See You Around

| Chapter 14 |

Chapter 14          

I wasn't ever a fan of water, solely because I couldn't swim.

So when my father declared that we were visiting Manly Beach, I wasn't exactly about to jump for joy. Though, I couldn't complain, thus why I decided to clamp my mouth shut and wait for my parents to join me.

Seemingly, my mother thought that it'd be the most perfect idea to wear a gigantic sunhat atop of her wild, frizzy hair and claimed it was because of the 'sun'. Ostensibly, she was utterly wrong. In fact, as I gazed upward at the cloudy sky, I could tell that it was about to rain soon.

Sighing at her antics, I folded my arms across my chest and trudged after my parents, my feet sinking into the sand with each step I took. The said beach was packed with hordes of families, kids, and rowdy, loud teenagers.

Bill laid a picnic cloth down and gestured for us to sit down while he placed a basket full of food to the side. Rolling my eyes, I sank down beside my father and grabbed a packet of chips. This time, Christopher didn't bother creating a comment directed towards me that consisted of the word 'fat American' or 'doughnut eater'.

In fact, he made it a mission to ignore me every time I'd open my mouth. He refused to breath, look, or talk in my direction, much to my absolute annoyance.

What have I ever done for him to despise me in that way?

However, I did happen to know that Christopher wasn't a fan of people openly staring at him, thus why I resolved to stare at him until his eyes landed on me. "What?" he mumbled.

Scooting towards him, I didn't take it to heart when he almost immediately shuffled away. "What's your problem?" I asked him.

"You."

Okay, so maybe I wasn't expecting that. Though, I opted to clamp my mouth shut and stare out at the clear ocean instead of forming a tart remark. I attempted to figure out what he meant, but I couldn't.

Me? What have I done?

"I've never done anything to you," I finally spoke after what felt like years. "All I did was try to be your friend."

"Okay, but did you ever consider the fact that maybe I don't want to be your friend?"

I opened my mouth and then closed it. Then, I answered with a, "Nope." Christopher simply ignored me in response and I sighed, giving up altogether on convincing him to consider me as a friend. Who cares? I've lost way too many time on practically pleading him to be my friend.

In all honesty, I sounded like a pathetic third grader.

"Isn't there an aquarium not too far from here?" I heard my mother ask Lauren, who nodded.

Lauren's lips stretched into a grin. "Yes! We were just thinking of visiting it." Pulling herself up, she motioned for us to follow her and I sighed, folding the cloth and shoving it into the basket.

"What's up with your face?" Christopher inquired from beside me.

I blinked, surprised by the fact that this time, he initiated a conversation. "I don't like animals," I responded.