The Other Side Of Paradise

VI

"Uh—yeah. Half the people here thought they were contacts." Beyoncé mumbled and Onika sighed.

"Ignore them they're all like 50 and sad because their kids won't visit them." Onika said nudging Beyoncé and she couldn't help but laugh a bit.

Once the laughter dialed down, Beyoncé spoke up. "Do you like working here?" She asked turning to Onika.

Onika continue to stare out at the sun that was now setting. "Do I like it?" She repeated and Beyoncé nodded.

"I think it's..okay. It pays me. All I have to do is sit on that tall ass chair and sometimes serve people." Onika said shrugging.

"You're not just a lifegaurd?" Beyoncé asked and Onika nodded. "Life guards get a 15 mint break every hour so I can't sue them if I die of heat stroke or something." Onika rolled her eyes while Beyoncé giggled at that.

"But because they have us sit so much in the literal sun they let us serve aslong as someone else is at the life gaurd post." Onika explained. Beyoncé nodded in understanding.

"Sometimes though—I kinda prefer sitting there. I mean don't get me wrong I get tired of it. Sometimes I gotta watch the pool—and whenever a literal 15 year old ask how old I am I always have to say "too old for your scrawny ass" and then their parents get mad at me." Onika complained a bit and Beyoncé felt bad trying to hold in her laugh.

"Why do you like sitting up there?" Beyoncé asked eyeing the chair Onika often sat on.

"I hate the one in the pool area. But the beach—and the ocean? I love sitting there and staring at it. It's like a mini escape from my life." Onika said as she sighed looking out toward the ocean.

Beyoncé really wanted to ask her—why did she feel like she needed to escape from her life? But she didn't want to pry.

"I think our shift is over." Beyoncé said as they both kept their eyes on the setting sun. The mix of purple, orange, yellow—It was such a calming mix of colors.

"Can we watch it for a second?" Onika asked her voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah." Beyoncé responded.

The two young woman sat there, staring. Beyoncé thought Onika looked so at peace when she was staring at the ocean.

Onika wished she could be at peace.

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"You heading home?" Beyoncé asked as she walked with Onika. Onika sighed. "I really don't want to, if I'm gonna be honest." Onika chuckled.

Beyoncé noticed Onika laughed and joked but she didn't always seem happy. It was ironic to her.

"Why not?" Beyoncé asked as they walked, she thought back to about a week ago when Onika was yelling on the street at her sister. Again, she didn't want to pry.

"I don't know I just—I don't like—being home? If that makes sense." Onika mumbled.

Beyoncé bit her lip—she wasn't sure how this was going to go but she went for it.

"Do you want to get ice cream together tonight then? It would uh—get you out the house."Beyoncé asked and Onika stopped walking. Beyoncé could feel her nervous rise a little bit at Onikas pause.

Onika eyed her, like seriously eyed her.

"W-What?" Beyoncé asked chucklinga but to ease the tension and Onika gulped a bit.

"Like—actual ice cream?" Onika asked and Beyoncé was slightly confused. "Yeah. Like—actual ice cream. Like the cold creamy stuff you eat?" Beyoncé asked trying to describe ice cream.