22 year old Ellie had just arrived at the beach where her and her family were to stay for a week. She was excited to be back to the beach after a 5 year hiatus and as they had officially reached their destination and unpacked at the beach house she was ready to get into the ocean and officially begin her beach vacation.
She hurriedly dressed in her bathing suit and unable to contain her enthusiasm a minute longer she called out to her family she was going out to the beach where they said they'd soon catch up with her at.
Ellie's first view of the ocean was just as she remembered. The glorious waves crashing down and all the noises and sounds of the beach encompassing her all at once. She walked out and stuck her feet in the water, the waves pounding in. The water seems a little rougher than normal she thought to herself but then dismissed the thought since she hadn't been to the beach in years therefore she didn't really know what "normal" was, did she?
She waded out until the waves touched her knees laughing happily as the waves came rolling in. Ellie looked around and noticed the beach wasn't very crowded, the ocean even less so. Peculiar she thought before her thoughts were interrupted by a particularly forceful wave.
Enjoying herself she slowly waded out deeper and deeper into the water. She was waist deep when she looked out to shore and saw a tall, muscular male walk toward her after disembarking from a 4wheeler. Lifeguard, Ellie realized.
"Waters are dangerously rough today. You should only go out far enough to get your feet wet in order to be safe. High riptide warning." The lifeguard called out as he waded towards her.
Devon? Ellie realized as the lifeguard got closer. At that same moment he said, "Ellie? What are you doing here? It's been too long! Where are your parents? You shouldn't be out here all alone."
Anger boiled up into Ellie and she said before thinking, "I'm not a child anymore Devon. I'm not your little sister's best friend. I'm an adult and I could do as I please without supervision." Defiance rose up in Ellie so quickly and strong that she had difficulty keeping upright in the waves.
"I'm sorry Ellie, of course you could be here by yourself but right now you need to get out of this water. It's too dangerous. All the lifeguards are warning people." Devon responded hoping to placate the clearly agitated girl. No woman, he corrected himself.
"Alright, I'm coming. I'll just spend my first day at the beach observing then since that's all that seems to be allowed." She said pertly.
Devon, assured that she was now following him out of the water, turned his back on her and made his way towards the shore.
Hmmmph, Ellie thought, I'm under the supervision of a lifeguard right now so I think I'll just enjoy a few more minutes out here before not being allowed back in the rest of this vacation she thought rather bitterly.
Turning and heading the exact opposite direction of Devon. She smiled at her defiance. Looks like you can no longer boss me around Devon she thought to herself. Those days of being able to tell me what to do are long over.
Almost to shore Devon turned around to ask Ellie where she was staying when he noticed she wasn't right behind him. Panic surged through him and he turned back around to see Ellie going out even further into the harsh waves. He ran towards her calling out to her, shocked with anger beneath the surface, only focused on getting her safely back to shore. Halfway towards her a powerful wave knocked her over and she went tumbling into the water. She did not reemerge.
Adrenaline pumping, Devon reached the spot he saw Ellie last in. Visibility in the water was low but a momentary break in waves allowed him to see her thrashing wildly in the water. He dove in and pulled her up and into his arms.
"It's okay Els, I've got you. I've got you. You're fine. Just breathe." He said reassuringly as if talking to a small child. Relief evident in his voice.
Devon carried her out of the water and sat her on the 4wheeler. He retrieved his towel and wrapped it around her while closely examining her for injuries or shock.
Tears streamed down Ellie's face. I'm an idiot she thought. I nearly drowned just to prove how much of an adult I now am. It was almost a short adulthood she thought darkly. "I'm fine Devon. You can stop looking at me like that. Just a little shaken up is all but I'm fine." Ellie said trying to reassure him. "Thanks for saving me." She added the last party hurriedly, blushing embarrassed at her actions.
"Listen, I'm almost off. You're going to head back with me to the lifeguard station and then come back to my house with me. We can catch up, I can make sure you're ok, and we can have a little discussion about this too." Ellie gulped at his last words and had a sneaking suspicion she was not going to like the last activity. She didn't need a lecture and she felt that this one was going to be particularly bad. Ellie, Devon just saved your life. The least you could do is sit through a good scolding. You do deserve it after all. She told herself.
Ellie sighed resignedly. "Ok." She acquiesced, looking for all the world like this was the last thing she wanted to do.
This is probably long overdue, Devon thought to himself. This has needed to happen a long time ago. I guess this means I'm the man for the job he thought rather wryly.
Just then he spotted Ellie's parents and brother and sister heading towards the beach. "Your family is coming." He hissed at Ellie now knowing her "I'm an adult" act was partially just that. "Tell them that you are going to spend the afternoon catching up with me."
"Don't mention to them what just happened. I don't want to worry them." Ellie pleaded looking every bit like a naughty child.
"Don't worry Els. It's not them you need to worry about right now." He said pointedly.
"Devon!" Ellie's parents called out a greeting warmly. "It's been ages since we've last seen you. I had no idea you were working out here." Ellie's father said. Small talk ensued until Devon apologetically asked permission to bother their daughter for the next couple hours. Approval was readily given along with promises for them all to catch up more before their vacation ended. Ellie waved goodbye to her family as Devon drove the 4wheeler away.
Once officially clocked out Devon led the way to his house a short walk from the beach. He's living the life Ellie thought. There would be nothing better then living at the beach.
Devon unlocked the door and led Ellie inside. He led her to the couch and brought her a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. "Drink up, Els. I'm going to go change real quick and then we can talk."
Ellie did what he said. Carefully taking a first sip and then realizing how thirsty she was she downed the whole water bottle in seconds. Devon came out of his room changed into shorts and a t-shirt and carrying sweatpants and a sweatshirt with him.
"Thought you might want to change into something a little drier. Bathrooms right over there." He said pointing with his head to a room at the end of the hall.
Grateful for his offering Ellie quickly changed and returned to the living room. Devon was seated in the chair so she took her seat back on the couch.
"I-I didn't know you were living down here. Last I had heard from Cass you were trying to decide from a slew of job offerings." Ellie uncertainly attempted to start a conversation.
"I got tired of working a traditional 9 to 5. Got to me after awhile and I decided that now while I still have a year or so left in my twenties would still be a somewhat appropriate time to sow some wild oats so to speak." Devon answered.
"Pfft" Ellie snorted. "Sounds to me like you finally decided to have a little fun. It's about time you actually enjoyed life a little. You always did take things so seriously."
