Seaside Vacation

Story
Vrinde wiped some left-over sand from her arms and legs and got up. Sunning was nice, but it made you kind of sluggish. But you could cure sluggish by swimming. Vrinde stretched and yawned. Yes a swim, definitely.
Before she could head to the cool blue waters of Cyan Nights Cove she was stopped by Jera, her friend from school. Both of the girls were blond, but though Vrinde kept it long, Jera preferred to have it cut short and manageable. The two of them made for an unusual pair. Vrinde was very much the air-headed, fun-loving pretty girl that was popular and spent more time at the beach than in school, while Jera was more studious and serious. She never got much attention from boys, most likely because she didn't want it in the first place. But opposites attract. Even when it comes to friends. And these two certainly filled in the holes of each other's lives.
"Hey! I was just going to swim." Vrinde told her friend."
"I'm coming with." Jera smiled, "If you don't mind me doing laps?"
"I need to wake up. laps are fine."
Aside from being studious, Jera also managed to be really good in sports. Maybe because the young woman thrived under the harsh training schedule. Who was to say. Vrinde soon found herself alone again while Jera sped of. But neither of them minded much. there'd be plenty of occasions to meet up again during after the swim.

Manu looked outside the window and sighed. Every inch of sky in it was blue. there were no buildings, no airplanes, nothing. Only blue sky. If he stood up and looked out he saw the beach and people swimming. He absolutely hated it. There was nothing to do here.
If Manu hadn't been forced he wouldn't have come. But his lungs had been weak since he was a child. Asthma, colds, infections, he had it all. Despite all that he'd lived for 16 years. Doctors told him he was lucky to not be confined to the hospital more days than he was in school. But at the same time they told him he couldn't keep living like this. his lungs needed cleaner air than the city could provide.
For some reason his parents hadn't only decided to move to the country, they'd gotten this really demented idea that they needed to get of the entire planet! They'd boarded an interstellar spaceship and now, only about a dozen lightyears later when everyone he knew on earth was 12 years older, they were on Gineya, a planet where they didn't even have telephones. Computer science was so nonexistent that the words you've got mail were only spoken by postmen. And they rode bikes. Or dragons.
The planet was messed up. Worse was that his parents expected Manu to go out every day and sit on the beach. He couldn't swim because he might get an ammonia from that. He couldn't tan because his skin would burn. he couldn't eat because he needed to lose weight to relieve the stress on his body. He could just sit there. Under a parasol, looking dorky.
Sighing Manu got up and left for another day of torture.

"You got here... finally!" Jera called when Vrinde walked out of the sea.
"Who told you to swim that fast." Vrinde replied.
"I held back." Jera smiled.
"I bet you went full out." Vrinde sulked, "Anyway, I'm hungry now."
"This feels like you want me to treat you to ice cream again." Jera said, "Today isn't my working day."
"You could still treat." Vrinde pouted.
"You could too."
The two of them walked bickering across the sand of the beach. They'd eventually decide on whomever would pay for the snacks. It was a ritual that was repeated every day during summer vacation. Roughly two thirds of the time it was Jera who ended up picking up the tab. She figured it was worth the money to get the dinner entertainment that was called Vrinde.
Today however they wouldn't make it to their favorite beach bar. At least not together. They were about halfway across the beach when someone bumped into them, causing the three of them to fall down in a tangle of arms and legs.
Vrinde was the first to get out of the predicament. She sat cross-legged on the beach, blinking her eyes against the sunlight, trying to make out who had walked into them.

"Leave me alone!" Serge looked down and noticed he'd fallen on top of one of the two blond women that he'd collided with. He wasn't very inclined to give up the position, but if he wanted to take her out he'd have to eventually. He struggled up, placing his knees aside her legs.
"Can I help you?" he asked, reaching up.
The young woman slapped his hand away and called to her friend:
"Vrinde, tell this creep to look for skanks elsewhere."
The other blond girl smiled awkwardly and then helped her friend up. Serge smiled. Usually his looks were enough to charm any woman he met. He could snap his fingers and have them faint. To find one able to resist his charm was rare.
"Who says I was looking for skanks? I'd be honored to have you lovely ladies dine with me. Very honored." Serge topped it of with a smile but that didn't seem to charm her any more than his previous attempt had.
"Let's go." Jera told Vrinde.
"Jera..." Vrinde started but could only say, "I'm sorry." to Serge while Jera pulled her away toward the bar they'd been headed for.
"Don't tell me you like him." Jera complained.
"He's pretty cute though I think it's you he likes."
"Never in my life!"
"Never say never!" Serge called behind her, following from a safe distance.

