Ecstasy

Chapter 51

Calla:

It wasn't as hot the next day and the boys wanted to go to the surf, so we packed some lunch and all piled into Sam's car and drove to the nearest beach. On the way there Cade and Tyson seemed more civil to each other than I had ever noticed before. They sat next to each other in the back seat and joked about Sam's driving. I smiled and took Tyson's outstretched hand when we parked and started to walk to the sea.

Cade rushed past knocking Tyson in the process. "Last one in's doing clean up tonight!" Sprinting off to the shoreline. Tyson just laughed and stood still for a moment as if he wasn't going to participate in the juvenile game, before letting go of my hand and sprinting after him. I just laughed. It was stupid, because us girls had made dinner and done all the cleaning up so far.

I wasn't much of a tanner so I spent a good half an hour rubbing sunscreen all over my body so I ended up looking as white as a ghost in my bikini. It didn't matter though it all washed off the moment I dived under the water. Us girls soon got tired of the boys' horseplay and retired to lie on the beach, which meant another half and hour sunscreen applying for me.

"Why don't you just wear a shirt?" Mitchie asked adjusting the towel under her head and the sunglasses on her nose.

"I didn't think of bringing one." I regretted it now that was for sure.

"Why don't you just build a base tan that way you won't get super burnt next time?" Phoebe mumbled sleepily as she lay there on her stomach, bikini back strap untied and pants pulled up briefly so she could tan as much skin as possible.

I wish I had her skin. I didn't tan. I burned, then I freckled. I also had a slight paranoia about melanomas.

The sun was heating up around the middle of the day and the heat rose off the sand in waves. I pulled my straw hat down over my eyes and felt myself drifting asleep. Suddenly cold water started raining on my hot skin and I jolted upright gasping at the shock. It was then I noticed Tyson standing over me dripping wet with salt water.

"Hey! That's cold."

He just grinned and shook his hair showering me in cool water. I squealed and turned my head. He smiled again before collapsing down beside me.

"Oh that water's awesome are you sure you guys don't want to come and enjoy it?" Sam called, dropping onto the sand beside Mitchie.

"Nah we're good working on our tan." Phoebe mumbled into her towel.

Tyson caressed my shoulder before kissing the spot his fingers had just swept. "I hope you have sunscreen on, you'll be red," he mumbled in my ear.

"I do!" I said defiantly, wishing again I had Phoebe's skin. I grabbed his hand and laid it against my forehead. "Your hands are so cold." I grabbed his other hand and laid it across my stomach and the temperature difference was shocking.

I laid back on the towel closing my eyes and shifted both of Tyson's hands to cool down my skin. I peeked through my closed eyelids up at him. "Lie down will you."

He didn't seem to hear me. He was busy staring at something up on the busy esplanade. I sat up, alarmed at the look on his face. "What is it?" I looked in the direction he had set his eyes, but it was hard to tell what he was looking at with a crowded beach and equally crowded esplanade. I looked back at him and he was standing, his eyes not leaving whatever it was that held his interest. "Tyson?" My voice was higher than normal. That look on his face. It was like the look he gave me at the hospital. Full of meaning I couldn't possibly know without the history.

He started to walk away from us and the others noticed too. I watched him make his way through the people, his pace increasing until he was almost running towards the road. I stood up to see where he was headed.