“Clara, it’s almost time!” I squeal. I tuck my bag close to my leg as I try to get out of the way of all the passerby flyers. We jumped in the long baggage line waiting to get our tickets so we could hop over to security. My fingers felt numb as they grip the handle. My body aching for Andrew to call me an apologize. I wasn’t going to let that ruin our trip though. If I ruined my marriage by booking these plane tickets than I was going to have one hell of a good time on this trip. I pulled my phone out of the pocket on my sweatpants checking to see if I had any texts.

    Just one lonely text sat in my inbox waiting to be read. My heart skips a beat as I quickly open it up. It was my mother. On a normal day this wouldn’t have been as big of a downer as it was in this moment.

    ‘Have a safe flight sweetie, can’t wait to hear all about it when you get home,’

    I smiled looking at the text. My mother was one of the sweetest thing in the entire world and I felt awful I had allowed Andrew to treat me the way he had. If my mother only knew the way he had been talking to me for the last couple of months. I shook my head trying to keep those horrible thoughts from my mind.

    “Are you so ready to see the beach?” I question putting my phone away and turning to look at Clara. We were pretty close to the front of the line by now. I could feel my fingers once again as they tap against the top of my baggage. I was ready to unload it so I didn’t have to worry about carrying it anymore. Once we were at the desk the lady took our I.D.s and scanned them before filling out some information on her computer. She weighed our bags, tagged them, and off they went down the belt towards wherever they went to get to our plane.

    “Yes!” Clara shouts as she hugs me dragging me to the security line. Each of us had our tickets in hand. I rolled my eyes at her excitement as she nearly strangled me jumping onto my back. An older couple in front of us looked at us as if we were insane. “She must think we are on our honeymoon,” Clara leans towards me pretending to plant a kiss on my cheek. The lady shakes her head turning away.

    Whatever her issue was she needed to open her mind.

    “Maybe but who cares, we have a trip of nothing but boys, sun, and drinking,” I smile shooting Clara a wink. She pauses for a moment before leaning towards me.

    “What about Andrew?” Clara cocked her eyes at me with a side glance.  I shrugged my shoulders. I should have thought about what I was saying before I said it. Now she was going to have questions and I wasn’t emotionally ready to talk about it.

“I’ll tell you later,” I tried brushing her off. The line was moving quickly so I started taking my shoes off so that I could fill my bin quickly and keep the process moving. Clara did the same. She must have realized there was no point in poking the bear. If she gave me time I would tell her all about it. It was already eating me up inside and I needed to talk about it, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it in the airport.

I could see the headlines now. Bride of Andrew Connors, caught bawling in local airport.  I shivered at the thought of any of this being in the paper. He was wealthy enough that there was a possibility it could have been. I wondered if his mother was doing jumping dances of joy because of our breakup. Were we really broken up though? I felt like he had said we were but something about the whole thing made it seem like it was said just out of anger.

Would I come home and he would act like nothing ever happened? I shook my head once again. I needed to find a way to get Andrew off my mind. I needed a drink. I glanced down at time on my phone. We had time. Once Clara and I were through security we head through the airport to get to our boarding area. My heart racing. I need this trip.

~*~

    The plane wing drifts as the plane makes a slight lean towards the airport. The ground was getting closer. My heart was racing as the plane begin to prepare for landing.  Clara was asleep in the seat next to me. I nudge her carefully to wake her up.

    She shuffles in her seat before sitting up to look out the window. “Are we there?” She whispers as she stretches her arms the best she can without bothering the person next to her. I haven't slept a wink the entire flight and my body was feeling it. My bones and muscles ache from sitting in the same position for six hours. I continue to lean against the window as the plane bounces lightly, it’s wheels kissing the ground.

    Clara and I were close to the front, so we both gather our things ready to exit the plane quickly. I was so excited for when we were finally off the plane. My body finally able to stretch. Clara and I stroll through the crowded airport heading towards the luggage claim to grab our bags.

    “We heading to the hotel first?” I question looking at Clara. Her hair was a little mussed up from sleeping on it. I nodded my head. I honestly needed a nap, though I bet I won’t be getting that though.

    “Good, cause I need to shower,” Clara mutters once we reach the baggage claim. We wait for not too long before grabbing our bags and heading out onto the sidewalk waiting for a taxi cab to come flying up to drop us off wherever we needed to go. Clara and I stood on that sidewalk for at least ten minutes as cars flew past us, none of them even slowing down to pick us up.

