To The Beach

[DellaDivina]

"Increasing rains over the next few days will likely hamper the plans of many over this holiday weekend. Now back to..." Susan turned off the radio and kept driving, while the windshield wipers moved the droplets of water across her windshield. Her old red sedan did not like the rain. It leaked.

Susan lightly punched the roof in annoyance and was rewarded with an even steadier stream of water. By the time she pulled up at the rest area, her chest and stomach were soaked. She pulled the thin, button-up shirt away from her modest breasts and shrugged. She was going to be wetter in a minute anyway.

With resignation, Susan flung open the door and rain for the building. Her long, bare legs flashed as she moved, remembering her high school days on the track team perhaps. As she entered the building, she twisted her long blond hair into a long rope, trying to get some of the water out. It was pointless though. She sighed and walked to the bathroom.

Five minutes later, feeling much better, but still wet, she went out into the main room of the rest area. There was a little store convenience store, selling among other things, clean t-shirts, all baring the logo The Sunshine State. "What a fucking lie." She whispered to herself, as she smiled at the clerk and forked over twenty dollars for one. Another five minutes and she was at least half dry, with her wet bikini top and t-shirt, carried limply in one hand and her soggy cloth purse in another.

Moving out into the rest area again, she stood waiting, along with a few others, for the rain to lighten up. She was headed to the beach, and but was starting to lose hope that it would go so well. It was the Forth of July tomorrow and there was supposed to be a big to do, but she wanted to hit it, before it got to crazy. Undoubtedly it would already be so. Still, she had not come all the way from New Jersey to be dissuaded now.

When the rain finally decided to stop for a moment, she rain to her car. Quickly drying her seat, she jumped in and turned the starter. Nothing. The car did nothing. She slapped the steering wheel in annoyance, sending a blast of her horn out into the parking lot.

(OOC: This is a thread about going to the beach. This is NOT a hook up thread, though that is fine, but a thread about hanging out at the beach and making friends. It is open, which means you can jump in, but PLEASE describe your character physically in your first post.)

 

[DeathsKnight]

Ethan

Ethan was carrying a six-pack Pepsi and a bag of chips to his waiting girl, when a horn's honk broke the semi-silence of the parking area. He had his old Dodge cap on and water dripped from it on to his wet-weather poncho. He paused to look at the rather beat-up old car and he just had to grin, poor thing looked like it ran on heart and kept together by spit and duct-tape.

He pulled open the door of his vehicle and dumped the six-pack and chips inside. After a brief deliberation, he closed the door and walked over to the car. He knocked on the bonnet to catch the blonde behind the wheel's attention and motioned for her to release the hood's catch. As she did so, he found the release and lifted the hood enough to be able to see inside without getting too much water on the still-warm engine. He fiddled a bit, lowered the hood and motioned for her to try the engine, it didn't even sputter.

He closed the hood and moved over to her side, motioning for her to lower the window a little bit, he spoke through the small crack that appeared,

"The starter gave out, this gal will not start and I have a sneaky suspision you have got an oil leak, probably top gasket. If you have folks around they better come fetch you. Or you could phone for a tow-in, only two choices you have right now ma'am."

 

[DellaDivina]

"No, no, no!" Sounded from within the car. "I can not freaking believe this is happening to me now, only half an hour away from the freaking beach!" The horn sounded again in annoyance. There was silence for a moment and then the window rolled down a bit more.

The face that appeared had a slightly upturned nose, green eyes and full lips. "I appreciate your advice mister, but the fact is that my parents are days of driving away, and I am not even from here. Sorry for the outburst. It's just been a frustrating day."

She had decided to trust the man, despite his size and the fact that he was covered in tattoos. He had tried to fix her car, and he had been polite. "I don't suppose there is a bus station around here, is there?"

 

[DeathsKnight]

Ethan

He glanced at his watch,

"There is a bus stop, but the next bus will not arrive in about six hours."

He looked up at the sky,

"I also doubt that you would want to sit in the rain and wait for the bus..."

He trailed off as water dripped from the car's roof,

"Seems like you already seem to be sitting in the rain."

