After the dress was paid for, and the two stood awkwardly outside the store trying to decide what to do next, Nepeta got a text from Feferi.
CC: )(ey! Where are you guys?
AC: :33 outside of JCPennys-are we going to the beach meow?
CC: Y-EP! -E-EP IM -EXCIT-ED!
AC: :33 did Karkitty get a swimsuit?
CC: Yep! I managed to convince him to get one! 38D
CC: Oh hey, I sea you guys!
Nepeta looked up from her phone to see Feferi waving madly at them. Nepeta nudged Eridan's arm with her elbow to get his attention. "They're here." Nepeta waved back to Feferi with just as much enthusiasm.
When Feferi and Karkat were standing in front of Eridan and Nepeta, Feferi threw her arms up in the air a said in a sing-song voice-"Beach time!"
Nepeta jumped in the air and shouted "Yay!" And Feferi copied her.
"Are you two still celebrating or can we leave yet?" Eridan asked, annoyed.
"I'm with Ampora. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave." Karkat grumbled.
Feferi took Karkat's hands in hers and Nepeta and Eridan winced.
"Karkat silly, we're going to stay there for the rest of the day!" Feferi chirped, and then giggled.
Karkat pulled his hands out of hers. "Augh don't touch me!" his face was burning red.
Feferi giggled. "Okay, okay. Let's go!"
They walked most of the way through the mall without saying much to each other. Finally, Feferi broke the silence.
"Hey Nepeta! I thought you said you didn't have any money, why do you have a shopping bag?" she asked curiously.
"Oh, um, Eridan bought me something."
"Oh really? What did he get you?" Feferi asked.
Nepeta began blushing. "Just a dress, no biggie. Besides, I'm going to pay him back."
"No you're not." Eridan intervened. He kept looking straight ahead-didn't make eye contact with her as he spoke.
Nepeta placed a hand on her hip. "No, I can't ask you to pay for both dinner and a dress. That's too much."
"I won't take your money, Nep. I don't need it, I don't want it," Eridan stated.
Nepeta sighed, and Feferi nudged her. She winked at her and then shook her shoulders.
Nepeta giggled. "What was that?"
"That was my "gettin' it" dance!" Feferi said, shaking her shoulders.
Nepeta laughed out loud and shook her shoulders with Feferi. The two girls busted up laughing while Eridan and Karkat pretended not to be associated with the dancing losers behind them.
By the time they got to their car, Nepeta and Feferi both had sore cheeks from laughing and smiling. They plopped down into their seats and took a moment to gather themselves. Feferi rolled her head over to look at Nepeta.
"You two are so cute I can't even stand it," Feferi said, breaking into all-smiles again.
Nepeta forced herself to sit upright. "Oh please. Let's just go to the beach and get this over with."
Feferi then pulled out of the parking lot and began driving to the beach. It was a 45 minute drive and they had to stop to get gas on the way, but was otherwise uneventful and only consisted of them looking at their smart phones-and that included Feferi.
Nepeta figured they were going to a public beach or something, but as it turned out, Feferi's mom owned quite a few acres of shoreline so they had the beach to themselves.
Feferi parked in a small strip of cement by the entrance to the beach. She and Nepeta got out of the car and began unloading the things Feferi had in the trunk. She pulled out a rather large beach bag, a towel that she proceeded to throw into the bag, and a cooler. Feferi slung the bag over her shoulder and Nepeta opened the cooler.
"What did you pack in-" she stared at the contents of the cooler in shock. "You brought beer? None of us here are of age!"
Feferi laughed while Nepeta slammed the cooler shut and shoved it into Feferi's arms. Eridan's car pulled up and parked next to Feferi's, and Eridan got out of the car while Karkat began looking for his swim trunks he seemed to have misplaced during the car ride.
"Calm down. We're on private property, no one's here to catch us or stop us, so why not?"
Feferi noticed her uneasiness and she elbowed her. "Hey lighten up, Eridan and I used to throw parties out here as teenagers all the time. You won't get caught, I promise. We know what we're doing, relax, and have some fun!"
Nepeta bit her lip. "I don't know... I've never done anything illegal..."
Feferi grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Well then, it's about time you started."
"What are you two talking about?" Eridan asked, jumping into their conversation.
"Nepeta is unhappy because I brought some beer."
"Wait, what? You guys brought alcohol?" Karkat asked as he stepped out of the car, revolted.
"Well my mom doesn't care, so why not?" Feferi said. "Anyways, let's go!"
And just like that, they were off. They hadn't been walking in the sand for very long when Feferi stopped walking. "This a good spot to set up?" She asked no one in particular.
The other three shrugged and mumbled a chorus of "yeah this is fine's."
They all set down their beach towels and stripped of their day clothes. Karkat set off to find someplace to change considering he hadn't originally worn his swim suit to their little day-out.
Nepeta was thankful that Feferi was wearing a one piece too, because that's all Nepeta owned, and she didn't want to feel like she was wearing something out of trend just because it's a one piece. She didn't bother putting on sunscreen, since they were only a few remaining hours of daylight and she was rather pale. She hated water, and couldn't swim to save her life, so she was planning on sun bathing the entire time anyways.
She laid back and closed her eyes, beginning to relax. Before she got very far, however, She heard a loud thud beside her and snapped to attention. Karkat had just slammed his bag on to the ground, he had changed now.
