Struggles of Summer Love

Chapter 1

As the sun awakens, it also awakens a sense of hunger in everyone. Hunger to see new adventures. As eyes open to the sun, it is as if it’s saying “hello” to summer and the adventures that come with it. Warm weather and sunshine fill the minds of everyone. Snow is gone and sunshine is here. 

Sweltering summer days are for chilling with friends at the beach. Sneaking out to late night bonfires happen more than anyone is willing to admit. When tourists come, the locals must decide whether to stay inside or venture out into chaos. Tourist season in Maine calls for change. Change can be both good and bad. Harper and her friends planned to take full advantage of the change that summer brings. This was the time of year to make money and raise a little hell. Good-bye school and cold weather, hello bugs and warm weather. 

Harper was ready for a busy summer filled with lasting memories. She pulled her hair elastic out of her disheveled raven hair as she jumped into a rusted, jacked-up truck. As her eyes met those of her friends, Reagan and Nora, She smiled. The driver, a girl with long blonde hair and a Victoria secret supermodel body, said, “It must have been a busy day at the Lobster shack.”

“Reagan, you wouldn’t have believed how busy it was. Terrorist, I mean tourist season is in full tilt. It’s only June, but this might be a long hot summer.” I said as I wiped my brow.

“You only got out thirty minutes late. Be thankful there is still sunlight and the bugs haven’t come out yet. Are you ready to spend the rest of the day being beach bum?” 

“Here come tan lines and sunshine.” Harper said as Reagan started her truck.         

The truck whined as it started. It growled and grumbled as it started down the road. The ride mimicked an old wooden roller coaster. Avoiding potholes is more difficult than detonating a bomb. With every bump the truck encountered, it begged for mercy. Music blared in hopes to cover up the trucks screaming. No one was ready to deal with any trouble the truck might be warning them. Instead of dealing with it, Reagan cranked the volume to the max. The vehicle began to vibrate, whether it was due to the loud music, or a new  issue, no one bothered to check. The vehicle pulled up to the beach and the vibration stopped as the engine was turned off.         

The girls giggled as they climbed out of the truck. I  lifted her light blue Lobster shack t-shirt to reveal a pink bikini top. Reagan and Nora followed suit. Shorts and shoes went flying into the back of the truck as sand flew wildly into the air. The girls laid their colorful blankets on the sand. Nora, the palest of the group, pulled a large bottle of sunscreen out of her L.L. Bean tote. “Anyone else need some?” she asked.

“I should be fine. One of the joys of being of  French Canadian decent, is that I rarely get a sunburn. If by chance I do get a burn, it will turn into a tan within a day.” I  said. 

“Well, if Nora doesn’t get any sunscreen on her, she will look like a lobster within a couple of hours.” Reagan said as she grabbed the bottle of sunscreen. She squeezed a palmful size into her hand and smeared it all of Nora’s face.

“Hey! What was that for?” Nora screeched.

 Reagan and I erupted in laughter as Nora scowled at them. Before Reagan and I had the chance to notice the smirk that started to grow on Nora’s face, they got covered in sunscreen. They shrieked in unison.  Nora laughed and said, “ You deserve it.”

As I  rubbed the lotion in, I admitted, “Okay we did deserve it. Now let's sunbathe and check out the tourists.”

One of the only good thing about tourist season, is attractive tourists. The girls laid on their brightly colored towels as their skin became crispy. As the sun started to set, the girls watched as people started to go home. Mothers carried their sand covered children who begged to stay. A group of redneck guys pushed each other around as they pulled another beer out of their coolers. One ran back to his truck to grab fireworks. People started to vanish as the stars appeared. The cold breeze off of the ocean gave Nora a chill. She then said, “So should we head home or see where this drunk redneck fiasco ends up?”

“I don’t have to show up at the Lobster shack until 10am.”Reagan said.

“Same here. Let's see what these guys do. Maybe one of them will do something stupid. We will see it before it makes the Seagull Gazette.” Harper said. 

“They are rednecks, of course they're going to do something stupid.” Nora says with a sigh. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they pulled out some gasoline and light crap on fire.”

