Feelings Incarnate | ✓

17 | Salty Breeze

Dad had once again gone out with his friend, and I didn't even bother to tell him I'll be going out today. He wouldn't even notice I was gone anyway.

"What would it feel like to have a caring Dad?" I wondered out loud as I swirled my spoon around in the bowl.

●●●

Soon, it was four o'clock. I was all dressed up in my black shorts fastened with an ebony belt, and yet another oversized, faint, blue top tucked in--my feet strapped in nude sandals.

When I asked him where we were going, Hayden had texted back that it was going to be 'somewhere windy and sandy.' Of course, it didn't even take me a second to understand that he was speaking about the beach.

The last time I saw the beach was nearly three years ago, so I was delighted. I couldn't wait to see it again!

I heard the honk of his car and snatched my phone from where it was lying on my bed. Hurrying out of my room, I bumped into a very groggy Irene in the hallway. She yawned, peeking up at me. Her eyes widened as she took in my appearance.

"Don't tell me you're going on the date like that?!"

My face scrunched up as I looked down at my outfit. "Why? Is it bad?"

She facepalmed and dragged me to her room, seating me down at her dressing table.

"Ever heard of makeup?" she asked.

"Oh, I don't need any," I insisted, glancing at myself in the mirror. "Do I?"

She exhaled loudly, rummaging through all the tiny bottles of nail polish and tubes of lipstick.

"Aha!" she exclaimed, holding up a black tube of red lipstick.

My eyes widened at the shade of colour. "That's too much!"

She placed her index finger on my lips, shushing me. "Stop talking and let me do my work. You sure have a mouth, although you're the younger one," she said as she punched my arm lightly.

I gawked as she applied a thin layer of lip balm and coated it pale red by dragging the lipstick gently along my lips, starting from the centre. She handed me a tissue to blot the lipstick and leaned back, observing the result. Satisfied, she progressed to grab the mascara bottle and push my eyelashes up with the brush. I was almost afraid she'd poke my eye out.

"Ta-da!"

I looked up at myself in the mirror. The lipstick shade wasn't as bright as I thought, and my eyes looked beautiful. I smiled at my reflection. This was perfect!

"Irene, it's amazing!" I hugged her.

She smiled proudly. "Of course it is! I know you don't like heavy makeup," she boasted, hugging me back. "Now, go have fun!"

I rushed outside; the weather was radiant with not a hint of a rain cloud. Perfect for a beach date!

It had rained at twilight, and the dewdrops glimmering in the bright sunlight proved as evidence. A gentle breeze rushed past me, brushing against my face. The sun's golden light was trickling everywhere in the area, and I brought my hand up to shield myself from the sunshine as I felt my cheek grow warm.

He stepped out of the car and grinned when he saw me. It surprised me to see that he wasn't clad in another hoodie. Instead, he was wearing a pale green, button-up shirt--with tiny cactuses imprinted all over it--and white shorts, his feet tucked into green slippers.

I couldn't help blushing from the nervousness I was feeling around him. It's almost ridiculous how coy this boy made me feel.

Okay, but who gave him the right to look that good? Argh!