~Shall we explore~

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Everybody finished up their gourmet meals and left a heck of a mess for the employees on table duty. We all clambered back to our set of limos and raced off to our next location. Their was just a short hour before the dance started, and although nobody went right on time, we didn't want to be late, either.


"Where are we heading to next?" Riley imposed sweetly. She's not the type that enjoys to be kept wondering. We have that in common. Her date wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in.


"You'll just have to wait and see." She huffed out, turning to the window. The dude driving cranked the music, and we all sang along to Blink 182's "Please Tell Me Why." Well, most of us. Jaxon and his date were in the silent corner of the limo, either much too cool to join in, or having some sort of prejudice against a good time. Either way, it's not my problem.


"How come we're driving so far up?" I asked Austen, referring to the heavy incline the limos were taking. Out the window, I could make out more ocean lined with black water, while we climbed higher up a steep sandy hill. Austen shook his head with that dimpled smile, and I knew the case was closed. No information would be slipping. Me and Riley shared the same longing look, and sighed, slumping into our seats.


Just a little ways further, and the hill finally reached its peak. The limo leveled out on the flat ground and pulled off to the side. There was an obsolete square building down crammed into the rocky line of the beach, lit by a single lantern. A distance away stood a red-striped lighthouse, which seemed to cut through the clouds straight into heaven, it was so tall. Just like the pictures, a light was whirling around inside, gently grazing a yellow path over the water.I'd kill to see the view from up there. It's probably locked...


I turned the door handle and stood out on the cliff's edge, admiring the beautiful place I never even knew existed. The beach looked habitual and outdated, like the setting of a vintage Hollywood film, where a girl in a polka dot swimsuit and matching scarlet lipstick would be found sprawled across the sand on a hot summers day. It was a level of classiness that's impossible to find in these days. I had to come back here in the day and soak up that 1940's atmospheric air.


Austen came out of the limo along with everyone else. He filled the empty space by my side and slipped a hand around my waist. Yup, definitely not used to this.


"You've discovered paradise," I mumbled quietly. Austen chuckled, cocking his head to the rest of our group filing down the cliff.


"Here, come on. How bout we go check it out?" I just nodded, following his lead down the narrow dune trail. As we neared the shore, you could make out a line of little boats bobbing up and down in the shallow water, each one with a lantern attached to the front. Riley squealed next to me, and I bumped into her side, giggling.


"Ladies, we have a little romantic outing planned. Sadly, though, there isn't enough for each couple, so it'll have to be four to a boat." The chirpy soul announcing this to us didn't notice that most the girls weren't listening. We were too busy hastily unstrapping our heels, ready to get into the water. I was one of the first one's barefoot, and before anyone could beat me to it, I grabbed Austen's hand, used my spare hand to lift my dress off the sand, and ran with a sudden burst of energy.


Austen tripped over his own feet countless times trying to keep up with me. I towed him along to the waters edge, feeling the cold water slip between my toes. We waded through the shallows and jumped right into the first boat to the far left. I got in too fast, feeling it rock back and forth.


"Whoooooaaa I need support here!" I cried. Austen stepped in, steadying it a little. We danced around until it became somewhat balanced. I laughed, plopping onto the bench in the middle, across from Austen seated in the front.


The rest of the couples filled the other boats fast, leaving Riley and her date boat-less. What a perfect scenario.


"Riley, my main squeeze! We have room to cram you in!" I exclaimed, scooting over to prove it. She grinned at me, but then went serious while discussing it with her date. I didn't know him from Carolina, and he looked a little uncomfortable eyeing our boat. Another couple offered to trade spots so Riley's date could be with one of the guy's he knew. They began in the other direction.


"Sorry Bailey, we're going to go in this boat..." Riley apologized.


"No worries! I don't hold any grudges," I replied cheekily, feeling like I was emotionally high. Nothing could tear me down here. I was about to embark on an enchanting boat ride with my boyfriend. This night could not get any better.


