Beach Daze

Last year Marcus was noticeably absent, which didn't hurt Morgan's feelings. She didn't hate him per se, but not having to look over her shoulder constantly was a nice change of pace. Perhaps another year would pass by without having to deal with him, which was likely wishful thinking.

But they weren't here today for the annual beachside get-together, as it was still roughly one week away. Rather, they were here to spend the long afternoon in the cerulean water, and on their backs basking in the heat. Today they could be alone, listening to the surf roll onto the beach while they absorbed some solar rays.

"Almost there! I can see the water, it looks so blue," said Kelly, squinting her eyes toward the horizon.

"Mhmm, yeah it looks fantastic! And I don't see any people either,"

They continued to walk, seagulls squawking overhead as the percussion of gently rolling waves grew louder. Their flip-flops slapped gently against their bare feet as the gravel path soon gave way to soft, warm sand. After stepping onto the beach they took a moment to scout out a good spot to lay their items. There was no shortage of real estate to choose from, so they walked a bit further, then began setting things up near a large piece of driftwood that had recently washed ashore.

It was still relatively quiet, apart from the ambient noise from the ocean, of course. There was no sign of anyone nearby; no one walking their dog, or paddle boarding today it seemed. In fact, the only people they could see were far off in the distance, zipping around on jet skis.

"Oh, man. My arm was about to fall off from carrying that heavy cooler," whined Kelly, spinning her arm through the air like a windmill.

"You're fine. Besides, we're here now so it's all good," replied Morgan, kicking off her pastel-pink flip-flops.

Kelly followed suit, sending one black sandal soaring through the air, then the other. She burrowed her freshly-pedicured toes deep into the sand, and they disappeared as she soaked in its comforting warmth, while enjoying the briny aroma that only seawater can provide. The golden August sun beat down upon them as tiny beads of sweat formed on their skin.

Morgan wore a rose-coloured, one-piece swimsuit. It had one shoulder strap, and a cutout on her right side, revealing a small section of her pale, freckled skin. She was a natural redhead, which meant the sun wasn't her friend. She'd chosen this particular bathing suit as it covered her curvy figure better than a bikini ever would. In an effort to avoid a nasty burn, she began coating herself with a thick layer of sunblock, attempting to cover most of her exposed body; legs, arms, her face and neck. However, she required some help to get the top of her back.

"Hey, can you get me?" Morgan asked, holding out the bottle of SPF50 and giving it a little shake.

"Yup, one sec," came Kelly's reply, as she finished spreading out her large towel on the sand.

Kelly assisted her friend by slathering the lotion over any exposed areas that she'd been unable to reach by herself. Her own skin was a touch darker and had a somewhat natural defence to UV rays, but Morgan would burn to a crisp without this stuff.

"There ya go, you're all set; totally protected," said Kelly, while reaching out and squeezing her friend's side through the hole in her bathing suit.

"Yiieehee!" came a shrill shriek from Morgan. "Get outta here! But thanks for your help, I don't wanna fry out here today, gotta stay cool."

After returning the bottle, Kelly made her way over to the bag they'd brought, fished out her tanning oil, and began to spread it liberally over her bronzed body.

Kelly was a brunette and stood several inches taller than Morgan. She'd been tanning all Summer long, and the difference in skin tone between the two friends was quite noticeable. The jet-black bikini she chose to wear today accentuated her toned tummy and long legs, and matched the polish on her toes perfectly, while the white cowrie shell anklet resting upon her left ankle added a touch of contrast to her outfit. The tanning oil glistened as she massaged it onto her sun-kissed skin with both hands while staring toward the horizon. The wind had picked up, and the warm, salty air brought along a sense of peacefulness and serenity. When she'd finished the bottle was tossed away, landing upright in the sand.