“You spoke too soon.” Reagan said as a tall guy goes running towards his friends with a red gas can. 

Despite laying on a towel, the friends were covered in sand. They brushed the sand off of themselves as they arose. It was if there was a magnetic pull forcing them to go towards the water. As they walked they were forced to walk by the group of rednecks. Maybe they weren’t all rednecks, but a group of drunk friends. One of them had broad shoulders and a set of abs that could cut steel. Harpers eyes were glued on his muscular body. She was too distracted to notice his steel blue eyes that were locked on her. The magnetic force shifted and she started to walk towards him. Before she knew it her face hit the ground. Shells and rocks dig into her face. Of all the moments to fall, this was not ideal. This should’ve been the moment he chose to ignore her. Instead he wrapped his strong arms around her and brushed the debris from her face as it bled. He spoke but my  brain failed to comprehend what he said. My eyes became lost as I stared into his eyes. 

Hands wrapped around my arms. The grip tightened as they pried  me out of the muscular guy's grasp.  Before anyone had the chance to protest, Nora said, “who do you think you are?”

“I’m just a guy helping a fallen angel.”

“Get away from us. She doesn’t need you or want you. Harper has us and she doesn’t want some smooth talking guy to sweep her off her feet.” 

“I’m sorry for bothering you. My name is Roman. I assume the bleeding beauty is Harper. Do you ladies have names as well?”

“I’m Nora, and the Victoria secret model is Reagan. You can go pound sand.” 

“I’m sorry I offended you. I’ll leave you ladies alone. If you need anything, I’ll be over there trying to prevent the guy wearing flag shorts from lighting himself on fire.” He said as he pointed further up the beach. 

As Roman walked away, my eyes followed him. The way each muscle moved as he walked mesmerized her. Why didn’t she speak up? All pain left her body as he held her. Reality came smashing back when her friends ripped her away. This might have been something. Time moved far too quickly. Nora’s voice interrupted her thoughts by saying “Harper, are you okay?” 

“Where did he go?”

“You don’t want a strange guy touching you. We don’t know where he’s been. Plus he is far too good looking to be interested in you.”

“What has gotten into you? Nora, that’s pretty harsh to say.” Reagan interrupts.

“That's not the point. We don't know him. He isn't a local. ” Nora replies. 

“He was touching me and seemed pretty concerned. I don’t think he could have been that bad.”  I claimed. 

“He wants to hump and dump you. That’s all. Get your mind off of him. ” Nora said. 

I looks at the ground and furrows my brow. This guy didn’t seem that bad, but her best friend wanted her to stay away from him. What did Nora know? In defeat, I says, “okay.”

“Let’s wash this stuff off your face. Good thing there is plenty of salt water.” Reagan says as she walks towards the water.

The salty breeze causes a chill to run through my body as they get closer. The tide moves closer as if to greet them. It begs them to come play. The cold water feels like icicles on their toes. They embrace the cold as the venture slightly deeper. Once they reach knee length they bend over to splash some water on Harper’s face. Sand disappears to expose a small cut by her eyebrow. Redness paints her face like the sunset. Reagan touches the cut and says, “It's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I don’t think you will have any bruises. If you would like, I can give you bangs to cover the cut.” 

“Thank you. I might take you up on that offer. I just want to see how it looks in the morning. My pride hurts more than the cut. How could I be so clumsy?”

“It’s okay, we have all messed up. This water is cold, let’s get out.”

It was only June but the water still felt like bathing in ice. In Maine the water doesn't start to get tolerable until  August. then the water starts to get cold again. “Your right” I  said as they ventured out of the water. “He was cute, wasn’t he?”

“Very cute. I think he likes you.”

“Not anymore. Nora forced him away. Why do you think she did that?”

“I don’t know, but she has been acting strange lately. It all started at Nate’s New Year’s Eve party. I don’t know what happened?”

“She wasn’t invited.”

“Oh, but she came with us.” 

“Nate didn’t want her there and she came anyway. I don’t know all of the details, but we ought to find out. Let’s save that adventure for another day. I’m ready to go home.”