| 𝒊 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 |

Pt. 8

I walk down the beach. I look back and see the guys still pushing each other around. I continue walking for about 20 minutes when I see a guy in a red polo shirt and khaki shorts with a trash bag and a trash picker upper. When he sees me he stops and smiles. I walk up to him and offer a wave.
"Picking up trash?" I ask, though it's obvious that he is.
"Uhh..yeah." he gestures to the bag he's holding. "If you turn it in you get money. It just depends on how much you decide to collect."
"Cool. I'm Avery Morgan. Nice to meet you." I shake his hand.
"I'm Maverick Gray. Nice to meet you too."
"What are you doing coming from that end of the beach? There's nothing down there except for the back entrance of a local camp."
"Yeah. I know... I'm attending that camp this summer actually soo..."
"Wait--really? That's so funny because last summer I was talking to Joe--you know Joe?"
"Yeah, Joe, I know him."
"Yeah so I was talking to him and every year the same campers attend that camp, ever since it opened up, and so we made a bet that next summer, this summer, there would be a new camper. And now look! Your here! Man, he owes me $20 bucks."
"Haha that's funny, actually. I didn't want to come at first but now I'm really glad that I came."
"Wait, I thought the camp doesn't open until two more days."
"Yeah there was a bit of a mix up. I would explain it but you're busy and it's a long story..."
He smiles. "I'm not busy. I was actually gonna stop right about here. This is as far as I come because it's basically where all of the trash stops since this is as far as the public beach goes. So I'm all ears. Wanna walk with me to the community center to turn this in? I promise we can split the profit." He winks.
I laugh. "Sure I'll join you, but you can keep you're hard earned money."
"Deal. Now tell me how you're attending the camp now because I was supposed to be going this summer, but seeing as it's already started..."
"Okay, listen closely...." I proceed to tell Maverick about the whole situation. As I'm talking, were walking further and further away from the way that I came. We come to a boardwalk that leads into the public so I but my sandals on.
We start seeing people as we are entering back into the public eye.
Two girls with longboards pass buy us. "Hey Mav!!!" The say and giggle.
"Aloha, ladies." He gives them a small wave.
A gentle breeze passes and my hair tosses back behind my neck.
I finish telling Maverick about the whole situation and we come to the crosswalk that leads to Aunt May's Stuff.
We start to cross the road.  We're both so deeply engaged in my talking that we miss an oncoming car that didn't stop for pedestrians. I hear it coming louder and turn just in time to see the small grey car zipping at us, the driver viciously honking the horn.
Everything happens in slow motion.
All in one moment I catch a glimpse of the driver, Maverick shouts and grabs my hand and tries to get away, but I trip and drop my phone and the towel around my waist falls to the ground. The car swerves right over my leg, briefly crushing it. I scream and the surreality knocks me back in the middle of the road, my head pounding on the concrete. I lay there numb with Maverick hovering over me. I can hear him faintly. "AVERY!! ARE YOU OKAY??" His speech sound like it's been slowed down a lot. His face goes in and out.
"OH MY GOSH, STAY HERE IM GOING TO GET HELP!!"
He runs off yelling, "HELP!! SOMEBODY PLEASE!"
Gosh darn, I've barely been here and I've already passed out twice... on the same road. But this time I'm in a bikini.