Lost in Technicolor

Clara

"You've never been to a beach," Drake almost said in a mocking way, reading her thoughts.

    "I can't remember a time that I was outside of Monorail," she muttered, "it isn't as if all of us are filthy rich enough to waste money on train tickets as expensive as a house!"

    "Hmm," he smiled, kicking at the sand and sending his shoes flying through the air. He didn't seem to care what happened to them. Then he slid off his shirt and tossed it on the hot sand, leaving it behind as well. Amon was doing the same and once he was merely wearing a pair loose shorts. He ran out into the ocean far enough so that he could dive beneath it's tumbling waves.

    Jade found that she liked to listen to the sound of the crashing water and merely laid under the shade of the trees on the cool sand and listened. Drake sat beside her, watching the people run around and his uncle laughing and splashing the young girls who were flirting with him. She sat up, "I'm surprised that he hasn't found something to intoxicate himself with yet. He seems like he's having fun."

    "He isn't stressed out," Drake muttered, "an hour away from Dane and Damien, relieves him of all pressure and he becomes an actual human being." Jade's eyes widened as she saw him lean forwards and kiss one of the girls, making the two of them topple under the water. Only to resurface laughing and splashing. "Do you want to go out there?" He smirked at her, "Or can't you swim?"

    She ignored both questions, "I'm guessing that he's never seen either of them before."

    "Nah," Drake leaned back and let himself flop backwards into the sand with his hands neatly folded behind his head, "that's Clara. They've known one another for . . ." he gave a long sigh as he thought, "five years?"

    "And she lives here in Earthsea?" Jade questioned him.

    "Mhm," he responded, "I don't think that she's ever been anywhere else."

    "Why doesn't Amon take her with him?" She continued with the inquiries.

    "Because, darling," he mocked her with each word, "she has a life here and most people don't want to be anywhere near Damien and Amon is chained to him."

    "I see," she muttered and fell quiet for a while, watching the two wade out of the ocean and stroll up to them, still laughing.

    "Hi," Clara said through her laughter to Jade. She glanced at Amon as if whatever joke they were laughing at could be reignited with their eyes.

    "Hi," Jade spoke slowly, taking the girl in. She seemed about one and a half years older than her, same as Amon. With long wet brown hair was clinging to her neck and shoulders and electric blue eyes she was stunning up close. She wasn't quite beautiful, but she definitely had a unique look to her that made her cute.

    "Clara," Drake muttered as he sat up to look at her darkly.

    "Wow," she mused, getting to her knees and hands right in front of Drake. Their noses were barely apart, "I haven't seen you in like a year."

    "Likewise," Drake smiled sarcastically, until his uncle shot him a nasty glare. Drake narrowed his eyes at him returning the look with a smug one of his own.

    "Hmm," she smiled off his coldness and sat down, crossing her tan bare legs. Jade felt out of place, wearing her dress when everyone else was either in their loose, frilly undergarments, but she wasn't about to tear off her cloths. "And how's Dane?"

    "Peachy," Drake flashed his eyes at her, making her glance away quickly like everyone seemed to at both Damien and Drake's eyes.

    "And Damien?" Jade was surprised at how smoothly and sweetly Clara could speak the name.