Chapter 2 of a series.
I'm not sure how fluid this story will be w/o having read the first...
...check out ch 1, now.
Have a great day,
Fameahsky
*
I cried myself to sleep that night.
I awoke at noon, the next day. That gave me two and a half hours before Jason was supposed to get here -- we wanted to enjoy the warmth of the beach without heat stroke. Plenty of time to shake of the feelings of last night and get all my housework done. I, normally, didn't look forward to housework but my chores proved to be a delightful distraction from the tricks my mind had played on me yesterday. Laundry, vacuuming, & cleaning ceiling fans and window blinds. I was almost half through when Jason showed up an hour and a half early. Dream or no dream, seeing Jason always put a smile on my face. He was my best friend long before we started dating. My parents loved him, too.
As my father let him in, my father told him, "You know the drill. If we're working, you're working." Dad always tried to have a stern voice with my friends.
"No problem, Sir. Nate and Sam know that, too. That's why they waited in the truck." Jason replied. Dad made my friends use 'Sir' and 'Ma'am'. When they talked about my mother to me, they said 'Mom'. When they were talking about my father they ALL said 'Eddie Bear'. His personality is that warm.
Time flew by doing the last bit of work (especially with help and THIS helper). Jason and I left with our required Eddie-Bear-hugs and a wave to mom. All my friends love Eddie-Bear-hugs. We threw my bags in the truck bed for the beach and the graduation party tonight. I greeted Sam and Nate and we headed to the beach.
As happy as I was to be done with school and with my boyfriend and friends headed to the coast, I was disheartened. These were the same people -- no Shawnda, but still -- and the same setting as my nightmare. Jason knew me well enough to see that, even out of the corner of his eye.
"Tawnie... What's the matter?
I explained that this wasn't the time or place to talk about it. "Besides, it's such a great day and we've been planning this beach day forever."
"OK. You're right about it being a great day. I'm glad we are doing this today. I read that it's supposed to rain tomorrow."
We got to the beach and tried to find a spot that wasn't too crowded. While we spread out our blankets, I heard Nate cry out, "NOOOO!!!" The rest of us followed his prospective to a couple of guys that had graduated a year before Nate. 'Someone saw Beaches one time too many,' I thought to myself. I chose to keep that to myself because we all knew that one of the men going at it under the boardwalk was Nate's hero. Carl's coaching was the inspiration Nate needed to take the basketball team to regionals. We all attempted to comfort him with, "It'll be OK's." The boys didn't feel it best to hug their friend, under the circumstance.
Always the Boy Scout, Sam asked, "Who needs sunblock?" I took the bottle, knowing I was never completely prepared for anything. I could, also, not have prepared myself for the two things rubbing sunblock on my skin would do.