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Dawn
Dawn sat on the soft sand she traced her fingers through the warm sand feeling the grains slide between her fingers. The temped sea breeze ruffled her hair tickling the back of her neck. Dawn lay back on her hands and looked up into the overcast sky. The clouds clustered together in large fluffy grey clouds. She groaned feeling her stomach grumble from hunger. After she had woken up to the screams of her friends, Ashley and May, she'd been too engrossed with trying to mediate between the two teens that she had not eaten anything, and then the boys had returned from their morning swim she thought it prudent to stay away from Paul. Now she found herself waiting for her clock to say 8:50 so she could return to their cabin and grab her tote for her first dance class.
"Well I guess I have another hour," she groaned annoyed pulling her hair into a large bun at the top of her head. Her phone rang out in Paul's assigned ringtone. Dawn looked at it her hand hovered above the answer key, 'Should I answer?' she wondered her brow furrowed in uncertainty. Suddenly she pushed the ignore button and turned off her phone shoving it back into her front pockets of her shorts.
"Are you just going to keep ignoring my attempts to reach out towards you?" An apprehensive voice asked behind her.
Dawns back tensed immediately recognizing the voice behind her. She shrugged her shoulders, "I'm just granting your request for space Paul."
She heard him sigh heavily and scooted away as he sat beside her. She spied on him through her peripheral and felt the breath catch in her throat. This was the first time in over three weeks that she was so close to Paul. Dawn gasped inaudibly in shock, 'He's wearing the bracelet I made him!'
Dawn smiled slightly, "I thought you didn't wear jewelry?"
Paul looked up shocked by the sound of her voice. He twirled the black and purple threaded bracelet and smiled, "It was a gift from someone special," he mumbled looking up at her.
Dawn rose her eyebrow, "Hm funny I seem to remember you didn't like it too much when I gave it to you?" She questioned in confusion, "I worked for hours trying to get it perfect," Dawn whispered hugging her knees towards her chest.
"I didn't know how to react to it Dawn but I," he looked away Dawn giggled slightly at his bashfulness. He glared at her in mock annoyance, "I always kept it with me right here," he commented patting his right pants pocket.
"So what prompted you to wear it now?" She asked turning towards him.
Paul ran a hand through his slightly drenched hair leaving a trail where his fingers traced through his purple locks. Dawn subconsciously reached forward and brushed his hair off his forehead. Paul quickly grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers. Dawn blushed feeling the same undeniable spark between them ignite. His hand fit perfectly with hers and Dawn felt at home staring into his deep soulful eyes. Dawn reached up with her free hand and traced the outline of his face hesitantly. Paul smiled slightly at her touch, and he reached for her hair gently removing it from the bun. It tousled down her shoulders, and Paul smiled genially as he ran his hand through her soft cobalt locks.
"P-Paul," she stuttered before throwing her arms around his neck, "I've missed you," she cried into the crook of his neck.
Paul pressed her closer into him as if scared if he let his grip loosen she would vanish. "I've missed you too troublesome," he chuckled lightly stroking her hair.
Dawn laughed slightly before pulling away from his firm hold, and scooted away from him trying to clear her mind. Her senses felt overloaded with the brief contact they had shared. Her nose was filled with the scent of his spicy cinnamon cologne and ocean water. She could still feel the ghost impression of his hand stroking her hair, and his firm warm embrace. Her face felt warm with embarrassment and love. Even after all the fights, and misunderstandings her heart still belonged to him. She turned away from his penetrating stare and looked towards the ocean front.
"Dawn can you give me another chance?" he asked in a strong voice, but when Dawn looked into his face she could see the slight hints of nervousness. His head was cocked to the side and he continued to absentmindedly play with his shorts.
Dawn quickly got up from the sand and dusted herself off. She looked down at Paul and managed to smile slightly, "I love you so much Paul, but we both hurt each other so much."
Paul slowly rose from his spot on the sand and intertwined their hands making Dawns thoughts glaze over in fogginess. "You're afraid we'll continue arguing?"
Dawn nodded biting her lip, "Umhm I just wish things were the way they were before The Sweethearts started touring. When we actually saw each other often and didn't spend all our time fighting."
