Creating a New Neverland

Ch. 2- A Vision Coming True?

We walk into our hotel. It is huge. There are twenty floors. We are on the eighteenth. When we open the door there are two beds. Looks like I'll be sleeping with my mom.

But, to my surprise, my parents set their luggage on the same bed. In my family, that's how you claim your side of the bed. My brother and I had countless fights over that, but he's long gone. Off to college, leaving me trapped in the war between our parents. I wish he would come back.

"Come on, lets go to the beach! I'm just itching to get in the water," my mother says with glee.

I put on my bikini, which is as blue as the water. It compliments my tan skin and light brown hair. I wore the same color swim suits when I was little. Also when I was younger we would travel to this one beach every year. I loved it there. We would sit on the deck and watch the sun go down. Sometimes we would go in the back to eat ice cream and count the cars passing by. We'd take nightly walks on the beach. I had infinite jars filled with my sea shell collection. A whole week of fun, breathing in the salty air, and playing in the water. Memories that comfort me so much. This is a different beach though. A place to make new memories, and I hope these are just as great.

We walk on the beach, the hot sand warming my feet. We pick a sunny spot by the volleyball courts. I catch a gorgeously tan boy's eye. He just stares, then goes back to his game. My parents head to the water, agreeing on something. But I don't want to go in. I lay on a blanket with my sunglasses on, and am reading a book.

I'm right at the part where nothing can pry you away from eating up every word on the page when I hear a 'look out!'

I flip over to see the tan boy running toward me.

"Come on!" he says in a worried tone.

He grabs my hand and pulls me up. I drop my book, losing my page. We dash to the water, but I have no idea why. Once he sees my confused expression he tries to explain what happened.

"We hit the volleyball and it landed on a lifeguard truck, which caused it to head right for you," he stutters embarrassed.

"It's fine."

Then he realizes that he is still holding my hand. He tries to drop his hand, but doesn't let go before he jerks his hand down forcefully. It sends me down, face first, into the water.

I come up sputtering.

"I'm so sorry!" he exclaims, helping me up.

This time it's me who pulls too hard, and he topples down to the side, pulling me on top of him.

He lifts me off by grabbing my hips. When we resurface, we both are cracking up. I sit down in the water, with only my shoulder and up above the water line. I am laughing so hard I'm clutching my stomach.

"Oh! You're sunglasses are gone!" he says.

"There right there," I say, recovering from the fit of laughter. I point by his feet. The clear blue water made them easing to find.

I reach for them at the same time he does, so our hands touch. I pull back, so he grabs my sunglasses.

"How do I look?" He asks, putting on my sunglasses.

"Like a girl," I say dryly.

"Why thank you," he replies sarcastically.

"Give them back."

"Nah," he says automatically, like he was waiting for me to ask, "You're gonna have to catch me first."

He takes off running. He runs slowly in the water. I push myself up and dash after him. The cool water splashes the back of my legs. I'm gaining on him. I'm about to grab them out of his hand when I step into a hole in the sand. I start down towards the water again, but he catches me.

His arm that's wrapped around my waist helps me regain my balance. He pulls me closer and our eyes lock. He lowers chin down. My mind races. Is he really going to kiss me?

He leans in, like he is about to, but then puts on my sunglasses.

"You okay?" he asks.

"Yep. I'm fine," relieved and shocked by what just happened,"You know I never caught your name."

"Oh. I'm Jesse."

"I'm Monica."

"That's a nice name."

"Thanks," I say. I'm reaching down toward his hand, as if I am going to hold it. His eyes follow my hand with a hopeful gleam. He reaches his hand toward mine, searching for it. But instead I trick him, just as he did me, and take off his shell bracelet, and begin to running.

I hold the bracelet up over my head and shout, "You're gonna have to catch me!"

I hear him laugh, and then the splashing that means he is chasing me.

He catches up to me and instead of reaching for the bracelet, grabs my arm, which slows me down. I turn around and fall into his trap. He grabs my hips and lifts me on to his shoulders, dangling me like a sack. I squeal and laugh at the same time. He spins me around before setting me back down, kicking water around. This is as crazy as a dream. Or a trip to Neverland.