His Darling (ON HOLD)

Chapter 10: Bucket Lists

"This is our time to runaway / It's our time we don't have to stay here / Cause all the things that I never knew that I wanted / Are here with you / This is our time, forget the past / It's our time we could make it last / Cause all the things that I never knew that I wanted / Are here with you" - Secondhand Serenade  

The crystal blue water was softly washing up onto the shoreline. The pier was a little north of us, telling me we were on the actual beach. It was very lively, with most of the people gravitating towards the pier. There were several surfers riding the waves further out into the beach, cutting through the water as if it were nothing with a wipeout here and there. Umbrellas and beach towels were littered across the sand. Some tanned, some picnicked, and others were hovering the shoreline.

"There's some changing rooms when we get closer, or we can go to the pier." Max chimed, breaking me out of my thoughts. "Your choice."

"Let's go to the regular changing rooms first, and we can check out the pier later?"

"Of course. You do have to cross something off your bucket list, after all. The pier looks amazing at night, anyway."

We head further towards the beach and find our respected changing rooms. Once I found a stall, I changed into a white bikini. The top had a couple strings that could be tied in the front, but gave it one knot rather than tying it into a bow. My bottoms were the same fit as a pair of cheeky underwear, but not too inappropriate where I'd accidentally show something I wouldn't want to. I slipped on some cut-off shorts that ended right under my butt, and left my top half as is. I put my hair back into a high ponytail, with what little bangs I have still not managing to stay back. I slipped into some white flip-flops rather than the converse I was wearing earlier. Satisfied with my appearance, I made my way outside to find Max.

Max was waiting by some water fountains in a pair of black swim trunks that hit his mid-thigh in length, with a pair of brown sandals on his feet. His torso was fully exposed, and I couldn't help but stare. His sculpted features had definitely faded since I last saw him, but he hasn't entirely lost all of the defined lines. He even gained some chest hair.

"Are you checking me out?" Max asked cheekily. I couldn't help but want to blush, but I put those thoughts in the back of my mind and smirked.

"Nah, but I am noticing that you haven't been working out as much as you used to." I chirped back playfully.

"I still jump around on stage and stuff." He defended.

"But you've gotten lazy. And you finally grew some chest hair! Who knew you had it in you?" At this I couldn't help but giggle.

"Oh yeah?" He asked. I noticed that playful glimmer in his eye, hiding a little mischief. I took off in the opposite direction towards the beach, but Max was close on my tail. I thankfully ran through a patch of sand that didn't have very many people in the way, but had to take my sandals off as to stop kicking sand all over myself. I had just made it to the shoreline when Max managed to catch me from behind. I let out a small scream of surprise before laughing as he spun me around a couple times. When he set me back down, the ocean water had washed back up onto the shore and began brushing up to my ankles.

"And now you've touched the Pacific Ocean." Max whispered in my ear. I bit my bottom lip with a smile, and closed my eyes, soaking in the moment. I leaned into Max as I stared out into the horizon, letting Max hold me against him. He rested his chin on my shoulder, his beard tickling my skin.

"Thank you, Max." I whispered.

"Anytime, Mikey." He whispered back, "I'll still do anything for my best friend, you know."