Chapter 11
(Chelsea)
"No way! Vaughn asked you out?" Julia gasped. Chelsea laughed, "No, he just asked me to go with him as friends.
Julia snickered, "Sure, that's how it all starts." They were both wearing extra-large T-shirts over their bathing suits. Chelsea felt uncomfortable, she had only ever worn one pieces and she felt odd wearing a two piece bikini.
So far, the only people on the beach were her, Julia, Natalie, Lanna, and Pierre. Julia stretched, "God, Chels, do you have the time?" "Um...it's only ten, the festival starts at 12." She sighed.
"But Nataliee...I can't go anywhere without my haaat!" Pierre was complaining, he wore red shorts and his purple hat.
"You're going to lose it Pierre. Stop being such a baby and take it off!" Natalie shouted, her hands on her hips, she wore a yellow bikini.
"Nooo! You can't make meee..." Pierre yelled as he ran from her, gripping his hat like it was his lifeline.
"PIERRE! GET BACK HERE DAMMIT! YOU ACT LIKE SUCH A CHILD SOMETIMES!" Natalie screamed as she ran after him, kicking up sand in the process.
Julia sighed, "Those two make the weirdest couple on the island. Poor Pierre." A voice called from up the hill, "J-Julia!"
She turned around and beamed, "Elliot!" She ran up the hill to meet her boyfriend, she greeted him with a quick kiss on the lips. Chelsea waved when they came closer. "H-Hi Chelsea." "Hi Elliot." He wore purple Bermuda shorts and had contacts on, he looked pretty cute.
They loitered around chatting about how they loathed waiting for Mirabelle and Taro to set up. Chelsea checked her watch, it was around eleven and Vaughn still wasn't there.
'I guess...he doesn't consider me his friend after all.' She thought gloomily.
Suddenly, the crunch of sand made them turn around. Chelsea swore that her heart stopped for a moment. Vaughn was wearing simple black shorts and his signature cowboy hat. His chest was bare and had just the right amount of muscle.
He looked like he walked off a fashion magazine for beach fashion. His silvery hair shone in the late morning sunshine.
"Sorry I'm late..." He huffed.
"Hi Vaughn, I'm glad you could make it." Chelsea said cheerfully.
Vaughn grunted and walked over to their little group. Elliot shuffled his feet in the sand uncomfortably; Julia glared at Vaughn and laid a protective hand on Elliot.
"Ahh, looks like the gang is all here." Said a familiar and pompous voice. They turned and saw Will strutting toward them; his blond hair matched his yellow shorts and his blinding white smile. Vaughn and Elliot groaned softly when he approached.
"Hello Will." Chelsea said politely.
Will smiled, "Ahh, it is the lovely Chelsea again. I must say...even when you are wearing baggy clothes, you look simply stunning!" he winked.
"Um...thanks?" She said. Vaughn stiffened at her side; she could almost feel the hate waves washing over her. Chelsea knew better, behind Will's confident swagger, laid a boy who could get her seriously hurt, she remained unimpressed with his motives.
"Perhaps you will take up my most generous offer, later?" He inquired. Chelsea smiled sweetly, "I don't think so."
Anger flashed across Will's handsome face before it faded and he regained his composure, "Pity." He flounced away from them.
Julia cocked an eyebrow, "What was that about?" Chelsea sighed, "Don't ask."
A booming voice sounded over a megaphone, "Ok, everyone! The beach festival is about to begin. Girls, you may take off your large shirts. The first event is...Suka Wari!"
Julia and Chelsea squealed with delight. "Oh my god, I love Suka Wari!" Julia swooned. "I used to play it all the time in the city!" Chelsea said while clapping her hands enthusiastically. Vaughn and Elliot just gave them blank stares.
"Boys, turn around while we prepare." They said at the same time. Vaughn and Elliot sighed and turned around, their backs facing them. Chelsea and Julia threw their large shirts in a pile in the sand. Chelsea wore a light blue bikini, which matched her eyes; Julia wore one the color of freshly cut grass.
Julia smiled, "You look so cute in that." Chelsea laughed, "Really? I don't think it's really me to be honest."
"Ok, boys you can look." Vaughn and Elliot turned, both boys blushed. Vaughn was bright red and had something leaking out of his nose.
"Vaughn, you have a nosebleed, are you ok?" Chelsea asked. Vaughn wiped his nose and swore at the tiny drop of blood, "I'm fine…" He grunted.
Vaughn led the way to the first event, Chelsea followed behind.
-Ten minutes-
Taro shouted into the megaphone again, "Alright, the rules of Suka Wari is simple: One person is blindfolded and handed a hammer to smash open the watermelon. Another person gives the blindfolded person instructions on where to go, on the other hand, one person will give wrong instructions, be careful. The first person to be blindfolded will be…Will!"
