heliophile

sea foam flavors

"Why hello there, Peach Fuzz." I swung the door open after I heard 50 impatient knocks and many, many, french insults.

"You're disgusting." I said, as I grabbed my bag and closed the door behind me.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop. Where do you think you're going?"

"Um, I don't know. You wouldn't tell me. You said it was 'a surprise'" I replied, holding up air quotes and mimicking his voice.

"First off, that is not what I sound like, and second, I meant, where do you think you're going dressed like that?"

I looked down at my peachy colored romper. "What's wrong with this? It's a coverup for my suit."

"Hey, Wise girl, I'm talking about the shoes."

"These are my favorite shoes! What's wrong with them? I think they're cute." I said, holding up my ankle to show him my white sneakers.

"I ask you to wear a swimsuit, and your first thought is to put on sneakers? You're adorable but I am going to need you to go put on some sandals. Or even go barefoot for all I care. Anything but those." he said, laughing at my naiveness.

"Fine." I turned to the door, snuck to my room and grabbed a pair of brown sandals. "Better?" I asked, shutting the door a second time.

"Much, but we still can't go just yet."

"For goodness sakes, what is it now? My romper not revealing enough? Keep it in your pants Blackjack."

He laughed and put his palm to his face. "No, you cheeky bugger, first step to your new fondness of the sun is to get rid of the umbrella."

What? He thinks he can just simply ask me to get rid of my umbrella? One of the only things that shields me from the sun? This umbrella is my treasure, it's my happy place. This umbrella is the love of my life. I refuse to break up with my beloved umbrella. "Absolutely not."

"Oh come on, Goldie, you won't even be using it anyways. The point of this whole thing was to help you love the sun. You can't do that if you're hiding from it."

"I'm not trashing this umbrella."

"Fine, just set it inside then. You can make out with it all you want when you get home. Don't bring it. It'll just be a burden."

"You're a burden." I replied, grumbling as I opened the door again to set down the umbrella. "Oh and by the way," I said, closing the door for the third and hopefully final time, "I don't make out with the umbrella."

"Whatever you say, Sparky."

"You know my name now, why not use it?"

He sat on the motorcycle and gestured for me to sit behind him. "I don't know, nicknames are more fun. Now sit." He patted the leather behind him impatiently.

"Is where ever we're going safe?" I asked, crossing my arms.

He tugged me onto the bike and wrapped my arms around his waist. "Do you trust me?"

"Um, no."

"Me neither, now let's ride."

.

"You're not serious."

"Does it look like I'm kidding?" Jack said, as he unstrapped the surfboards from a peach van.

"I'm not going out there. No way. I don't even know how to surf."

"Yeah which is why I'm going out there with you. You'll be fine, chillax."

I looked at the water as big waves curled, crashed, and washed up on the shoreline. "Nope. I'm not going." I grabbed a stick and started doodling in the pale sand.