The Beach By The Boardwalk, Monday Afternoon

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

It was the first day of break and Arden was going to spend it the way the goddess had intended it: out on the beach with the salt and the sea and the sun and the sand, sorry Anakin. She was sprawled out on a blanket with a towel or two next to her and a cooler of drinks and snacks. She had a book with her for later, but right now she was enjoying the warmth while sending out a text to all the usual suspects (and a few new ones for good measure) inviting them to come and spend the day out on the beach with her.

[Open to all! If you think you got a text, you did, or maybe you just happened to be wandering up the beach and decided to chill!]

Comments

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

"With additional safeguards and maybe a decoy or three, just in case."

[wildgalegirl]

"Oh yeah."

A large fish swam near the shore and spit out CHarlie's phone.

Which began to wring.

"Damn," Charlie said. "I thought that would last a bit longer."

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

"...Did a fish just spit your phone at you?" Arden asked.

You know, making sure she was seeing this correctly.

[wildgalegirl]

Charlie sighed. "Yeah. I threw it in the ocean earlier. It always comes back, but I thought I had a little more time."

And the phone was ringing, because of course it was. "Hey, Auntie Jane. Sorry, I'm hanging out with Arden. She's another one of Graham's good friends." 'The Aunties love Graham,' she mouthed to Arden. "Yes, we're trying to see if we can go see him, so maybe I can call you back? ... Okay, yes, love you too, bye."

She tossed the phone over her shoulder and flopped back down. "Ugh."

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

"Just checking in?" Arden laughed, though there was a bit of wistfulness to it. "Or is there more pie they need you to weigh in on?"

[wildgalegirl]

"I don't know and I don't want to," Charlie groaned. "But they like Graham, so if they think I'm talking about going to see him they'll leave me alone for a while."

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

"That's fair," Arden said with a laugh. "Who doesn't like Graham."

Somewhere, Liliana looked up and sneered.

[wildgalegirl]

"He certainly charmed the Aunties," Charlie said. "And he truly seemed to like them!"

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

"I mean, who doesn't Graham like is the other question!" Arden asked.

[wildgalegirl]

"Very true," Charlie said. "I'm not sure I can think of anyone offhand."