My note….here's the last chapter. I really had a lot of fun writing this story. I always hoped the writers would give us a vacation storyline and if the rumors are true, there will be a Degrassi two-hour television movie this spring that focuses on a spring break road trip…this I can't wait to see. But for now, we have this...
A DAY AT THE BEACH
CHAPTER 10: SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER
It took over ten minutes for the side splitting, tear inducing laughter to dissolve into soft giggles and breathless chuckles.
The group had some how all managed to gather around the large kitchen table during their laughing fit. "Oh God, that was funny", Marco quipped as he swiped at his wet eyes.
"What's so funny about misssing spray cheese?", Spinner asked incredulously, and the occupants of the table erupted in laughter once more.
"Geez Hun...you really are clueless aren't you?", Paige answered between her giggles.
"No seriously...what's so funny?", he asked again, this time, a little more impatiently.
Jimmy shook his head in amusement. "Spin, we just spent the entire day jumping down each others throats...and all you can think of is spray cheese?", he replied, chuckling a little harder.
"Right", Spinner nodded in agreement, but actually had no idea what Jimmy was talking about. "So, why exactly are we supposed to be fighting?", he asked, thinking he might actually want in on some of the action.
Ellie looked at the other faces around the table and laughed, "I have absolutely nooo idea".
The mood turned solemn as the five pondered the whats and whys of their childish behavior. Sure it was hot with no air conditioning and boring because of the pouring rain...but they were friends, best friends...and small, insignificant things like power outages and thunder storms, shouldn't get in the way of their relationship.
"I can't believe we were fighting for no good reason", Ashley spoke first.
"And acting pretty catty while we were doing it", Ellie added quietly.
"That's what happens when it's been raining for days and the power goes out", Spinner interjected, still annoyed at their continued situation.
"Yeah but we shouldn't've taken it out on each other", Marco defended. "It's not like it was anyone's fault".
"Except maybe mother nature's", Paige cut it, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Marco's right", Jimmy agreed, glancing subtly over at Ashley. "Things happen that you can't control...we just need to make the best of it".
Ellie nodded and started to smile too, "You know what they say...when life hands you lemons...".
"And we do have lemons", Ashley stated with a slight giggle as she held up a few pieces of fruit left over from the marinade she had just made.
"Anyone up for some lemonade?", Paige smirked, raising her brow suggestively.
"But we already have the powder stuff in the pantry", Spinner stated incredulously and pulled the can out the closet for emphasis.
There were rolling eyes, annoyed sighs and shaking heads. "It's just a figure of speech Hun", Paige clarified, thoroughly exasperated with Spinner. "We're all friends...and this is our last night here, we need to make it a special one".
"And just how are we supposed to do that?", Spinner asked skeptically, looking out of the widow at the falling rain...not pouring like it had been, but still steadily coming down.
"I've got some ideas", Marco chuckled cryptically, then turned toward Ashley. "But first, let's get this dinner started".
Ashley smiled and nodded. "Marco, you can get these potatoes washed and wrapped...we'll bake them on the grill first", she suggested, handing Marco a roll of foil.
"Ellie and I can make the salad", Paige offered, attempting to use this chore as a discret way to offer Ellie an apology, without actually having to say the words...the Michalchuck way to make amends . "Right El?".
Ellie put her former contemptuous feelings for Paige aside and smiled genuinely. "Sure".
"Great", Ashley blew out a small, relieved sigh at the exchange and smiled. "I'll try to find something to make for dessert...", she continued, frowing at the containers of melted ice cream sitting in the sink. "...and Spin, you can shuck the corn...".
"Dude, did your girlfriend just swear at me?", Spinner turned to Jimmy and whispered.
Jimmy burst out into laughter and shook his head. "No man...it's what you do to prepare the corn before cooking it", he tried hard to contain his amusement and explain, but from the look on Spinner's face, Jimmy was failing miserably at both. "..like peeling a banana", Jimmy prompted...but again, there was nothing."Here, let me show you", he offered, sighing as he backed away from the table.
Jimmy flinched slightly when he felt a twinge of pain in his back as he pushed forward. He quickly glanced up at Ashley, hoping she hadn't seen...but from the way she was trying hard to avoid his gaze, coupled with the concerned look on her face, Jimmy was sure that she had noticed it too. "But then I'm gonna go take it easy for a while", he announced, grabbing the two sacks of corn and placing them on his lap.