Will stepped forward and tied the blindfold on his eyes and hefted a wooden hammer in his hands. Julia was selected to give the right instructions, while Natalie was in charge of giving out wrong ones.
Mirabelle set the watermelon a few feet away.
Taro cleared his throat, "Ok...BEGIN!"
"Go left!"
"No, backward!"
"What are you doing? To the right! To the right!"
"Keep going forward."
"To the left!"
"Swing!"
Will swung...and missed the watermelon by three inches. He removed his blindfold and shrugged. "Oh well, I couldn't concentrate since two beautiful voices made my mind disoriented."
The men gagged, Julia and Natalie blushed. Chelsea however walked up to Will sighing, "You didn't do it right! Julia was trying to give you the CORRECT instructions, you were following Natalie's' instead."
Will smiled brightly and handed her the blindfold and hammer. "Well...why don't you try. I will give you the wrong instructions and Vaughn will give you the right instructions. Let's see how easy it is, ok Beautiful?"
Chelsea sneered, which surprised everyone, even Vaughn. "You're on." She tied the blindfold and hefted the hammer. "Taro start the round."
Taro blinked, "Um...BEGIN!"
"Go left!"
"...Forward..."
"Go right! Where are you going?"
"Step left..."
"Forward! Go Forward!"
"Swing..."
Chelsea swung and heard the satisfying smash of watermelon. She whipped off her blindfold and saw that the Watermelon was smashed perfectly. Chelsea turned around to receive her applause.
Vaughn had his arms crossed over his chest, he nodded with approval. Will however, was seething with anger, even though he tried desperately to hide it.
Taro chuckled, "Well done Chelsea, that's the way! Everyone take a piece of Watermelon. We will begin the final event in two hours. Afterwards, we will all enjoy some fireworks that Gannon and Chen prepared."
-Two hours later-
"Ahh, that was good, huh Vaughn?" Chelsea said merrily, Vaughn just shrugged and looked away. Taro's booming voice sounded again, "Time for the final event! Come on hurry up stop slacking!"
Everyone gathered around Taro in a wide circle. Taro began explaining the last game. "Ok this last event is only for men. *Groan..* Oh stop complaining! The name of this event is called..."Do you know who you're with?" Each young man must step up to the center of the circle and describe the young lady he brought today. If you did NOT invite someone, then describe the person you wish you were with. First up is...Elliot!"
Elliot nervously cleared his throat. "T-today I came with my girlfriend. I-I am the luckiest man on the face of this earth. S-she has a knack with animals...she i-is my other half. I promised myself that I would never allow her to get hurt, I-I Love her...and I thank the Goddess that I can enjoy every moment with her. My life is perfect, I wouldn't change a single moment." He stepped back, Julia's eyes were watering.
Denny sauntered up next, full of confidence, "I won't lie, the girl I'm with is the bomb! Her voice can knock out royalty and she never gives up, no matter what the circumstance! YEAH!" He fist pumped the air and stepped back. Lanna face palmed her and muttered under her breath.
Will walked forward, he glanced in Chelsea's direction and smiled before beginning, "I am with no one at the minute. The girl I wish I was with is beautiful beyond comparison. Her smile can make angels weep. Her laugh is catchy, and her eyes are as clear as the ocean. Maybe, she will take my earlier offer and accompany me and ditch the stiff she's with."
He gave Chelsea a wink and stepped back. She flushed pink. All the girls oohed and ached. The guys fake gagged.
Pierre had gone up and compared Natalie to fine foods, which earned him a stomp on his big toe. He should have known that Natalie hated being compared to food.
It was finally Vaughn's turn, he had ditched his cowboy hat, his hair turned deeper silver in the first moon beams in the sky.
He stepped forward and fixed a look on everyone around him. "I'm not good with words. Today, I came with...my friend. At first, I hated her, despised her even. But...she made me see past all that. Normally, I would push her away, like I am known for. But, I told her things that I would never admit about myself...and my past. In return, I gained someone I could trust completely, and who I would...perhaps...give my life to save. I didn't think that I was capable with friendship..." He turned to Chelsea, a small, but real, smile formed on his lips.
He continued, "Thank you Chelsea...my true friend." Chelsea smiled at Vaughn, tears welling up in her eyes. Vaughn cleared his throat and stepped back.
Mirabelle was dabbing her eyes, Chen and Gannon smiled broadly. Taro sniffed before composing himself, "Ok, everyone take your seats! The fireworks will begin shortly.
-Twenty minutes later-
Chelsea and Vaughn sat on a blue beach towel near Elliot and Julia. He was turned away from her, ignoring her as usual. Chelsea smiled, his words carried so much emotion.