Me and Austen discovered the paddles safely tucked into the side of the boat and rationed them out. I handed one to him, since he was in the front, and waited to hand back the other paddle to whoever sat in the rear. The silhouette of two couples neared our boat slowly.


"Come on in! Don't be shy!" I tapped the side of the boat, giving an overly friendly invitation. The guy raced through the water, while his date held back. He had to go back, grab her, and pull her along rather harshly. I heard a squealing complaint, and before I knew it, they came within the lantern's light radius. Ugh. What are the odds. My favorite couple.


"Thanks for letting us come hang out with you guys! This is soooooo fetchin fun!" Jaxon piped in mock excitement. I rolled my eyes, looking at Austen with a tight smile. He watched them with a stern expression. They won't ruin this for us. They can't.


As soon as Jaxon climbed into the boat, I shoved the paddle into his arms.


"Don't abuse the power of the paddle," I told him. He closed his hand over mine, and I had to wriggle it out of his tight grip. His date Sierra glared; she had a really good glare face. They were both squished in the back row, while I took up the middle bench, with Austen occupying the very front.


"Everyone in? Okay. Letsgooooo," Austen said, striking the paddle through the water. We slowly made our way over the soft waves, water splashing up on the edge. I held onto the bench, looking ahead at the black. Jaxon paddled in sync with Austen, actually doing something right for once.


We paddled out towards that invisible line where the waves no longer form. The moon was big and full and low in the sky, casting a path for us to follow. The water was a dense pool of dark stony blue. We were quiet, listening to the music of the ocean.


Something wet and hard smacked into the back of my head. It didn't hurt too much, but it was definitely enough to piss me off. I spun around, staring into Jaxon's obnoxiously mesmerizing eyes. The moon reflected off them, making him appear innocent and quite angelic.


"What was that for?" I asked, my patience for his little antics disintegrating. He gazed at me, raising his eyebrows.


"What was what for?" What's the point of arguing this. I huffed out, turning back around. Austen turned his head to the side slightly and smiled at me. I returned the favor, letting him know it wouldn't get to me. This was me and Austen's date.


The same wet, hard thing hit my arm, and it actually stung a little this time. I sighed, spinning back around. Jaxon was smirking now.


"Cut it out. Seriously. I don't appreciate it." I turned back around. The boat swayed a little, and I felt Jaxon getting closer.


"Sorry to upset you babe. I would never mean to hurt you. I'll be more careful from now on," Jaxon cooed in a mushy deep voice. I could feel the corners of my mouth turning up. Don't smile. It's not funny. Sierra cleared her throat, and he breathed out, clearly annoyed.


We reached a certain point where the boat was perfectly still. The shore line was pretty far off. Austen stopped paddling, setting it behind him. Jaxon copied the action.


"This is probably far enough," Austen said. The lighthouse flashed over our boat, blinding us for a split second before carrying on. I smiled, jumping over the bench and sitting close to Austen. He grabbed my hand and pulled me in, to where I was sheltered by his arm, my head resting on his chest. I looked up at the star splattered sky, taking it all in.


Me and Austen held this position for a while. He watched me for a little while, which made me uncomfortable at first, but slowly wore off. Though I found it a bit scary to be out here at night, being with Austen made me forget about that.


We had ten or so minutes of pure bliss. Then it was rudely interrupted by a moan. I had completely forgotten about the other couple. The sound made me sit up and look over Austen's shoulder, curious to see what they had been up to. What I saw made me want to hurl. Jaxon and his snobby date were in lip lock, eating each other alive. She was practically crawling on top of him, her hands riding up his chest and exploring everywhere else. They began making all sorts of juicy smacking noises. I scoffed.


"Get a room." Jaxon broke away, turning to look at me with a smile.


"What, like you guys didn't get it on already? I can do what I want," Jaxon retorted. With that, he pulled her back in, sticking his tongue directly in her mouth. I nearly dry heaved, covering my mouth. Austen brushed the hair out of my face, rubbing my back soothingly.


