𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐞 ||| 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐯 (𝟏)

[ 𝟐𝟏 ]

Hendery splashed cold water on my face which tasted bitter and salty. My nose wrinkled; it was not the type of water we drank every day. Some saltwater entered Yangyang's mouth too and he gave a disgusted expression. Hendery laughed as he stood in the sparkling blue liquid.

"Hey, this is actually super salty." Yangyang spit out more water.

"Really?" Hendery cupped his hands under the ocean and gulped some of the water. "Yeah, you're right."

"Don't try that, you stupid!" Yangyang and I simultaneously yelled at him. We all cracked up.

It's summer, which means going to the beach is a must. The adults were back at the sand doing fun activities that they enjoyed. Our moms and Ms. Chen took turns hula hooping while the dads were playing volleyball. Our sandcastle stood proud on the side. It was a huge palace in the middle that all three of us made. Surrounding the palace were multiple tiny huts that Yangyang and I made. Hendery finished it off with a sturdy wall surrounding the huts.

The three of us headed back to change and wash up. We walked to a seaside restaurant and noticed the shining sun in the sky. Yangyang glanced at the sand and commented that our sand angels were still left untouched.

"Hey we should make sand angels," Hendery said.

"What are sand angels?" I asked

"Well, they're like snow angels but in the sand." He laid in the sand and moved his arms in an up and down motion. At the same time, Hendery moved his legs from side to side.

"You just made that up didn't you?" Yangyang said.

Hendery shrugged his shoulders and I laid down next to him to make a sand angel.

"You should join us, it's actually fun." After a few tries, Yangyang left his stubbornness behind and laid down next to me to make a sand angel.

Once we finished lunch, the three of us explored the seaside shops. The adults told us to stick together so that we don't get lost.

"Wow, this is so pretty!" I ran over to one of the stalls to check out a seashell necklace at one of the stalls. Tight sapphire blue strings held various types of seashells together. They were mostly white with shades of light blue here and there. My fingers traced the rough texture of the shells. I glanced at the price tag and sighed.

I want this necklace but then I won't have enough money to buy the doll I wanted.

I left the necklace and walked away. Hendery made a confused noise and Yangyang followed me.

"Weren't you going to buy that necklace?" he asked.

I shook my head and replied, "Nah, I'm good."

"Didn't you say it was pretty?"

"Yeah, you even stared at it for a long time," Hendery caught up to us.

"Well, if I buy it then I won't be able to buy the doll that I saw in the store the other day."

"Okay, well it's your decision," Yangyang said. "Pick whichever item you would want more in the long run."

"What do you mean by the long-run?"

"Like, what would you rather have for a really long time? What would you rather keep for the rest of your life?"

Well, the doll was really pretty. But if I bought the necklace it would be like a souvenir. A memory of our times at the beach.

"You still have time to go back if you want," Hendery noted. "There is no wrong option"

I nodded and ran back to the shop. Exchanging my pocket money for the necklace, I walked back to the boys with a beaming smile on my face.

When our shop exploration was over, we came back together at the beach and played some volleyball. After playing volleyball, the three of us sat down in the sand.

The fiery red orb descended and shades of orange and yellow blended into the deep pink and purple sky. Birds flew by far above us and dolphins leaped out of the water. My lips curved upwards and I felt my body relax. A happy sigh released my lips as we all gazed into the horizon. I dug my feet into the grainy sand. Using my fingers, I traced hearts and doodled on the sand.

My fingers traced the new seashell necklace and felt warmth spread in my heart.