Will's words were empty flattery. Chelsea saw something in his heart when Will asked her out, a sort of impurity that practically screamed 'stay away'. She would turn down his advances, she had no time for something that could crush her.
The first firework blasted in the air, red color light. Chelsea pointed at it, "Wow! This is better than the ones I used to see in the city." She placed her hand close to Vaughn's, inches from touching.
When Vaughn pointed at a green one, he accidently placed his hand on Chelsea's.
Both of them were shocked. His strong hand, on her small one. Vaughn blushed and turned away from her, Chelsea thought her heat was doing a relay race in her chest. How could one touch make her feel so warm and fuzzy?
She glanced at Vaughn, his features were sharpened in the moonlight. 'Am . I. falling in love...with you?' She wondered when she studied him. His hand closed a little tighter on hers, it was her turn to blush.
Vaughn looked at her, his eyes intense, "Are...you having a good time?" Chelsea nodded cheerfully.
He removed his hand from hers and motioned for her to sit right next to him. Chelsea couldn't help but blush, their sides were touching. Vaughn yawned, "Do. You mind. If..." Chelsea just said, "Oh. Um, go ahead, its fine."
Vaughn placed his hand on her waist, it sent cold shivers down her spine. Vaughn was holding her like it was completely natural.
She looked at her left, Julia was curled up in Elliot's lap, she flashed thumbs up in Chelsea's direction. Chelsea flushed and concentrated on the fireworks.
Vaughn wasn't saying anything, Chelsea remembered the dream when he told her that he loved her...but, Vaughn was probably just trying to be a good friend. He didn't like her that way, Chelsea was sure about it.
-One hour later-
Everyone started packing up. The girls had thrown on their extra-large shirts and began walking home with their escorts.
Vaughn and Chelsea walked to her house under the waning moonlight. Vaughn had placed his hat on his head again and still ignored her as they walked. They came to her door.
"Thanks for a great time Vaughn. It was awesome!" Chelsea said with a smile. Vaughn nodded awkwardly. He reached out a hand and gently caressed Chelsea's cheek, a sort of longing was in his eyes that Chelsea couldn't describe. Before Chelsea could react, Vaughn lightly kissed her on the cheek.
Chelsea's eyes widened, as did Vaughn's. He pulled his hat down over his eyes in embarrassment, "Um...Goodnight, Chelsea, I...I'll see you next week." He waved and started walking across the bridge.
She touched her cheek absently, "Vaughn..."She whispered. She smiled and entered her house. Hachi was jumping up and down with happiness. "Hi boy!" She placed the puppy on the bed and got ready for bed.
She sat down at the edge of her bed, did...did Vaughn like her? Chelsea didn't know what to think. He normally acted so distant towards her...and yet, why did she feel utterly happy when she was with him?
The phone on the bedside table rang. She picked it up, "Hello?"
"Chelsea?" The voice said.
"Dad!" She said happily.
"How are you sweet heart? Marian and I miss you so much." Her dad said on the phone. Chelsea smiled sadly, "I miss you guys too..."
"Chelsea...the house is going to be sold...Some rich family bought it and we're going to move out." Her father said.
Chelsea nearly dropped the phone, "What? Where...where will you guys go?"
Her father laughed, "We have a place in mind, we're going to move downtown...but Chelsea, I'm calling because I want you to move back." Chelsea was shocked, "B-But, I have a farm and a new puppy. And friends, I can't just leave!"
"I'm not asking you to choose now sweetie. It's your choice, just come home if you're unhappy, ok? We are leaving our home next week Wednesday. Call me by Thursday night if you want to come back to the city, ok baby?" Her dad said gently.
Chelsea teared, "Ok...Night dad..."
"Night sweetheart."
*Click*
Chelsea put down the phone and buried her face in her hands, feeling more miserable than she has ever felt in her life.
-(Will)-
Will chuckled darkly when his associate gave him the news that the deed was done. He stood and walked to the ship window and stared out at the waves.
"So...she thinks she can ignore me? Brush me off? I'll show her. No one messes with William Terry Luce Andrew Karick Jonathan Toriji Hams Reding Roger Sazak Annick Primus Junior Darshanivack the third and gets away with it."
He stared at a picture of Chelsea, "Oh yes...you will regret the day you turned me down. If you won't be mine...I'll make sure you're not anyone's...ever." He drew a pocket knife and slashed the picture in half and laughed his easy going laugh that would normally make a lady swoon.
Chelsea would need to make a choice, stay and be his, or go back to the city and be with her father. Will sneered to no one in particular, "I. Will. Have. My. Revenge..."