"I miss this place so much." Nessa sighed, as she looked at the beach where there were kids running around in the water while their parents watched them with happy faces.
"I usually come here when I want to think."
Nessa looked over at him with surprise. "Eric Hamilton actually thinks?"
Eric slightly pushed Nessa and rolled his ocean orbs that were much clearer and bluer than the water down at the beach. "Shut up, Young."
She smiled and re positioned herself beside Eric. He looked over at her and placed his hand on her arm, pushing her further away from him. "You're a little too close to me."
Nessa agreed, moving herself over even more and continued to stare out into the distance. "I'm going to go for a walk down the beach." She finally said, removing her shoes then her socks holding them in her hand as she jumped off the boardwalk to the soft sand.
"Count me in." Eric pulled off his shoes and socks as well and jumped off the boardwalk.
"I wasn't inviting you to come with me" She told him, rolling her eyes.
He ignored her and walked towards the sand where the water rushed over it. Nessa followed him and walked behind him, staying a good distance away from him so it felt like she was there on her own and not with the one person she hated.
"Can you believe Will and Lil are getting married?" Eric brought up, his back still facing Nessa.
She smiled to herself. "It's kind of crazy actually. "
They kept quiet for a couple of minutes, their feet sinking into the sand every time they took a step with the sound of the water rushing past them and the sound of pure joy surrounding them.
"How's your nonexistent love life?" Nessa asked in teasing matter.
Eric turned to look at her. "Excuse me, what do you mean nonexistent?"
"You know what I mean, Hamilton."
"For your information, babe." He stopped in front of her and smirked. "I can get any girl I want."
"Mhm, whatever you say babe." She laughed, tapping his cheek then walked past him.
She continued to walk but she turned around when she didn't hear the sound of footsteps behind her, Eric was talking to two girls who seemed to be giving him their numbers. Nessa rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest and made her over there. This was the perfect time to get him back.
"Eric!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms around him quickly separating herself from him after a second of contact. "I haven't seen you in so long." She placed her hand on his shoulder and looked down at his crotch. "So...How's your rash? Did the cream my mom get you work?"
Eric gaped at her as she said this, his cheeks turning bright red. The girls that he was talking to were slowly drifting away, their eyes widen as they heard Nessa talk.
"Last time my mom checked she told me it was pretty bad." Nessa continued to talk, holding in her laughter as much as she could.
When the flirtatious girls ran away, Nessa let out a loud laugh buckling over as she held her stomach. But as she looked up she saw a smirking Eric.
"You think you're so funny, huh?" He brought himself closer to her.
Nessa's eyes widen and she knew what was going to come, without thinking she chucked her shoes carelessly onto the dry sand and ran away from Eric.
He did the same and ran after her, water splashing everywhere as they sprinted across the water. Suddenly, Nessa stopped in front of a young boy who was just standing there, she turned around to see Eric quickly closing in on her. She ran around the boy and used him as a shield as Eric came.
"You're seriously using a child to protect you?" He asked, coming around to get her but she went around the other side and ran away.
Eric let out a chuckle and ran after her, Nessa wasn't running as fast as she was before so he quickly caught up to her wrapping his arms around her from behind. Laughter leaving their lips as he swung her around and she tried to pry away from his strong grip.
"Let me go!" She squealed, as the water splashed around them even more getting their clothes wet.
He let her go but started to splash water in her direction, her hair and clothes no longer dry. She did the same, and for the first time they were actually enjoying each other's company.
"Hamilton! Stop!" Nessa shouted, trying to cover her face while attempting to push Eric away.
Eric laughed and moved away so that all the weight Nessa was putting on Eric was gone and now she was going to fall into the shallow water but before she could he wrapped his arms around her waist preventing her from falling and brought her body to his, Nessa's hands resting on his chest as they stood close to each other.
Nessa looked up to see Eric looking down at her, they were both breathing heavily as their bodies were attached to one another. And in that moment, they both felt something different. It was something that they never knew was possible to happen between them.
Suddenly, Eric let Nessa go and she fell into the water. She quickly got up and gaped at him.
"Whoops." And with that, he walked away ruining the moment that they had.
***
When Eric left Nessa, he found their shoes but brought his and decided to give her shoes to some random kid who decided putting sand in it was a good idea, but when Nessa talked to their mom she finally got it back. Instead of wearing her sandy shoes she bought sandals at one of the shops which was way more comfortable than wearing sneakers. Since her shirt was white, her bra was exposed for everyone to see so as she walked to another shop to buy a towel hugging her body tightly against the cold air and a combination of different looks while Eric causally talked to other girls shirtless, a smug look on his face. And this all happened because they thought it would be fun to frolic in the water.
After that situation, Nessa decided to leave Eric to his flirting business so she buy herself food because her stomach wouldn't stop growling. When she got a hot dog with a drink, she sat down at a small circle table and devoured her food with a happy feeling. Her hunger was finally satisfied and she wasn't with Eric.
When Nessa met Eric, she couldn't stop her grade 2 self from thinking that his eyes were a pretty color and because of that the prettiness of his eyes became favorite color, but when he threw an earthworm down her shirt while she was having snack with her friends her hate for him would never go away even if he had nice blue eyes.
Throughout elementary, middle school and high school they both continued to hate each other and every so often do everything in their power to make their life miserable. After high school Eric disappeared, she never knew why and didn't really care either but he's back and they're stuck together again. Somehow, throughout every school project their teachers loved to pair them up together. Everyone knew they hated each other's guts but they all thought that it was perfect idea to make the work together even until now.
"Young." She heard a voice call interrupting her thoughts, a hand was waving in front of her face.
She frowned when she saw Eric looking down at her. "What?"
"I'm taking you home"
Nessa frowned because she really wanted to go to the carnival. "Why?"
"Aw, I knew you couldn't stay away from me." He teased, pinching her cheek.
She swat his hands away and scowled at him. "I just thought we were going to the carnival."
Eric got down on her level and pouted. "Oh, is the little baby upset?" He asked in a baby tone. "I'm sorry but uncle Eric has a hot date later."
Nessa stood up and pushed Eric out of her way. "Go jump in a ditch."
"You first." Eric retorted, walking behind her.
They finally got to the car, it was pretty hot when they got inside. Nessa was already annoyed so it didn't help that it was extremely hot in Eric's car. She brought her now dry hair up into a ponytail and rolled down the window all the way, the air rushing throughout the car cooling off the sweat that was running down her skin.
"A thank you would be appreciated." Eric told her, his eyes focused on to the road.
"For what?"
"For such a great date."
Nessa laughed and looked over at Eric. "If you consider throwing me into water, flirting with others girls and ditching me a date then-"
"You're then one who ditched me."
"You're still not getting a thank you out of me."
After a couple of minutes of music playing, Eric turned the volume down.
"I hate you." He simple stated not even bothering to look at Nessa.
"I hate you too." She replied, her eyes focused on the passing scenery.
"Great." Eric said with content, turning the volume up on the radio.