Centuries

Winnie tied her hair off to the side in a loose braid to keep the heat off her neck. The tank top covering the top of her bikini was teal, the matching color of her bathing suit, with tiny polka dots scattered along the fabric. She had decided on the jean shorts after a quick thumbs up from Keziah before ushering the group to the vehicle. The sand was warm on the bottom of her feet and she wiggled her toes to mesh the tiny grains. The beach itself was moderately packed with tourists and regulars spread out on their own towels and chairs. Keziah had ventured off a little further away in order to provide the most amount of privacy possible.

Patrick and Jon both carried two chairs over to their spot and pushed them down into the sand to secure the legs. Keziah was unfolding the towels, lining each of them perfectly together. Winnie bent down to her bag and fished out the sunscreen. Spraying it onto her arms and legs she tossed the can to Jon who has just removed his t-shirt. Her eyes defied her screaming mind as they traveled the length of his torso. Muscle glistened in the sunlight as he sprayed his arms and front.

“So are we swimming first then tanning or tanning then swimming?” Keziah looked up through her sunglasses to Winnie who only shrugged in response. She didn’t miss the smirk on her friends lips.

“I was thinking about going to the concessions to grab some drinks and snacks,” Winnie wiped the remaining sunscreen on her neck. “I’m probably not going to swim much anyway.”

“Not going to swim?” Patrick rolled his eyes discarding his shirt. “We’re at the beach Winnifred. The ocean is meant to be swam in.”

“Swam in? Where did you go to school?” Winnie playfully glared at the blonde who put his hands on his hips.

“You don’t need college education when you look this good.”

“Please someone deflate his ego,” Keziah muttered. Patrick kicked sand at her and she squealed. “You got it on the towels you asshat!” She huffed in anger. “Now I have to do this all over again.”

“I know. That was the point.” He stuck his tongue out at her and Winnie pursed her lips. “Now. You’re going to go get us snacks. Then when you come back we will eat, soak up the sun, and we all will be going into that blue ocean. Do I make myself clear?” He pointed a finger at the brunette.

“Are you going to hit him or should I?” Winnie directed the question to Jonathan who slowly shook his head.

“I’m an innocent bystander.”

“Innocent my ass,” Patrick laughed. Jon punched his friend in the shoulder and the blonde winced. “The hell.”

“You deserve it,” Keziah stated grumpily, her hands smoothing down the last towel for the second time.

“So am I supposed to carry all this food by myself or?” Winnie dug out the small clutch she had brought with out of her bag and secured the band around her wrist.

“I’ll go with,” Jon opted. “I have a feeling Keziah wants to rip out Kaner’s hair and I personally don’t want to witness it.” Keziah mumbled something under her breath. Patrick went to sit down on one of the towels and she snapped.

“You don’t get to sit there. Sit on the chair and think about what you’ve done.”

“Seriously?” Pat threw his arms up. “This is ridiculous.”

“You’re ridiculous,” she countered.

“Yeah, let’s go.” Winnie started walking toward the stand without a look backward. Jonathan easily fell into stride next to her.

“So do you not like swimming?” Jon looked through his sunglasses at the girl as she moved, her legs tensing with each step in the sand.

“I like swimming,” she stated simply. She could see the side glances several girls were throwing in their direction. “I just don’t like swimming in the ocean.”

“Afraid a shark will eat you?” His joking tone cracked a smile on her lips and she shook her head.

“The only shark in the water today will be Kezzie.” She saw him nod in agreement. “The last time I tried to swim in the ocean I almost drowned.”

“Oh, wow. I’m sorry.” The air deflated around them.

“It’s not your fault. I got swept up by the undertow and tossed around like dead fish. Somehow my feet hit sand and I just pushed with all my might to break the surface. Adam always said I looked like a dolphin jumping out of the water.” She rolled her eyes at the comparison and sighed. “Nobody tried to help me and that stupid bastard didn’t even come check on me as I sprawled out on the shore. My parents told me to be more mindful of the current. Haven’t stepped in since.”

“Adam sounds like a douche.” Winnie choked on a laugh stepping in line for the concessions. “Just from what I’ve heard.”

