The beach was quieter at this time of day, just how I liked it. After all of the families had gone, the fisherman dug their rods into the sand.
A few yards down the beach, a group of boys played a game of volley-ball and I sighed, loneliness washing over me. I still didn't have what I wanted.
Or at least even a hint of love.
Can't a girl catch a break just once?
Every day, around five o'clock, the life guards would drag their stands up to the dunes at the end of their shifts. Far enough up the beach so the tide couldn't get them. Rather than walk down to the beach to look at the guys who more than likely wouldn't give me a second glance, I hoisted myself up onto the nearest life guard stand, giving myself a spectacular view of the ocean.
Even though I decided to sit here so I could avoid the guys, I couldn't prevent my eyes from wandering to where they were playing. There were six of them, three on each side of the net, and that right there should have given me six chances to find love, or heck, I'd settle for like and nothing else at this point.
Emma always told me she was sure I'd meet a guy when I went to school in Virginia. That's your time, Rose. Don't force it now. It will be your reward for waiting so long.
But that was easy for her to say. She had it all: the acceptance to a great school and the adoring high school sweetheart. It still stung every time I heard that phrase because I'd never be the one to live out that wish.
But I guess that wasn't in the cards for me, and really, what could I do about it? There was no use in complaining because I have no one who would listen, no use for wishing for something that would never really happen. All I could do was go forward, find someone no, make something happen today.
And I would.
I had to.
"I have to," I whispered to myself as I watched a wave crash onto shore.
"Do you always talk to yourself while you're trespassing on private property?"
I jumped, startled at the new voice that had spoken to me. I glanced down; ready to snap at whoever it was that had ever-so-rudely interrupted my thoughts.
A tall boy with a mop of wild blonde hair, deeply tanned skin, and bright blue eyes that flashed with annoyance stood at the bottom of the lifeguard stand, glaring at me. He wore bright white shorts with a red t-shirt that hugged all of the right places on his chiseled chest.
No, I didn't think he was cute or anything.
"Uh... What?"
Good going Rose, I thought. You're so clever.
He nodded at the lifeguard stand. "You were just talking to yourself," he said. "And you're sort of on the stand and that's private property. Belongs to the state if you hadn't noticed. You know these things are off limits to the public right? Did you not get the hint from the big red 'KEEP OFF' sign?"
I frowned. "You know this is just a painted piece of junk right? I'm not hurting anyone and if my eyes are correct, no one is dying."
"You know I'm a lifeguard and I can’t do my job without it, right?" he shot back, traces of an Irish accent coming out in his voice.
"What are you talking about? Last time I checked, when someone was drowning, you didn't need a lifeguard stand to help you. Or do you take it with you to save someone from a riptide? Please, enlighten me on your knowledge."
He put a hand on his hip, red whistle swinging from around his neck. "Listen smartass, would you just get off the bench so I could do what I have to do?"
I rolled my eyes and jumped down. My shoe fell to the ground when I flung myself off. No one would make the mistake of calling me graceful.
"What's your problem anyway? Some kid stuff sand in your whistle?"
He glared at me, his blue eyes flashing. "I just don't like it when people mess with my things. I'm sure you'd be the same way if it was your stand, part of your job."
"All you had to do was ask me to get down and I would have been on my way. It's not like I would have said no."
"Look, just next time, think before you go and do something stupid. Meaning, stay off the lifeguards stands."
"I really don't know what your problem is. Are you on your period or something 'cause it damn sure seems like it." I said. "All I was doing was sitting here, minding my own business during your off hours while this thing wasn’t even being used for anything! If someone needed it, I'd leave when they asked me to. What's wrong with you?"
He looked at me for a few seconds and I felt my cheeks flush with warmth under his stare.
“Nothing is wrong with me. Excuse me for getting annoyed when someone makes it difficult for me to do my job.”
“I don’t need this. I have enough things to worry about without you turning into the high and mighty king of the beach on me.” I said. “Enjoy your stand, highness.”
I turned and walked away, thinking maybe I should go for a quick swim to wash off the nasty taste of confrontation that lingered on my skin.
"Hey," he called out after I walked a few feet away. I stopped, hesitated for just a second, then spun around to look at him. "I'm Niall. Nice to meet you," he said, then offered me what may have been a smile. "Really."
"Rose," I replied without even thinking about it.
He nodded, and climbed up one the stand. I didn't see the need to stick around and see why, exactly, he'd felt the need to kick me off or what sparked his apparent change of heart.
I wandered back to the bridge, noticing the lights on in the other side of my grandparents duplex for the first time in a few years.
I had no idea what to make of Niall the Lifeguard. Common sense told me I didn't want to find out... but something else was telling me I did.
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Alright alright, I know I haven't updated but never fear, MY UPDATE IS HERE!! I have had a lot of stress in school lately but I'm about to do a double update for this story, maybe even a triple. So, yeah. How has everyone's week been? I know I wont get any comments because no one reads this story, but eh. It's worth a shot.
Have a nice night my lovelies :)
~Styles_Cutie
