Like It Was Nothing at All

Chapter 3: Vaughn POV

"Mom! Elliot and I are going to the beach!"

I noticed her eyes linger wistfully at the door as they left. I didn't like that Elliot boy hanging around my cousin. I couldn't see the appeal for a girl like Chelsea either. What's the stick gonna do? The ranching world was no place for a boy like him.

"What's wrong?" That sounded harsher than intended. Her eyes widened in surprise as she tore her gaze from the door to look at me.

"I... Uh... Just thought it'd be nice. Going to the beach with someone, ya know?" Oh, that's it. Simple enough. She could go with me anytime.

The next day I knocked at her door. It was after lunch, and I knew the woman liked to save money by cooking her own meals instead of eating out like the rest of us.

"Hey."

"Oh, hey! Do you need something? Wanna come in?" She stepped away and motioned to the couch inside.

"I was wondering if you'd wanna hang out with me."

"Oh!" There was a flash of surprise on her face, quickly replaced with one of her giant smiles. "Sure! Let me just get my rucksack."

As she skipped in circles around me, her energy bubbled with excitement. "I'm so excited! It's not that often you initiate going somewhere." She told me about her morning's activities, the minor differences between what happened yesterday and today amplified as though they were the most interesting news.

"The sky's so clear compared to yesterday, isn't it? I woke up a bit earlier than normal since the sunlight was so bright."

"When I checked on my crops, I noticed that my tomatoes started to flower today! I think the extra fertilizer I added this year has really given it that extra umph."

"Oh, also the newest hen laid her first A-rank egg! I was so proud that I couldn't help but give her an extra treat."

When we stopped at the beach, she tilted her head; her expression inquired why we were here. Geez. "Didn't you say you wanted to come here yesterday?"

I could see the wheels turning in her mind as she tried to remember. "Oh yeah! Sorry, I didn't think..." She paused while looking at the ocean. It was rare seeing such a contemplative look from someone who usually acted without thinking. We stood quietly as we watched the waves crawl up and down the shore. I felt the tension from the day's work leave my shoulders and enjoyed the cooling mist.

Chelsea eventually broke the silence. "You know, when I look at the ocean, I think about the city I left behind. It's been three years, and I still can't believe I'm living on these islands. The difference in lifestyles is like night and day." I rose my eyebrow at her wistful appearance.

"It's still filled with the crowds and pollution. At least we got breathing room here." My head ached just thinking about returning back tomorrow. "You've built up these islands all by yourself. The farm's doing great, and everyone's livelihoods are thriving, thanks to you. You can't accomplish something like this in the city."

"I respect you, Chelsea. I really do." I added solemnly. Although she lived leisurely nowadays, all the original villagers and I still remember the times she ran around from dawn to dusk. I sighed thinking back to one of my first memories of her, when she was a strange girl that smiled and sang while clearing the empty land across Mirabelle's shop. I was shocked when Chen's kid ran to her with a handful of sticks and weeds, but she told him she liked them very much and smiled while putting them in her rucksack.

"Haha, what are you talking about? I couldn't do it without everyone else. Especially you, Vaughn! Your way with animals... I really respect you too."

"You... respect me too? Really?" A surge of pride went though me. My neck felt a bit hot seeing her blinding smile. I couldn't help but look away and fiddle with my hat. "That's the first time anyone's ever said that."

She looked baffled and kept repeating affirmations until I assured her that I believed her. I chuckled and patted her head, diverting the conversation to other topics. We laughed until the sun began to set. She looked very cute with the breeze in her hair and her face glowing in the warm light.

"Aww man, we gotta get dinner before your boat leaves." Her small frown made me want to pinch her cheeks. "Oww!"

"Why are you frowning already? I'm not leaving for a few more hours."

"Because I'm gonna miss you." Her pouty face was also very cute.

"You want me to stay?"

"Of course! Things aren't fun when you're not around." I nodded in agreement. Life was a lot less interesting without her.

"Maybe I'll stay with you then."

"Yeah! Then we can be together everyday." As I visualized what that would be like, my feelings towards her suddenly made a lot more sense. As she smiled happily, I realized she was the most beautiful being in the world.

"So... is that... a proposal?" It was supposed to be a joke, but it somehow ended up serious. Unable to control my rising expectations, I tilted my hat out of my face to make sure to see her reaction. Chelsea blinked a few times repeatedly before her jaw dropped. She started stuttering before turning pink. Instinctively, I tried to tease her and make her even more red. "You know folks around here propose with a blue feather, right?"

It was the first time she ran away from me.

When I stepped off the boat bright and early the next Monday, she wordlessly pulled me to the spot we were at last week and showed me a blue feather. It was the first time I've seen this bold girl so nervous and fidgety. We spent so much time together, yet I had never seen this side of her before. I thought she couldn't get any cuter and had to fight the urge to pick her up and hold her in my arms.

"As much as I want to accept, let's try being a couple first, okay?" As much as I tried to sound nonchalant, I knew my face betrayed me; I tipped my hat to cover my blush.

Her look of shock was immediately followed by crouching on the ground and holding her head. "Yeah, of course. That makes sense. Stupid!"

I tried to pull her up but she stubbornly refused. Yep, that's my best friend. I rolled my eyes and flopped her into a princess carry. "Just wait until I tell Julia and Natalie that I got proposed to first."

She flapped around and protested, "No way! You can't do that to me! It was your idea in the first place!" She finally crossed her arms and huffed as I carried her across the bridge to Verdure Island. "Then I'll tell them you rejected me. That'll give you a lesson."

When we got around to having a serious conversation about ourselves, there was a nervous energy in the air as we worried there was no going back.

But when her fingers clasped around mine... that worry went away like it was nothing at all.

End