The 3AM Soda Cans

Raine Bridget

Day 1, SPAIN :)

Raine

"Pick up the pace, slackers," I say to the people who are currently not sharing the same excitement as me.

"The bar would've been so much better than this gusty beach," Nolan, my one friend whom I thought would support me grumbles as if he would turn around any moment.

"I wouldn't complain about the wind but yes, the bar would've been better," speaks my beloved friend Nell, waiting for the perfect moment, giving me an obvious look.

I look towards Heath and say, "You got something to say too, Heath?" really wishing he doesn't.

"No, I'm good," he mumbles in a way that makes me regret the question instantly.

Not that I expected much.

The sun was setting in as the wind blew through our faces. It was a beautiful day in Spain and I wouldn't have traded it for anything less than this.

"Look at the weather, you guys!" I almost chant, "this is the most beautiful view of the sunset I've ever seen!"

"Yes, we came to Spain to watch the sunset," Nolan said mocking me. What a douche.

"Oh, so you seriously wanna challenge me in a word war?" I snap back.

He braces himself up as if he's ready to go on a real war.

"Don't you remember the time I had to chip in between your fight with that muscular sophomore from school, when you didn't know if it was safe to use the word 'motherfucker'?" I bite back almost making him leap behind Heath.

"So, does anybody else have a problem?" I announce, quite bashfully.

Nell gives me a high five and we march ahead of the boys towards the shore. It felt so nice to team up with Nell once again, you know, just like those good ole' days. We were always together. We had this kind of 'bro' thing back from the school days. She was the best person I could go to for anything and together we were a bomb.

We were sat on the damp sand, chattering, and embracing the view. Nell insisted to get the drinks as she just could not bring herself to enjoy without them. She was a low-key alcoholic despite of her redundant denials.

Nolan was busy taking pictures of the scene. He was probably having a hard time focusing on the palm trees; ah, he was shitty at photography.

"Dude, how does Nell do it?" he whined, frowning.

Heath and I gave him a pitying glare rather than helping him out. That didn't get him dispirited anyway.

Nell was amazing at photography, she'd gotten a fetish for it.

 Nolan was dexterously equipping the camera when he almost jumped in his position as he half- shouted, "Guys, is that Ian?!"

Ian? What? After 8 goddamn years.

Ian Baldwin; he was a part of our group once. The five of us. We were probably the most notorious gang of the school but we were hella proud. 
Shit happened and Ian went offshore. There's more to the story but let's stick with beach for now.

However, he was loud enough to catch his attention. Ian zoomed in towards our direction and very promptly recognized us, and with the same zeal he jogged towards us smiling too wide. I was startled for a moment and so was Heath. Actually, more than a moment. I could feel this bittersweet nostalgia flooding back. We had so many memories together but a lot of them were worth reminiscing.  He reached us and got into a massive hug with Nolan. They were still great friends, whatsoever.

He looks at me now and greets me with a formal hello, definitely not recognizing me.

"Just a hello?"  Nolan half-beamed. He had to ask.

He scratches his head, confused, "Um, yeah?" I knew he won't identify me.

"Hello, you muggle," I say to him, helping him out a bit.

The look on his face, my goodness.

"R.. raine?" he stammered, "from high school?"

"Yes, Raine Bridget from the hell." I smirked.

He glared at me for a good five minute almost swooning.

"I say, take a picture already, dude," I comment as everyone starts laughing.

He composes himself and say, "Damn it, Raine, you look hot,"

Then, he immediately comes up to me and give me a hug, lifting me a little up from the surface, that tall piece of shit.  He caught me off-guard but I complied with the flow.

I noticed Heath standing away from this little reunion party happening and well, obviously, he'd be pretending to act aloof and trying to the be the 'kool kid'. To be honest, as much as I wanted to go join him, I couldn't.

Almost as if reading my mind, Ian marches towards Heath and they share a short glance. They stood there awkwardly for a moment but Ian moves forward to go in for a hug. Heath rebuffs a bit but gives in anyway. They shared a brotherly hug but we all knew how long it would last.

We were chit-chatting with those semi-Spanish guys Ian brought along with himself when I caught Ian looking in another direction. It was Nell, trying too hard to balance the glasses on her way back. I always felt an oblivious spark between the two but I tend to over-analyse a lot of stuff so yeah.

They did have a thing, you know? 

Nell reaches with the drinks in her hands as she passes over the drinks to each one of us chance by chance. She stops on the fourth person and realizes soon enough that it was Ian. She is slightly taken aback a bit (I can tell way more than bit), probably because he was the last person she'd expect to see. 

Not wasting another moment, he wraps her into a hug larger than the Vatican City. They share a discrete look without speaking but just offering short smiles.

Nell glares at me rhetorically, obviously demanding an explanation. I nod in her direction.

Well.

To flash upon the great luck God has written my fate with, the weather suddenly turns tables. It starts to drip and the lifeguard signals the people to clear the area due to huge waves which might come around. We all start to head towards the bar when suddenly Nolan asks Ian, out of excitement, to join us for dinner.

Ian waits for his friends' approval and well, joins us for the dinner.

Shit, this got too long, didn't it? Bye for now.