Ashley tentatively looked over her shoulder at Jimmy. Chewing on her lower lip, she worried that he was only doing this to appease her and not because he really needed to rest. The light brush of his hand against hers and the huge grin that was traveling across his lips, assured her otherwise. The couple shared the moment before turning and getting right back to work.
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Ashley tip-toed into the bedroom and slid into the bed next to Jimmy. He was tucked on his side, a position that was a little difficult to obtain, but the most comfortable for Jimmy when his back was bothering him. She scooted over until their faces were mere inches apart and teased, "Hey sleeping beauty...time to get up".
When that got no response, Ashley ran her hand over the side of his head and down his cheek. "Jimmy", she whispered softly, but to no avail. Ashley sat up on her knees and looked over at the nightstand where she expected a medication bottle and glass of water to be... it wasn't there.
"Jimmy", she called, a little more forcefully as she nudged his shoulder. Ashley raised her hand to Jimmy's forhead to check for fever, but he was cool. Afraid that something was seriously wrong, Ashley had just turned to slide off the bed, when a strong arm quickly pulled her back to her former spot.
"Where do ya think you're goin'?", Jimmy asked, his voice still husky with sleep.
Ashley scowled and smacked him across the chest. "Don't ever do that again", she scolded. "You scared me half to death".
"What?", Jimmy asked innocently. "I was just playing along". Ashley looked inquisitively at him and he grinned. "Sleeping beauty...was awakened...with a kiss", he elaborated.
Ashley rolled her eyes and smirked. "Yeah well, I'm not really a fairy tale kinda girl...I'm more for the tragic romance", she revealed, snuggling closer to Jimmy. "...like Romeo and Juliet", she added suggestively and kissed him passionately on the lips.
"They both die at the end, Ash", he teased, knowing full well where she was going with this.
"I know...", Ashley replied between sultry kisses. "but their love was true and pure and...we'd better get out there before dinner gets cold", she announced with one last, lingering kiss before hopping off the bed.
Jimmy twisted his upper half so that he could look at Ashley. "Tease", he mumbled good-naturedly as he adjusted the rest of his body accordingly. Ashley shrugged unpretentiously and offered Jimmy her arm, which he accepted and used to pull himself into a sitting position.
After a little more shifting and positioning, Jimmy was back in his chair with Ashley on his lap. "Feeling better?", she asked sweetly and softly kissed his cheek.
"Much better...thanks", Jimmy answered, hugging her tight. Slightly confused by his declaration of gratitude, Ashley looked at him curiously. Jimmy smiled sheepishly, "For caring about me so much..for reminding me of my limits...for letting me sleep longer than I wanted to...".
"Actually, dinner took a little longer than expected, so I figured I wouldn't bother waking you until it was done", she replied, brushing her concern off as best she could and removing herself from Jimmy's lap.
"I guess I needed the rest", Jimmy stated, cranning his neck back to look up at Ashley.
"You'll be glad you did...", Ashley paused and giggled as she reached down to grab some pillows off of the bed. "...after you see what Marco has planned for us".
"A picnic...", Jimmy questioned. "...in the middle of the living room?".
"Isn't it beautiful?", Paige asked as she waived her hand over the blankets surrounding a circle of lit pillar candles.
"Complete with campfire", Ellie added proudly, lighting the last one.
"And some pretty tasty food", Spinner stated, breaking off another piece of fish and popping it into his mouth.
"You wanna save some of that for the rest of us?", Ellie asked sarcastically and everyone slipped back into their usual demeanor.
Ashley folded a corner of a blanket over so Jimmy could maneuver closer to the couch and then transfer to it. While Jimmy was getting situated, Spinner took on the task of plating the food and passing it around while Marco did the same thing with the drinks.
Ashley took two plates from Spinner and passed them to Jimmy so she could retrieve the drinks...room temperature pop, which actually wouldn't be so bad now that the house had cooled off to around eighty degrees. She handed the drinks to Jimmy and sat beside him, taking a cup from his hand and a plate off of his lap before snuggling up against him to eat.
"This is so cool", Ellie gushed happily as she took a seat next to Marco on the floor.
"Yeah it is", Paige agreed, automatically gravitating to the armchair behind Spinner.
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Dinner, for the most part, was eaten in silence. Only a few words were spoken through out the entire meal...mostly someone asking for a refill, or an extra napkin, or for seconds...
There was something comforting about sitting there in the candle lit room, with your best friends by your side. "So, what's for dessert?", Spinner asked, breaking through the soothing silence.
Marco winked at Ashley. "It's a surprise", he announced as he stood up and pulled Ashley along with him. "We'll be right back".