He pondered the situation for a few moments and then decided to at least give her some relief from what seemed to be bad luck.

"Since I'm not working for the next three days I have the day free, I could offer to take you to the beach and perhaps even spend a few hours there. Hopefully the rain let's up, I do not particularly like the wet beach."

 

[DellaDivina]

Susan

Susan looked him up and down for a moment, considering if she could trust him. She did not want to cancel her impromptu vacation, and did not have money to waste on a half hour cab ride. As it was, she decided to trust him for a ride. Besides, she always had the pepper spray, in her purse, just in case.

Exiting the car, she realized her shirt had been dripped on again, though not so badly as to be embarrassing.

"Let me get my suitcase."

She went around the truck and pulled out an old fabric suitcase. She had packed lightly, since she planned to spend most of her time on the beach itself.

"If you don't mind, we can drop it at my friend's house."

She moved past him, towards his car, lugging the suitcase. She realized she had not thanked him, or told him her name, so she shouted over her shoulder,

"I'm Susan and thanks!"

She stopped for a moment and looked up. The rain was gone, and the clouds looked a bit lighter. Maybe luck was on her side after all. She realized she needed to call about a tow truck, but she could do that after she changed out of her wet shorts.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Ethan

To say he didn't look when she bent over to get her suitcase, nor looked when she walked out ahead of him towards the Charger would have been a horrible lie. But then what man would not have looked? She sure had a good body on her. He followed her, pausing to open the trunk for her suitcase and replied,

"I'm Ethan"

He unlocked the passenger side and shoved the six-pack and chips aside to make space for her. He left the door open for her to get in and as an after thought he even closed it for her. He looked up, seems like the storm was moving on, he slipped off the poncho, gave a few good shakes and climbed in, he wore beige cargo pants with a light blue poloshirt.

He started the V8 engine and smiled at the sound it made, he ran a light hand over the dash, then slipped the car into gear and backed out of the parking space,

"Where to?"

 

[DellaDivina]

"Sanibel. My friend has a beach house right on the beach. He says it's pretty awesome." The fact was that she had not seen any of her friends since university, and she was looking forward to reconnecting with them, even if it had only been a few years. It felt like a class reunion of a sort.

As they drove toward the beach she looked out at the palm tree lined streets. It was so different from the streets of New Jersey, with their traffic circles and endless traffic. The roads were busy here as well, but it wasn't the same some how. She did not get the feeling that all the drivers were stressed, like in Jersey.

As they drove she also looked around the car surreptitiously, trying to gauge the man she rode with. Despite his tattoos, he wore a nice outfit and had lovely manners. He was handsome to boot, she noted, as she occasionally glanced over at his profile.

"So are you from here originally, or are you just visiting, like me?" She felt foolish for not even looking at his license plate. Who knew where he was from?

 

[DeathsKnight]

"You can say that I am kind of new here, moved here a month ago."

He glanced at her,

"It's a long drive from Jersey. You can be lucky that she didn't drop you on the road."

He smiled and patted the dashboard,

"Renovated this girl myself, took lots of time, but I'm happy with the results."

He smiled,

"So you're just coming here for a visit? Any idea how long you'd be staying?"

 

[DellaDivina]

She was more than aware how lucky she was. She sat back and admired the car. It was.... cute how he was attached to his car and called it a 'her', if cute was an adjective that could be used to describe the burly man next to her in the seat.

"I am staying a week. I am down here visiting with friends from university, over the fourth of July weekend. It's been quite awhile since I've seen them, so it's pretty exciting." She fell silent for a few minutes, as they sped along, not sure what else to say, and not really wanting to open up to much to a stranger, even if he was a handsome and helpful stranger. Soon they were nearing the beach.

"So, why did you move to Florida? I know it's lovely here, but I've been told that the bugs are horrible." Up ahead she could see the parking lot for the beach.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Ethan

"Oh about a month ago, first had to pick up my car where she was in storage."

He pulled into a parking spot and looked around, it was still overcast, but the clouds did seem to move away,

"Well there's the houses you mentioned, I guess this is the right spot."