"I know what you mean, but Dawn I promise if you give me another chance I won't disappoint you." He whispered to her as he leaned in closer with each spoken syllable.
Dawn wanted so badly to believe him and every bone in her body screamed for her to close the distance from their separated lips. Her thoughts began to melt as he wrapped his arms around her small waist, and she trembled with excitement as his breaths kissed her cheek. There was only an inch between their lips and in the instant before it was closed Dawn stepped away. Paul's eyes flashed with hurt before turning indifferent.
"I think we should take our time if that's alright? Last time we just rushed into a relationship, and look where that got us," she grumbled shrugging.
"You're going to stop running from me?" He questioned grabbing his car keys from his shorts pocket.
Dawn nodded bashfully, "Yup so you wanna give me a ride back to the cabin I'm starving!" She asked playfully grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the parking lot.
"Troublesome we have class in ten minutes," he laughed at her pouting face.
Dawn let go of his arm and pulled her phone back out. She turned it on and groaned seeing the time, "Of course that's just my luck!"
Paul grabbed her hand and pulled her along behind him, "Come on I have a banana nut muffin and orange juice in my car. I figured you left without eating, so I bought them on the way here."
Dawn smiled down at their intertwined hands and she realized in that second that everything would be alright. She squeezed his hand lightly making him stop and turn around to face her; his face impassive but his head was cocked to the side in question.
"Thanks for the muffins." She blurted out when in reality she wanted to just kiss him senseless right there.
Paul shrugged, "Sure don't mention it."
Ashley
Ashley scanned the malls courtyard and narrowed her eyes in annoyance seeing James laughing with a group of boys. She felt her phone vibrate and quickly dug it out of her purse. She smiled seeing Gary's name on the screen. Ashley glanced once more at James but decided their conversation could hold off for a few seconds.
Hey Hun
Love Esme was able to talk Briana into staying.
Ashley sighed knowingly of course Esme talked her into staying. That girl had a way with words.
That's great news!
Have you talked to James?
Um no not yet you called me before I went up to him.
Ashley sat on a bench that offered her a perfect view of James.
Good luck hun!
Ashley laughed she didn't need good luck. Somehow she would get that knucklehead to listen to her.
Well I better go now love I'll see you back at the camp.
She got up and strode to the cluster of boys gathered around a department store. Ashley tapped on James shoulder and smiled sweetly at him, before yanking him away from his friends. The boys catcalled from behind them and Ashley sighed in annoyance, "You're friends need to gain some manners."
"Ashley what's gotten into you?" James asked baffled.
Ashley let him go once they were in a desolate hallway between the bathrooms and emergency exit. "I think you should be asking yourself that exact same question." She replied crossing her arms over her chest.
"If this is about Briana I don't want to talk about it," he grunted trying to get past her.
Ashley placed her hand on his chest and pushed him back, "Fine don't talk but you're going to listen."
James shook his head tiredly, "Ashley-"
"Don't Ashley me," she cut him off her hands balled into fists. "Briana has tried everything imaginable to make amends with you, but all you did was push her away. If you would have just spoken to her from the beginning we wouldn't have come up with such a crazy scheme." She reprimanded him.
James laughed sarcastically, "So you're saying this is my fault!"
Ashley sighed tiredly all the fight drained from her evaporated. She leaned her back against the wall. "No I don't mean that but James you do have some blame in this as well." Ashley walked towards him and punched him playfully in the chest, "Can you just consider talking with her James?"
Ashley watched him sigh in defeat, "Okay I'll think about it," he mumbled walking past her and back out into the crowded courtyard.
She leaned back against the cool wall and sighed softly, "Hopefully Brie and James will be able to settle their differences."
Her phone vibrated and she quickly reached for it. A large smile quickly spread across the silver haired teens face as she opened up a picture message from Esme of Dawn and Paul holding hands. "Looks like those two are slowly getting there also."
She giggled before dropping her phone back into her pocket and walking back to her car. She still had three classes to teach before the group made their way to the Music Bar for another night's performance. For a strange reason Ashley had a lingering feeling that tonight's performance would create an important pivot point in the summers outcome.