Best Day Ever

Chapter 7 of Love from Above

At around 11:30 the next morning, the chime of my phone startles me. I roll over from reading my Maximum Ride book to see that I have a text from Jeremy.

 

Pick you up at around 1? Bring a swimsuit.

I reply a quick okay and spring out of bed smiling. I put on my favorite black and purple plaid bikini, spray on some sunblock, and put distressed jean shorts and a Ghostface tank on over myself. I run down the stairs and shove a towel, my sunscreen, and a change of warmer clothes into a small backpack. Janie leans into the hallway to see who is making all the noise. I walk past her into the kitchen to find lunch already on the table.

 

“Kelsey, would you go wake Libby up. It’s noon and she’s still sleeping like the dead.” Janie says, getting three cans of soda out of the fridge.

 

I run back up the stairs, and seizing the opportunity, before going to Libby’s room I enter mine and pick up my Nerf gun from the floor. I quietly open Libby’s door and point the gun at her face. Just as I’m about to pull the trigger, her bedding explodes and she leaps upright on the bed holding her own Nerf gun.

 

“I’ve been expecting you,” Libby says in a gravelly bad guy voice pointing the gun at me.

 

I smile diabolically and reply, “Well you need not wait any longer.” I pull the trigger and start an epic screaming dart war. Soon Libby is out of darts. I have one left in my gun. I saunter up to her, where she is kneeling on the ground in defeat.

 

“You have been a worthy opponent.” I say as I c**k the gun sideways for a kill shot. Before I pull the trigger, I feel a dart thwack against the back of my head.

 

I turn just as Janie cries, “Take that sucker!” She then shoots Libby and we perform highly dramatic deaths. The three of us collapse onto the floor laughing. Once our giggle fit has subsided, we head back downstairs and eat our lunch of Fettuccini Alfredo. As we are washing the dishes and splashing water at each other, the doorbell rings. I grab my bag, run to the door, and open it for Jeremy.

 

“Well, you weren’t supposed to go swimming without me.” Jeremy laughs, gesturing to my splattered clothes.

 

“Hey, blame them,” I say, turning to glare at Janie and Libby, who smile oh-so-innocently at me.

 

I roll my eyes at them and walk outside to find a fluorescent green Honda Civic. I shield my eyes from the glare coming off the neon paint. Jeremy walks up behind me.

 

“You like?” He says, waggling his eyebrows at me.

 

“That is about the brightest car I have ever seen in my entire life,” I say, giggling. He laughs along with me. Jeremy opens and closes the passenger door for me before going around to drop into the driver's side. He cracks the windows to let the cool sea breeze waft in and throws the car in gear before speeding off toward the beach.

 

***

 

As Jeremy drives out of the city and starts heading up the coast I inquire where he is taking me.

 

“You’ll see,” Jeremy glances over at me with a sly smile.

 

I narrow my eyes at him skeptically. “If you’re trying to kidnap me you should know Libby will not hesitate to hunt you down.”

 

Jeremy laughs out loud and takes my hand in his over the gear shift, “I don’t doubt that, she seems scrappy. Don’t worry, it’s just a little surprise.”

 

We drive for about two hours, my curiosity peaking ever higher as the time ticks on, though with Jeremy's hand still wrapped around mine I would have been content to drive forever with him. Finally, Jeremy parks us near the Santa Cruz Pier that juts out into the ocean. The boardwalk is lined with carnival games and rides, and the beach is packed with people.

 

“Where to first,” Jeremy asks as he steps out of the car. “Beach or boardwalk?”

 

I weigh my options, glancing between the two. “Beach first, before it gets too cold out.”

 

“Sounds like a plan,” Jeremy says, opening the trunk to collect a beach bag and a large umbrella.

 

We trudge through the sand toward the rippling waves. We stake out an empty section of beach near a large outcropping of boulders and lay our towels out on the warm sand. Jeremy screws the umbrella down deep into the sand and pops it open, creating a shelter from the beating sun. I kick out of my sandals and pull off my shorts and tank top. Jeremy steps out of his slip on Vans and pulls his t-shirt over his head. I try not to stare at him like a creep and turn toward the ocean, blushing. I reach into my bag and pull out my sunblock, feeling my stomach flutter at what I am about to ask.

