Alice

The sweet Florida sun caresses my skin as I feel the ocean breeze paint my face. I can taste the salt, its wonderful. The hot sand massages my feet as I walk the trail from the house to the beach. The rustling of the palm trees coupled with that beautiful ocean roll remind me why I fell in love with this place when I was a child. I close my eyes for a moment and take it in, letting the coastal air fill my lungs. I need this. I need to get away from it all.

  My short cut off jeans allow my legs to get some well needed sunlight but my sun hat and shades protect my face. I don’t feel conscious of my body today so I feel good in my bikini tops with my stomach exposed. All feels better with the world as I pass througj the palm trees and hit the shoreline.

The perfectly straight horizon always calls me toward it but like a lot of things in life, you can never catch it no matter how far you chase. I stand on the shore and just take it all in for a moment, the sparkly blue water, the birds picking at its mouth, its all, perfect.

  The faint sound of music rests on my ears, I’d completely forgotten the beach bar lower down the coast. From where I am it seems like a tiny spec down the sand with a bunch of ants moving around it, but the urge to explore takes hold and I head down there.
                                         ***
The long walk works up a thirst, people dance and sway all around me, its only three in the afternoon now but it seems the party is already  starting. I head to the bar and sit, ordering a bottle of water. “Hey, bikini top, how about I get you something colder?” I turn to be met with a surprise. A tall, tanned blonde boy with a killer smile and a body to match.
“Uh…”

“Hey, bartender, bring her a Pina collada.”
T
he bartender nods.

“You know you didn’t have to right?”

“I know.”

He sits next to me and smiles.

“hey, I’m Justin.”

He stretches out his hand. I stare at it.

“oh so you’re a shy one huh.”

“No, I’m just wondering where you came from and what you want.”

He puts his hand behind his head and smirks.

“Well, I saw you come up from down there and I really just couldn’t help but think you’re one of the cutest girls in this place, I had to buy you a drink.”

That has to be the lamest thing a guy could say but I can’t help but blush. My first instinct is to say I have a boyfriend… but then I remember I don’t.

“Hi, I’m Alice.”

He lets that pretty smile out again.
                                       
                               ***

An hour passes and we talk about all there is to say, and I find myself swaying with the music. He takes my hand.

“You look like you could use a dance.”

We start to move together. He actually seems like a nice guy but somehow, my mind starts to drift ass we dance. It starts to drift to Jack, the way he reached out to me this morning.

  The last week has been different… I’ve been looking at him. I’ve been feeling more for him and its become too much to ignore. The way I felt  when I saw him hurt was so deeply painful that I didn’t think it possible that I had so much emotions for him in me. I didn’t know all of it was there and it scares me.

  I start to realize I’ve had too much to drink. I look up at Justin and I realize too, that he’s not Jack.

“Hey.. Justin its getting late and I should go okay…”   
  
He looks disappointed, I can imagine his frustration… he seems to really like me.

“Oh…um can I At least have your number?”

I think for a moment and I give it to him. Then I leave. The drinks start to kick in big time as I head back to the house. Oh boy, here come my emotions.