A/N - I feel that any darkest minds fanfiction writer writes about this beach scene at least once in their life.This is my take on it, but it still connects with the AU.
All rights to Bracken. Adding those last pages to the first book was a curse yet a blessing.
Thanks for all the reads!! I only publish chapters after I've made sure at least someone read the one before, so thanks for even bothering to scroll down this page😄😄😄😄
So sorry it took so long, school just started and stuff, but that's not really a good excuse. I ALWAYS make time for reading, and now I just have to learn to fit writing into that very unorganized schedule😜
Enjoy!

Ruby's POV

The next two months of school wasn't... Torture I guess.
To be honest, it was kind of nice. I've gotten to know Liam better, Chubs is less cold to me, and Vida is my girliest friend. Truth be told she's my only girl friend at school, but it's still surprising how different she is on the inside than what she shows on the outside. I'm never one to want to go shopping, and I thought Vida and I had that in common, but I could not have been more wrong. Last weekend, right after school ended, she dragged me to the mall, and we spent 6 hours trying on clothes.
6 hours!!!
That's more than the amount I have spent at the mall in 16 years of my life!!!
It wasn't all horrible. I was able to get a bathing suit. Despite Vida's protests, it's a one piece that's emerald green with spaghetti straps. It's really lovely, and matches perfectly with my green sundress.
Today actually looks like a great beach day. The air is humid and the sky is a bright blue, with few clouds in the sky.
Nearing the beginning of summer, I got a part time job at the ice cream parlor in the middle of town. It was a place where I could pass time during the summer, earn money, and sneak out tons of "free" ice cream.
"Hey, Olivia?" I called my boss."Would it be okay if I clocked out an hour early today?"
"Sure, just come back tomorrow."
"Ok" and I was outta there.
I'm really looking forward to hanging out at the beach. I haven't had much time to relax lately, and walking on the sand with music from the doors blasting in my ears is just what I needed.

Liam's POV

It's a nice day, so my step-dad Harry, Cole, and I wanted to play beach volleyball.
I love the game.
I stink at it big time, but I still love it.
It was me, against Cole and Harry. You would think that since I have a disadvantage, I would have another person on my team, but no. This way, when I hit the ball at the pole and it rebounds on my side, I am the only one who can get hurt. But even that's an accomplishment since it meant that I actually hit the ball.
We were in the middle of a... Um.. Rally, I think it's called, when I saw green. It was Ruby, in her flowing green dress, with big dark shades covering her eyes. She was swaying around to the music in her ears, and I wanted more than anything to be able to enjoy it with her.
Her and I are just friends. And honestly, times like this, when she looks so content and beautiful, I kinda hate it. It reminds me that we aren't together and probably won't ever be.
It reminds me that I'm living in a fantasy.
The ball heading towards me broke me out of my thoughts, and I smacked it, hard, in surprise. It went over the net, a good sign, then went right, and hit Ruby right on the head.
A bad sign.

Ruby's POV

I saw Liam while he was playing beach volleyball. Of course he was losing, badly, since he missed the ball by at least a foot every time. But he looked so happy just playing the game, like he didn't mind at all that he sucks.
I have to say though, Liam in just a bathing suit is... Perfect.
He looks, I don't wanna say it, but hot...basically. I don't even know any other word to describe it.
But it's okay, because we have gotten closer over these months. Not close like that, but good friends. We love the same music, his jokes and nick names always make me laugh, and the way he faces every situation with his passion filled heart makes him soooo sweet... And maybe even more attractive to me.
But hey! I'm allowed to have my own thoughts, as long as I don't act on anything...
I stop shortly to look down at my phone, to change the song. When I look forward again, I'm faced with a volleyball.
Ouch