Manu listlessly walked across the beach because it was just about all he could do. He looked only at the ground and did not notice the group of two girls followed by a boy his age approaching. Neither did the three see him. It was the long-haired blonde that hit him.
"Ouch!" he called.
He looked up in the twin blue eyes of the girl as she looked at him worried.
"Are you ok?" she asked.
"Me?" he squawked, "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Good." The girl looked around and noticed her two friends missing.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Manu... why?"
"Well, Manu, did you see where they were headed?"
"No..."
"...Vrinde." she helped, "hey you're kind of cute too."
Manu choked from the shock. He'd never in his life been called cute by anyone outside his family.
"Wanna go for a drink?"
Manu's surprise and suspicion rose but the girl didn't look like she'd be able to overtake him. And this was Gineya, not New York! People didn't hide in dark corners, waiting to jump him. Besides he was a kid, he didn't have money anyway.
"Why?" he asked, suspicious despite wanting to go with this pretty girl who seemed to like him.
Vrinde shrugged, "You know that guy who was following us? He has his eye on my friend and though she acts tough and like she doesn't need a boyfriend I know her well enough to know she's playing defensive because she actually does like him. Anyway I think they need some time alone. Are you still with me?"
Manu nodded, a bit confused about the reasoning of Vrinde. At least she didn't seem dangerous anymore.
"I'll go." he decided.

"Why are you still following me?" Jera asked annoyed.
"Because I like you of course." Serge answered.
"You see. People who can say that so easily don't mean it." Jera said, "I doubt you've ever loved a woman in your life."
"I did." Serge defended himself, "I did like my mother and my sister. they're women."
"Very funny." Jera sighed.
"Ok, I might not have loved a woman the way you mean. Have you?"
"No." Jera admitted.
"What is so wrong with going out and having fun? At least searching I know I will meet the right woman for me. Waiting is overrated."
"So is sleeping around."
Serge laughed and shook his head, "It's never going to be right for you, is it?"
"You better give up while you're ahead." Jera agreed.
"Well, I can't. I meant it when I said I've fallen for you."
Jera sighed, but didn't object when Serge took her hand and led her into a small cocktail bar that also served chilled fruit juices.

Vrinde looked at the boy in front of her. he'd said his name was Manu. He looked like he wasn't from around which made him interesting. He was pale and looked shy, which made him cute. His glasses dropped fogged up or dropped from his nose. Vrinde could barely contain a giggle when she saw his discomfort.
"You're scared!" she remarked.
"I don't often get asked out by beautiful women."
"Thanks for the compliment." she replied blushing, "I think you're cute."
"You already told me." Manu sighed, "I'm not cute."
"You are when you're blushing like that." Vrinde insisted, "Plus you're a mystery because I know you weren't born here. Mystery turns women on in case you didn't know that."
Blushing even more at her words, Manu coughed and tried to look up into her eyes, but he couldn't. In stead he was surprised when she lifted his chin up and kissed him full on the mouth.
"Needs practice, but not bad." Vrinde giggled.
"Uh." Manu grunted, not thrusting his voice to hold.
"Now tell me everything about yourself." Vrinde smiled, "Oh and I'm inviting you to the beach barbeque tonight as well. I want you to meet my friends."

The daily barbeque was held on the beach. Jera and Vrinde didn't go every night, but they tried to join as much as they could because the food was good and the company was better.
Tonight Jera was already waiting at their usual spot with Serge when Vrinde came around, tagging along the pale boy she'd met this afternoon. Clearly she hadn't let go of him yet because the boy looked like he'd escape as soon as she let him.
"He's still here?" Vrinde asked when they'd come closer.
"He's hard to shake." Jera sighed.
"I'm wearing her down." Serge smiled, trying to put an arm around her shoulders.
"This is Manu." Vrinde introduced her friend, "He's from Earth."
The two others stopped what they were doing and looked at Manu like he was a rarely seen specimen of animal. They looked like they didn't know to either let him go or catch and dissect him.
"He's mine." Vrinde added.
"Erm... about that..." Manu started, "What's the big de..."
"Earth?" Serge called out, "There's like 20 people on the whole of Gineya who're from Earth. Where did you find him?"
"He bumped into me." Vrinde smiled, "He's such a cutey too, I'm lucky."
"Lucky?" Manu asked.
"Don't you know? Atcydia's love offworlders." Jera shrugged, "But I don't know if you're appealing enough."
Vrinde shook her head, "He definitely is!"
"Aren't Atcydia's water dragons?" Manu asked.
"Yeah." Vrinde nodded, "Everyone here wants one, that's why we visit the barbeques regularly. People often get searched here."
"They wouldn't like me." Manu said matter of factly.
"Why?"
"I can't swim!"
Serge laughed out loud but was shut up by Jera who although she didn't see what Vrinde liked about Manu, was still respectful enough to not make fun of him.
"Then why is Serwyn coming our way?" Vrinde smiled.
The three others looked around and at least two pairs of eyes settled on the older, over-dressed man walking toward them. He was Serwyn, bond to purple Erfyn and one of the flockleaders.
"Want to try for eggs?" he asked, skipping the introduction because he saw they knew him.

~~°~,~°~,~°~~

Jera and Indigo Valera (f)
Manu and Green Hirdass (m)
Vrinde and Pink Cabara (f)
Serge and Yellow Chamue (m)

~~°~,~°~,~°~~
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Fonts used are called Cardinal Alternate and Lydian