When Summer Ends

Easy to Love

2-28-2022: Smut at the end of this chapter:) I like this chapter a lot haha. I wrote it back at the beginning of the month and only typed it up today, so I'd forgotten how cute it was hehe. Have a good day!! <3

After lunch, we pack up our leftovers and decide to check out the strip before heading back. I can't help but think back to when we were here for a surf competition last year, and the day Rylie and I spent together. Judging by the smile on her face, I know Rylie is thinking about that, too.

"Aspen, can you take a picture of us in front of the Ferris wheel?" Hadley asks.

"Sure!" I reply, turning on my camera. They step back so the Ferris wheel is their backdrop. Jack slips his arm around Hadley and she leans into him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Luckily, the sun was behind me so no weird shadows were getting cast onto their faces as they smile at the camera. I get several different shots and angles, and ask Hadley to trade me so Rylie and I can have a turn. Back when we were still close, before I went to camp, I'd taught her a few things on my camera, so she knew what to do now.

When we finish, I glance through the pictures quickly, liking how they look. Thankfully, I'd brought my wide angle lens so the entire Ferris wheel had been included in the picture behind us.

"Ooh!" Hadley points behind us to one of the shops. "Did we want to rent boogie boards while we're here?"

"That's probably a better idea than buying them just for two days." I laugh. We head into the shop, and I instantly get distracted by the T-shirts.

"Aspen," Rylie laughs. "You have a serious problem."

I turn towards her with a  grin, holding a shirt up against my body. "But this one's cute. And I don't have this color yet."

"I promise, you have at least four in that color." Rylie laughs.

"But the design!" I plead, laughing when she takes my hand.

"Aspen, you know you can get whatever you want. It's cute watching how excited you get, that's all." She kisses my cheek and I grin.

When we leave the store, I've got three new shirts, a pair of sweats, and a rented boogie board. By the time we get back to our hotel, I'm almost regretting buying so many things. But not really, because I love everything I got.

"We're going to go swimming after we change, y'all wanna join?" I ask Hadley. She smiles and nods, and we head into our separate rooms. Rylie and I change quickly before racing out to the water. Just as I reach the water, I feel her right behind me. I sort of run/hop through the thigh-deep water as quickly as I can, but she catches up to me and I giggle as she tackles me from behind. Somehow, I manage to hold my breath before slipping beneath the surface.

When I come back up, she's grinning at me as water drips down her face. "What was that for?" I try not to laugh.

"You looked hot." Rylie defends, smirking.

"Like, overheated? Or... hot?"

"Yes."

I laugh, splashing her with my board. "I'll let it slide this time, but watch your back."

"Or what?" She challenges me. I shrug, raising an eyebrow and Rylie narrows her eyes. "Fine." She says simply. "Game on." Her eyes are intense, and I carefully back up, praying for a wave to come so I can catch it.

My prayers are answered. "Gotta catch this!" I call before turning my board just in time to be pushed forward quickly by the wave. A quick glance back shows Rylie just barely missing the wave.

Jack and Hadley find me as I reach shore, and I laugh as the final force of the wave pushes me and my board onto the sand in front of their feet. "Hey, guys." I laugh, craning my neck to look up at them before climbing to my feet. I quickly adjust my suit before the three of us swim back to Rylie. The worst part about boogie boarding was the way your swimsuit would ride up, or the boogie board rash which came from your legs rubbing on the sand. But I'd gotten good at avoiding boogie board rash.