Liam's POV

She crumbles to the ground!!! She collapses!! She falls!! Whatever it is, it's my fault!
I run quickly over to her, to make sure she's at least conscious.
She is, thank god.
"Oh my god! Ruby, I'm so sorry!" I speak rapidly. "It was an accident I swear! Are you hurt badly, do you need an ambulance. Please say no, please, please! Say something!" I look at her with wide eyes.
She takes off her sunglasses. She looks up at me, at my hands on her shoulders, then back at me.
"You have terrible aim you know that?"
I sigh in relief loudly, and lean on her, like an enormous weight has been lifted from my back.
"You scared the hell out of me" I say semi-playfully. "But are you okay? Seriously, does your head hurt?"
"Well yeah, my head hurts a little but I'm okay. But you owe me now. If I hit you with a volleyball, I would instantly offer to take you out for ice cream. Free of charge."
I laugh.
"Sure darlin'. Whatever you want, my treat."
I helped her up, and we start walking to the boardwalk.
"Hey Liam! Interesting how you put sleeping beauty back to sleep" Cole shouts.
I make a face back and say "I woke her back up, didn't I."
Before he can respond, I turn around and jog out of earshot, pulling Ruby along with me.
"Sorry about him. He's an asshole 99% of the time, and you just keep catching him on his normal days."
Ruby laughs, a light, soft sound.
I can't help but smile too, tugging her along after me on the boardwalk.
"Where are we going?" She asks.
"This little ice cream parlor over there. It's very fancy, top notch I guarantee" I say, with my amazing British accent.
Ruby makes a disgusted face.
"Was that Jamaican?"
My jaw drops. The insults she gives really hurt.
"For your information Miss I'm-the-best-impressionist-ever, I took a class teaching me accents from all over the world. For three weeks!"
"No way" she says, eyes wide. "If that's true, it was a waste of money." She's laughing hysterically now. The most wonderful sound in the world.
Of course I didn't take an impressions class.
I'm not even sure if they exist!
But the white lie was all worth it to hear Ruby's laugh.
"Never mind about the classes, here's the place" I say, and open the door for her, all gentlemanly.
"Hmmm, so fancy" she says, sarcastically.
At first, I don't understand why. This place was newly renovated when I came a few years ago.
But now... Yikes.
The wallpaper is peeling, the lights overhead are cracked, and the place is swarming with fruit flies.
"Whoa" is all I can say.
"If this is your type of "fancy" place, remind me to never go out with you again" she says jokingly.
But I'm seriously worried. The first place that I ever take Ruby is a dump!
This can't be good for later occasions! I can already see it: I ask Ruby to go out to a fancy restaurant over the holidays, and she'll say "oh, fancy like the ice cream parlor?" Then she'll laugh with her new boyfriend who just proposed to her at a real high end restaurant, then they'll have kids, and move away, and I'll never get to see or go out to eat with her because she thinks I have horrible taste in dining places!!!!
I just a ruined my whole future with her!
Wait...
Future with her...???
"Liam!"
"Wha...?"
"What flavor do you want? You've been spaced out for minutes" Ruby says.
I stare at her, open mouthed.
"You still want to eat here? Even though it looks... Like this?"
"Who cares, the ice cream's good" she says with her mouth full.
I grin like an idiot. I can't even explain how great it feels to know that she doesn't plan her future based on a single outing.
I get a chocolate scoop, and we sit down at a small table, just talking. We make fun of Chubs and talk about music. I tell her a little more about life before I moved, like how my dad was a bit of a monster, but nothing more. But she doesn't treat me like a sad puppy, she has her own sob story, and I'm just here to listen. She tells me about her old private school, Thurmound, and by the way she tells it, it seems like a living hell.
"It wasn't really horrible since I had friends. And I was always there, getting myself in trouble to work in the gardens with Sam every time she slipped up. Which was a little too many for my taste" she laughs a little, like that hell school was alright.
"So, you had friends, any... Guy friends?" I try to ask, casually. Totally keeping my voice level.
Her expression darkens slightly.
"There was only this creep, named Clancy, but he never really bothered me after Sam told him off."
"Wait, what the hell did he do?" I say, suddenly angry that a guy would even think of bothering Ruby.
"Not much, honest. It was my first year there, and he was just being an... Asshole, I guess. I don't want to talk about it right now, okay?"
I nod, though this conversation is not over. She'll tell me when she's ready, and I'll listen... Then catch a bus to Salem and beat the shit out of Clancy.
"Then, I'll take you home, If you trust me to not spontaneously hit you with a volleyball" I joke.
She nods. "I don't know. Being with you is always a risk. Magical sports equipment always ends up hitting you in the face, or anyone within ten feet of you,"
Ha, that just makes me remember every one of my sports tryouts. Seriously, who would've guessed that the gym closet's lock would explode, and all the doge balls would come rolling out right when I was swimming laps in the pool.
We walked towards her house, and stopped on the sidewalk right before it.
"I just want to let you know that anyone who's crazy enough to bother you is seriously messed up in the brain" I say.
She looks down at her feet. "Thanks. And I mean for everything. Best ice cream I've ever had."
I chuckle softly.
"No problem darlin'."
Then I lean down and plant a soft kiss on her cheek. At least, it was meant for her cheek.
She turned her head at the last second, and my lips are now on hers. At first, I'm rigid, really surprised.
Then I bring my hand up and cup her cheek, her lips so soft against mine. I deepen the kiss, and her hands are clutching to the front of my shirt. She's on the tip of her toes, so I bring my other hand to hold her waist.
I could stay like this forever, but all amazing things must come to an end.
I break away first, my forehead against hers, breathing heavily.
"Well, um" *cough* "Good night" I let go, and turn around.
Home is my next destination, and I'm smiling like a lunatic.

A/N - ok, so I've never done a kissing scene before, plus it was their first so I hope it's not too descriptive, or not enough. Idk. It sounds horrible to me, I was cringing the whole time, but maybe it sounds better to a reader. I really hope so😁😅. I definitely need feedback, please!
Um... Oh! And the part with Clancy, I might elaborate in later chapters, or it might be one of those things where you imagine what happened between him and Ruby in 9th grade. I'm not sure yet. If you have a particular preference, then please, let me know. I still have a bunch more ideas, so this is definitely not going to be over anytime soon. Thanks for comment(s)😄😄😄
Panda out