Everbeat

The beach. St. Petersburge, florida. August 24

Arial Kennedy stood ankle deep in the warm sun kissed water. Her feet tickled as the seaweed squished noisily under her toes. A small burgundy sea star about the size of her thumbnail sat in the middle of her foot. She had lost a bet with her friend Everette Vahn and he made her stand in a tide pool for an hour. It was going on about thirty-six minutes and her legs ached.  But being fearless as she was, and had been living in Florida nearly her entire life so she did it. And now she regreted it. But luckily her friend Annaiese Daniels had joined her. Her name was hard to prenounce when read. Its properly prenounced Ah-NaH-EEES.

"These baby sea stars are so cute," Annaiese coed. She brushed her finger tips across the surface of the shallow water. Ariel envied her for being able to rest her long bronzed legs. A sudden gust of wind blew her hair back. Ariels strange Golden brown hair that was the exact same tone of her skin, shun brightly in the setting sun.The soft ocean waves crashed hush-like into the shore creating a nutural hum in the background. A sudden wave exhaustion vexed her and she yawned and closed her eyes.

"Why dont you sit down? Everette is not looking," Annaiese said. Ariel stole a glance backwards at Everette who was thump deep in a text and rocking his head to beat of music playing at The Key Wesy Smoothie Shop. His blond locks left shagged and uncared for after a day of swimming. His dark eyes focused and concentrated on the tiny screen. He was well enough preoccupied not to see her take a seat.

"Seems ilians enjoying himself," Annaiese commented snidley on Ariel's twin brother. They werent identical twin but the looked so much alik, it was scary. ilian was perched on his vintige surf board fumbleing absentmindedly with his IPod.

"Who comes to a beach fully dressed?" She spat, rolling her eyes in disgust. ilian wore a skin tight white wife beater and baggy faded black denim jeans with a various display of pocket chians. Ariel listened deafly to Annaiese and her criticizing. Ariel found no fault in her brothers obviously strange choice in cloths. As often said, boys will be boys. Fair enough. Ariel gathered up guts and spoke.

"Ya know Annaiese, you sit here and look down on my brother but what you should look down on is the fact that your in love with him and you wont admit it." She said not even glancing Annaiese's direction. Annaies scowled.

"As if." She weakly responded. Annaiese's crush on ilian was pethetically obvious. Well at least to Ariel. But ariel knew the conversation wasnt over. She would hear Annaiese's rant soon enough. Ariel tucked a fraying piece of hair behind her ear and traced patterns into the sand. The cliff hanging conversation still lingering in the air between them. 

"You owe me twenty bucks," Everettes voice came from behind them. Justin dunn strailed closly behind him. 

"Nuh-uh." Ariel said.They came and sat down next to them.

"Whats with dracula?" Everette jerked a thumb toward Ilian. Annaiese pressed her mouth in a tight line.

"I dont know," Ariel sighed. "Maybe he's high again." The sadness and disapiontment plian in her voice despite her effort to hide it. Annaiese placed a sypathetic hand on her shoulder. Ariel hated that ilian used marajuana to solve his problems. It hurt her to see him mindless. But it was the only time she saw him smile. Justin quickly changed the subject.

"I have Mr. Hall for math," He groaned.

"Damn, me too," Everette quickly chimed in. Annaiese was immediatly bored. She got up.

"I gotta get my bag from the Smoothie Shop," She said. She quickly sauntered over to ilian when everyones attention was averted from her. She plopped down next to him. He was listening to his IPod.

She leaned closer to hear the roar of Paramores My Heart. She would never admit it but she found it adorible that he liked love songs. Then in the moment, Noticing Annaiese's presense for the first time ilian turned his head accidentily meeting lips with Annaiese. Annaiese quickly pulled away. She impulsivly wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Eww," She spat.  She turned her head so he wouldnt see the burning in her cheeks. ilian calmly licked his lips and stared off into the horizon.

"If you wanted to kiss me, all you had to do was ask," He cocked a sexy perfectly arched eyebrow and smirked at the sunset. His strange blue eyes witch matched his sisters, sparkled. He was a gold brown tone as if he was african american or spanish but his eye were a piercing blue. The type of blue that went with blond hair. bis hair was in an ebony mohawk that extended all the way to the back of his neck like a rat tail. The rest of his hair shaved in a low buzz cut.

"Please! You tried to lip rape me," She tryed to put venom in her tone but all that came out was poorly masked embaressment. She looked down at the sand and tryed to calm herself. The silence felt awkward. She stole a glance at him. His cocky expression gone and a thoughtful one in its place.

"So, um. Ariel thinks your high." She said trying to fill the vacant conversation. He just nodded. Not really even listening.

"You know it hurts her." She said quickly. He glanced at her through the corner of his eye. She hated his burning gaze. exspecially how it made her want to shove her tongue down his throat. Maybe it was her raging hormones because everytime she saw the black clad boy she wanted to snatch his cloths off. Maybe it was the ebony hair he had dyed different from his sister to gain his own identity. Maybe it was the way he ignored her and told her off. Either way there was no doubt in her mind that she wanted to give him her everything.

"I know alot of things, especially about my sister." He murmured in a matter of factly type of way.She averted her adoring gaze. The silence grew heavy and she bit her bottom lip as an unspeakable thought rushed to her lips. There was no way in hell she'd dare voice the undenyably true words. The unspoken words danced silently in the air just near his waitng ear.

"I love you," The words slipped through her lips without thought. There was no immediate response and she felt her heart stop. Bravely yet cowardly she stole a cringing look at him. His earbuds were back in his ears and blasting music. He wasnt even looking at her. His eyes were closed. Annaeise eyes teared up and suprisingly there was no was no immediate rush of relief. Somewhere deep down she had wanted him to hear the words. The tears were strong as one spilled down her cheek.

"Hey are you crying?" She flinched at the sound of his voice. She turned to find him looking at her.

"No! What is that man musk your wearing? Its making my eyes water." She lied quickly. She wiped the tear away and fanned the air with the other hand. She stood up and pretended to take breaths. He sniffed his armpit. after finding nothing, he frowned.

"Its called soap honey," He spat at her with an angry expression. She felt her heart break from ruining the long awaited moment.

"Well switch soaps," She spat back. She couldnt stop herself. Annaiese refused to let ilian know of her feelings for him. She'd didnt want to know of them. But if she would ever admit it, she'd take the secret to death.

"I dont blame you. its only natural you dont recognize the smell of soap." He siad. The comment was funny but niether laughed.

Ariel Packed the last of the beach towels in the trunk of her Black with white strippes V8 convertible Musang. Annaiese had made herself comfortable in the passengers seat. She looked as if something was on her mind telling by the way she crossed her arms and creased her brow. But Ariel had had a long day. She didnt want to interigate Annaiese. She wanted to pounce into her fluffy bed and get ready for school tomorrow. The first day was always stressful. Justin, ilian and Everette had fallen asleep in the back seat. Closing the trunk, she threw one more glance back at the beach. Everything had been picked up and compiled into her trunk. Then thats when she saw him. A figuer standing at the edge of the dark beach. The minor detail that had caught her attention was the marks. There were glowing marks covering his exposed arms.

But it was dark. And she'd left her thick rimmed glasses at home. She assumed she was paraniod. She plopped into the drivers seat. She looked in her rearview mirror to find the mysterious person had dissapeared. Yea she was tired. Really tired. She continued to stare into the mirror until Annaies readjusted her mirror. She focused it on ilian. Her pretty features filled with admiration as ilian softly slept. An angel she thought.

Arial pretended she hadnt seen her do that and started the car.