The Beach

Lolly hated flowers

And the beach.

The sun burned her eyes, the little kid next to her had “accidentally” kicked sand in her face (for a third time) and a stupid seagull had already stolen her turkey sandwich. And the flowers-

“Lolly!” A girl with a variety of multi-colored barrettes in her blond hair bounded toward her. A strange looking boy carrying a bright orange backpack strolled a few steps behind.

Oh grand.

People.

Lolly, unlike most people who dressed in all black and religiously wore combat boots, actually liked most people. But at present, she was not fond of her best friend Mark, who insisted they all meet at the beach, or her girlfriend Sylvia who insisted Lolly carry the carnations Sylvia had given to her yesterday.

“Yay! You have them!” Sylvia beamed at her and pecked her on the cheek. For a few seconds Lolly didn’t hate the flowers at all. “Wow, you even wear them to the beach?” The blond asked staring at Lolly’s gargantuan black boots.

“I never go to the beach. I hate the beach. You know that!” Lolly countered.

“She doesn’t know it, but I do.” Mark put down the blanket and smiled, revealing lime green braces.

“How could you hate the beach? It’s like I hardly know you!” Sylvia flipped her hair dramatically; the plastic barrettes clinked together and amplified the movement. “Well, just because you don’t enjoy the beach doesn’t mean I can’t. I’m off!” She bounded toward the water, plastic barrettes flying from her head as she did so.

“Why am I dating her?” Lolly muttered trying, and failing, not to grin.

Mark, adjusted his glasses, which matched his braces, paused and then said:

“You’re still holding the flowers.”

“Ah!” She cast them aside hurriedly, not wanting Mark to know that when Sylvia smiled she loved them. “Why the hell do people like those things?”

“They’re atheistically pleasing.”

“They’re severed reproductive organs. We’ve had this conversation a million times. now, what did you want to talk to me about, and why here are we here for god’s sake? A seagull-“

“-already stole your sandwich. Don’t worry I bought an extra.” He drug into his brilliant orange pack and tossed out a turkey on rye. “To answer your second question, the ocean calms me.”

“Fine. Now lets talk so I can get out of here.”

Mark turned his bulging blue eyes toward her. They always looked insightful, and unnerving, whether they were at a premiere Shakespeare production or in the line at a drive-thru.

“Have you told her?”

“Who? Told what? What are you talking about?”

“You know what I mean.”

Lolly sighed. Did he have to know just everything? “Fine. And no. I haven’t.”

“Good. Don’t.”

“I know I should, I just don’t feel. . . .wait, what?

“Don’t tell her.”

“What the hell do you mean ‘don’t’? I’ve never seen you not tell me to share my freakin’ feelings.”

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“I have right to tell her I love her!”

Mark winced at the words. “Of course you do. You just shouldn’t.”

“I’ll show you! I’ll tell her right now! Sylvia -“

With one quick movement, before Sylvia could even turn around, Mark tackled Lolly to the ground.

“Do you have to be so contrary?” he sighed while pressing her securely against the sand.

“What the hell Mark?” She exclaimed as she tried to push him off. “First you drag me to the beach, then you-”

“She’s cheating on you.”

Lolly’s struggling body grew limp. Her eyes traveled to the water and saw Sylvia laughing as another waves swept over her.

“Are you okay?”

Lolly covered his mouth his one hand and gripped his left should with the other. “Stop.” She said carefully. “Stop . . .LYING TO ME!” She pushed him violently, stronger that she had ever pushed anyone, and he fell. Lolly stood up and looked down and him.

“Leave.”

Mark made no protest, asked no questions. He simply picked up his orange backpack. As he turned to leave Lolly chucked the turkey sandwich at his retreating form. He stopped at this, looked as though he might turn around, but then drew his back straight and continued forward.

“What’s going on?”

Lolly turned and saw Sylvia, out of breath with water droplets glistening in her hair. “I heard yelling and I saw you-”

“I love you.”

“What?”

“You should know.”

Lolly crushed the carnations under her combat boots as she walked away.