Chapter 2: Five Years Back

"So boring, I'm tired of all these papers to fill out. When will the schoolwork end?" Brian huffed as he sprawled papers out across every surface he could keep paper. Brian was particularly stressed in his education class and as such had notes taped to the ceiling above his bed in hopes he would get smarter while sleeping. Brian's dorm room was 10 feet by 10 feet and would have been a perfect cube if it hadn't been for the stupid slant. Brian lived on the fourth floor of his building and for some reason unbeknownst to anybody (except maybe some obscure Mayan architect that obviously created the doomsday) had a slant.

"Dude chill out the test isn't till 10am tomorrow it'll be fine!" A wiry blonde guy peeked into the room and laughed at bit at Brian's exasperation.

"Tyler, you really aren't helping, well unless you want to go get tacos." Brian's head lifted from a very large book and at the mention of tacos his eyebrows lifted and his stomach growled. Tyler was Brian's best friend though not roommates many thought that he was as on Saturdays Tyler, Brian, and Lee would all be playing video games late into the night.

"Let me think tacos or books…Tacos" Tyler almost leapt as Brian darted out of his chair and threw on a jacket. "Dude you ready for the summer? I hear your family and Lisa's are going to the beach right?"

"Ya where did you hear that? Yes it will be awesome no doubt about that." Brian closed his laptop and chased after Tyler, who by now had recruited Lee into a late taco run. "Ya I asked her if her family would like to come with mine to Florida. I'm going to see if my and her can go reef diving." Brian started to talk with his hands (something he very rarely did the only exception was when talking about Lisa).

"Diving, you ever dive before?" Tyler chuckled and continued "you going to look for love fish or whatever those kissing fish are?" Tyler and Lee had reached the car and the calling of shotgun of had begun.

"I have never been diving, I was hoping me and Lisa could learn together, ya know like a couple thing. Like some couples have hiking or something like that I thought we could try diving" Brian found himself sitting in the back of the car crammed against old taco wrappers and soda bottles. "Hey so changing the subject I thing and unknown entity may or may not be trying to launch space flights back here. I think we need to clean up or else charge rent"

"Whatever man, diving, hiking, or playing hopscotch you two will be happy. As far as the car goes its Tyler's car so we can help." Finally Lee chimed in and usual commanded a certain amount of attention.

By now the trio had gotten to the taco shop and on the way back continued talking merrily about random things including their upcoming finals. As they got back to their building the conversation died and they went up to watch a movie and eat tacos. The three made their way through finals and somehow all of them ended up with A's and B's which at this institution was impossible as a B is a 95%. Throughout that finals week many games on the television were played and many good natured insults went through the air (some including pets and a mongoose)

3 weeks later

Brian was seated next to Lisa on the plane to Florida; Lisa was sound asleep and leaning against his shoulder. Brian had his music player turned on and one ear piece was in Lisa's ear and one in his ear. Lisa's parents were sitting in front of them, with her brothers and sisters in front of them. Brian's family was all near the front of the plane; Brian's dad earned a lot of flyer miles and as such always got upgrades. Brian turned down a seat upgrade as he wanted to sit by Lisa. Lisa didn't fly a lot and was nervous getting aboard the plane (and her brothers didn't help) and was comforted to sit next to Brian. Brian drifted in and out of sleep and finally his eyes succumb and closed for a bit; Brian dreamt of being in the ocean with Lisa. When Brian awoke he was being shaken by Lisa who now was awake and telling him that the plane had landed and it was their turn to vacate the plane. Brian reached into the planes overhead compartment and took Lisa's bag and his own. Lisa tried to take her bag but Brian didn't give it to her as he believed chivalry was not dead. Brian's family and Lisa's family was on different floors (so as to provide some distance between the two). As soon as Brian could he switched to his swim trunks and he headed to the lobby. Brian waited there and overheard a bit of a conversation.

