Glimpse

Chapter 22: Shayne

"I'm with Damien on this," Courtney said. Wood planks creaked as she rushed down the ramp to an unobstructed block of railing that ran along the sides of Santa Monica Pier. Hands gripping the rusted metal, Courtney rose to her tip-toes, the teal bar denting her hips as she folded over it.

Wonderment brightened her complexion, wild strands of blonde swirling in the ocean breeze. They pranced across her face, a tooth-bearing smile greeting her wide green eyes. Neon lights danced on them, pinks, blues, and yellows casting a rainbow glow around her profile's silhouette. The sun's red hue glazed her skin. A picture-perfect scene fit for an art gallery.

Snatching his phone from his jacket, Shayne snapped several candid photos, physical proof of a memory he feared forgetting.

Waves crashing on sand echoed through the air, their breaking crests barely audible over the street performers dotting the pier. Shayne eyed a few interspersed artist booths up ahead, noting a nearby stand adorned with necklaces - miniature jars strung from black-cord. An elderly gentleman squatted on a stool beside it, a bag of rice and a container of paintbrushes at his feet. Why does this seem familiar?

"Of course, you are," Shayne said, covering Courtney's hand with his. People blemished the sunset-kissed beach below them. "C'mon, I know a better place."

Entwining their fingers, he towed her away.

Street performers and vendors blurred in his peripheral vision, colors blending as they raced down the pier. An arcade attached to Pacific Park - an amusement park - stood out amongst the shops and restaurants.

A slight chill crisped the air upon arriving at the end of the pier, a pleasant change of pace from the thick Los Angeles heat he was accustomed to.

"Over here." Shayne squeezed her hand, escorting her down some stairs to a less congested platform. A handful of fishermen secured the corners, fishing poles bolted to the railing while they slouched in their foldaway chairs. Slipping his grasp, Courtney shuffled to the banister lining the terrace's perimeter.

A gravitational pull lured him towards her until his front lay flush with her back. Capping her hands with his, Shayne fastened his head to her shoulder.

"Beautiful, like you," he said, referencing the sunset decorating the sky.

Silence descended over them, their attention captivated by the stripes of crimson layering the sky. The reddened ocean glimmered, billowing waves projecting a misshapen reflection of the disappearing sun. Disappearing like me. Shayne pressed himself closer to Courtney, her heat against his chest grounding him. A soft gasp tumbled from her lips, though he detected her smile from the corner of his eye.

With the only hint of the sunken sun a scarlet tint on the horizon, Courtney twisted to encircle her arms around his neck.

"So, is this all you had planned?" Courtney asked, her lips teasing his.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving," Shayne murmured against her mouth. "There's that Mexican place that has our names. And then, if I'm lucky, maybe I could be that cheesy boyfriend who wins you a prize, give that fox of yours a friend."

The moon hung at full glory now, its half-sliver pouring light over the rocky ocean current. Today's pop hits drowned out the mechanical shriek of metal scraping metal.

Laughter bounced Shayne's chest as they scurried away from the rollercoaster, eyes crinkling at Courtney's windswept hair. It clung to her rose-painted face. She tidied it behind her ear.