Everyone was already at the beach except Nathan and Jill. It was already 4 and the sun was at it's brightest since 1 o'clock. Brooke and Peyton were lying on their tanning chairs bronzing themselves. Fergie, Skills, Tim, and Mouth were scoping out girls in the water. Well, not really Mouth. He and Erica were a couple now but she couldn't make it to the beach. She went to visit her grandparents for the weekend a mile away. Lucas had been going back and forth between the boys and the girls checking up on everyone, as always.
"Brooke I can't believe you forgot to bring the meat and drinks."
"Ughh there was no way I was touching uncooked meat, and besides I brought chips."
"We can't eat chips all day, we need the barbeque."
Lucas walked up to the girls intervening on their argument.
"It's cool don't fight about it. I called Nathan, him and Jill are going to pick up the burgers and hot dogs."
"See best friend don't need to bite my head off, the food is coming."
Peyton stuck her tongue out at Brooke.
"Oh very mature," Brooke scoffed, "So the new girl, she cool?"
"Yeah she actually is."
"Great can't wait to meet her, we need a new face in our plain old crowd," Brooke said staring at the water.
Both Lucas and Peyton shot her a glare before throwing sand at her.
"Hey I'm just kidding," Brooke squealed.
Just then Nathan and Jill showed up bags of food in tow. Nathan carried the meat while Jill carried the buns. She offered to carry the heavy meat but he refused.
"Hey we're here, finally. We would've been here sooner if someone hadn't forgotten to bring the barbeque," Nathan staring in Brooke's direction.
"Ughh it's not my fault, and hello to you too boy toy. You'd think I'd be showered with hugs and kisses seeing as I almost moved away."
"You wish Brooke," Nathan teased.
Brooke stuck her tongue out at Nathan, and then looked over at the girl standing beside him.
"Hey Asian or mixed whatever you are girl."
"Brooke..." Nathan scoffed.
"What? I'm not being racist here. I think it's great that you're?" looking at Jill.
"Half Filipino, half Dutch Irish."
"Yeah that. We need diversity in this small town for crying out loud. Anyways welcome I'm Brooke."
"Hey I'm Jill."
Both girls smiled at each other.
"Oh my gosh I love your eyes," Brooke squealed
"Thanks."
Skills a few feet away hollered at the boys to come play tackle football.
"Yo Nate want to play?" Lucas asked his little brother.
"Yeah in a sec," he looked at Jill, "You want to play tackle football with us?"
"Yeah let me just change out of my clothes."
Nathan nodded.
"Oh great she's one of the boys. Just what we need another tomboy," Brooke commented.
"Brooke..." Nathan shot a look at her.
"Don't worry it's cool," Jill looked at Brooke and winked, "I'll still be able to get a tan while running around, maybe even quicker."
Brooke nodded smiling.
After Jill stripped down to her bikini, her and Nathan went to join the boys leaving Brooke and Peyton alone.
"I think I'm going to like that girl."
Peyton laughed, " Brooke you just met her."
"I know but she seems cool already, not annoying or weird plus she's hot."
Peyton laughed and shook her head.
"Anyways new subject. How was summer without me?"
"Summer without you basically."
"Boring huh?"
Peyton laughed hitting Brooke with her small fan.
"So what's going on with you and Lucas?"
"What's going on with me and Lucas?"
"Yeah, when I saw you at Karen's Cafe you guys seemed really close."
"We are close."
"Oh."
"Oh," Peyton laughed, "Not that kind of close, I mean him and I spent a lot of time together while you were in California. We're close friends is all."
"That's cool, not like I would've had a problem if you two were you know close close."
Peyton smiled at her best friend. Both girls stared at the water.
"So what's up with those two?" Brooke said staring at Nathan and Jill who were playing around with each other.
"Who Nathan and Jill?"
"Yeah."
"Oh they're just friends."
"Really? Looks like something more."
"I don't know. Nathan was the first person she met here."
"Okay well I'm just sensing this vibe between them."
"You sense vibes in everyone."
"I know but don't you see the way he touches her or how they talk to one another?"
Peyton shrugged, "They hang out a lot."
Both girls turned over to expose their backs.
---------
A little over to the left the guys called over Nathan and Jill. They were picking the sides for each team.
"Hey guys this is Jill," Lucas said introducing Jill to them, "And Jill that's Fergie, Skills, Mouth, oh and Tim."
The boys greeted her while Tim scoffed at Lucas, "I want to introduce myself, I'm Tim," he winked at her.
"Skinny girl can you play?" Skills asked.
"Oh she can tackle," Nathan responded for her remembering their tackle moment at her house.
The boys looked at him.
"What?"
Jill laughed, "Yeah I can play, and boy you call me skinny one more time I'll tackle you to the ground." She said teasing Skills.
"Aright ma," Skills laughed then picked the teams.
"Okay team one: Fergie, me, and Nathan, team two: Luke, Mouth, Jill, and Dim."
"Hey," Tim whined, "Can I be on your team I want to tackle her," he was grinning at her.
Jill gave a disgusted look.
"No Tim, the teams have been selected. Now let's play!"
Both teams huddled into their groups planning their plays. After a minute both teams positioned themselves in their spots. Team two had first ball and Mouth was appointed centre man. Lucas was the quarterback and Jill and Tim were the wide receivers/running backs.
"One two hut," Lucas screamed out.
Mouth passed him the ball and Lucas ran back throwing the ball towards Jill. She caught the ball mid air and started running towards the goal. She was on her track team so running was a piece of cake for her. She was running pretty fast but not as fast as Nathan who was right behind her. With one quick leap he jumped on her sending both of them crashing down to the sand with him on top of her.
Jill groaned, "Aww Nathan I almost made it."
"Yeah almost," he laughed.
"Ow my back."
"You okay? I'm sorry."
"I'm just kidding," she giggled, "I'm fine."
Luke called out at the two," Yo Nate get off my wide receiver, we need her alive."
Nathan laughed slowly getting off Jill who still had the football in her arms. He pulled her up soon after.
Both joined the gang and commenced with their game until Brooke started whining.
"Guys I'm hungry, lets eat."
The sweaty group walked back to where Brooke and Peyton sat and started up the grill. Nathan and Jill bought an assortment of meat, from hamburgers, to ribs, to steaks, to hot dogs, all in the beef family. After a game of rock paper scissors Nathan ended up being the cook with Lucas as his assistant. The two were quick cooks for the food was ready in a short period of time and their barbeque was pretty good. Everyone had taken a seat and concentrated on the food in front of them. They were all eating and chatting; it was their way of catching up and letting loose from school stress. The food was gone in a matter of an hour leaving all nine full and satisfied, for the time being that was.
After they had digested all that food everyone ran into the water to play a game of water tag. The girls sat on the boys' shoulders while the others tried to knock them off. Jill on Nathan, Peyton on Lucas, and Brooke on Tim. She wasn't happy with that partner up. The water was not too cold yet it wasn't boiling hot. It was a fun time, all nine teens screaming and laughing, and having a good time. It was as if they were little children again.