My feet push against the pedals, giving the wheels in to rotation, and the wind captures my hair and sends it behind me in a flourish of speed. I look out into the countryside area owned by my family, and its stretch along the coast.
When I reach the beach, there's a significant amount of people there, but not too many. I sit in the sand, close to the water, and wiggle my toes in it. My mother and I always loved the beach. I look out onto the water and take off my white sundress, revealing my swimsuit, a new one, floral and strapless, that Ama bought for me a few days ago as a gift. It fits me well, and the colors are to my liking.
I look around for a while, taking it all in, the people, that is. They all seem to flock here in such a way that they are magnetically drawn to it, but no one seems fascinated or of significant appreciation of the view, it seems to be a routine, a beauty that has somewhat lost its charm to them.
To me, it's all sorts of things.
"Serafina!" A voice yells from behind me. I turn around and see a smiling Arlo, now sitting next to me in the sand. I smile back. He's a fairly attractive guy, his grey eyes are so different and they catch the light in a way I've never really seen before, and his dark black hair sticks up all over the place, but still manages to look good.
"Arlo, hi!"
He tilts his jaw to the side, away from me. "Wasn't the last time I saw you when you dropped a glass after seeing Lucca?" He smirks.
I cover my face with my hands. "No.. no...! that was so embarrassing!" I say, not looking up at him.
He laughs. "It's alright. Lucca tends to have that effect on girls, you're not the first one to stop in their tracks."
"Wait what?"
"Aw, Sera," he says, swinging an arm around me. "It's okay to have a little crush. I'm warning you though, Lucca tends to lead people on quite frequently."
"...I don't have a crush on Lucca Arlo!"
"Denial! Denial, denial, denial. I saw the way you looked at him! Explain that. Why else would you have dropped the glasses? Hm?"
"I- I was simply surprised to see him is all."
"Basta! Tell me the truthhh Sera. I can see it in your eyes."
"I don't have a crush!"
"What else would it be?!"
"...Well, I'd met him once before."
He looks shocked, eyes widening. Then he smiles again an excited smile. "When?!"
"...It was embarrassing!"
"You have to tell me!"
"It's nothing truly interesting. We bumped into each other, and I fell, so he helped me up, and well... I don't think there was much else..."
"Well there must've been something about it that made you drop a glass at the mere sight of him"
Of course I'd never admit it to Arlo, the way my heart came to a complete halt and shot surges of warmth over my whole body, his looks of those I had never seen or experienced before. So when I was reminded of this feeling by the sight of him once again, the glass seemed to slip from my fingertips, my consciousness of reality slipping along with it, momentarily.
I glance up at him, tearing myself away from my thoughts.
"No, just..- embarrassment. That's all."
"Sera, don't be shy about it. I can even talk to him- see what he thinks of you?" He says with a smirk.
"Arlo I-"
"I'm sure he's interested, I mean you're one of the most beautiful-"
"ARLO! He's not interested! And neither am I. Please, can we just drop the subject?" I turn to him, pleading.
He frowns. "Fine. For now. We'll get back to it later." I roll my eyes. "Don't worry princessa, we're not done with this issue. Although, I must go. I was supposed to meet a friend about... an hour ago. Bye" he says with a smile, running off down the beach.
~
It's nearing the end of the evening and I still remain on the beach. I have my blanket wrapped around me as my pencil flutters across my small notebook pages. I tend to write poetry to distract myself from the realities around me. A symbol, an idea, a dream, they can all take me somewhere else less real.
thunderous silence envelops the mind into a new dimension, one of distant yet strangely familiar thought
I look up momentarily to see the sun setting over the ocean water in a warmly rounded crescent. The cold night wind fades for a moment, and the warm colors of the sunset comfort me. I close my eyes, and feel as if I am the only person on the beach, the only one in the world. Or so I thought...
The sound of a tossing object in the wind awakens me and I see my notebook rolling down the beach, very quickly, I might add.
That thing holds my whole life.
Before I can even think my legs are sprinting after it down the beach, and that's when I trip in the sand and fall to my side. I hear a chuckle and see a hand reach down in front of my face.
Oh no.
"Lucca" my eyes meet his deep chocolate brown ones.
By this time I'm standing and facing him, brushing the sand off of my sundress, embarrassed. For the third time in only a few days.
"So this must be important then?" He says handing me my notebook.
My eyes widen and I swipe it back right away. "Yes. Thank you."
He laughs with the big beautiful white toothed grin and looks around the beach. "Soo what brings you down to this spot all alone at this hour?"
Im not about to explain to him how much of a loner I am... But truly I do like spending time by myself... I like figuring out the meanings of things and enjoying nature without superficiality that sometimes others tend to bring. "I love watching the sunset."
"It's beautiful, no?" He says looking out onto the water with a small smile, his brown hair blowing in the winds song. Then looking back over to me with a more intense look.
I try not to blush. I think for a moment. "What are you here for then?"
"Well this is my favorite spot."
"Oh, for what?"
"Painting, and anything else. But mostly my art"
Oh, so he does more painting than just bricks in the street.
"I didn't know you were a painter." I say with a small smile.
He laughs. "Do you not remember the first time we met, bella?"
There it is again... "I mean, that you paint, more than just those kinds of things."
"This is true. It's a passion of mine" He says wiggling his eyebrows with a goofy smile."
I smile back. And at that moment it kind of feels... Perfect, standing there.
"Lucca!! I'm sorry I'm late but I am here!!!!!" A voice calls out from behind us. I turn and see a beautiful girl about my age, with long curly black hair. Lucca's eyes widen.
"Georgiana."
She runs up to him and kisses him, looking in a way as if she's taking him by surprise, and he pulls away after only a few seconds.
I feel very awkward right now... Also as if there's a large pit in my stomach that hasn't been there in a while, but I want to go. I guess Lucca has a girlfriend..
"Lu lu who's this girl? "
He looks at me, then back to Georgiana.
"Uhm, Georgiana this is Serafina. Serafina, Georgiana."
"H-hi." I say, quietly.
"Well aren't you cute!" She says, making me cringe. "So how do you know my boyfriend?"
So it's true..
"Not your boyfriend." Luca says rolling his eyes.
Not true?
"Lucca tries to deny his love for me all the time since he doesn't date people typically. But we're basically dating. After all Lucca you did kiss me just now."
"Actually that was you. I'm only here with you because you wanted a painting and-"
"I'm gonna go. It's getting late and Ama will worry. Goodnight." I say, with a quick wave as I run down the beach, back to my bike to return home.
I guess Arlo was right about Lucca and girls, and also... About his effect on me.
~