Sweet Child Of Mine

When we finally made it onto the beach, I changed into the bikini that Val had brought from the house for me. I was about to head over to where Dad was playing volleyball against the guys.

"Oh no you don't Missy." Val started, grabbing my arm lightly. "You've gotta spill the beans on that boy you were talking too." She looked up to see dad casting up a questioning glance. "Just putting some suncream on Alex's back." She smiled at him, picking up the bottle of lotion.

"There's nothing much to say really..." I trailed off, as she put the cream on my back. "His name is Jay and we have a few classes together..."

Val hummed. "So why were you writing on his arm? Are you guys going on a date?" She added slyly. My long pause before answering her said it all. Val turned to face me. "Your going on a date with him aren't you?!"

"Please don't tell dad! He'll freak and ground me or something!" I pleaded quickly.

Val capped the cream and put it away. "On one condition..." I nodded for her to continue. "I get to help you get ready!"

Grinning I nodded quickly. We both started doing a mini happy dance and squealed like the school girl I was. After a moment we both stopped and looked over our shoulders.

Dad, along with the rest of the guys, were looking at us like we'd grown a second head. "What's with the squealing?" Dad questioned.

I quickly shook my head. "Nothing!" I then ran over to him and the guys to gate crash their game of volleyball.

"Who's up for a game of chicken?" Johnny yelled at all of us. Val, Lacey, Michelle and Gena were all sunbathing back up on the towels. Dad and the guys were all in the sea, while I sat on the sand near the sea. I didn't want to go in the sea. I still hadn't learnt how to swim...

The girls just shook their head or replied with a no, then went back to tanning. "Damn...We've got odd numbers..." Johnny muttered, before Dad quickly dunked him into the salty water.

"Why don't you play Alex?" Zacky asked, walking out of the sea and over to me. I shook my head as the sea lapped up onto my feet. "Aww...C'mong, nothing will happen. You can choose who's team you go on." He tried to tempt me.

By now dad, Jimmy, Brian and Johnny had made their way over to me and Zacky, so they were knee deep in the water. "Nothing will happen to you Al. We're all here..." Dad added.

I weighted up the pros and cons in my mind for several moments, before nodding. "Okay." I smiled, standing up and brushing the sand off me. "But I wanna be on my Dad's team!"

The teams were: Me and dad, Zacky and Brian and Jimmy and Johnny. Dad and I got to play the winner. We sat on the sand, waiting to see who was going to win.

"What were you and Val squealing at earlier?" He questioned, casting me a side ways glance.

"Honest dad nothing." He continued to look at me. Shit! He's not buying it! "Okay...Really reason is because...Um...Val said we might be able to get a dog..."

Dad pulled a funny face before looking over at Val. "Val! Why did you tell Alex we could get a dog!?" He yelled.

Val, shot me a confused look and I just shrugged in return. "It...Just..Seemed a good idea?" She stated.

Dad just sighed and shook his head. "I'm not gonna hear the last of this am I?" He questioned, mostly to himself.

"Nope!" So, I lie about what I'm doing and might end up with a dog...I gotta try this more often! My thoughts were interrupted by a loud splashed followed by cheering. Looking back out at the sea, Johnny was just resurfacing as Zacky and Brian cheered their victory. "Looks like we're up." got to my feet and stared out at the sea.

I followed dad into the sea but stopped when the water reached my waist. He turned back around and held out his hand for me. "I'm not sure I want to do this anymore."

"Alex don't be scared we're all here." Dad said softly. Taking a deep breath I took his hand, by the time we got to where Zacky and Brian were waiting for us, the water was just four inched below my shoulders. "Ready?" Dad asked.

I nodded and he bent down slightly so that I was sitting on his shoulders. I wobbled a bit but caught my balance. "Dad just promise you won't drop me?" I asked again.

He laughed and nodded. "I promise I won't drop you. Now let's show Vengeance and Gates, what us Shadows are really like."

Zacky got onto Brian shoulders and with his two fingers signaled to his eyes then to me, the 'I'm watching you' hand signal. I couldn't help but laugh and do it back to him. The girls and Johnny and Jimmy were also watching us.

"Okay, the losers of this round has to buy the first three rounds at Johnny's!!" Jimmy announced.

We all got ready and Johnny counted down.

As Zacky and I tried to push each other off balance, I could tell he was holding back and not pushing me as hard as he would, but he was still putting up a fight and more or less winning.

"Zacky your a douche! Let me win!" I laughed, trying to push him.

"Aw hell no Sanders!" He replied, keeping his balance.

As we continued to shove each other, behind Zacky and Brian I saw Gena and Michelle sneaking up behind them, giving me the signal to stay quiet. I grinned. "Hey, Vengeance, hope you don't swallow too much of the sea."

He cast me a confused look and paused. When he did, Michelle and Gena grabbed ahold and Zacky and Brian and pulled them backwards into the sea, with a huge splash!

Everyone, minus Brian and Zacky erupted into a roar of laughter. "We are the champions!" I chanted, as dad high five me.

"No fair! That's cheating!" Brian protested, splashing water and Gena and Michelle.

"Just cause we won!" I teased. Dad lost his balance when Zacky tried to dunk us. Which resulted in both of us being throw backwards into the water. I quickly resurfaced and gasped for breath. Everyone had paused and looked at me with a worried expression. "I'm okay. I'm okay!" I repeated, glad that I could touch the floor. "But that's the least I can say for Zacky..." I growled, before chasing him out of the water onto the beach. "Get back here so I can kick your ass!"