He got out of the car and opened the boot, pulling out her suitcase and closing the boot. He gave her the rather light case and leaned slightly forward,

"You really should be more careful with trusting people, not everybody has good intentions."

He gave her a smile and straightened up again,

"Perhaps I will see you around Susan, the beach is only that big and you will be here for a week."

 

[DellaDivina]

When he leaned forward and warned her not to be so trusting, for a moment she was a bit alarmed, but then relaxed again. It had indeed been foolish. "Sure Ethan. It was nice to meet you and I really appreciate the ride. We're having a party on the beach tonight, starting at seven, if you'd like to stop by.

She wasn't sure asking him to their party was a great idea, but it was out of her mouth before she could stop herself. She gave him a pretty smile and then turned and started walking towards the house.

 

[gearhead73]

It was three months ago when Randy Summers had received the email from an old college buddy asking him to come down to Florida to spend the holiday weekend. He hadn't planned on coming, but after the last blow out with his on-again but mostly off-again grielfriend, he decided some time away would be good. He smiled as he saw the signs pointing to Causeway Islands Park and letting him know that the drive was almost over. It had just stopped raining and it looked as if the clouds were going to give way to some sun. He rolled down his window and breathed deeply, soaking up the warm salty air from the Gulf.

After graduation most of his friends had went on to pursue careers in their fields of study. Randy, on the other hand had returned to his hometown to help his father run his auto repair shop. Randy had wanted to be an engineer, but when his dad took ill, he came back home to help keep the family business that had paid for his education afloat. After a year or two, he had come to like the business, and had pretty much taken over all of the management duties that his father once had handled. He liked the responsibility of dealing with customers and handling the money as well as seeing his dad be able to spend more time enjoying his golden years. He had grown he business by leaps and bounds and now had an assistant that was capable of running things while he took this trip.

Randy pulled into a filling station to top off the tank and stretch his 5' 11" frame. It had been fourteen hours since he had left his apartment this morning and with only a few more minutes of driving left, it felt good to know the trip was coming to an end. He was tired, but anxious. There was supposed to be a big party on the beach tonight, and the thought of seeing old friends, eating some good food, and possibly meeting some new people excited him. He finished pumping the gas, took his receipt, and pointed his Chevy Avalanche toward Sanibel. He wondered who else may be coming.

 

[red_velvet]

Marina

Marina watched the Chevy Avalanche speed away longingly, as she drummed her fingers lazily against the counter inside the convenience store. She wished she could escape just as easily. The bell at the entrance jingled and a young woman walked in. After she rang up the customer’s purchases, she called to her father that she was taking a breather outside. She turned her tan complexion up to the sky, striving to feel the sparse sunlight on her face, and took in a deep breath only to almost choke on car exhaust. She really hoped the weather would improve. Her stomach did a backflip as she rehearsed in her head the words to “Blue Bayou.” If some way, somehow, she was able to impress the karaoke bar on the island tonight, they may consider keeping her as a regular performer. She really needed the money. But if the weather didn't brighten up considerably, there wouldn't be many customers to entertain tonight. What if they took one look at her Native American looks and small frame and decided they wanted something different? She ran her fingers through her long black hair, as she attempted to coax her waves into submission. It was a nervous habit that she couldn’t shake.

Just as she turned to change the water trays that had already turned murky with car grease, her eyes caught on an object on the ground. A handsome face stared up at her. It was an identification card belonging to “Randy Summers”. He didn’t have the typical mug shot for a driver’s license. In fact, she could sense some of his personality from this picture. He wasn’t smiling but his eyes seemed to be lingering on a dirty joke. Wasn’t he the driver of that Chevy? He had been quite tall, she recalled, but she hadn’t seen him up close. What a shame…he wouldn’t be able to do very much without his ID. She slipped it into her jeans pocket and completed filling the trays before heading back to the store. Maybe she’d be able to look him up to let him know what he was missing.

 

[gearhead73]

The light colored decorative stones of the driveway crunched under his tires as he pulled in front of the garage. He checked the address twice making sure that he was in the right place. There was no one else parked outside of the house, and for a moment he wondered if he had made a wrong turn somewhere. He stepped out and checked the number on the mailbox against the adress he had copied from the invitation, and they matched.

