View [SHINee]: Such a beautiful view, (take me)
Show me more, the next view, (show me more)
Such a beautiful view,
The sky is beautifully spread,
"Barbaraaaa," Barbara frowns as she flips though her magazine, ignoring Bette's cries for attention. Last time Bette was pleading like this it ended with Barbara replacing her on her date with the head of chess club. "Let's go to the beach." Barbara stops mid page turn and gives a suspicious glance towards Bette, which was a mistake because she has her 'you're a terrible best friend if you don't do this' look on her face and Barbara can feel her resolve crumbling.
Narrowing her eyes at Bette for a split second, she turns back to her article on how straighten frizzy and unkempt hair. "No," She can hear a disappointed puff of air escape Bette's lips. "Besides, whenever you're like this there's always a catch."
Bette fakes a gasp and rest her hand over her heart. "Barbara Gordon, how dare you accuse me of such things? I just wanted to go the beach with best friend so I can get her opinion on which life guard is cute or not." Bette from the month old issue of 'Gotham Style' from Barbara's hands and she turns to snatch it back so quick that her red ponytail slaps the other side of her face.
Her hand catches nothing but open air and Barbara spits hair out of her mouth. "See?" Barbara shouts. "You want me to play matchmaker!" Bette laughs, waving the magazine in front on Barbara.
"Duh." Bette stows the magazine in her purse and Barbara knows that it's a lost cause to retrieve it then. Bette's purse is like the closet from Narnia and just swallows whatever is put in it. "You can get that back when we get to the beach."
Barbara lets herself slump onto the pillow. "It's going to be your fault if I end up with humidity hair forever." Bette scoffs and grabs Barbara by the wrist, pulling Barbara to the closet that contained her multiple bathing suits.
"C'mon time to go life guard hunting."
"You are truly terrible."
So that is how Barbara ends up on the beach in a loose pullover and jean shorts with the sand getting uncomfortably lodged, well, everywhere. She wrinkles her nose from under the beach umbrella as Bette winked at the life guard on top of the tower. "Bette," She lightly punches her friend's arm.
The sun-kissed blonde blows a kiss at him before turning to Barbara. "What?" She asks in a tone that's clearly taunting. "I'm only being friendly." Barbara gives an eye roll and returns her gaze to her recently returned 'Gotham Style' issue.
She makes it through another twenty minutes of reading before Bette bothers her again, which in all honesty is a new record. "Barbara let's play volleyball." Bette tugs on her sleeve and points over to the court, which consists only of sand and a net.
"No way," Don't get her wrong. Barbara is a sporty girl and enjoys a multitude of activities. Just not with the new senior class of Gotham High School and a life guard, who is in her math class. Bette groans and falls back into the sand.
"Why not?" She pleads. "You love sports."
"Since when do I have to be with you for everything?" Barbara snaps and she rests her eyes on the court again.
"Since I took it upon myself to bring you out of your zone." Bette turns her head towards her friend. "A lot of people see you as . . . snappy."
Barbara prefers the words feisty but can definitely see how she can come off as blunt. There was the one time in junior year she told a freshman that he was a child compared to her when he asked her to the dance. Then another time where a classmate wanted to copy notes for English and she accused him of wanting to cheat and found out later that he was just absent a couple of days before.
"Point taken. Fine." Dusting off her shorts she looked down at Bette who just squinted in surprise at her. "You coming?" Bette scrambled up, smiling at how easy it was to persuade her friend.
Bette had a fairly easy time sweet talking their way into the match. Meanwhile Barbara identifies the seniors as various members of the football team with other sports kids peppered in. The life guard that she identified to be a classmate turns out to be Dick Grayson.
Upon realizing this, Barbara immediately wants to scram and was busy tugging on Bette's sleeve urgently to alert her when he spoke. "Barbara," He waves, jogging over. "You gonna play this match?"
"Yeah." Barbara almost winced at how curt she sounds would really like to bury her head in the sand and never be seen again. Way to be rude to the millionaire's son.
He's not deterred and sticks out his hand. "Get ready for some friendly competition." He smiles slightly with just a small bit of his white teeth showing and Barbara would think it was charming if she had not just agreed to play this game of volleyball by shaking his hand.
If she's going to play, might as well play it right. She smirks, competition isn't something she takes lightly. Barbara also finds out within the next few minutes that it's not something Dick takes lightly either. He scores twice in ten minutes before Barbara actually decides to switch Bette out for someone who can actually play.
Soon after, Barbara scores the winning hit, smugness seeping in her features as Dick laughs and begins chatting with everyone else. Her attitude soon dies out as she's lifted off the ground by various football players. Panic fills her as they march towards the ocean, jovial and loud, unable to hear Barbara's cries. Barbara throws her head back, spotting Bette chatting with Dick and they're already half-way down the beach when Bette finally hears the shouts of her name.
Barbara can't do much to fight against the grip of seven football players as they enter the water. They mean no harm of course, but a simple prank like dumping someone in the water after they win a game is not a prank to someone who can't swim.