"Eew eew eew," I breathed out as Sierra got on top of him, wrapping her spindly thin legs around his torso and smashing her body against his. There was no way I could let this continue. Health class did not prepare me for this. I was not ready to see anything yet. I'm still in my youth here.


I took the paddle, dipped it in the water, and brought it up quick. A gallon or so of water whipped across the scandalous scene. Jaxon pulled away, wiping his mouth of saliva residue, while his date screamed and complained.


"What was that for?! You're going to ruin my makeup!" She spat at me. Austen started laughing really hard. I raised an eyebrow, watching her with a 'you've got to be kidding me' look.


"Um, up until a second ago, you didn't seem too concerned about you're makeup. Oh, and I'll push you in if you try to do anything else beyond repulsive in front of me again. Got it?" Austen was choking it back now, before he lost control and laughed his guts out. The girl watched me with that famous glare, cold hatred spilling from her sharp gaze. I looked over at Jaxon, who was wearing that alluring smirk again.


"Jaxon, wipe that stupid look off your face. Your date doesn't like it." I turned back ahead, feeling a headache brimming on the horizon. Austen squeezed my hand, then let go, picking the paddle up from the back.


"Well, we should be getting back anyway," Austen said after a moment, paddling faster than before to get back to the shore. I crawled back to my bench in the middle, drawing my knees to my chest and looking out into the water. Being around Jaxon is exhausting. I'm really getting good at keeping my cool composure. I should get paid for this. No more words were spoken between us the ride back. Jaxon's eyes were glued on me, but I didn't have the motivation to call him out on it.


We got back to the shore without any more arguments. I jumped out of the boat and stumbled to the shore, ready to kiss the sand. Austen followed me, and we strode up to the group of others already back. They were messing around, drawing pictures in the damp sand and chasing their dates with seaweed.


"We still have twenty minutes before the dance," Austen let me know. I nodded, wrapping my arms around myself. Austen took a seat on a speckled gray rock, and motioned for me to join him. I hesitated to sit next to him.


"Do you want to go exploring?" I asked him. He smiled, and shrugged. He looked a little tired.


"Sure. Where do you want to go?" I saw right through it.


"Nevermind, I won't make you. I'll be back in a tiny bit. You just sit there and recover from that interesting boat ride," I commanded. He laughed, stretching and leaning back, giving up a pointless argument. I waved goodbye, taking off down the beach.


Alone time is always refreshing. It felt great to just run free down the beach, not caring who saw or what I looked like or how fast. I just simply ran.


I stopped when the lighthouse was ten or so feet away. Panting, I leaned against it to catch my breath. A couple pieces of curly hair escaped the pin, falling across my face.


"Jeez, you were going really fast. It was hard to keep up."


I snapped my head up, seeing Jaxon in his tux, bent over, breathless as well. He lifted his head and flashed me a pearly white smile. Of course, the guy decides to follow me. When has he had enough? Isn't there any boundaries with him?


"Whatever." I suddenly found it easy to catch my breath. Jaxon meandered up to where I stood, smiling. I walked off, not even bothering looking at him. The door leading in was halfway around the side, with a little window plastered in the center. I tried the handle, but it wouldn't turn.


"Huh. Well, that's disappointing," I stated dully. Jaxon pushed me aside, jiggling the metal handle. He pushed it up and down a couple times, then down with a sharp squeak. It came undone, the door creaking open.


"And that's how it's done," he bragged, beaming. I ignored him, stepping into the musty darkness. Faintly, I could make out steps spiraling up, most likely to the top. I tested out the first step, jumping on it a couple times to make sure it could support my weight.


"Seems stable to me," I announced. Jaxon stood in the doorway, staying quiet. Without further ado, I began up the stairs.


"Be careful," he warned, the sound waves traveling up the lighthouse.