“He had his good qualities,” she began, “but it just seemed the closer he got to the family the more money hungry he became. He wanted the ins and outs of the business to get in with my father and that’s when things took a turn for the worse. He’s just, not a very nice person.”

Jon opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by a blonde girl he didn’t see approach. “Excuse me?” Winnie bit back the jealously clawing in her mind. “You’re Jonathan Toews, right?”

“The one and only.” His eyes wavered to stay connected with hers, the tanned skin shining from whatever lotion she had put on. The barely there bikini did little for the imagination. She giggled softly and held up her phone.

“Can I get a picture with you? My friends don’t believe that a Chicago Blackhawk is in Florida to have fun.” She bit her lower lip. “If your girlfriend doesn’t mind.”

“Not his girlfriend,” Winnie snapped. The girl smiled wider and leaned into Jonathan, his arm draping around her lower back. By the time the picture was taken Winnie was at the front of the concession glancing over the menu.

“Is that Jonathan Toews?” The cashier had wide eyes staring at the hockey player.

“Unfortunately,” the brunette grumbled. “Can I get four hot dogs, two nachos, a bag of Cheetos, and 4 of the biggest waters you can give me?”

The young boy punched in the order on the computer and smiled at her. “That’s $24 on the nose.” She dug out two twenty dollar bills and handed them over. With change in hand she moved off to the side so the person behind her could move forward. Looking over at Jon and the blonde she could see the way the girl was openly flirting not just with her body but with her face. The light touches to his arm, the giggles, the way her foot was popped up so her muscles would flex in her legs. She didn’t want to be jealous but there it was, like a bad taste in the back of her mouth. “Ma’am?” She turned back to the concession where the food was lined up on a large tray.

“Thanks.”

“Are you going to be able to handle all this by yourself?” The tray was heavy in her hands with the added weight of the large waters.

“I have no choice.” Passing by a laughing Jonathan and giggling bimbo, Winnie headed back to their spot where Keziah and Patrick were sitting in the adjacent chairs. Keziah lifted her sunglasses off her nose and peered at her friend as she approached. Patrick jumped out of the seat and grabbed two of the waters, Winnie’s silent grimace the only gratitude she was going to express.

“I thought Jon went with you?”

“Oh he did.” Winnie set the tray down on one of the towels and threw her clutch into her bag. “Got a little tangled up.”

“With what?”

“His dick.”


The blonde, later learned to be known as Melissa, had ventured over behind a very smug looking Jonathan. He disregarded the snacks and the glare that Winnie was burning into the side of his face while introducing them all. She waved with her fingers and sat down next to Jonathan on one of the towels.

“As nice as it is to watch them mentally screw each other,” Keziah muttered, “maybe it’s time we go for that swim.” Patrick looked up at her from the towel he had laid down on and smirked.

“Ocean time!” Scrambling to his feet he tossed his sunglasses into the sand and practically ripped Keziah from her seat. “Come on Winnie!” They took off running toward the water leaving the brunette alone with Jon and bimbo. She snorted in laughter when Keziah tripped Patrick in the water and he fell face first into the salt water, his arms flailing around him in dramatic fashion.

“Oh my goodness, tell me another!” Winnie scowled at the duo, the bimbo’s perfectly manicured hand resting on Jon’s arm. He used his free hand for gestures as he went on about whatever he was saying. Squeezing her eyes shut she battled her inner demon.

“Come on Pooh Bear!” Keziah waved her arms over her head. Patrick ran up behind her and tackled her into the waves making her scream out.

“Can you like, not swim?” Letting out a slow breath through her nose Winnie shifted to face Melissa. Her glossed lips were pulled into a scowl. “Why would you come to the beach if you can’t swim?”

“If it were any of your business, which it’s clearly not, I would tell you that I’m here to spend time with my friends. Swimming or not swimming doesn’t dictate my level of entertainment.” Winnie gripped the arms of the chair tightly.

“Well it looks like they’re having all the fun without you.” Her smirk was irritating.

