The First Worlders

Chapter Three

I wake up on the floor, holding Lily's hand. A blanket is above us and Lily's head rests on my chest. She is still deeply asleep and I carefully get up. She doesn't stir as I change into swim trunks and go through my mom's old stuff for a couple swimsuits she can choose from. Then, I walk back into the kitchen. The bathroom door is closed and Lily is gone, so I start to make breakfast.

"Hey," she says as she gets out. I look up at her, and smile. She is so beautiful, and she loves me as much as I love her.

"Hey, so I thought we would hang out on the beach today, I dug through my mom's old stuff and got a couple swimsuits out that looked like it would fit you." I tell her, she nods and disappears into the bedroom while I finished up the sausage and eggs. When I'm done, I place them on two plates as Lily walks in. My hand stills as I see she put herself in the same bikini that my mom wore the day my dad proposed to her, a simple light pink and baby blue color. I feel tears spring to my eyes as I remember my mom telling me that story. Lily notices as I try to prevent them from falling and wraps me in a hug wordlessly.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

"My dad proposed to my mom when she was wearing that same bikini. I was just remembering my parents telling that story," I whisper in her ear, her tender hug filling me with a feeling of safety. Then, she groans as she looks over my shoulder.

"Did Sarah and Frank send you?" she asks. I look over my shoulder to see her parent's ghost floating in the air, her father's arms crossed over his chest and a look of concern on his face. Her mom just looks absolutely worried and relieved at the same time.

"Yes, and we told them you probably just went to get away for a while, but we were still worried that something happened to you. You know, just because we are dead doesn't mean that you can just disappear on us like that," her mother says.

"It was my fault, I'm sorry, Mrs. and Mr. Vetta. I was the one who suggested leaving and getting away from everyone and everything," I tell them quickly.

"Obviously not everyone," Lily's father hmps. Her mother elbows him in he ribs.

"Dan," she whispers. I look over to see Lily grinning at the behavior of her parents.

"Mom, dad, I'm sorry I left everybody worried, you can tell Sarah and Frank that I'm safe and Lucas is with me," Lily says. They nod and turn around, walking through the wall and disappearing with a flash of white light. Then, Lily turns to me.

"I don't think your father likes me," I confess. Lily laughs.

"Don't worry, he's a complete protective dad. Even though he's gone, he'll still make sure you don't hurt me. But he likes you, I know he does," she says, laughing. Then, I suddenly grab her by the waist and sling her over my shoulder. I take her outside while she laughs and laughs, all the while saying to let her down. I grab a beach bag the rests on the side of the house, and I drop it on the sand while running towards the water with Lily still slung on my shoulder. When I get to deep enough water, I drop her into the ocean and she comes up laughing. Then, she grabs my shoulders and dunks me under the water. I manage to hold my breath before getting under the water and I come up laughing as well as Lily. We both stay there, floating in the water.

"Come on, let's go to the beach," I suggest. Lily nods and we swim over to the beach where our stuff lays. I lay out some towels and Lily lays on the towel on her stomach.

"Hey, before you do that, you might want to put some of this on," I hand her some sunscreen and she rubs some on her and then lays back down, holding out the sunscreen.

"Could you get my back?" She asks. I nod and squirt some on her back, rubbing until the white blob disappears.

"Hey, I'll be in the water. It's a great snorkeling spot here," I tell her as I grab the glasses and tube. Lily looks at me excitedly.