Starting Over

30. Johnny

We arrive at the beach at around 10:30 in our bikinis and trunks. Surfboards and boogie boards are on the roof of Bens truck and the esky and snacks are in the boot of my car.

We all grab something each and find a shady spot under a big tree facing the beautiful water.

Emily lays a blanket over the sand and we all put down the things we're holding.

I take off the shorts that I wore over my bikini bottoms and find a sunny spot to lay with Emily and Miki next to me. I close my eyes allowing my skin to soak in the sun.

As I listen to the waves crashing, the seagulls squawk and the music blasts through Jeremy's speaker, a shadow hovers over me as if the clouds have covered the sun, blocking the light to come through.

I open my eyes, squinting. Jackson stands with one leg on each side over my body with his black beach shorts on and white hat backwards.

"Come in the water with me," he says. For a second I was planning on saying no but then I look around and notice that Emily and Miki aren't tanning anymore and are in the water.

"Sure, but before we go in can you just top up the sunscreen on my back, pretty please?" I ask, batting my eyelashes.

"Anything for you, blossom." He replies before he leans down to grab the tube of sunscreen and put a dollop in the inside of his palm.

I feel the cold liquid exhilarate a shiver through my body, instantly cooling me down. Jackson runs his hands down my back, massaging me as he goes. I grab some myself and start applying it on my chest and stomach and then the rest on my legs.

"Do you need a top up?" I ask.

"Yeah, I might as well," he shrugs. I do the same for Jackson as he did for me, adding my famous shoulder massage.

I take off my sunnies and Jackson takes off his hat and we start walking, hand in hand, towards the water.

Just before the water touches my skin, Jackson lets go of my hand and puts an arm along my back and behind my legs. Before I know it, I'm being lifted into the air and slung over Jackson's back with my feet in the air and my upper half, along his back. I wrap my arms around his waist and hold on for dear life as he runs towards and into the water.

I squeal as the water hits me causing goosebumps to spread all over my body. Jackson flings my body back and I land into the water hitting the sand straight on my ass. I come up from underwater, wipe my eyes and look over at Jackson who is laughing uncontrollably. As soon as he sees my angry scowl he shuts up and starts running.

Running in the water is hard work so it doesn't take us long to get fed up and give up.

I walk up to Jackson and jump onto his back like a piggyback which makes his knees go weak making him sink into the water.

He comes back up, shaking his hair and wiping his eyes. "Okay, I'm sorry," he says whilst smirking as he walks closer to me, sliding his arm around my waist.

"Are you though? Do you really mean that?" I reply biting my bottom lip. Jackson looks down at my lip and he immediately stiffens.

"Hey don't do that, you know what that does to me and Johnny," he giggles creating a tinge of pink on his cheeks.

I couldn't keep it in anymore, I burst out into hysterics causing me to crouch down in the water.

"Did you seriously...name your dick...joh...Johnny?!" I say in between fits of laughter.

I notice the rest of the group slowly swimming their way over to Jackson and me.

Jackson, out of nowhere stands behind me, with his hands resting on my waist and his stomach pressed up against my back. He brings his lips close to my ear causing the hairs on my arms to erect and send a shiver down my spine.

I feel his cool breath run along my cheek as he whispers, "shhhh."

I lift my arms up to brush my hands through Jackson's hair. "Your secret's safe with me."

Jackson keeps his hands on my waist as we stand in some sort of circle with the group chatting, laughing and splashing around.

After a while, we decide it's time to go back to my place and make homemade pizzas for dinner.

As we start packing the cars a wave of nausea hits me like a ball being thrown at my stomach at full force. I stop in my tracks, causing Jackson to bump into me from behind.

"Woah, I think I'm going to through up," as soon as I finish my sentence the beach bags in my hand immediately drop and I run to the nearest bush and spew my guts up.

Jackson is there holding my hair out of my face and rubbing my back. "Can someone get a water bottle from the Esky?" Jackson calls out.

The gagging and the smell makes me regurgitate even more. Jeremy unscrews the cap of the water bottle and hands it to me. I take a huge sip, swish it around my mouth and spit out into the bush of vomit.

"Are you alright, Blossom?" Jackson asks, still holding my hair and rubbing my back.

I nod in response still down of the ground. I close my eyes trying to stop the burn. "She wouldn't be pregnant would she?" I hear Emily in the distance. My eyes open wide and body stiffens.

"Hey, don't listen to them, talk to her about it later," Jackson whispers.

I take another sip of water and spit it out. As I wipe my mouth, with help from Jackson, I stand up, pick up the bags I dropped and start walking to my car. I pull out a piece of chewing gum from the bag I was holding and chew on it to get the bile taste out of my mouth.

"I'll drive," Jackson says opening the passenger door.

"Thank you," I give him a kiss on the cheek. Jackson winks and shuts my door, jogging in front of my car and jumps in. Miki and Liam are in the back, buckling up.

"Hey, Ella how are you feeling?" Miki asks as we pull out of the car park and onto a busy road.

"Yeah, I'm fine just pissed off with Emily, to be honest," I sigh, turning in my seat to face her.

Miki gasps, "she had no right to say that and she should know that that's the last thing that would happen right now," I can tell how angry and frustrated Miki is and as much as it sounds weird, I feel that her anger and frustration eases me as I know that I have Miki who understands and is always there for me.

"If she thinks she's getting away with it, then she's got another thing coming," I turn back around when I hear Jackson snicker.

"Can I help you?" I ask trying to be serious.

"Don't give me attitude young lady," he smirks. I put my hand on his bicep.

"You wait till we get home, Mr," I warn, giggling.