“Just like your friends? You know, the people you came here with? Or did you forget about them the second you laid eyes on a multi-millionaire who is clearly more interested in your tits than your eyes?” Winnie saw the red creep up Jon’s neck. “I thought you would be here swimming, since you know, it’s pretty stupid if you come to the beach to not swim.” She stood up from the chair and pulled the tank off of her body. Jon’s eyes devoured the newly exposed flesh behind his sunglasses not expecting to see the toned muscle in her abdomen.

“You’re a bitch.”

“And you’re a slut. So if you’re going to spread your legs you might as well do that now and get it over with. I’m going to enjoy my time with my friends because I’m not here to have something to brag about when I go home.” She shoved her shorts down to her ankles and kicked them to the side. The weight was lifting off her shoulders the closer she got to the water and she saw the smile spreading on Keziah’s face. The temperature caught her off guard, the tide catching her toes and sending chills up her spine.

“You just told her off, didn’t you?” Keziah grabbed Winnie’s arm and pulled her into the ocean knee deep. Panic began to bubble in her stomach.

“I might have expressed my discomfort,” Winnie trailed off. Patrick walked up running his hands through his newly wet curls. “It’s just, rude.”

“Rude of her to try to sneak one past Jonny or rude of him to completely ignore you?” Patrick wiggled his brows and Keziah rolled her eyes.

“I don’t care about Jonathan,” Winnie defended.

“Oh sure. Him talking to a busty blonde for an hour after ditching you at the concession has nothing to do with your current anger.”

“Shut up.” Winnie shoved the boy away from her and he barked out a laugh.

“You totally like him.”

“Of course she does you idiot,” Keziah answered. “That’s why we had him come with.”

“I don’t like him.” Winnie crossed her arms and winced as a wave splashed into her thighs.

“The green tint of your envious skin says otherwise.” Patrick dodged her oncoming fist. “Take a dip and cool off there Hulk.”

“Why don’t you bite me.” She made a face at him that Keziah smirked at.

“How about I just throw you in?” Winnie didn’t have time to react before Patrick had thrown her over his shoulder.

“No, Patrick, put me down. Put me down!” Winnie slapped at his back but it was no use. “Kezzie help me!”

“Sorry babe, you’re on your own.”

“Kane put me down right now.” He was almost waist deep and she could feel the water touch her toes. “I’ll do whatever you want just please put me down.”

“Alright.” He stopped walking and lifted her off his shoulder. For a split second she thought he was actually going to let her go before he bent at his knees.

“No!” He threw her into the air, her heart beating wildly, and she barely had time to close her mouth when she hit the water. They weren’t deep enough to where she couldn’t touch the bottom but the current pulled at her legs as she struggled to stand. Her lungs sucked in the air once her head broke the surface. Her entire body shook as she stood almost chest deep.

“Winnie!” Keziah’s voice broke through the ringing in her ears and she glanced behind her to see the wave building. It capped over her head sending her back under in somersaults. Sand hit her skin and she felt a rock on her back as she scraped the ocean floor. Kicking as hard as she could she opened her eyes, her scream of pain coming out as only a bubble from the burning. She felt the sand under her feet and pushed with everything she had, her hands above her in search of anything other than water. An arm wrapped around her torso tugging her out of the area. She sputtered the second her head was above the water and she gripped the arm holding her.

“It’s alright, you’re alright.” Tears blurred her vision. “I’ve got you.”

“You got her Jon?” He made sure she could stand before releasing his hold, her body nearly crumpling as she panted. She dropped to her hands and knees on the shoreline trying to calm her frantic senses. A hand touched her back and she flinched. Flipping over to sit down she batted Jon’s arm from her.

“Winnie I’m so sorry I didn’t know you couldn’t swim,” Patrick knelt down in front of her.

“I can swim I just, I’m not,” she couldn’t get the words to come. The tears started to run down her cheek and she buried her face into her hands. She didn’t notice Keziah plop down next to her or the looks several people were giving as they looked from their spots.

“You’re safe now. You’re good.” Jon wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest. The warmth spread through her upper body leaning into him. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and let her cry against his skin. “We’ve got you.”