"I wonder what they're up to", Ellie stated, looking quizzically at Spinner, then over to Jimmy who just shrugged...equally curious.
Marco and Ashley came back into the room about a minute later, each armed with a tray filled with different foods and supplies. "Okay, I know we planned on making traditional, normal, old s'mores on our last day here...but nothing about this day has been normal", Ashley joked as she and Marco knelt in front of the 'fire'.
"And since our chocolate bars and marshmallows didn't fare too well in the heat...Ash had this great idea to improvise so we could still have the taste of traditional s'mores and use up a lot of the left over food", Marco explained as he placed a sauce pan on top of the contraption they set up over the burning candles.
The two procceded to unwrap the chocolate bars, which were already nearly liquified and place them into the pot with the bag of clumped marshmallows. "See...s'more fondue", Ashley presented proudly, stirring the concoction carefully.
Everyone started to gather around the pot. Ashley handed the wooden spoon to Marco and walked over to Jimmy, looking at him expectantly...it was then that he realized why she'd brought out the extra pillows. Jimmy smiled up at her and without the hesitated or embarrassment he had when they first arrived, he gracefully transferred to the blanket covered floor.
But even with the pillows propped up against the couch, Jimmy was still too far away from the campfire. Ashley saw a look of disappointment cross over his face and without missing a beat, she leant down and whispered, "Get as close as you can...I have an idea".
Jimmy did what he was told and Ashley returned seconds later with his chair. Jimmy wrinkled his face in confusion as Ashley set the chair side ways, behind him. She placed the pillows against the wheel, "That should do it", she declared, and waited for him to get comfortable before leaning her body against his left side...so she could offer him a little more support while she cuddled close to him.
"It's ready", Marco announced anxiously. Without another word, they all dipped the closest food item to them, into the bubbling pot. Soon, graham crackers, pound cake, pretzel rods...and even a few left over strawberries were covered in the chocolate mixture.
"This is so better than the traditional way", Marco stated as he dipped in another cracker.
"And way messier", Ellie added, licking the oozing liquid from her fingers.
"And actually edible", Paige quipped, causing the others to pause momentarily and stare at her. "No chance of Spinner charring the marshmallows into dust", she chuckled.
"Oh my God...I completely forgot about that", Ellie gasped into a fit of giggles. Spinner wasn't quite so amused.
"That's probably the last time I actually had s'mores", Jimmy realized.
"When was this?", Ashley asked curiously.
"That right...you weren't there Hun", Paige recalled. "Saturday trip to the beach...grade ten...October 2003".
"Yeah, I think you and Craig were watching Angie that weeked", timidly, Ellie reminded Ashley.
"Right...that's when Mr. Simpson was just becoming sick", she remembered.
"And we were still together", Spinner directed toward Paige. She nodded solemly and took a small bite of her drenched cake.
"We were together too", Marco added as he wrapped his arm around Ellie and hugged her.
"Yeah, but you were in love with Dylan", she teased sarcastically.
"Some things never change", he admitted playfully.
"And yet so much has changed since then", Jimmy offered quietly, looking down at his lap, to find Ashley's hand absently running over his knee.
Ashley stilled and locked eyes with him. She knew he was talking about much more than the just shooting and he was right...so much had chaged. "But this never will", she stated certainly as the others looked on expectantly. "...all of us, together...as friends".
Smiles and nods confirmed they all felt the same. Jimmy pulled Ashley closer and rested his cheek against the top of her head. "No, never", he whispered into her hair...and this time Ashley knew he was talking about his love for her. Ashley's eyes suddenly filled with happy tears.
Just as the group was lost, reflecting on there own thoughts...the power went back on. The welcomed sound on the air conditioner was offset by the mood-ruining glare from the bright lights and blaring television. Jimmy reluctantly let Ashley go, when she stood to turn the offending utilities, back off.
Once the room was quiet and dim again, Ashley stepped over Jimmy's outstretched legs and settled down next to him again. She snatched a pretzel from the tray and dipped it into the pot. "So, where were we...".
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All done...and right on schedule despite my impromptu road trip and the endless auditions for class placement this week. I really hope you guys liked it...I really try hard to make my stories enjoyable without repeating my storylines in any way.
I'm sorry for not updating Hungry Eyes yet...I promise I'll work on it this weekend.
To all of my reviewers, thank you...especially...SammyWammy, Sunshyne08, lilfiftyfour and havocmangawip. You guys are wonderful!!!
Degrassi does not belong to me.