The large two story home was nestled near the end of a culdesac just off of Isabel Drive. It's light yellow exterior was complimented by stark white trim and lush green landscaping. Randy looked around at the other houses on the neighorhood and wondered what it must be like to live in a paradise like this all of the time. He knew that he would probably never leave the small town where he lived now, but still, the thought of being able to have sand and surf in such close proximity was very appealing.

It didn't appear that anyone was home, but as he looked beyond the houses across the street at the surf, he wondered everyone had already made their way to the beach. He locked the doors and walked up the stone path to the front door. He rapped lightly on the door hopeful that he was in the right place.

 

[DellaDivina]

Susan arrived at the house to find her friend out, and a message pinned to the door. "Be back in five. If you arrive before I get home, go sit on the patio. I just ran out to get some more beer." She sighed and tore down the sign in annoyance. It was just like Doug to leave her hanging. She wondered if any of her other friends were there. She moved around to the patio, and did not find anyone yet.

The clouds were definitely moving away now and a nice bit of sun was beating down. She reached under her dry shirt and carefully but her damp bikini top back on. Stripping of her shorts, her lanky figure was left clad in a red bikini, with a reasonably conservative cut. She grabbed her towel and suntan lotion, and shoved her bag behind Doug's barbecue pit, before heading around the side of the house.

As she did, she heard someone knocking on the front door. Coming around the corner, she spotted a familiar figure. "Randy? Hey, how's it going?" She mounted the steps and pulled him into a quick hug. "Uh, sorry." She pulled away, leaving damp marks on his outfit. "Doug will be back in a few minute, or so he says." She spread her towel out on the grass in front of the house. "Don't mind me, but I need to dry out." She stretched her long frame out on the towel, with her blonde hair spilling around her shoulders, before remembering that she had forgotten something. She wasn't tanned yet, but she planned to be. Sitting up, she started to slather suntan lotion on her shoulders, face and arms.

 

[gearhead73]

He was about to turn and walk back to his truck. He figured he could leave a note that he was taking a walk on the beach and that he would be back in a little while when everyone arrived.

"Randy? Hey, how's it going?" he heard and suddenly there were arms around him. He felt his chest become cool and wet as the young woman held the hug for a bit. She stepped back and he could finally see that it was Susan.

"Susan? It's been forever. God, you look...amazing." he said as his eyes surveyed her bikini clad form from head to toe.

He watched her eyes go to the wet spots that she had left on his shirt and replied with a sheepish "Uh, sorry. Doug will be back in a few minute, or so he says."

With that she turned and spread a towel outon the ground. Randy tried not to stare, but the way she filled out her swimwear had captured his attention. He figured that she was used to it. Susan had always been a looker and had never suffered from lack of attention when it came to guys. Randy and her had never been anything more than friends, although there had been times that he wished they could have been more.

"Don't mind me, but I need to dry out." she said breaking him out of his daydreaming. He watched as she lay down, only to sit up and start applying sun lotion to her fair skin.

Breaking his eyes away from her he said, "Quite a place Doug has here. He seems to have done really well for himself."

Randy took a seat on the concrete landing in front of the door. He looked around at the surrounding houses and scenery trying to look anywhere but at the beautiful blonde in front of him.

"What have you been into since graduation? I figured you would be married and living in a villa in Tuscany by now." he said with a bit of a chuckle trying o keep conversation flowing.

 

[DellaDivina]

Susan looked up at him from her back. The sun was starting to warm her nicely and she could feel the swim suit drying out.

"Who me? I'm lucky that I graduated university, much less found a job. I've been teaching third grade for the last few years. And what about you?"

She peered over the edge of her sunglasses. What has Randy been up too? Stealing hearts again?" She stretched a bit, getting comfortable before patting the ground beside her.

"Come, sit with me while we wait."

It was unlikely that they would be waiting long, but she figured on getting some sun while she could. It was already getting on toward evening. The party would be fun, but there wouldn't be any sun at night. She hoped that their friend had remembered to buy torches, or had patio lighting.