"Eli, did you hear that the hotel manager said that the oysters around here produce blue pearls?" a little old blonde granny almost yelled into her husband's ear. The gentlemen did the only reasonable thing a man his age would do when being shrilled at by his wife. As he turned down his hearing aid he spoke

"Esther, what makes you think I care? I am an old man I'm not going to be diving for no silly rock. For Pete's sake I wouldn't dive for any reason!" the old man clearly senile started making swimming motions.

"What if I was drowning?" the lady started to fuss and make the same motions.

"I'd get a boat!" by now the friendly conversation had now turned to an argument. Brian knew that he shouldn't be listening to other conversations but he was highly amused by this elderly couple

"No I'd get a boat off your life insurance, you know I've been paying into it all this time." The old man started preening at his thinning curly hair like he was getting ready for something. "We came down here for our anniversary but I'm getting tired of celebrating things. It's birthdays and feasts every dangum month!" Eli began wringing his hands and it was at this time Brian walked up to them and said

"Mozel tov, I hope me and my girlfriend are nothing like you to at your age, no offense" Brian slightly frowned and then later chuckled to himself as he walked away. He was recapping the last few minutes trying to remember it so he could tell Lisa. He heard Lisa's voice and he turned around and began to speak "Lisa you would not believe" he stutter for a second as he saw Lisa "You-your-your very b-beautiful!" Brian had never stuttered before but Lisa was indeed beautiful. She had a one piece bathing suit but she had a wrap around her waist; her entire wardrobe was blue with faded white sunrises.

"Honey, pick your jaw up and lets go swimming." Lisa beaconed to the door and Brian would have followed her on some voyage to a volcano; she had his heart. Lisa took Brian by the hand and led him to the pier; he then remembers he had a gift for her. Today was not only Eli and Esther's millionth anniversary but it was Lisa and Brian's two year anniversary. Brian produced a pale pink snorkel and mask to Lisa and she produced a black and blue snorkel to Brian. They both put them on and took a running jump off the pier into the warm ocean waters. As they swam around Brian accidentally cut his arm on a shell and he picked up the offending oyster. Perhaps out a moment that would infuriate animal cruelty groups he pried the oyster open as some sort of animalistic revenge. As he rended the shell open he came upon the roundest pearl he had ever seen. This was no ordinary pearl but rather it was a tint of blue in the pearl; he quickly put it in his dive bag and continued on. When Lisa saw the cut on Brian's arm she swam up to him and tenderly kissed his arm. He looked her in the eye and said

"Lisa, I could kiss you but you know" Brian tightened his mouth and shrugged.

"Brian, I can wait to kiss you; after all our first kiss would be perfect at the altar" Lisa pulled herself into his arms and kissed his cheek. Brian held her tight which accidentally opened the cut and allowed blood to trickle out and into the water.

"Hey so, my arm is bleeding and ya so we are in the ocean… Not sure if it's a wise idea I mean sharks and junk but hey no worry id fight a shark for you." Brian smiled big as he scratched the back of his head and he lifted Lisa up out of the water (as she was holding onto his arm)

"Ya while I know my man is well manly I like him to be alive and not resting in the belly of a shark" Lisa slightly laughed though Brian saw right through her laughter and started to swim towards the shore. It wasn't till they reached the shore and Lisa had patched his arm up that he remembered the pearl in his dive bag. He intended to keep the pearl as a surprise, how he ever intended to keep a pearl a surprise he had no clue.

On the last day of their Florida vacation Lisa and Brian sat on deck chairs watching the sunset, both imagined the day when they would be married and enjoying the sunset as a couple.

Present day

Lisa played with her new wedding ring; she was nervous about going to Brian's grandparents in California. She had never met them, but she knew that they raised his father and his father raised Brian so they couldn't be too bad. She also knew they was going diving at Monterey; Brian's parents used to dive out of their and she hoped one day to recall fondly their diving days. Lisa chuckled about the thought of kids; after all they just got married last week.

Chapter 2 Fin