"C'mon, you didn't come all the way here just to back out on me now, did you?" Ruby plopped down at the foot of her hotel room bed. Her lip quivered and her eyes stared Emma down excessively.
"I changed my mind." Emma with her thick framed glasses replied softly as she stuck her nose back into her book.
It was spring break, it was Emma and Ruby's first Spring Break as college students. As high schoolers, they did not go to parties or date boys. They were both laidback and shy, for the most part. But college was their chance to change and do something. To create a story worth telling. With that thought Ruby had the amazing idea of raising up enough money to get plane tickets from Main to California. Emma was all for it even pitched in a fork crap load of her own money. That did not change the fact she was stubborn and hated the idea of parading half naked in bikinis to be hit on by guys she would never see again.
"Emma." Ruby reached her hand and grabbed the book.
Emma snarled. "Hey. I was reading that- "
Ruby's face became flustered and she raised her hand forcing Emma to become quiet. "Sorry to tell you babe but I haven't seen you read an actual book in well... years." She closed it and placed it down on the bed.
Emma looked down and shrugged her shoulders, she was not wrong but she thought she would try.
"Please, just give me one chance. One chance to prove to you how much fun we can have. All I ask is you put on a bikini, do something with rat's nest you call hair and come to the beach."
Emma reached up and felt her hair that had been tied up in that bun for days now. "Why a bikini? So, men can take screenshots in their mind and use my "hot bod" later when their all alone and need some "inspiration"" she spoke over drastically with her hands, which was her go to move when she wanted dot be sarcastic.
"Something like that." Ruby rolled her eyes and stood up walking to Emma's ag and digging through it pulling out a bright red stringy bikini she had only worn once since she got it and the only one who had ever seen her wear it was Ruby. "There. We'll both be wearing red so we won't get lost." She threw it at her the bottoms landing on her lap and the top stringing around her glasses frames.
Emma looked up at her and chuckled. "This barely covers anything." Emma pulled the blankets up off her and stood up leaving the shape of herself in the bed below. She picked the two pieces of small fabric up and pretended to hold them up to accurately represent how they would look on her.
"That's the point," Ruby walked over to her wearing her red stilettos that she wore everywhere and with everything, including her one piece red and black polka dot bathing suit that represented a 1950's halter neck gown. "have you seen your body" Ruby shivered and bit her lip.
Emma looked at her and saw how desperate she was for just this one outing. "Fine "she gave in. "Just this, and then we can do something I find fun."
"Pinky promise." Ruby stuck out her pinky and Emma shook it with her own. Ruby shrieked with excitement. "Thank you" she squeezed Emma "thank you thank you. You won't regret it I promise."
"Too late" Emma forced a smile and began to change.
Ruby locked her arms with Emma's as they walked down the boardwalk to the beach. The sun hitting the ocean waves, the way the sand glistened with each turn of the eye. She could not deny how beautiful the ocean was just by looking at it she felt herself go into a trans. A trans that did not last for very long because Ruby was quick to disturb.
"Did you really have to bring the book?" Ruby huffed.
Emma pulled the book closer to her. "Yes. I may not actually read it but it's the thought that counts.' Emma's eyes wandered back to the water, the deep deep blue that went on for hundred, no, thousands of miles. She had seen the ocean, but never quite like this. Lost in her own thought and world she did not see the man walking in front of her. As she took another step her eyes remained glued to the water and the tall, rugged man seemed to also be distracted by something. They collided sending them both crashing to the concrete.
"Shit. I am so sorry." His thick accent was the only thing Emma could hear among the chatter of all the people surrounding them. He knelt.
"It's fine." She brought her hand up to her head and held it the world felt like it was spinning. She tried to open her eyes but it was no use. "I'm fine" she said trying to convince not only him, but herself of it.
"I think you hit your head." He moved her hand out of the way so he could look closer, she was still unable to open her eyes. "You're bleeding." He noticed a scrape on the right side of her forehead.
Ruby stood behind him watching "is she alright?" she muttered looking down at her friend who seemed unstable."
He draped her arm around his neck and lifted underneath her picking her up and started walking towards the first aid building. "she'll be fine. But come with me is we can make sure." He insisted. Ruby followed closely behind him.
"Where am I?" Emma's eyes fluttered open as she looked up and saw a beige ceiling and nothing else. It was a relief to finally open her eyes.
