A Thing of Beauty - A Hozier Fanfiction

Chapter Nine

8 JUNE, 2020

Co. Wicklow, IE

POSITIVE COVID-19 CASES: 25,207 CASES

DEATHS: 1,683

Andrew wrapped his towel tighter around himself as he shivered from the cold. The sun had just come up over the horizon, bathing the beach in gold. Water droplets ran down his face from his hair and he felt his teeth beginning to chatter. Despite summer being in full swing, the ocean hadn't gotten any warmth. 

"Alright, Andrew?" Pat called from a few feet away, toweling himself off. 

Andrew nodded and sniffled. "Yeah, grand."

He reached for his t-shirt and pulled it over his head, following it with a jumper. Then he successfully completed the ever-risky towel change and tugged his boxers and trousers up his legs whilst kicking his swimming trunks to the side. Sand stuck to the bottoms of his feet, but he sat on his towel and rubbed them off before putting his socks and shoes on. 

"I keep hopin' it'll get warmer," Teddy said, shivering nearby. "I'm always so shocked when it never is. Dunno why."

"Probably because you're an idiot, Teddy," Connor called as he tugged his own jumper over his head. "The sea is never warm. That's just how it is."

Andrew smiled as his friends continued to dress. "Leave him be with his delusions, Connor. Its not nice to kick a man when he's down." He stood and wiped sand off his backside before slinging his backpack over his shoulder. "Right, lads, I'm off. Same time tomorrow?" he asked.

After getting a round of affirmative responses, he began the hike back to his car in the car park. As he walked, he continued to towel-dry his hair, shaking water out of his ears. He tossed the wet towel and his bag into the boot and then climbed into the driver's seat, cranking the heat as the car warmed up. He rubbed his hands together in front of the air vent, relaxing a bit as he felt them begin to thaw out. 

Since the first restrictions began lifting, he'd been meeting his friends almost every morning before sunrise for a swim in the sea. The water was bracingly cold and stripped any oxygen from his system the second he touched it, but it was refreshing. It cleared his mind of the chaos around the world and forced him to focus on that moment, breathing in and out, fighting the part of his brain that screamed in discomfort as he waded into the frigid waves. 

It was one of the few ways he got to see his friends these days. He didn't want to go to their houses in case he needed to go help his parents out or something, so public spaces were the only choice. The beaches were typically empty in the early mornings, so it was the safest option. Plus, he just enjoyed starting his days with a plunge into the sea. No matter how much touring he did, there was always something so comforting and relaxing about the sea. After the first few days, he hardly noticed the chill. When his fingers were mobile again, he put the SUV in Drive and headed for his favorite coffee shop. 

"Morning, Andrew!" James, the owner said from behind the glass partition at the ordering window. "How was the sea?"

"Ah, you know. Cold," Andrew answered with a chuckle. He adjusted the mask over his nose and shoved his wet hair back from his face. 

"The usual?" James asked. 

"You know me so well," Andrew said, pulling his wallet out. 

He paid and took his coffee when James slid it across the counter. There were a few tables set up on the nearby patio and he sat at one, lowering his mask to take a drink. He sighed as the warmth from the hot coffee spread through his body, sliding down his throat, passing his lungs, and settling into his stomach. The coldness of the sea always made him appreciate the warmth that followed.