𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮 |

𝔣𝔬𝔲𝔯 (part 2)

"I can't believe I was angry that we were getting icecream." I choke with a mouthful of creamy goodness.

We're at the other side of the foreshore, sitting on the grass overlooking the beach. We went to the nearby milk shop to get Jake's candy and our delicious icecream and let me tell you, I wasn't complaining then.

"Play with us Ellie!" giggles Jake obnoxiously and I roll my eyes. Eli looks unamused and frowns deeply.

"Hm, what a good name for our baby." I joke, "I like it."

"You two are having a baby?" Sienna butts loudly, averting her attention to me. "Yay I'm going to be a nephew, I've always wanted to!"

I try to protest and shake my head. She doesn't seriously think we're having a baby right?

"You're going to an aunty Sienna, you can't be a nephew." Eli scolds "we've been through this before."

"Even better!" She chimes happily.

All of a sudden both kids are screaming in my ear about babies and aunties and nephews and that Eli and I are in love. I can't hear my own thoughts and Eli just chuckles beside me.

"No ones having a baby!" I exclaim, my voice piercing through the noise like a knife. "It's for a school project, it's a fake baby. Duh."

"Oh." Sienna pouts looking as if she's about to cry. This makes me go soft

"But we can still pretend, like a really cool game where you get to be the best aunty ever."

Sienna looked dumbly at me for a moment before a wide smile forms on her face showcasing her one missing front tooth.

"Do I get to be an aunty too?" Jake asks quizzically.

"Sure buddy." I sigh, finishing my ice cream cone. I stand up before stretching and wiping my hands on my jeans.

"Okay who wants to go down to the beach?" I yawn.

"Me!" Both 7 year olds shout simultaneously before running off in the direction of the sand and leaving Eli and I alone on the lush grass.

"Can you help me up?" Eli requests as he squints up at me with one eye as the sun is blinding him from behind me and his arm outstretched toward me.

"Please?" I ask with a brow raised, questioning his manners.

"Please." He deadpans with impatience glinting in his eyes.

"No." I taunt "You're a big boy, you can get up yourself."

Eli sighs and collapses himself so that he's laying on his back. I just walk off without him to see Jake and Sienna making a sand castle. Sienna's wearing a dress and sandals but I shake my head to see that Jake is wearing a T-shirt, jeans and shoes.

"Jake take off your shoes at least!" I call, shaking my head but he just ignores me. That's when I get an idea.

"Jake do you want to swim?" That makes him turn around and face me eagerly. He nods enthusiastically and starts taking off his shirt and jeans.

"Here, give me your clothes." I order with an outstretched arm. He throws them at me with no consideration of them falling to the sand which forces me to roll my eyes and bend over to pick them up. If it weren't for me, instead of playing with Sienna right now, he'd be throwing rocks at her.

"Do you want to swim too Sienna?" He asks politely but she shakes her head sadly. She can't because she can't take off her clothes. I frown and my eyebrows furrow glumly.

"Just go in your dress, Sienna." A voice calls from behind me. I turn to see Eli walking towards us and wiping grass off his sweatpants. So he finally decided to stop being lazy.

"Really?" She grins happily before slipping off her sandals and running to the water with Jake. They splash each other and laugh together as the waves crash haphazardly on the sand.

"You do realise how wet your car is going to be." I drawl, looking at Eli. He shrugs.

"It's fine." He tells nonchalantly. Suddenly his eyes widen and looks to the water.

"I think Jake's drowning!" He gasps and I whip my head around and run to the water. Before I can process anything, two warm hands shove me violently into the ocean. When I surface I see Eli jump in and Jake perfectly fine, playing with Sienna.

Eli's head bobs back up and he grins cheekily as water droplets from is hair run down his face.

"WHAT THE HELL!" I screech angrily. Although the water is cold, my whole body is red hot. I can't believe he just-

"That's not even funny!" I yelp but laughter just pours out of him from every direction. He tries to talk but he's stuttering and stammering over his words between laughs. I'm so glad I had left my phone in the car.

The idiot had just pulled a cruel prank on me, making me think my brother is drowning and then pushes me in, fully clothed, jeans and all. Wow just wow. And now he has the audacity to laugh about it. How bad can his revenge be if I'm forced to spend all this time with him. That's punishment enough.

Although the negatives, it is a beautiful day. The seagulls are cawing over head, children and parents are playing on the sand and in the water and the sun is breathing down on us with hot air. Summer's nearly over, may as well take advantage of it.

"Do you guys want to play with us?" Jake asks. You know what, why not? I swim over to them and we all play games in the water and on the beach for the next few hours.

The sun begins to set and Eli and I are laying on our backs in the water. I've taken of my jeans by now obviously but am still in my T-shirt. Jake and Sienna are making a mini, sandy tsunami camp. Before we were all helping but I got bored.

I watch my feet layed out in front of me and the waves moving under me and breaking behind me. The sky is beginning to turn purple and orange is flaring out on the edges of the horizon. The colours reflect onto the water and red light, speckles on the foam of early breaking waves. The beach is basically deserted by now so all I hear is the ambience of birds, Jake and Sienna's chatter and the crashing of the waves. I've accidentally swallowed so much sea water by now that the salty flavour feels permanently stained on my tongue. Eli's layed our the same as I, beside me. The silence just feels so perfect. I live for moments like this.

"Hey, Mia?" Eli whispers tonelessly.

"Yes." I whisper back calmly as I slowly close my eyes.

"Do you remember when you had a crush on me?"

I raise a brow. Why would he mention that? I'm not upset but just confused.

"Yes, why?" I ask quietly.

"I'm sorry." He mutters. "About all of it. Last time I apologised, you didn't really listen."

That was really unlike him and weird. It was years ago, I don't care anymore. I don't know what to say but just remain silent and enjoy the rest of this moment.