Chapter 18: First Experiences

                                    

                                          
On the way to the beach we run into Katrina and Jenix, who are also heading to the beach, and Ace offers to carry Katrina's bag.
                          
"Oh," Katrina smiles, "That's okay. I appreciate the offer though."
                          
"Whatever you say," Ace shrugs as we walk outside of the hotel, "But the offer will always stand."
                          
I sneak occasional glances at Ryder, who just so happens to be wearing black and dark red colored, knee-length shorts, and a black button up shirt, which is hanging wide open because he didn't bother to button it up since we're going to the beach. Tempest raises a brow at me and nudges me in the ribs whenever she catches me glancing over at him every so often, and I blush from embarrassment. I look over at her and her questioning gaze before sighing and looking back in front of me.
                          
Maybe Tempest was right. Maybe I do like Ryder.
                          
As we walk across the road, Solstice grabs onto her floppy, white hat, which she wore to match her white two-piece bathing suit that has a gold belt made of rings around her bikini bottoms. Meanwhile, Tempest is wearing a dark blue bikini that has ruffles on the bikini top, I'm wearing a teal bikini that has ruffles up top and ribbons on the sides of the bikini bottoms, Jenix is wearing a black bikini with a flame pattern on it, Katrina is wearing a dark purple bikini with a jacket on, Harlow is wearing a black and white striped bikini, Ace is still wearing what he was wearing this morning, Ezra has on dark blue and dark purple colored, knee-length shorts, with a black muscle-shirt, Augustina is wearing a white one-piece bathing suit that has the sides cut out, Spade is only wearing blood red, knee-length shorts, Flinn has on a white muscle-shirt with black jeans, and Antheia is wearing a white bikini that has a metal ring in the middle of her bikini top and a metal ring on each side of her bikini bottoms.
                          
I smile as the wind blows and my blonde hair flies around as I step onto the sand, finally arriving at the beach. The smell of the ocean is also pleasant, as well as the feeling from the warm sun above. All around us people are playing games, eating, swimming, and relaxing with their friends and families. We eventually find an open spot on the beach for us, and Katrina digs in her bag for her beach towel, as well as Jenix's beach towel. Meanwhile, Ezra sits his bag full of snacks down on the sand and Ryder summons towels for the rest of us, wincing in the process, and I frown. He doesn't know that the more he uses his magic, the more he dies. Then again, he doesn't know he's dying at all. The thought makes me frown even more and wrap my arms around myself, not wanting to think about Ryder dying.
                          
"That was strange..." Ryder mutters before sighing and shaking his head, "It was probably nothing."
                          
"Yeah..." I whisper, "Nothing..."
                          
Harlow goes off to swim in the ocean, along with Augustina, Spade, and Jenix, while Ace, Katrina, Tempest, Ezra, and Antheia go to play a game of volleyball after summoning and setting up a net. Meanwhile, Solstice sits on her beach towel and reads while Flinn lies down on the towel beside her and folds his arms behind his head while smiling, and I sit a few towels away from Flinn while Ryder lies down on the towel next to me.
                          
After a while I end up getting hungry, so I stand up and walk around Ryder to Ezra's snack bag and grab a bag of chips before walking back over and stopping in front of Ryder.
                          
"Hey," I smile, "Do you want some?"
                          
Ryder raises a brow at me as he lies there looking up at me, and when he opens his mouth to speak he gets cut off because someone runs right behind me and makes me lose my balance, causing me to fall directly on top of Ryder.
                          
"S--Sorry," I stammer.
                          
"Yeah," Ryder blushes and swallows hard, "No problem..."
                          
"Well would you look at that," Harlow snorts and places her hands on her hips as she stands behind me, and Flinn looks at her wearily while Solstice glances at her, "Honestly, I don't know why you're climbing all over my brother, but you'd better get off. He's not worthy of having anyone, but you certainly aren't worthy of him either. Then again, both of you always mess everything up."
                          
