Petit Monde (Rye Beaumont)

BEACH

   I hang up and take a look out the window and see Brook and Mikey already loading their stuffs into the trunk of the car. I put one of the straps of my backpack onto my shoulder and take my wallet and phone, before going downstairs to wait for the lads. Later on, my phone vibrates – it was a text from Andy.

fr: Andrew Fowler
     — we’ll be there in a minute.

   I am just about to go out, when I hear a honk from outside. I quickly go out onto the porch and lock it, before jogging towards their car. Rye’s outside, waiting for me to go in.

   “Alexa!” the boys say in sync with enthusiasm.

  “Hi,” I giggle. “hi Blair, hi Ginger.”

  Andy enthusiastically pats the seat next to him at the back and I smile, as I climb into the car and at the back with Andy.

• • •

   We got to Bournemouth beach an hour ago and the boys are still swimming with Blair whilst Ginger and I are just sitting on a blanket near the shore where we can see them.

   “Aren’t you going to swim?” Ginger asks.

  “Maybe later.” I reply, looking at her through my sunnies.

   “You said that earlier too, but you still haven’t left this blanket since we got here.” she chuckles, making me giggle.

  I just shrug and sheepishly smile at her and look away.

  “So, is there something going on between you and one of the boys?” she asks after a while.

   I look over at her and shake my head, “We’re just friends.”

  “Oh, Blair and I thought that there is something going on between you and one of the boys cause they always talk about you at the flat.” she casually says.

   “What do they talk about?” I ask, sitting up properly.

   “Sorry, but I am not in the position to tell you that.” she replies.

   I just nod and clear my throat after a minute of silence, “I am going for a swim.”

   “Okay.” Ginger laughs.

   I smile and take off the dress that I was wearing and just leave my swimsuit on.

   “What bout you, aren’t you going to swim yet?” I ask.

   “Nah,” she replies. “I’ll just look after our stuffs.”

   I squeal, when someone suddenly lifts me up and puts me over their shoulder and starts to run towards the shore.

   “We’ll just borrow her, Gingie!” Mikey shouts.

   I look down and realize that it’s Rye because of the shorts. I lightly hit him on the back with my fists, as I struggle to get free from him.

   “Ryan Beaumont,” I exclaim. “put me down!”

   He laughs, “If you say so.” he says, before dropping me into the water.

   I swim back up to the surface and Rye smiles at me teasingly, so I splash the water towards him. The boys and I swim for another half hour, before we get out of the water and put our clothes back on and go up the stairs.

   “Ow!” Rye, who’s behind us, suddenly cries out.

  We look at him and see that Brooklyn’s already next to him; looking at his hand worriedly. I hurry towards them and take a look at Rye’s hand – there’s blood on the palm of his hand.

   “What happened?” I ask him with concern and urgency in the tone of my voice.

   “I don’t know, I just cut myself on the railings.” he answers, probably looking for whatever it is that cut him at the railings.

   “Sit down.” I walk towards him and hold his forearm, making him sit.

   “What are you going to do?” he asks as he sits down on the step.

  I didn’t answer as I take a seat next to him on the staircase and take my backpack off my shoulder and take the first aid kit out.

  “You brought a first aid kit with you at the beach?” Brooklyn asks, looking at me unbelievably.

  I chuckle and nod, “I always have it with me especially if I know that I am going to be out for hours.”

  “Oh.” he says, leaning against the railings to watch us.

  I just smile at him and continue what I was doing. As I clean his cut, I glance at Ryan and he was looking at me intently.

   “Don’t look at me like that, Ryan.” I say with a light chuckle, going back to what I was doing.

  He looks away and I could see him smile from my peripheral vision.

   “Sorry.” he mumbles.

  “It’s alright,” I assure him. “your cut’s kinda deep, but it isn’t bleeding anymore.”

   He nods, I gently put some povadine–iodine and a bandage on it, before I keep the first aid kit away into my backpack.

   “Thank you.” he says with a smile, as he takes a look at it.

   I return his smile, “You’re welcome, Ryan.”

  “So, can we go now?” Andy gets up from the staircase and puts his backpack on his shoulders again.

   We nod and the boys and I continue to ascend the stairs and back to Blair’s car.