Late night beach adventures

Summer had actually been quite nice despite the state of the world. As long as you kept out of south, there was no worry to be had. They had been drinking and Vanessa was also quite tipsy as they had gotten to the beach. She had been drinking a bottle of wine on the way, dumping it in a trashcan once it was empty. “I’m sure there are bigger things like sharks.” She argued. But Gareth seemed to be in a shit mood so if she could be somewhere away from him, then she’d choose that. She pulled her hoodie over her head and undid her pants. “Bet I can get in before you.” She said before she just ran for it.

She was sure she would make it before him, but as he caught up and wrapped his arms around her she whined before they both under the surface. It was cold but she didnt really mind it. At least that was how bad she wanted to just be her and Ethan and far away from Gareth. She got up on her feet but only stuck her head up, gasping softly for air as she moved her hair off her face. She watched Ethan get up and sighed at his question. “Something about an ex or whatever. It’s so fucking stupid because Ayalla’s right there.” She just said, gesturing back to shore. It was really annoying and she wasnt sure she even understood. It also went hand in hand with the fact that Samuel seemingly was seeing someone but she couldnt make out what that was all about.

“Yeah, I’ve noticed too.” She said, sighing to herself as she looked back at shore. It was almost annoying to see how Gareth was eyeing Darren, daring him to make a move or something that would piss him off. She was just observing them as she noticed Ethan was swimming closer to her. It was true, she had been distant too.
“I’m just worried about Buffy... and and all that. She was supposed to message back but I never heard from her again.” She said with a shrug. That had been the easy part. “And then there were all the people who hated me on sight... which I’m still wrapping my head around..” she then said, falling quiet for a bit, to then sigh and shrug again. “It’s getting to me because it feels like almost everything else in my life. Something that I cant control.”

She didnt know if she could just let go of her worries. She wanted to believe that something wasnt wrong but she didnt really know what to do or how to handle it. This was far out of her reach as well and probably not even supposed to be something she worried about. Samuel would hate to know that her focus was averted like this.
She knew he was still angry about the angry mob, but she just wanted to understand them. And it wasnt like she had been given much that day except a short explanation of some guy’s perspective and angry looks. “That’s easier said than done.” She mumbled as she felt his lips on her forehead. He spoke of control but she already knew that. And it wasnt like it was ever going to be a wished that was fulfilled. Maybe when Samuel finally decided to get off her back and let her live her life. But that wasnt going to happen.
“You’re really just such a simp, Ethan Spencer. Who would have known?” She then said with a soft chuckle, pushing him off her as she turned to swin around for a bit. Or rather she swam for a few seconds and then turned to her back to float. “They should have made waterproof smokes a thing.” She said, looking up at the sky that was mostly covered in clouds. But at least the moon was pretty bright tonight.

She didnt mind that he did it to make her happy but she would be dumb to not at least tease him a little with it. She liked this, just floating around and knowing Ethan wasnt far. And even with the sour patches on land, she was feeling a little drunkenly thankful. The question made her scoff as she stood back up on her feet. “You’re asking like we wont be hanging out all summer?” She asked but clearly didnt take it to heart. She glanced shortly back on land. “Gareth wants to travel somewhere at some point.” - “But I dont know. Dont really feel like going when he’s like this.” She said before she splashed water in his direction. “Your plans?”

She hadnt realized the change in mood before he sighed, turning her eyes to look at him, first curiously and then worried when she realized it was bothering him. And when he mentioned his mother, she moved a little closer. “Well do you want to go?” She asked, carefully reaching over to grab his hand and entangle their fingers. It was just her way of showing compassion, well at least to her boyfriend when he was going to visit his parents that he never even talked about. She was quiet for a bit before she sighed and gave his hand a squeeze as a thought popped into her mind. “I think, now that you’ve met my dad, it’s only fair that I meet your parents.” She then said rather than suggesting it.

He shook his head and that just made her frown as she thought it wasnt fair, which he seemed to point out himself. She just sighed and made a few nods. “Alright.” She said a little downspirited, but she just didnt understand things like this. Not worth meeting? She felt that way about many aspects of her own life but he knew of them, to the point where she even thought he knew more of her than she knew herself. Which just made her feel odd inside the more she thought of it. She just let go of his hand and nodded again, turning her eyes back to the others while she was deep in thought, feeling like she was spiralling down a bad route.

The worst part was that she didnt even know how else to react. He took her hand and she just let him but it was clear that she was just doing that; letting him hold her hand. She just couldnt understand. In her head, there couldnt really be someone worse than her own father. But she wasnt exactly someone who had gone around meeting parents. She however couldnt help but look hurt as he said she’d look differently at him. She was too drunk for this now. “Because you look at me differently after meeting Samuel?” She just asked, frowning a little before she shook her head. It was dumb, she was being irrational but she also felt like she couldnt control it. She pulled her hand to her before she slowly moved back towards the shore.

His protest fell on deaf ears, mostly because she was still rather drunk and also thinking about a bunch of stuff that she wasnt even sure was even related to the current issue at this point. She stopped as he went in front of her, listening to him but she just started shaking her head. She couldnt even really look at him. It just felt forced now and even if it had sort of been the intention, it just felt so different now. “You dont want me to meet your parents, Ethan. Dont bullshit me.” She mumbled, moving past him as she got out of the water. She went and grabbed a packet and a lighter, pulling her hoodie over her head before she went back to walk along the shoreline, lighting a smoke as she looked down at the stones in the dark.

She was smoking and rummaging through the sandy stones, though it would have been better to be searching during daytime. This way she’d never find the prettiest stones. But she wasnt really looking either, just more doing idle actions while she was upset, thinking things over. Ayalla approached her and she hummed at her words. She didnt even have to explain herself because Vanessa knew. Probably more than Ayalla because she wasnt too sure he had told her about what was going on. “I’m sorry he’s such a dickhead.” She said absentminded, drawing a drag from her cigarette. “At least Darren’s not a prick.” She then said but it wasnt like the human could really do much while Gareth still had some sort of interest in Ayalla.

“Should he be anything else?” She just kind of retaliated but sighed and mumbled a small sorry. Fuck, she was really on edge tonight? She looked in Ethan’s direction, not really feeling good about anything right now. She was still upset and she wanted to go out and talk it out. But she also knew herself and somehow she’d just make it worse, she was sure of it, now that she was so stuck on not thinking straight.  “Yeah, sure.” She said, getting up on her feet. She dried some sand off her shins and gestured for Ayalla to lead.

She couldnt bother to get back into her pants and luckily the hoodie was long enough to at least cover her behind as they reached down to the middle of her thighs. As they walked, she wasnt feeling happy about it, but frankly she wouldnt have been happy if they had stayed either. The question made her shrug. “I just... I wanted to see Ethan’s parents because I wanted to know what they were like. But he doesnt want me to know and I guess I should just accept it but I cant.” She explained, frowning before she shook her head. “I dont want to think about it.” She said, stopping for a bit as she thought of something. Maybe she had really lost her mind. “Fuck it. We’re not going home. I’m sick and tired of negativity and tension. So now we’re going wild.” She said, grabbing the hybrid’s hand before pulling her in a different direction, towards the party street.