Wondering Minds

Chapter 13

I felt the hot sand beneath my toes as I sat in a beach chair by the ocean.

"Do you want a beer?"

I turned to look at Nathan, "Woah! I thought you didn't drink."

He popped open the can, "Oops... I guess I lied." He said sarcastically.

I giggled, "You're cute."

Nathan takes a sip of his beer, "Are you sure you don't want one?"

"Yeah, I'm sure... beer is nasty." I watched as he took another sip of his beer. "Don't get drunk, you still got to drive us home."

"I won't, I know my limits."

I watched as the little kids next to us built a sandcastle. I start to feel the heat from the blazing Sun burn my skin. "Can you please put up the umbrella, I'm burning alive?"

"You should enjoy the Sun, you might need some vitamin D."

"No... Do you see my skin? I'm mixed with African American, I'm dark enough." I said.

He laughed, "Then move out of Florida."

I playfully pushed him which made his beer spill everywhere.

We both gasped, "You're lucky I have more."

"I'm so sorry," I said sarcastically. Nathan got up to put up the umbrella and then sat back down. He grabbed another beer, "I'm sorry for yesterday..."

I looked at Nathan confused, "Why?"

"For the fight yesterday...you didn't need to be in the middle of that."

"Yeah... but it wasn't your fault," I said. Nathan popped another can of beer, "I know... I felt like I could've stopped it before the fight happened. I know that ruined your birthday yesterday."

"Yeah..." I held back tears, "I'm still having my birthday dinner. I was going to have it yesterday but that happened..."

Nathan takes another sip of his beer, "How did you feel about Braden saying that he's in love with you?" Nathan starts nervously tapping on his beer can.

I looked out into the distance as I sighed loudly. "I don't know how to feel... A few days ago, I told him I just wanted us to be friends."

Nathan chugged the rest of his beer, "I don't think he understands that but I still love my stepbrother." He stood up and held his hand out.

I took his hand and stood up. We walked along the water and the sand. "I wanted to ask you something..." Nathan says.

"Okay," I waited for his response. "Did you like the kiss yesterday?" Nathan bites his lip.

"Hmm... Let me think about it." I acted like I was thinking, "No, I didn't like the kiss." I said playfully.

Without a word, he grabbed me and kissed me. The kiss was very slow and passionate as everything around me didn't exist.

He pulled back slowly letting the kiss linger. "Did you like that kiss?"

I stuttered, "Y-yes."

He laughed as we walked back to our spot. "Are you still speechless?"

I nodded in agreement. I sat down on my towel that I laid in the sand. Nathan laid down next to me on his towel.

A few minutes passed as silently listened to the breeze and the kids laughing. "I wish my dreams were like this, all happy and bright," I said.

"Why? Are you still having nightmares?"

"Yes... I always wake up in darkness... It's like my dreams are trying to tell me something."

Nathan pops open a beer can, " I agree maybe you need to go see a specialist."

I grabbed the beer can from Nathan, "How many was this?"

"It's only my third one..."

*Ring* *Ring*

The sound of my phone rings loudly. I handed Nathan back his beer and took a look at my phone to see it was Braden.

I hesitated to answer the phone but I answered. "Hi..." I said.

"Hi, do you have a minute to talk?"

I looked over at Nathan who was too busy chugging down beer. "Sure."

"I'm sorry for yesterday... I let the anger get the best of me and I shouldn't have let it. Yesterday was a special day for you and I wanted you to enjoy it. I'm sorry and I hope you're not mad at me."

"Thanks for the apology... I'm not mad at you Braden, you're still my best friend... but we will talk about this more when we see each other."

I could tell he was happy about my positive response. "Okay, I'll talk to you later." I hung up the phone.

I sighed and looked over at Nathan who had his eyes closed. I gently laid on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. I closed my eyes too hoping I'd be on an island when I opened my eyes again.