 

“Any chance you can help me get the back?” I say, holding the can out toward Jeremy. His cheeks flush slightly as he takes the can and I turn away from him, pulling my hair up out of the way. I shiver slightly as the cool mist hits the back of my neck.

 

“Sorry, I know it’s cold,” Jeremy apologizes as he rubs the sunblock into my skin. I shiver again at his gentle touch. He hands the can back to me. “My turn,” he says, smiling and turning around. His shoulders tense as the cold touches his skin. I rub my hands over the chiseled muscles in his back and he instantly relaxes.

 

“Shall we?” he says, gesturing toward the ocean as I toss the sunblock back into my bag.

 

“We shall,” I respond, eager for my first swim in the actual ocean. We wade out into the cool water until it’s nearly up to my chest.

 

“Now for the best way to enjoy the ocean, jumping waves,” Jeremy says with a smile. As the waves roll toward us, we jump up from the ocean floor, letting the current carry us like buoys. I giggle at the weightless effect that almost rivals flying. Jeremy’s face splits into a huge grin at the sound. Suddenly a wave crashes sooner than expected and I get smacked upside the head and end up underwater. I come up spluttering and try to get the water attempting to give me a lavage out of my ear. When I can properly hear again, I notice Jeremy is laughing at me. I narrow my eyes playfully and use the heel of my hand to splash water into his face.

 

“Hey!” he exclaims, surprised. “Oh, you’re in for it now.” Jeremy smiles deviously and flicks water back at me. We splash water at each other and try to avoid being knocked over by the crashing waves as the sun sinks lower in the sky. Finally, dissatisfied with the fact that I am clearly winning the splash war, Jeremy lunges and tackles me into the water. 

"Hey!" I exclaim before being pulled under. He stands back up, holding me bridal style in his arms, my own arms wrapped around his neck.

 

“You hungry?” He asks nonchalantly.

 

At the mention of food, I suddenly feel ravenous. I shrug and reply with equal nonchalance, “I could eat.” 

 

Jeremy smiles and shifts me around his torso so I’m riding piggyback. “No sense in both our feet getting all sandy,” he says as he treks back to our spot. I sincerely hope his movements make him unaware of my heartbeat pounding against his back. When we reach our spot, I slide down atop my towel. He reaches into his beach bag and spreads out a picnic blanket beside me. I step onto the blanket and start toweling off as he continues to pull a full picnic dinner out of insulated lunchboxes he’d hidden in the beach bag. I sit down on the blanket and try not to drool at the delicious looking spread.

 

“Did you make all this?” I say, eyeing the still steaming soup and fresh baked sourdough.

 

“Mm hmm,” comes his modest response as he sits down on the blanket beside me, careful to keep his sandy feet off the blanket until they are dry enough to brush off.

 

He tears the loaf of sourdough in half and hands it to me. I rip of a chunk and dip it into the seafood chowder. I close my eyes at the wonderful taste of it and a small whimper escapes my lips.

 

Jeremy studies me, smiling warmly. “Is it good?” I can hear the nerves in his voice as he awaits my approval of his cooking.

 

I let out a contented sign. “That may just be the best thing I’ve ever tasted. If your plans for a future career don’t involve cooking or baking you need to reevaluate,” I say, turning to smile at him. His answering smile lights up his face. We finish off the bread and chowder, and for dessert Jeremy whips out tiny key lime tarts. I swear this boy belongs on the Great British Baking Show, everything tastes so incredible. We digest for a few minutes watching the waves crash on the sand and the setting sun glitter across the water. Suddenly, a cool breeze kicks up, causing a shiver to raise goosebumps across my skin.

 

“Let’s go get changed and hit the boardwalk,” Jeremy says, beginning to pack everything away. We hike back toward Jeremy’s car and the changing stations nearby. I head into one of the stalls and change into the jeans and band t-shirt I brought with me. I roll my damp bathing suit up in my towel and go to shove them back into my bag. As I’m wrestling the sodden lump back into my backpack, I realize the one thing I forgot to bring is a sweater.