Ruby bolted over to her and leaned over the bed. "You fell, but this nice man brought you here. You only have you few scrapes and bruises but he said you hot your head pretty bad." Ruby stood back up allowing Emma some space to sit up.
"Man, is an awfully strong word." He chuckled walking over to the bed she laid in. His hair was raven black, his eyes bluer then the water, and his 'whelp' Emma caught herself before she made it a little too obvious her eyes had wandered to the bulge in his bright red trunks.
Emma sat up straight and fixed herself so she could dangle her legs over the side.
"Killian" he placed his hand in front of her. "Killian Jones, I'm I guess you could say the main lifeguard here." He grinned, not just an aw what a cute smile he has grin. His smile was drop dead beautiful. His teeth sparkled, the little dimple in his right cheek glowed, but only a little because his scruffy beard did an immaculate job of covering the top of his lip to his neck. And what a neck it was. Emma never was one to imagine doing such things to another human, but the thought of placing her lips on his jawline sent chills down her spine. She had to stop herself again.
"Killian." She smiled trying to play it cool grabbing his hand and shaking it. "I mean that your name. My name's Emma. Emma Swan." She smiled awkwardly hoping he would never remember what just happened.
Ruby was out of his sight and aggressively placed her face in her hands petrified from what had just occurred.
"Aye. I should probably keep you longer just to make sure there is no permanent damage." He joked.
Emma scowled. "You're a doctor?" she crossed her arms.
Killian grabbed his heart jokingly. "Ugh you caught me. No I am not. But I am a concerned lifeguard who suggests you don't sleep or swim for at least 12-24 hours. And if you do have any more issues to call a doctor." He helped her off the single first aid bed they kept in the small building.
"Thanks." Emma reluctantly grinned and placed her hand on her forehead where she could feel a band aid.
"Maybe I'll see you again." Killian smiled again, causing Emma to feel weak in her knees. Emma nodded unable to speak before Ruby pulled her out the door.
Killian cleaned up the empty wrappers and bloody gauze left around after cleaning off Emma's wounds. He smiled to himself as he thought about her, without even realizing it.
"Woah, what you packing there buddy," Mulan burst through the door with a load of clean bandages to restock the cupboards. As soon as she stepped inside she could not help but notice Killian was a bit bigger downstairs than usual if you know what I mean. His best friend was always the first one to tease him on such things, how his hair swayed the wrong direction some days, how terrible he is at everything besides saving people from drowning, and when he so obviously has a boner.
He looked down and tried to pull his shorts out so it was not as obvious. "Shut up." He threw a toilet paper roll at her and rolled his eyes.
"Who's the girl?" she walked over to him and smirked.
"Who said it was a girl?" he stood up and crossed his arms.
"So now you finally tell me. I've told you about a gazillion times about this ridiculously cute guy who is perfect for— "she seemed slightly angered.
"I'm not gay I- "
"Well that makes one of us." She interrupted which always seemed to be her specialty and winked.
"Yes, yes. I think just about the whole world knows about how much you love girls Mulan." He chuckled pointing out how apparent the fact she was a lesbian was.
"So. Who's the girl Killian?" she walked closer to him and began to poke at him teasingly. "Who's the girl? OOO you like her. You wanna kiss her. You wanna touch her." She began to not only mock him with the words but turn them into a song. "You wanna love her, and squeeze her, better hope you please her."
"I don't know." He stopped her and stepped away.
"You don't know?" her laugh flickered out. "What do you mean?"
"I mean she needed help, I helped her. She left that's it. It was nothing."
Mulan took a deep breath. "I hate to burst your bubble buddy, but I don't think you have ever acted this way. About any girl. I don't mean the boner thing, that's happened quite a few times." She cringed and shook her head hoping to clear her mind of the thought. "But when I came in just then, the way you were glowing. I don't think I've seen you that happy and smiling like that since your mom… passed away." Suddenly the teasing stopped, the lightness of the air was now gone and quietness filled it.
Killian shrugged, "even if it was something more, which I highly doubt. She's gone now so. Better luck next time I guess." He pulled his grey t-shirt that had big bold red letters engraved on it over his head and began to walk outside.
"It's Spring break." She stopped him, I doubt that's the last you'll see of her." She smiled assuring him, he smiled gently in return.
"We'll see, I guess."