Swept Off My Feet

                                    

                                          
Day 1
                          
Having the wind knocked out of me was not what I had in mind when I decided to go for a walk along the beach. 
                          
I gasp for air as I lie flat on my back in the surf, water lapping at my sides. My bare chest is stinging from the impact. 
                          
"Oh my god, I am so sorry!" I hear someone shout and a face swims in my line of sight, leaning over me. They help me sit up and my vision clears enough for me to see my attacker in full. 
                          
I don't know what I was expecting of the person to knock me on my back with a volleyball but it definitely isn't the pretty girl crouching next to me. She looks at me with concern and all I can think about is how stunning her eyes are. 
                          
"Are you ok? I didn't even think I'd hit the ball that hard." She worries. My brain unfogs and I manage to form a coherent response. 
                          
"That was one hell of a spike." 
                          
"Clearly I didn't do any damage if you can manage to come up with something that corny." She sighs but I can tell she's relieved I'm talking. I stand up, shaking the wet sand off my shorts. 
                          
"Hold up, you missed a little something...." She says, reaching up and peeling a bit of seaweed out of my sandy hair. 
                          
"Thanks. Reckon I'm interview ready?" I joke, getting a small smile out of her. 
                          
"Unless you're interviewing to be a lifeguard, I'd recommend a shirt." She advises, going along with it. 
                          
"I'm Percy, by the way. Makes sense for you to know the name of the guy you almost killed." I hold out my hand and she takes it, her hand smooth against my calloused one. 
                          
"The only one getting killed here is me, from your terrible flirting skills." She smirks. 
                          
"I'm still recovering from a near death experience, anyone in my position would have a hard time coming up with something witty to say to the pretty girl in front of him, who by the way, has yet to tell me her name." 
                          
"Oh, turning on the charm now, aren't we?" She laughs lightly and it's such a lovely sound. 
                          
"Annabeth." She adds. 
                          
"Well, Annabeth, I think that anyone in this situation would agree that you owe me a drink. You know, to help recover from such a traumatizing moment at what used to be such a safe beach. Can't even go for a walk nowadays." I shoot my shot, knowing that I have to see her again. 
                          
"I usually make it a habit to not buy strange men from off the beach a drink, but since you asked oh so nicely...." She pretends to think about it, tapping her finger on her perfectly shaped lips. 
                          
"One drink can't hurt." 
                          
Day 20
                          
I roar with laughter as Annabeth drags herself up on her surfboard, looking like a drowned rat. She'd wiped out hard after that last wave, it was truly a sight to behold. 
                          
"Like you can do any better, seaweed brain!" She yells out, pushing her drenched hair out of her face. 
                          
"Watch and learn!" I call back, paddling out and waiting for the swell. I feel the familiar tug as the water pulls back and I jump up, timing it perfectly. Or I would have, had Annabeth not come right up behind me, and causing the both of us to tumble back into the water. 
                          
"Sabotage!" I sputter, coughing salt water out of my throat. 
                          
"I never promised to play fairly!" She laughs wildly, paddling back to shore. I take a moment just to watch her from behind, appreciating the way her grey bikini flashes across her tanned skin. Just friends, she said. I wouldn't mind being a little more, but I'll take anything to get to hang out with her.