The weather that day was beautiful, just as it had been since the start of summer. The warm sun beat down on a lively beach of running, screaming children, their sleepy, lazy parents and young adults of all ages either partaking in water sports or lounging on towels underneath any shade they could find, too cool to get themselves wet and go for a swim. One of those tanned teens was Claire Saunders, who would’ve rather been splashing about the waves than sat at the small beach side café she had agreed to wait at for several friends. Juice Joe’s was a small establishment made of orange painted wood. It served mostly drinks and cool refreshments, but small meals such as fries, burgers and hotdogs were available to purchase too.

Claire sat at one of the many benches that dotted the concrete walkway in front of it, a half-empty lemonade at her side. She had her back to the sea; she found it hard to resist the shimmering waves that tempted her with the promise of cool, lapping waters on such a hot day. Even thinking about it made the young adolescent feel nervous and she shook her head to try and think of something else. Her head of dirty blonde hair caught the sun’s light and glowed like a halo around her for a moment.

She was dressed in a sky blue camisole vest top with a white edging at the top and thick white straps. A single navy blue button rested in the middle of the white band, though it was only for decoration. White hot pants and blue heeled sandals completed the ensemble, as she hated to wear jewellery when going to the beach. A dark blue handbag with scaled faux leather sat at her side, containing her phone, sunglasses, sun cream and a small towel, as well as other things. Claire rummaged through it often to busy herself, not wanting to suddenly take off towards the ocean and just miss one of her friends.

“C’mon, where is everybody?” She spoke aloud as she turned her phone on, checked it for messages and missed calls, and then turned it off again, disappointed. She risked a glance at the sea and saw that it was too far out to run and have a quick splash and come back. She would have to wait. Noisily, she turned the straw in her lemonade, quickly melting shards of ice clinking against the side. She sipped it, not really acknowledging it’s sweet and bitter taste, instead looking about and then letting out a heavy sigh when she finished.

“Why am I always the only one who comes early to these do’s? Just coz I’m the one who suggested it…”