 

[gearhead73]

"Who me? I'm lucky that I graduated university, much less found a job. I've been teaching third grade for the last few years. And what about you? What has Randy been up too? Stealing hearts again?"

He was looking at him over her sunglasses with a devilish grin playing on her lips. He watched her as she stretched and then laid back down, unable to take his eyes off of the way she filled out her now drying suit.

"Come, sit with me while we wait." she said patting the ground beside her.

Randy sat down beside her and lifted his face toward the sun relishing the feel of the heat on his face.

"No stealing hearts for me." he said remebering his recent ex for the first time since has had started this trip. "I went back home after graduation to help Dad run his garage. He hadn't been feeling well for a while, and the businees had started to suffer because of it."

He took a deep breath as he thought about the last few years. His life now was so different from what he had thought it could be, yet he realized later that he was actually living the dream had never knew he had.

"It turns out I'm pretty good at it. We've not only managed to get the business back on track, but we have grown it. Dad is able to spend more time with mom and I pretty much run all of it now."

He layed back on the manicured grass next to her. He thought he could be content to just lay there with her and catch up on each other's lives until morning.

"School teacher huh? I have to say I'm a bit surprised, but that sounds great." He was starting to sweat a little so he sat up and removed his t-shirt.

"So what about you? You married, or seeing anyone serious?"

 

[DellaDivina]

She admired the muscles playing across his back, as he removed his shirt, but quickly looked away as he lay down again. She had always though that Randy was a cutey, and if anything, he looked in better shape now than he had been in their university days.

When he asked if she was seeing anyone, she felt a bit of guilt. The truth was that she was juggling dating a guy named Dennis, a local dentist, and one of her fellow teachers by the name of Nichole. In part, she had came down her to work out her feelings between the two, to try and decided if she liked one of them well enough to throw the other over for him or for her.

In the end, she lied, rather than trying to explain her situation. "No, I'm a free as a bird, and I like it that way, thank you very much." She turned her head to look at Randy, gland that he wasn't psychic. She felt guilty about the lie, but the truth was just to complicated, and she was trying to deny it anyway. For this trip anyway, she was single, damn it!

 

[DeathsKnight]

Ethan

Ethan had first pulled a can of Pepsi out of the ring and opened it, taking a seat on the hood of his car he watched the ocean. Well he did tell Susan that he would be spending time here...well why not? Luckily he had a small bag in the trunk, in it he kept a Slayer t-shirt, shorts, jean, socks and extra cash. As he looked around he noticed that there was some shops in walking distance and most likely they dealt in swimwear, surfing apparrel and the like. Grabbing another Pepsi he made his way to the shops and true to form it held a variety of the products most tourist would forget home.

He bought two swimming trunks and sandals, slipped out of his jeans and underwear and into the dark red swimming trunks. As he reached his car, he opened the trunk, dropped his clothing inside, then he slipped off his polo shirt and slipped on the t-shirt. He got the rest of the six pack and headed down to the beach, now that the rain had passed, more people came out to the beach to beat the sudden heat.

"Yo!"

Ethan looked up in time to see a footbal spiraling his way, he plucked it from the air and tossed it at the younger man who missed the catch.

"Hey thanks man! Want to toss some skin with us? We got ice for those cans."

Well then, why would Ethan say no to that offer? Pretty soon he was stripped of his t-shirt, sunblock courtesy of one of the guys' girlfriend as they ran up and down the beach, tossing the football around.

 

[gearhead73]

"No, I'm a free as a bird, and I like it that way, thank you very much." he heard her say matter of factly. He thought that if they had drinks that they could both toast to being single.

The sun was high and warm and as much as he like sitting there soaking up some rays with the beautiful blonde next to him, the sounds of laughter and surf were getting to be too much to ignore.

"Hey, you wanna go for a walk down the beack with me? You could still get some sun and we could check out this little slice of heaven that our host has found."he said sitting up and then standing.

"Besides, you could strut your stuff in that bikini you have on. I guarantee you probably won't stay single for too long." he said chuckling a bit trying to play off his admiration of her body.