    “Are we maybe doing this wrong?” I questioned walking out the edge of the sidewalk to hail a cab. No one stopped. This just earned me a few waves from many of the passengers in the vehicles.

    “Ma’am what are you doing?” The airport police officer questions, his face covering in a five o'clock stubble. I shook my head putting my arm back down by my side. My face was a bright red as he walked closer to the two of us.

    “I was hailing a ride,” I mutter looking around, no one else was doing what I had been doing. Maybe everyone just had prearranged rides like Clara and I normally had when we went on these trips.

    “Ma’am you must not be from around here, California doesn’t work like that, at least Santa Cruz doesn’t.”I looked at the security guard as if he had told me I murdered my best friend. Quickly glancing at her to make sure this wasn't true. She stood confidently, her hair in messy curls, her lipstick fading, her makeup not even smeared though she had been sleeping. I watched her tuck the strand behind her ear as she looked at the officer. His green eyes judgmental and it looked like he was laughing on the inside. I wanted to cry from the embarrassment forming in my throat as I looked back at him.

    "Sorry officer," I muttered walking towards my friend.

    I wanted to die there on that airport pickup sidewalk. My body shaking from the embarrassment. There was no reason for me to try to get a ride again so I handed the duty off to Clara. She whipped out her phone quickly heading to her Uber app where she ordered us a ride to our hotel. I thanked her as we wait for our ride to show up.

    He was there within a few minutes, just like we had expected. We place our bags in the truck before hopping into the land rover. He pulled away from the curb and I felt sudden relief to not be near that airport security anymore. I watch out the window as the Uber drives us towards our airport. He turns up the music so there is a soft lull in the background. I mentally thanked him for this. Clara points out a few cool buildings but my eyes only focused on the water crashing against the sand. I wanted to get out there. I needed to be where the water could kiss my skin. The salt cleaning my pores of all the negativity that has been in my life the last few days.

    Once our driver pulls up to our hotel we hop out grab our things and head for the front desk. Clara puts on her perfect customer service voice before asking the lady for our rooms. Her glasses fall to the edge of her nose, her hair brown with a few flecks of gray strands roaming about.

    "Two rooms for Rose," she mumbles using my last name for the reservation must have been weird for her. Honestly when I booked the rooms I wasn't sure how much longer I would be able to use my last name. My mind shot back to Andrew as I think about taking his last name. Erin Connors. It didn't sound that great if you asked me. After the lady behind the desk gives us our room keys we wander through the hallways for a little while trying to figure out the way to our room.

    "This is what we get for booking a resort instead of a normal hotel," Clara complains as she makes yet another turn into a long hallway. I shrug my shoulders catching a glimpse of the ocean every so often. I was right where I wanted to be so the confusion in the journey didn't matter one bit.

    I step carefully as to not disturb any of the other guests as Clara and I stop outside of our door.

    "642," She mutters to herself before placing the key card under the reader. The light flashes green and she opens up the condo feel of a room. Two bedrooms and a central living room area. This was one of the nicest hotels I had been in, and the better part about it was Clara had her own room so I wouldn't have to deal with her mess of leaving her clothes all over the place.

"This place is amazing," I mention, taking in all the decorations. The one thing that was really important for me though was the view. I swooped across the room dropping my luggage on the floor as it bounces against the tiles with a clatter. I grab the white curtains framing the window flinging them open as I work on the latch to the patio door. I wanted to smell the ocean, feel the sea breeze on my face. As I finally got the door opened I rushed out onto the patio welcomed by a warm aroma of salt water. My heart buzzes with excitement, vibrating like a vocal chord of an opera singer.

    "We should have done this sooner," Clara responds as she joins me on our little deck. She takes a seat in one of the preplaced chairs and though my legs begged for the rest, the muscles still aching from the plane, I refused to sit down and miss out on this view.

    "Are you going to shower?" I question glancing at her for only a moment before my eyes fall on the waves once more.

    "I need to but why?" She questions, her body must be just as sore as mine. Stiff from sleeping in the same position for six hours without being able to really stretch out.

    "Because I want to get down to those shops down there," I pointed as people flee the sad towards the sidewalk. Children laughed, couples kissed, and surfers work on getting far enough out to catch a real wave. This seemed like a paradise all on it's own. I wanted to be a part of it.

