Once I pulled up to Santa Monica Beach and paid the ten dollar lot fee, I turn off my car and step out with my usual items: sunglasses, towel, and sunscreen. I leave my purse behind in a secure place, since the beach may be a place of pleasure for people like me but it's still home to grifters.

Today, my plan is to tan away all my worries about my future and roommate bullshit. No money problems, no cafe or dance studio problems, and definitely no boy or girl problems. All those thoughts are going to be extinguished from my mind over the next two hours. Or four hours. Who knows. I'll be surrounded by a bunch of hot men and women. There's nothing better than having sex right after your entire body has been Vitamin D'ed by the sun.

Navigating my way through crowds, shops, and dogs (thankfully they only allow leashed dogs on the beach) I finally reach an empty and more secluded spot near the ocean. There are only a few people mingling about in this area, my favorite spot. I take off my black shirt and ball it up to use as a pillow, leaving behind my light blue bra and shorts.

Settling down on my white towel, I rub sunscreen all over my body, making sure to not miss a spot. Each feel of my palms gliding along my smooth skin brings back flashbacks about someone I--

Wait a minute, focus Natalie. No boy or girl problems , remember?

Shaking off the intruding thoughts, I switch my attention to the waves gently lapping at the shore before drawing back into the glistening ocean. The sun is still pretty high in the clear blue skies, but low enough to not burn me to death.

Because even though life is short, I'd rather not leave this place just because I was overcooked

With a sigh, I lie back and close my eyes as the sun's rays make love to my skin. The beach is one of those places that always chases away my stress. The other place is any area where I can turn on the music as loud as possible and just let my body flow freely to the music.

Damn it, if only I could just learn that other people just can't keep a strict, no strings attached rela--

The warmth from my body suddenly disappears. Exhaling in annoyance, I open my eyes to the sight of muscular, hairy legs and loose red swim trunks. My gaze travels up to the chiseled six-pack abs glistening with drops of water and bulging biceps folded across sculpted pecs. All attached to his smirking, clean-shaven face adorned with dimples.

"I believe you're blocking my sun," I huff, readjusting the sunglasses on my head.

He cocks an eyebrow and turns toward the sky before returning his attention to me. "Your sun? Last time I checked, the Sun belongs to no one, especially not a pretty little face like yours."

"Oh, look at that, we got smarty pants here." I roll my eyes. "Get your stupid shadow off me." His smirk grows. "I mean it." He finally moves. "Thanks."

"May I buy you a drink?" his husky baritone voice asks.

I sigh as the sun envelopes my body. "I can buy my own drink."

"Oh come on, Miss Independent. Just one drink." He winks and flexes his arms.

That finally soaks out a smile from me. "Hey Chris, what's up?"

"Just having fun with my girl, that's all." He grins.

Chris is one of my closest friends who frequents the beach just as much as I do. I've never slept with him, and have zero intentions of doing that. One of my hardcore rules that I never break is sleeping with friends, and so far, it has never been broken. At least I've been successful in that.

He sits beside me, and his brown eyes immediately fill with concern as they lock on my bandaged hand. "Oh shit, what happened?" He gently takes it, making me flinch as small pain stabs it.

"Nothing, just some stupid girl spilled hot latte over it this morning." I withdraw my hand from his.

"Jeez, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Can we talk about something else?" I don't want to be reminded of that Miya or Mira girl, whatever the hell her name was. I have enough on my mind.

Chris scrutinizes me. "Alright, if you say so Nat. So listen..." He sprawls out his legs, his heels digging a trench in the sand. "I was actually hoping to catch you here. I heard about the roommate thing."

I sigh. "Oh my god, Anna told you, didn't she?"

"Yep. I thought you said you wouldn't do it again."

"I know, Chris. I just... it happened. And I thought -"

"That she wouldn't become obsessed with you." He rolls his eyes.

"Yeah..."

"You're lucky all she did was chain you to the headstand and that she did actually release you. Who knows what could have happened this time, especially after what happened last time--"

"I know, Chris," I interrupt him. I don't want to be reminded of it.

"I told you it would be a bad idea to be roommates with a cop."

I shrug. "Well, hey, it wasn't the first time I got handcuffed by her, if you know what I mean." I wink.

His face contorts in disgust. "Okay, ew, I don't need details of your crazy sex life. Look, why can't you just rent out an apartment on your own? You can afford it, can't you?"

I sigh. "I can, but I need to remind you that I have to save up money, and paying an extra 2-3k a month is not going to make me reach that goal anytime soon. If ever."

"You know my offer still sta-"

I glare at him. "Again, I don't need charity, not from you and not from anyone. I want to earn it on my own. Okay?"

He sighs exasperatedly, rubbing his hand through his sandy blonde hair. "Yeah. I just think it might be a while before you can do that, that's all. Especially since you can't keep it in your pants."

I scoff. "Hypocrite much?"

"Hey, at least I don't need a roommate."

With a roll of my eyes, I lean back, my skin kissing the warm sand. "Will you just leave me alone? People will think you're my boyfriend."

"Would that be so bad?"

"Chris." I scoop up a handful of sand and fling it at his legs.

He jumps up. "Hey, watch the assets!"

I snort. "I did warn you."

After he brushes off the sand from his shorts, he turns to me. "Let me buy you a drink. There's this one small shop that just opened up, they sell these alcohol infused smoothies. You gotta try their mango one."

"Chris..."

"Nat..." he says in a mocking tone. "Come on. On me."

"Alright, fine." After all, I'm not one to turn down a free drink, which happens to me all the time.

"You're gonna have to come with me though."

I quirk an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Nat... You've got the habit of always changing your mind. I will not be a victim of your indecisiveness again."

He's right. I do have a habit of plans going awry, but that's the beauty of just going with the flow. I mean, plans usually never work out exactly the way I want them to. Something always disrupts them, and that's why I just follow how things go in the moment. I've learned long ago that no matter how hard you try to do things one way, the universe has already planned everything out for you.

Gathering up my stuff, I follow Chris toward several small shops standing close to the Pier. One of them stands out, especially their colorful banners spread across the front where one of them says:

'Today is mango-nificient.'

Yeah, that would be a lie for me today. But then, my mind immediately flashes back to this morning, when the girl spilled the coffee onto my hand. Pain vibrates beneath the gauze as I recall her saying that she loves puns.

I shake the thought away. Why the hell is that my first thought at seeing an annoyingly bright banner that makes me want to vomit.

Chris leads me straight to the irritatingly cheerful stand, where the familiar backside of a short, slim girl is turned toward us.

"Excuse me?" Chris asks, tapping his fingers against the wooden structure.

"Just a sec!" the girl chirps. And before she even turns around, I recognize her.

That sweet, overly happy voice and black hair hanging down her back in a perfect braid without a stray strand. That k-pop figure and her short height. And when she faces me, her brown eyes widen as she recognizes me too. The glass she is holding in her hand crashes to the floor, the shattering sound spreading through the crowded boardwalk. I can sense the stares and murmurs of several people as the girl's face turns redder each second.

Adorable but annoying face, and the last thing I needed to see today.

"You..."

Out of all places... I just happened to stumble upon the girl who created one of my worst mornings at the place that makes me the happiest.

The universe must really hate me.