Still Water

Begin Again

A/N: The song is great for setting the mood for the scenes on the beach!

Astrid was pleasantly surprised by her lunch with Oliver. She had expected it to be awkward, but the ginger seemed to understand her quirks and appreciate them. At the restaurant, they ran in to one of Ollie's best friends, Daphne Day. Her name suggested she was a bright and sunny character, but Astrid found out she was rather sardonic more often than not; she liked that.

The girls became fast friends and Oliver had to remind them that he was there too on more than one occasion. Astrid told her two new friends a detailed account of all of her interactions with the mysterious Elicia Colón. The consensus reached was unanimous: the Latina clearly liked her. Astrid, however, refused to accept the decision reached by her friends, insisting it wasn't like that. Ollie and Daph attempted to convince her otherwise but eventually gave up on the teen, declaring her a lost cause.

Now, Astrid was back in her home and perched comfortably on her kitchen counter. This was not out of the ordinary for the teen; she often found herself sitting on every available surface save for chairs, much to her prim and proper mother's dismay. Astrid had not bothered to change out of her costume and still looked ready to pillage and plunder at the drop of a hat. The teen stared intently at her phone as she tried to muster the courage to text the raven-haired beauty back. Fingers shaking, she typed out a reply.

Astrid: Are you insinuating that I somehow knew that you were intending to purchase a guidebook as well as the location at which you would purchase said book, and I then went so far as to get a job at that specific pirate-themed book store to run in to a girl I've spoken too twice.

The Latina responded almost instantly.

Elicia: That is precisely what I'm suggesting.

Astrid: Cut the crap, Elicia. While I'm particularly fond of witty banter, I still think you running away from me needs to be addressed. Meet me at the East End Beach tonight. 7:00. Don't be late.

The teen tossed her phone onto the counter, not expecting a response from the other girl. Maybe we'll finally get this mess sorted out, she thought, Not that I know what this mess is in the first place. Astrid decided that she'd put together a picnic for the two of them; everything was always better over food, after all. She produced a large, brown wicker basket from the cupboard in which her mother stored tupperware. It looks more rustic than Jennifer has any right to be, she quipped, It must've been a gift from Nan.

The menu for that evening consisted of peanut butter and banana sandwiches, a personal favorite of Astrid's, fresh fruit, and a New York style cheesecake. Though the teenager had not pulled out all the stops, she was still rather impressed by the meal she prepared. She checked the time on her watch—it was only 4:00 P.M. 

Astrid decided that she may as well head down to the beach early and go for a swim. She hadn't had the opportunity to do so since two summers ago, and she missed the feel of the tide pulling her to sea. Leaving the food in the fridge, the teen went upstairs to put on a bathing suit.

Astrid only had two swimsuits in Portland, and only one of them was appropriate for the occasion. She chose her modest, high-waisted bikini. It was a delicate peach and complimented her skin . Her mother had bought both of the bathing suits for her; neither was something that she would wear. Unfortunately, she didn't have much of a choice if she wanted to keep her date with the ocean. On top of the swimsuit, Astrid threw on the oversized Astros shirt her father had given her when she was eleven. Six years later, the shirt still didn't fit but made a suitable cover up. Lastly, the teenager slid her tiny feet into a pair of gladiator sandals and made her way to the first floor.