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Carol looked toward shore. “They're back!” She grabbed Alice's hand and dragged her through the waist-high water toward the beach. “Come on, come on!”
Face flaming, Alice watched as Eric and Gau made their way down the hill to where the girls had set up the blanket. The boys waved, inviting Carol to wave back accompanied by a melody of laughter.
“How's the water?” Eric called as he set down what they'd rustled for breakfast. He made his way to the water's edge as Carol and Alice emerged. “Cold?”
Carol shook her head as she dragged Alice all the way up to Eric and then beyond, not even giving Alice the chance to take up her towel to cover herself. “No,” Carol said with a gleaming smile, “it's perfect. Go on. We'll get started on breakfast.” Then Carol dragged Alice toward Gau before Eric and her could even exchange greetings.
“Nice suit,” Eric called after her quickly retreating form. Alice flushed a deeper shade of crimson. Eric laughed and turned away, stripping down to his trunks before jogging toward the water.
“Hello, Gau,” Carol purred as the two finally came to a stop in front of him.
Alice peeked at him, noticing he kept his eyes carefully averted from the two, his ears dusted with red.
Carol finally released Alice's hand, who quickly retreated back a couple steps to retrieve their towels. Has she no modesty at all? Alice asked herself as she wrapped one of the towels around her waist. Giving a shake of her head, Alice stepped back to Carol and Gau just as he stammered out an answer to a purely 'Carol' question.
“Here.” Alice shoved the towel into Carol's hand. She didn't seem to notice. “Carol. Wrap up.” Carol did so without shifting her gaze from Gau's face or even interrupting her conversation. Alice shook her head and focused her attention on Gau. “So, what'd you fellas bring?”
Gau's face returned to its natural color as he listed “Eggs. Jerky. Some vegetables to cook with eggs.”
Alice smiled, her focus drawn to the bag of goodies resting in a lumpy mess in the center of their blanket. “Sounds yummy. We'll get started while you take a swim. Have a ball. We'll let you know when it's done.”
Gau nodded and hurried to the water, stripping down to a loincloth before Alice and Carol could look away. Alice cleared her throat and turned, giving Carol an elbow in the ribs when she sounded a silly giggle.
Breakfast was a hit. Of course, Alice supposed anything dealing with a boy's stomach would go over well. Though she had to admit she'd done a darn good job. Now Gau and Alice tidied their picnic area--fully clothed, thank goodness--while Eric and Carol splashed each other to their heart's content. Finally, all refuse had been gathered, tucked safely into Eric’s pack, and Gau and Alice laid back on the blanket staring up at the bright blue sky with their hands behind their heads.
“So, what's on the agenda for tomorrow?”
Gau chuckled. “Today not done, Alice. Still much hours before dark.”
“You mean we're not going to lounge around here all day?” Alice feigned horror and dismay.
“Nope.”
Alice sat up, pointing to a collection of rocks and caves on the beach to the north. “Then can we go there?”
“For school?” Gau asked, smiling over at her.
She gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Yes and no.”
“You bring hat?”
“Huh?” Alice sent him a puzzled look. “Hat? What for?”
“Much bats and things. Never know when . . . .” he pointed to his head and made a splut sound.
Alice wrinkled her nose. “Ew. Gross.”
Gau laughed--and suddenly sat up. “Alice! Me ‘member.”
“You remembered what?”
He blinked at her, eyes wide. “Saw flower!”
“Are you serious? That's fantastic!” She scrambled to her feet the same time he did. “Where? Where?”
He gestured the way he and Eric had ventured earlier. “That way. Little walk.”
“Let's go!” She hurried after him. “Did’ja do anything there?”
“Don't remember.”
They scrambled up a slight incline, and Alice gasped. It wasn't just one solitary flower. There was a patch of them easily as large as her room. “When was the last time you came here?”
Gau's brows furrowed. “Many moons.” He met her gaze. “Year maybe?”
Alice hurried down the other side of the hill toward the white patch of flowers. Gau followed along behind her. “A year,” she mumbled as she examined the browned grass that preceded the flowers. “What happened this year? Any weird seasonal things? No, I don't think so.”
Once she came to the edge of the flowers, she knelt. The blossom was white, looking as if a ribbon had been worked carefully and delicately at one end of the stem. Alice leaned forward and breathed in, closing her eyes when the delicate scent soothed her spirit.
“Oh my goodness,” she sighed. Alice smiled up at Gau, and she couldn't keep herself from clapping her hands. “You've got to smell these. It's divine!”
He crouched, reaching out to fondly touch the blossom and its healthy green leaves. “Much pretty,” he said softly.
“Most definitely.” She submerged her fingers into the grass and soil beneath the flower's base of leaves. “This soil is damp!” Alice pulled her hands back, bringing the dirty tips of her fingers to her nose. She grinned. “Gau! You've got to smell this. It smells gloriously dirty.”
Gently taking hold of her hand, he guided her fingers close to his nose. At his intake of breath, he returned her wide smile. “What fix, Alice? What fix?”
“I don't know.” Alice gestured toward the flowers. “Can we come back when I have my stuff? I want to get some samples.”
Gau nodded and stood. “Come, Alice. We be away too long.”
“Right.” She dusted the soil from her hands before accepting his help to stand. Then she fell into step beside him as they made their way back. “Can we stay here a little bit longer?” She couldn't stand the thought of leaving now, not when they finally found proof that the Veldt was doing more than holding on.
“Can if others want. Plenty fun here. Lots of food close.” Gau cast her an intense look. “Alice, you want stay?”
“Actually, yes, I do. I want to explore the beach. Do some boulder jumping and stuff.” She intercepted his gaze. “You don't think the others would mind, do you?”
Gau smiled as he shook his head. “Eric and Carol be much happy here. Didn't you see?”
Alice laughed. “A couple of regular beach bunnies, huh?”
Gau's smile blossomed to a laugh as they made their way down to the blanket. Eric came toward the two, completely dried--except for his hair--and fully dressed. Carol however, remained by the water's edge gesturing for Gau. He shot Alice another slight smile, which she returned, and then made his way toward her. Carol took hold of his hand and led him up the north beach with a very animated expression.
Alice watched them a moment before focusing on Eric with a slight sigh. He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Hey, you. Want to do some boulder jumping?” She smiled and followed him toward the south beach. “It's fine, you know.”
She scrambled up onto the boulders after him. “What is?”
“You not liking me that way. I had my chance and blew it. No problem.”
Alice peeked at him. He seemed sincere enough. “You're awfully calm and understanding, especially considering it was just yesterday.”
“I know.” He gave a shrug and hopped to the next boulder. “What can I say? I'm easy.”
She followed. “Uh-huh.”
He looked over at her, expression serious. “Really, Alice. It's fine. I know that if I make a big deal about it I'll probably lose you as a friend. I don't want that to happen. You've got your priorities, and I'm fine with that. Honest.”
Still suspicious, Alice decided against saying anything. Instead, she looked away. “It'd take a lot more than that to wreck our friendship, I guess.”
He smiled. “Hey
. If it can withstand my moaning over Terra Branford and Gau, it can survive a couple years of you at that Academy.” He leapt to another boulder, got his balance, and turned to make sure she made it safely. She did.
Alice adjusted her footing. “There's no guarantee I'll get in.”
He nudged her shoulder. “You'll get in. I know you will.”
She smiled. “Thanks, Eric. I appreciate that.”
He winked and turned for the next boulder. “No problem.”
Alice followed after him. The jury was still out on whether the decision to not have a kissy-feely-touchy relationship with him was okay.