Nepeta tried not to stare...but he stuck out like a sore thumb with his snow white skin.
"I highly doubt this is a good idea...exposing so much skin to the sun." Karkat stated, folding his arms.
"Well, you've already changed so might as well make the best of it," Feferi said, tossing him a bottle of sun screen from her bag.
Nepeta lied back down and put on her sunglasses. She closed her eyes again.
"Alright, who wants to go in the water with me?" Feferi asked.
Nearby, someone opened a can of beer, but no one answered her question.
"Eridan?" Feferi asked.
"No thanks, I'm trying to get a tan," Eridan said to Nepeta's right.
"You're such a queer," Karkat said, to Nepeta's left.
"Shut up Kar," Eridan said, annoyed.
"What about you Nepeta?" Feferi asked.
"I'm trying to relax," Nepeta hissed.
"Karkat?" Feferi asked.
"Fine."
Nepeta didn't feel that same sense of sadness she'd felt the rest of the day whenever they hung out. At this point, she just accepted it. And judging by the fact that there were no sounds of sorrow in Eridan's direction, he felt the same way.
About half an hour passed with nothing interesting happening. Nepeta nearly fell asleep to the sounds of the seagulls, waves crashing on the shore lines, and Feferi and Karkat messing around in the water.
Feferi and Karkat stomped back over to where they sat.
"Hey!" Feferi said.
Eridan and Nepeta both opened their eyes.
"Let's play beach volleyball!"
Nepeta was tired, and really just wanted to sleep. She pulled her groggy self into an upright position and groaned. "But I'm tiiiired."
Feferi held out her hand eagerly, and Nepeta reluctantly took it. Feferi pulled as hard and fast as she could and nearly sent Nepeta back to the ground.
"Come on Eridan!" Feferi urged, punching his arm.
Knowing how much that hurt, Karkat felt a small ounce of sympathy for Eridan.
"Get outta here!" Eridan shouted, swatting her away. He slowly pulled himself up onto his feet.
Feferi grabbed her bag and Eridan grabbed the cooler. Feferi bounded to the nets that were still up from a previous party with the rest of them unenthusiastically in tow.
"Girls against guys!" Feferi chimed out, and she and Nepeta high-fived. She pulled her volleyball out of her bag and tossed it in the air. Nepeta caught it and called out "I'm serving first!" She was excited now, and any tired feelings were replaced with enthusiasm.
Feferi pulled out her iPod and iHome from her bag and set them on top of it. She then began playing EDM music and jumped up onto her feet. She took swig of her beer, emptying the can. She crunched the can in her fist and tossed it behind her. She then half ran, half pranced, to her spot on the sand-court.
"Zero-" Nepeta began, raising the ball.
"Wait! We're having a team meeting!" Karkat called out.
"Kar it's only me an-" Eridan protested.
"Team meeting! Now!" He then ran over to Eridan and began quietly whispering.
"Should we have a team meeting? To come up with a plan or something?" Nepeta asked.
"A plan? We don't need a plan. Well, I suppose we should come up with something," Feferi said, pretending to think. "Okay. Our plan is to KICK ASS!" She and Nepeta then high-fived.
A few moments later, Karkat nodded to Eridan and they broke their huddle.
"Are you boys ready to be beat yet?" Nepeta asked, tossing the ball in the air.
"No, we're ready to win!" Karkat said with a smirk.
Nepeta blushed slightly and caught the ball. "Zero to zero!" She served it and Eridan bumped it to Karkat, who hit it back over the net, only to be spiked by Feferi.
"Boo yah!" Feferi called out, fist pumping the air.
Karkat muttered something under his breath and folded his arms.
"What's that? Couldn't hear you over the sound of victory!" Feferi said, tossing the ball to Nepeta, and then high-fiving her for her legendary ownage.
"You've only got one point," Eridan said, annoyed.
"Can we just get back to the game already?" Karkat asked.
"One-zero!" Nepeta called out, serving the ball again.
Karkat hit it back over the net, and Nepeta returned the favor. Eridan dived and bumped the ball to Karkat, who set it back to Eridan. He tripped over his own feet as he ran for the ball, and fell with a thud into the sand. The ball landed on the back of his head and bounced back to Karkat, who caught it.
"Eridan! What the hell!" Karkat said, and threw it over the net.
Feferi and Nepeta clung onto each other, laughing to the point they were taking deep breaths and holding onto their sore cheeks. Eridan pulled himself out of the sand, his face burning red. "That's not funny! I could've broken my glasses! These are designer frames-they're rare to come by and very expensive!"
"Lighten up Ampurra," Nepeta said, giving him a wink. She and Feferi were finally able to regain their composure and Nepeta retrieved the ball.
"Two-zero!" Nepeta called. She served the ball and Eridan hit it back over the net. Feferi set it to Nepeta, who bumped it back to her, and then she spiked it.
The game took up about an hour of their night, and the final score ended up being 21-8, with the girls coming out as the winners. Alcohol was consumed, but nothing that would make any of them the slightest bit tipsy.
"I'm going to lie down for a few minutes, and then we're all going for a swim." Feferi shouted. She turned off the music and brought all of her things back to where their towels lie and proceeded to relax. Karkat did the same, although he started playing some sort of game on his phone.