Getting my feet wet with these two with this little drabble. They are too cute not to write for.
Austin ran his hands through his wet hair, out of the water now and starting to head across the hot sand.
The rest of the girls her age were either tanning or in the water – and his best friend was of course sitting under her giant white and yellow polka dotted umbrella. Reading.
He smiled to himself at the Allyness of it all as he approached her, even more amused that it took her as long as it did to register that he was standing there.
"Oh, hey, Austin," she greeted him, hardly looking up. "How's the water?"
He laughed. "Why don't you just come in with me and find out for yourself?"
When they'd planned the day off from writing to get some much needed inspiration, he'd figured they'd be doing things together.
Apparently not so much.
"After this chapter."
"Ally," he stopped to take a step forward, squinting at her. "You said that three chapters ago."
"Mhmm." She nodded furiously. "And I mean it this time."
He sighed and waved his hand in front of her face blocking the pages of her book. "Stop stalling!"
"Don't be ridiculous," she told him, turning over on her side away from him so she could continue to read.
Must she be so difficult?
"I'm not stalling..." She trailed off and he gave her a look. She really was the worst liar he knew.
"Come on," he sighed. "I thought you were working on your whole beach thing. Isn't that part of why we came?"
Ally finally snapped her head up in his direction. "Well, I'm here, aren't I?"
He nodded. "Yes. Here. As in sitting on your chair," he paused and gesture towards the water, "instead of there. With me."
She batted her eyes towards the sand with a quick shake of her head. "If I tell you why you'll think it's silly," she mumbled quickly.
He smiled and took a breath before he took a seat at the edge of her beach chair. "Try me."
Ally tugged at the ends of her hair before she finally made eye contact with him again. "It's just...really crowded."
"Uh, yeah," Austin agreed giving her his best obviously look. "It's the weekend. And awesome out."
She shot him a glare, which was surprisingly effective coming from, well...her.
"Sorry, continue."
"Okay, I just..." She stopped and gestured shyly over her navy blue cover up. "I don't exactly feel comfortable around this many people in a swim suit."
He blinked. "Seriously? That's it?"
(How did someone that bit their hair when they were nervous still manage to glare so well?)
"Austin."
He gave her the most reassuring smile he could, knowing how self conscious she could be. "Ally, come on, I'm sure you look fine. And it's not like you've never worn a bathing suit in public before, right?"
"No, of course not," she relented. "It's just Trish kept on telling me that the ones I wore looked like 'grammy bathing suits' and made me buy this one and on a silly whim I decided to put it on today and I-"
He barely stifled a laugh as he interrupted her. "Ally." He stopped to take her book and place it down next to her. "Stop stressing. It's just a bathing suit. I bet it looks great."
She offered a small pout, though he cheeks turned slightly red - which just made him grin. He inched forward, leaning over her just a little.
"Just come swim with me."
He just watched as she half rolled her eyes at him, half smiled (and he knew she was sold) and slowly stood to take off her cover up.
Austin had seen many girls in bathing suits before, as Ally pointed out they were in Miami, after all. Though his best friend revealing herself to be wearing a pale pink cut out one-piece with ties at the side...was not a sight he was exactly prepared for.
He opened and closed his mouth several times to speak before he just gave up all together.
"Not very me, is it?" she mused, taking a deep breath, doing her best not to look him in the eyes.
"You know what? I'll just -" She lowered her hand to grab her towel and he smiled and caught her wrist.
"Better than great," he correct himself.
She blushed again (he really liked that he could make her blush) and cleared her throat.
"Sunblock," she blurted out. "I need sunblock before I can go in the water."
"Ally, you'll be in the water."
"You can still get burned when you're in the water, Austin," she argued.
He rose an eyebrow, but didn't protest. He's just glad that she agreed to come in at all.
"Whatever you say."
She sat back down and dove into her beach bag to pull out the sunblock she'd brought with her. After she finished with her arms, her face, and finally her legs – she turned around towards him and bit her lip.
"Do you mind...?"
"Uh..." Words, Austin, he reminded himself. Use your words.
"Yeah, no problem," he managed, finally, taking the bottle from her and applying a small squirt into the palm of his hands.
Austin's fingers had just barely ghosted over the top of her shoulders when he felt her squirm and offer a quiet giggle.
"Alls," he said between a chuckle himself, "stay still."
"I'm sorry!" She twitched again, turning her neck toward him. "I'm ticklish."
"Yeah, I got that," he told her, with a snicker, gently trying to keep her from squirming.
He smiled as she stifled another giggle and looked over her shoulder at him. "Sorry again."
His gaze held hers for...probably longer than it should have before he gave a small nod. "S'cool," he murmured.
She looked down and was about ready to stand up now that he was done and he took her arm to stop her. "Hey - you forgot one spot."
A wicked grin played on his face and he took his finger with sunscreen still on it and drew a line down her nose.
"Austin Moon!" - It was hard for her to sound threatening when she couldn't fight back her laugh. "You're dead."
She grabbed the bottle of lotion, squirting some into her hands before he leaped off of the beach chair. "Going to have to catch me first, Dawson," he reminder her - and then took of swiftly towards the water.
He heard a loud sigh before he turned around to see her heading after him. Like the gentleman he was, he slowed down just enough for her to catch up to him.
She grinned letting out a loud breath as she closed in on him, he turned around in time for her to drape her hands (and the sunscreen) down his stomach.
Her proud smile lit up her face. "Gottcha."
He looked down at the hand prints of lotion on his chest and rolled his eyes halfheartedly. He met her eyes again and smiled. "Yeah," he whispered, taking her hand to pull her closer towards the water, his eyes not leaving hers.
"You got me."
Just something short & hopefully sweet. Thoughts?:)