 

I head back out to Jeremy’s car, folding my arms against the ever colder wind. Jeremy has changed into dark jeans and a long sleeve Henley and is organizing the beach gear into the trunk. I set my backpack in the car.

 

“Any chance you have an extra jacket? I seem to have forgotten mine,” I ask, sitting down on the edge of the open trunk.

 

Jeremy glances at me, huddled in on myself, and walks around to open the back seat. He grabs out a black hoodie and a worn leather jacket and holds one out in each hand, “Take your pick.”  

 

I take the hoodie and pull it on over my head. Jeremy is a fair bit taller than me so the sleeves hang over my hands and the hoodie could almost pass for dress length. It makes me feel small and happy.

 

Jeremy’s eyes rove over me as he pulls the leather jacket on himself. “Hmm,” he muses. “I think I might like seeing you in my clothes.”

 

I blush and push the sleeves back to free my hands. He takes one of my newly freed hands in his, closes the trunk, and heads off toward the boardwalk with me in tow. We make our way along the water’s edge, riding the roller coasters, teacups, and haunted castle rides. I pause at one of the carnival games, pulling Jeremy to a stop. Hanging above the water gun booth is a row of Pokémon plushies. My favorite Pokémon, Umbreon, stares down at me from the top row. Jeremy smiles and directs me over to two empty seats. The carnival barker queues the game up while I take aim at the target ahead. The lights and alarm signal for the game to begin and water starts spraying out of the nozzles. The gauge in front of me begins to twist upward. I glance around at the other people playing and grin as I see that I am in the lead, with Jeremy a close second. Suddenly, Jeremy plants a kiss on my cheek, causing me to lose focus and my water jet to waver off the target. The alarm goes off to signal the end of the game and I see that Jeremy’s distraction caused him to edge me out.

 

“Hey!” I exclaim, standing and putting my hands on my hips, “Cheater!”

 

He stands, smiling innocently at me and gestures to the Umbreon plush above us. The barker pulls one down and hands it to Jeremy, who turns and presents it to me. “Was it wrong for me to want to win it for you rather than you winning it for yourself?”

 

I smile and hug the soft plush close. “Thank you,” I say bashfully and take hold of Jeremy’s hand again, tucking Umbreon under my free arm.

 

“How did you get so good at that game anyway?” Jeremy asks as we continue meandering down the row of games. “Usually, I am the champion of that one but you had the water perfectly lined up before it even started shooting.”

 

I shrug modestly. “I play a lot of video games. Perhaps too many.”

 

Jeremy chuckles, “As if there’s such thing as too many.”

 

As closing time draws near, we decided to hit one last ride, the Ferris wheel. The day has passed by far too quickly. Our time spent at the beach has been, without a doubt, one of the best days of my life.

 

“Can I tell you something?” Jeremy asks as the Ferris wheel carries us up to a breathtaking view of the beach and boardwalk.

 

“Of course,” I say, looking up into his striking green eyes.

 

“This has been one of the best afternoons of my entire life,” he says, smiling down at me. 

 

I smile luminously back for a moment before snuggling into his side and sighing, “I was just thinking the same thing.”

 

The sun sets as we descend the other side of the Ferris wheel and head back to Jeremy’s car. By the time we make it back to my house, it is nearly midnight. Jeremy notices my shoulders begin to slump as we make our way up the front walk.

 

“What’s wrong?” He asks, gently tugging me to a stop.

 

“I just don’t want this day to end,” I say, turning to him. Jeremy's face changes instantly from slight worry to a look of warm understanding.

 

“Neither do I,” he says, wrapping me in a hug. I sigh in contentment and snuggle into his chest. I’m not entirely sure how long we stay there. It feels like ages before he pulls back just enough to gaze into my eyes. My face scrunches up as a drop of water lands on the tip of my nose. We look up into the suddenly cloud filled sky as more raindrops fall. It goes from nothing to an all-out downpour in seconds, but we don’t move. We just turn back to each other as the rain soaks us.

 

 “I’ve always wanted to do this,” Jeremy whispers as the rain drips down his face. He cradles my face gently in his warm hands, tilts my chin up, and kisses me.