The City Girl & The Seaside Boy

First Meeting

Another warm day. There was always lots of sunshine in this beautiful seaside town. Whenever my teachers from school asked me to describe my summer with my auntie and cousins in their seaside town I would always use three words: fun, exciting and bright. I had loved those summers as a kid, but then one year I hadn't been able to visit. And then the next, and then the next. Four years later and I was finally back, yet the place had barely changed.

"Come on, Aria! You promised to take us to the beach!" Ro whined.
"I promised nothing!" I replied, though I had a feeling I had definitely mentioned it. Little cousin number two raced down the stairs, his curly blond hair bouncing on his head. "Yes you did! I remember it! You can't break your promise," he insisted and I rolled her eyes. Last time I had visited my cousins they had been six years old. Now they were ten but they weren't any less demanding. "Fine," I sighed. "But only if you get your shoes on in the next five seconds," I  grinned and my cousins screamed as they scrambled to grab their shoes. I slipped on my own trainers and watched as my little cousins started to argue over who's shoes where who's. They had barely changed since I last saw them. Ro still wore her hair in two little ponytails and Denny looked like he was wearing the same old t-shirt. They still had the same petty arguments as well...

I glanced over my shoulder into the kitchen at the end of the hall. "I'm just taking the twins out to the beach, auntie! We'll be back for lunch!" I called.
"Okay! Oh, and please make sure they don't get any sand in their hair!" she called back, sticking her head around the corner of the kitchen door.
"Do they often get sand in their hair?" I asked anxiously.
"Well..." auntie sighed. "It's just something to look out for."
Suddenly, both twins were dragging me towards the door. "Hurry up, Aria! It'll get busy if we don't go soon!" Ro said and I gave in.
"Yeah, yeah. Move out the way so I can unlock the door!" I exclaimed and they hurried to the side, letting go of me. I had thought it would be awkward seeing my auntie and cousins after four years but they had surprisingly warmed up to me quite quickly. The key was so I could easily come and go without needing supervision and, even though I didn't really have anywhere to go by myself, I appreciated it nonetheless.

I jiggled the key about until the door finally unlocked and then I  looked back as I stepped out of the door. "Bye!" I called and then I rammed straight into someone. "Hey!" I exclaimed, glaring at whoever was there. But then I  stopped. Standing in front of me was a boy around my age. Dark brown hair fell sideways across his forehead in a fringe. His skin had a nice tan and a pair of dark blue, hooded eyes stared back at me. He smirked at me then, raising an eyebrow. "Listen darling, when you bump into a handsome stranger you don't keep standing in their way. You apologise," he said with a hint of amusement in his voice. I gaped at him.
"I bumped into you?" I asked incredulously, snapping out of my shock. "You were the one standing right outside my door!"
"Yeah. I deliver the newspapers," he held up a newspaper for me to see and I blushed slightly. I said nothing else and he rolled his eyes, tossing the newspaper over my shoulder and into the hallway. "Have a nice day," he smirked, then stalked back down the garden path, taking a left and heading down the street.

"Aria, are you okay? It's just the delivery boy!" Denny said and it was only then that I realised I  was scowling.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I turned to look at him, putting on a smile. "Let's go to the beach!"