Ryder clenches his jaw and to my surprise he pulls me even closer against him, wrapping his arms around me protectively.
                          
"Would you shut up already?" Tempest says as she walks over from her volleyball game, "Here's a clue: nobody cares what you think. You think you're so high and mighty, but just shove it already."
                          
"I'm not high and mighty," Harlow narrows her eyes at Tempest, "But I do know the truth."
                          
"Clearly you don't," Tempest shrugs, "But yeah, sure."
                          
Harlow shakes her head and walks away while Tempest rolls her eye that isn't covered by her eye patch. Tempest goes over to the towel on the other side of Solstice and she lies down next to her while I smile in gratitude. After a few moments I clear my throat and speak up.
                          
"Um, Ryder," I start, "I think you can let go of me now..."
                          
"Sorry," Ryder says and releases me from his grasp before running a hand through his hair while the other rests on the small of my back as I sit up.
                          
I shiver from feeling his warmth and he raises his eyebrows at me.
                          
"Are you cold?" He asks.
                          
"N--No..." I trail off and climb off of him, "I'm fine."
                          
He pauses for a moment before grabbing the bag of chips that landed beside him and opening it, offering a handful to me, and I smile.
                          
"I take it that's a yes, then?" I chuckle.
                          
"Yeah," Ryder says and I sit back down on the towel next to him.
                          
Meanwhile, as Spade is walking back from swimming in the ocean he sees Antheia and smirks, but then his smirk falls as he sees a volleyball from another court flying towards Antheia.
                          
"Antheia!" Spade shouts and races towards her.
                          
"Huh?" She questions and her eyes widen in surprise whenever he tackles her to the ground and the volleyball barely misses them as they roll down the beach.
                          
"Antheia?" Spade looks at her intently as he has her pinned down in the sand, "Are you okay?"
                          
Antheia looks at him in the eyes and blushes whenever her gaze lowers and she scans across his athletic chest, which is glistening with water. She raises her gaze back up to his face before glancing away and frowning slightly.
                          
"Antheia?" Spade questions.
                          
"Do you actually care about me, Spade?" Antheia asks quietly.
                          
"What?" He raises his eyebrows in surprise.
                          
"You always flirt with me..." She turns her gaze back to him, "But you never seem like you actually care...but times like this..."
                          
"Antheia," Spade looks at her with his eyes full of emotion, "You're not just another girl to flirt with to me. Sure, at the beginning I only did it because that's me -- I flirt with lots of girls, but you were different ever since I met you. I may not act like it, but I really do care about you. I never thought you cared about me though..."
                          
"I only got defensive around you because I never thought you were serious and that you were just looking for a girl to flirt with," Antheia says, "The truth is, you eventually wore me down and I began to like arguing with you and having you tease me. I just...how can I be sure that you're telling me the truth?"
                          
Spade leans down and kisses her as he has her pinned to the ground and Antheia's eyes widen in surprise before they flutter shut. Ace smirks whenever he glances over at them, and Solstice looks at them over her book and smiles before going back to her book, while Flinn's hands go to his throat before he falls backwards and waves one of his arms in the air dramatically before playing dead. I roll my eyes before chuckling and mentally congratulating Antheia.
                          
"That was my first kiss..." Antheia says quietly and her eyes open whenever Spade pulls away and he opens his eyes and scans her expression before smirking and leaning down to whisper in her ear.
                          
"And I'll be taking many of your other firsts too," He whispers and Antheia's eyes widen and she blushes.
                          
Spade chuckles before climbing off of her and picking her up bridal style in his arms and carrying her over to us. She calms down after a few moments and leans her head against his chest while smiling.
                          
"Does this mean you two are dating now?" I ask.
                          
"Yeah," Spade blushes slightly as he glances down at Antheia, "I guess it does."
                          
Antheia smiles and Tempest glances over at me as if to say that now it's my turn, and I smile nervously.