    "Hurry, I want to go, I want to get down there as soon as possible," I could feel the excitement bubbling over as I jumped up and down like a little kid on Christmas. Clara rolls her eyes jumping up from the seat as she heads back into the hotel room.

    "I will hurry, but you need to put on a cute sundress," She teases as she points at the sweats covering my legs. I hadn't even noticed how awfully I was dressed since we had gotten to California. I quickly fumbled to my room grabbing a more suitable outfit.

Once we were down by the sand I could feel my heart racing. I was so in love with the atmosphere down here I never wanted to leave. Clara and I entered a few of the shops spending minimal time in doors but taking a few seconds to really look around and see what they had. Most were surf shops with cute swimsuits and over priced jackets that made my knees weak. I wished I had more money to spend on gift items as there were plenty of things that I wanted to purchase my mother and take home. She deserved it.

After not finding anything worthwhile Clara and I decided to hop over to the next shop. It was a ring shop. One that neither of us really understood why it was located in the touristy part of town,  but realized lots of engagements probably happened on the beach. I could imagine lots of people losing their rings too as they got down on one knee. The girl was probably so excited that she would flail her arms around and accidently knock the ring into the waves.

Clara and I decided to head in anyways, even if it seemed a little odd and there was nothing for us there. I glanced down at the ring I still wore on my left hand. It was a reminder of all the good times Andrew and I had shared and all the wonderful things he had done for me. I thought back to Christmas when he had first proposed to me. I thought about how happy both of us were and if we would have lasted if I hadn't gone on this trip. I couldn't figure out if we were really broken up or if he was just being dramatic but a pit started forming in my stomach as we entered the shop.

We wander around looking at the beautiful bands as we try to find something spectacular. I wasn't in the market to purchase anything but Clara was always looking for new rings. Even if they looked rather close to an engagement or wedding ring. I chuckled to myself as she fangirls over some of the more modern styles. The pearls set in deeper setting to where they almost looked flat.

"You don't need anything in here," I whisper to her as we walk the glass cases. She glares at me sticking her tongue out as she turns around. Tapping my shoulder she points in the direction of a blonde hair gentleman, his back turned to us.

"He is quite attractive don't you think," She whispers before heading to the next counter slowly trying to get closer and closer to the man. I shake my head at how insane she was. This was why she was my best friend. I follow her carefully though as she slowly inches closer and closer before she pretends to drop her bag tripping into the man as she does so. Before he can even realize what had happened she slips a piece of paper in his hand with her phone number on it. It was a classic Clara hand off. She had practiced this many times in highschool and she’d only gotten better at it with time. He glances at the paper carefully. The ring slipping out of his finger bouncing across the counter as the employee jumps to save it.

“Oh, I’m sor- Clara?” I heard the voice and I would recognize it anywhere. My heart starts to spin. What are the odds? Seriously what are the odds that we would bump into him after he had left. It’s been a year and I haven't spoken with him. I didn’t even know he still lived in California. Let alone would be in a ring shop. Wait was he shopping for someone?

My  heart came to a screeching halt.

“Carter?” Clara mutters, her voice a little unsure. I didn’t need his answer to know who it was though. I watch carefully as he turns to look around the room his bright blue eyes catching mine as he does so. My heart stops. In that moment all of my emotions from when he had left came rushing in. I wanted to scream at him, I wanted to run across the store and give my best friend a hug. But the only thing my body would let me do was to leave. I needed to get out of there. There was nothing to say. Nothing that I could manage without making myself look like a freak.

Clara rushes to my side as she realizes what she had done. She had unintentionally reunited me with my old best friend. The one she wasn’t the most fond of because she felt like he took up too much of my time. I shook my head my mouth apaged as I tried to think of anything to say. He did the same as he stares back at me, his eyes as wide as the moon.

“Hi,” He mutters walking over to me as he tries to pull me into a hug. I slip my ring off my finger tucking it gently in my pocket before dodging his hug. I pretend to cough in my hand.

“Sorry, I’m sick,” I mumbled trying to fake a few more coughs. Of course he wasn't going to believe me. He knew me better than that. Before anyone could say anything else I grabbed Clara’s arm and rushed out of there, bursting onto the street filled with other tourists just like me.