Zodiac High (Discontinued)

Salty Waves

Cancer's POV

It's the weekends. Today is beach cleaning day for the Green Society, but I'm not an official member of the club. You see, this is for the International Awareness Club. Every year, we would pick a few festivals from a foreign country to celebrate at the school. This time, we are preparing for Bonfire Night. And sure, people fire fireworks at this festival nowadays, but somehow, we managed to get the school's permission set up a real bonfire!

And there is no place better than a beach for that. Preferably a clean one.

Thankfully, the weather calms to a chill as winter approaches. The cool air combined with the warm sun rays, picking up trash becomes a breeze like the wind that carries vapour from the ocean.

One after another, a trail of footprints shadow from behind with every new place I explore. With every step, my foot kisses the warm sand as they push it forward to new horizons. Unlike the hard concrete, the sand is soft, and their touch welcoming.

It is such a shame they are weighted under all that washed-up waste.

I continue to collect the trash. My back is aching from the repeated bending and standing, but as soon as it begins to burn from the pain, the wind soothes with its delicate touch as if it was never there.

After I gathered a bagful of them, I head towards the collection point where the committee members of the Green Society are waiting. 

"Man, I can't believe all it takes is some bonfire for people to volunteer in our club." Taurus grins as I hand the bag to her.

If I remember correctly, she's the 'Food Bank girl,' right?

I'm not good with this kind of small talk, so I passively reply, "Guess people like fire."

"Unbelievable." she rolls her eyes. "You're Cancer, right? It's my turn to hit the sand. Mind if I join you?"

Without waiting for an answer, Taurus invites herself to my company as she gleefully grabs a bag and head to the beach. "C'mon, the trash isn't going to pick itself!"

You know, it's nice when people talk to you and are not calling you 'Luna' every 5 seconds, but-

I don't even know you!!!

Ever since Taurus joined, she keeps picking up conversations and talk about anything from most mundane topics like schoolwork to the randomest memories like how her friend lost their trunks at a pool party.

That is too much detail.

I try not to be rude and only give her generic, polite responses so at least she knows I am listening. Though really, since the 10-minute mark, most of her words have been toned out like white noises.

Not that it's bothering me, but it does become tiresome to keep up at one point.

"... It's so hard when they only see you as a play-thing, you know?" A soft voice trails off in my head.

My head jerks to the source of her words. Taurus stands still on the bed of wet sand, her gaze sails beyond the endless blue. As the waves brush against her feet, it is as if it salty breeze stopped to caress her.

Was that... sorrow?

I hurriedly apologize, "I wasn't listening. What was that?"

There is a moment of pause, as though my query has threatened the waves. Soon, the tide moves again as the current retreat to the air. Taurus spins around with a bright smile and grins, "People suck."

After that, like nothing had happened, Taurus proceeds to pick up the trash on the beach and her tales of unrelated shenanigans.

"By the way, I've got chips with me. Want some?" she offers,

Yep, that's 'Food Bank girl.'

Capricorn's POV

Since Cancer has volunteer work today, I get to have our room all to myself. Usually, I would've taken the time to read some books, but today is slightly different. Aquarius invited Scorpio and me to hang out at Scorpio's place. Said it is some kind of an emergency.

I pack up my things and head outside to where we agreed to meet. Snakes & Snacks. That's the bar where Scorpio's parents own, also our little safe haven.

It's a humble little basement with rustic furniture and a retro aura. As the three of us gather at the top of the staircase to its entrance, Scorpio leads us into a small room, distant from the rest of the bar. Inside is a messily made bed and blobs of bean bag chairs cluttered across the flooring. The walls are plastered with old posters of various rock bands and boxing champions. 

If you don't know any better, it's difficult to believe this is a teenage girl's room.

"So, what happened?" I ask as I make myself comfortable on one of the bean bags.

"Explain the whole thing to Cap. I'll wack something up." Scorpio says to Aquarius as she exits the room.

A pause silenced in the room, we wait until the door creeks shut, "Cap, I messed up, I don't know how to woo a girl." he blurts out.

I pause, confuzzled, "That's it?" Only to get a nod in response.

Defeated, I fall back and rest on the chair as a long sigh empties my lungs. Some emergency he's in.

It took a moment, but I pull myself up and gather my thoughts, "Libra, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," he sighs, "and I messed up big time."

"When did that even happen?"

"Yesterday in break time."

"And you didn't mention it?"

"Cut me some slack, I don't have to tell everyone everything immediately." Aquarius defends.

Then, Scorpio enters with a tray of drinks. She hands one of them to Aquarius, "Here, it's in the house. Some booze could help."

"Just what I need." Before I could object, Aquarius grabs the glass and gulps it down.

"Hey! It's not a shot, you idiot!" she snaps at him, then turns to me with another one, "New recipe. I think it's pretty good, but let me know what you think."

She sits down as we wait for Aquarius to talk. He holds the glass close to his chest, then he speaks, "I tried to talk to her yesterday, but Scorpio screwed it up!" he explodes.

I immediately turn to Scorpio, "How come you are involved!?"

"He was too chicken to do anything, so I gave him a push!"

"Then you started a fight with her!" Aquarius yells and takes another gulp at the drink.

"How is that my fault!?" Scorpio yells in defense, "And seriously, why Libra Venus!?"

"Why are you so against her!?"

"That's none of your business!"

"It is now!"

"Alright, enough! Both of you!" I put myself between them. 

"Now take it from the top, and let's talk about this. Calmly, this time."