of flowers set out. But he painted the exact same thing, except he somehow made everything look like a butt." She said laughing at the joke. And we all laughed together and then we fell into comfortable easy conversation.

After spending an hour with Cedric and Zuri, Ezra and I decided to walk back by ourselves rather than in a group. Cedric said just to watch out and not go in any back alleyways. We both laughed at this until he looked at us seriously and said he wasn't joking.

We walked down to the near empty beach lit by the occasional bonfire and Ezra stopped us with our hands together on the edge of the water. I'd changed into a pair of jeans and a tank-top, But I'd taken a sweatshirt along which I'd put on awhile ago. He turned me around and clasped his hands around my waist and rested his forehead against my own, closing his eyes.