She can vaguely hear Bette and Dick splashing their way towards her and the football players. She assesses that the water his up to their chest and with them being as tall as they are it is definitely over her head.
She's dumped in before she can form a sentence and salt water fills her mouth. She thrashes and feels the waves carry her deeper and away from the seniors by at least a couple of yards. There's blurs forming in her vision of the murky ocean water and her chest feels like it's gonna cave in on itself as another wave crashes into her. The last of her breath seeps from her mouth and she can feel a sluggishness overtake her. The last thing she feels are a pair of hands wrapping around waist and tugging her back towards the shore.
She wakes up soaked and covered with moist sand, which is gross, but not as gross as the salt water taste residing in her mouth. Barbara is also aware that there is an equally soaked Dick Grayson hovering over her face and she flails on the sand to get to a sitting position and almost knocks heads with him. "I take that as a sign that you're fine." He grumbles.
"Did you give me CPR? I'm sorry. Did I almost drown? Am I dead? Where are the boys who threw me in?" Barbara spits out questions rapid fire, ignoring Dick's loud chortles. Barbara glares at him through her stringy wet hair matted with sand.
"Yes. You don't have to be sorry for drowning. Yes. No. They ran away as soon as they saw me dive in after you." Barbara ignores the mixed feelings about the CPR and frowns. What kind of people leave after almost drowning a person? Even if it wasn't intentional. "You going to file a report on them?" He jabs his thumb back to point at the life guard station.
"No, not like it was on purpose." Barbara does her best to claw the wet sand out of her hair and wring the salt water out of it. "Besides you were there to save me." She says offhandedly and nearly flinches at the embarrassing comment, her face tinting a nice red over her freckles.
His owns ears are dusted a nice pink and he gives a grin. "I am a life guard after all." There's a thick silence for a minute and Barbara wants nothing more but to wallow in misery. She is never going to go out with Bette again. Speaking of which. . .
"Where's Bette?" Barbara knits her eyebrows, sorta peeved that her best friend seemingly ignored her almost drowning.
"Babs!" Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Arms were thrown around her neck and Bette is wailing. "I'm sorry! I didn't see until last minute and-"
"Bette," Barbara wheezes trying to pry the blonde's arms from around her neck. "I just almost drowned and now you're gonna choke me." Bette immediately retracts her iron grip and shoves a bottle of water in Barbara's face.
"Here," Barbara rolls her eyes unscrewing the cap and taking a swig, washing away the ocean water residue in her mouth.
Bette is crying again, snot running out of her nose. Dick is awkwardly sitting off to the side as Barbara cradles the sobbing girl in her arms and you would think Bette was the one with the near death experience.
"I hope you know," Barbara drawls. "I am not taking your advice ever again."
Bette just gives another wail and Dick cackles from his spot on the sand. What a great way for summer to start.
Ironically, Barbara finds herself at the beach more often after that. With and without Bette. Regardless of whether she's with someone or not it's still odd for someone who almost drowned the week before. It's also especially odd when she only shows up at the beach when Dick Grayson is on life guard duty.
Bette may be airheaded but she's not stupid. "You like him!" She sing-songs, giggling as Barbara kicks sand at her. "Your Prince Charming!" She cries, giving a faux swoon. Barbara kicks more sand at her and is strangely satisfied when she hears. "Gross, you got it in my mouth!" Followed by spitting sounds.
"I don't." Even Barbara knows that's a weak denial.
Bette gives a devilish smile and turns her body, waving at the life guard tower where Dick was perched. "Yoo-hoo!" Bette shouts, her tone teasing.
Barbara's eyes widen. "What are you doing?" She hisses.
"Mr. Grayson, my friend wants to speak to- mmhph!" Barbara tackles Bette into the sand, covering her mouth.
"No I don't!" Barbara shouts at Dick, who has his full attention on them. Even behind his sunglasses Barbara can tell his eyes are full of mirth as he watches Barbara pin the blonde girl to the sand, her hand still covering the laughing girl's mouth.
He nods, giving a pearly smile and Barbara has too much pride to be reduced to a swooning girl. Barbara sighs in relief and releases Bette, who is hysterical and mocking.
Barbara takes the rest of her teasing like a champ, just happy that Dick had taken no notice of her.
Well, that was until he did. Barbara was just hoping to get off the beach unscathed and yet . . . "Hey Babs," Barbara raises a brow at the nickname. "Glad you could stay out of the water this time." He smiles like he's being genuine and Barbara scoffs.
"Don't worry though, I'll be on shift to save you if you do. You always seem to be here on my shift anyway." Barbara reddens and Dick's grin widens.
"I hate you." He lets out a loud and bellowing laugh.
What a great way for summer to start.
a/n: this was different and longer but eyy it's done. shout out to jdcocoagirl for actually leaving a review. next chapter i have no plans for, i only have two unfinished chapters and one chapter for a multichapter fic. if anyone has any themes they would want for the next chapter just tell me in a review. which you should also leave. honestly.