Rising Shards

Just be normal, just be normal. I tried telling myself that over and over, but telling myself that made me more aware of how I could possibly be perceived.

I begged myself to just shut my brain up and have fun. This should be fun! Once I adjusted to the change in atmosphere going from winter to summer weather in moments, it was a nice and cozy day on the beach.

Zeta and I were in the midst of building a sand castle, aided by a small stream of water that we were using to make a waterway system, but our bridges kept collapsing.

Maybe this was happening because I was straining to focus on sand building while constantly staring at Zeta. She did end up wearing the same bikini as that time we went to the pool together, but we weren't dating then. Now we were, and I was in the middle of some intense infatuations with her, so her attire had...an effect on me. I was trying very hard not to stare.

I want to bite her collarbone. Please don't say that out loud.

"Dang," Zeta said as her attempt for a tiny bridge over one of the watery streets collapsed.

"I haven't quite figured out how to make a tiny bridge work in a sandcastle," Aira said, plopping down beside us.

"It takes a lot of precision and patience," Michi said as they knelt on the other side of our construction.

"I don't have either of those, so this is probably toast," Zeta said. She leaned back on her hands, and I maybe gazed at her cute tummy for a spell before I realized who we were talking to.

"OK, I'm 100% sure I didn't see you two on the trolley," I said.

"We went on the bus," Aira said. "Tabletop RPG club got some day passes to this lil shindig too."

Michi nodded.

As those two got to work improving our fortress, Kalei took a break from her volleyball game to ask us for the third time if we wanted to play.

"We're still not done with this!" I yelled as she ran toward us.

"Just get one game in, it'll be here when you're back!" Kalei said.

She almost tripped as she skidded to a stop just about a foot away from the sandcastle.

“Don’t knock it over,” I warned.

“Oh my god, what kind of psychopath do you take me for?” Kalei asked.

"Not a psychopath, but I could absolutely see you knocking over a sandcastle," I said.

"It does seem up your alley," Zeta said.

"I'll have you know I respect sand-based architecture more than just about any kind of architecture," Kalei said. "And today is architecture appreciation day, lest you forget."

"How could we forget such a momentous holiday?" I asked.

"Now c'mon, just play a round," Kalei said.

This was the kind of thing Kalei wouldn't let up on, annoying us with repetition into getting her way. After Aira and Michi assured us the castle was safe in their hands, I found myself on a volleyball court with Zeta, Kalei, and Lillia, with Marmalade on the sidelines. Our opposing team was Fauni and her friends. Roux was also standing around, but they didn't seem to be backing any team up, mostly just standing around staring at me smugly. I guess they were still doing a victory lap for mostly figuring out my situation. The smugness made me actually want to try harder than I would’ve with volleyball out of spite. But that proved difficult almost immediately as once again I was distracted by Zeta.

I watched as Zeta bumped the ball up with her forearms, not even following to see who on the rival team sent it back to us, the ball bouncing into the sand just past my feet.

“Oka, the hell was that?” Kalei asked.

I blinked. In my head there was the thought that was repeating itself over and over, and the conversation part of my brain that could have a really good comeback.

As long as I don't say the repeating thought, I should be good. C’mon brain, it’s good comeback time!

"Gosh Zeta, your boobs really have gotten bigger," I said.

“Huh?” Zeta said, her eyes growing wide as she processed what I’d said, something I hadn’t even started to do yet. “Huh?”

It felt like the entire beach went silent, outside of the sounds of Zeta shifting in the sand as she reflexively did almost dance manuevers in response to noticing my gaze.

"Er...I didn't say that out loud, did I?" I said.

I was used to Kalei laughing at Zeta and I for letting something slip out loud, but Fauni’s group laughing too stung.

"Y'all need to stop playing around and go...do something that isn’t this," Kalei said.

"’Y'all,'" I said. "Fauni's rubbing off on you."

"I say y'all all the time already,” Kalei said.

“Aw, I think I could be a good influence if you’d let me!” Fauni said.

“If by influence you mean ‘subscribe to a bunch of magazines,’ I think I’ll pass,” Kalei said.

“I got lots more going on than just magazine sales!” Fauni said.

"I agree with Kalei," Lillia said, giving me a firm smack on my back. “Go have fun somewhere else.”

“R-right,” I said, smiling weakly at Zeta. It was really awkward basically being sent away like this, but Kalei should have known how this would go, inviting us to play while I was in the state I was in.

I took Zeta’s hand and marched away, walking on the coastline.

“So where to?” I said.

I scanned around for any good locale, but in the bubble of nice weather around the beach there wasn’t an obvious escape route. And the Cani hired to make the bubble were all hanging around the edges. I started to accept that this just wasn’t my day. Or my week.

"Um," Zeta said. "I think I have an idea for that."

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