"Mhmm." I continued up the winding stairs. My steps echoed off the circular walls. It was a loud constant chinking noise, like the sound of metal chains being thrown on cement. Before long, another set of metallic footsteps joined the clamor. Aww, how sweet. My guardian angel.... ha.


My legs were weakening. It was a long ways up. The tower seemed to stretch on for a mile on the beach, I can't imagine how long it takes to scale it. Just when I figured it would be smart to turn back, the whirring of electricity filled the air.


Coming around the bend, the stairs steepened right up to the lantern room. Brilliant light blasted through the cracks of the stairs. I shielded my eyes, approaching the top.


The light took up most of the space, along with some electrical boxes and chords. It was centered in the middle of the small room, leaving a thin aisle to walk through and operate if needed. It was a bit old-fashioned compared to lighthouses constructed now, and I'm pretty sure all the more dangerous. Instead of walls, the room was encompassed with glass, obviously... I made sure to be extra careful walking through, hoping my clumsiness didn't end up getting us killed.


Jaxon stepped up beside me, squinting because of the intensity of the light. It flashed and spun and flashed again, doomed to an ongoing spiral. He stood next to me, and leaned on the railing attached to the window.


"I wonder if this is hot," I said, leaning in to poke the light. My finger brushed the surface of the bulb. It sent a white hot flash of heat on my skin. I pulled away, blowing on my finger like a moron. Jaxon noticed it and cracked up.


"Before you burn anything else, would you please come take a look at this." I rubbed the tip of my finger, hoping it wouldn't bubble or anything, and let my hand drop to my side. Jaxon scooted over on the railing. I came up next to him, looking out the window.


The path of light ran over everything. It beamed through the choppy waves, outreaching to the smooth surface of the ocean further out. The light didn't stop, but kept running along the edges of things. It hit land, and I could see it brisk through the clouds, only touching the very tips of buildings. After a long trip across the ocean and state of California in a matter of seconds, it came back for another round.


"I'll admit, this is pretty cool," Jaxon said softly. I couldn't say anything back for a while, until the awe seeped in a little more. This is too surreal. I wish I could camp out here every night- fall asleep watching the clouds roll by and the light race around on its never ending course.


"Yeah, he would've loved this," I murmured dreamily, resting my head on the railing. Jaxon did the same, coming down the my level.


"Who?" I shook out of my daze, rubbing my eyes.


"Uh, no one. Forget it." He leaned closer, gently pushing into me.


"Come on. Tell me," Jaxon persisted. He kept bumping into me, nagging me about it. I sighed a long, strained sigh.

"Just this place. It reminds me of someone."


"Who?" Jaxon demanded. I looked down, playing with a strand of hair.


"My dad. Back when he was still around, once a month, he used to take me on these adventures. Just me and him." I laughed to myself, reliving old times. The memories came flooding back. I could actually look Jaxon in the eye for once.


"We would get into his crappy white truck, pray it started up, and then drive off to some unknown location. He never told me where we were going, but he would give me hints along the way. We drove all around California, finding weird remote spots nobody knew about, and just going exploring. Then after, we'd get some ice cream and he would make me promise to keep a secret. Nobody could know about the places we went, or they wouldn't be special anymore."


I looked away, blushing a little bit. Yep, pretty sure nobody knows about that, not even mom. She thought it was cute when we would spend time together, back when she trusted him.


"So this would be one of those spots?" Jaxon asked. I smiled at him.


"Well, don't you catch on fast," I muttered sarcastically. He grinned, turning back and looking out at the water. Some more time passed of peaceful silence.


"What happened then," Jaxon asked in a low voice.


"Dad cheated on mom, mom wanted a divorce, dad moved away and never looked back," I replied bluntly. There goes the sweet memories. It's as if someone painted gray over my childhood. I am always constantly reminded that things will never be the same as they were before.


"That sucks," He told me bitterly. I shrugged, trying my best to act indifferent.


"At least your dad is halfway decent. Mine's always been an asshole. I'm glad my mom left him after so many years." Jaxon's eyes went darker. I didn't want to set

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