AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The sun has long gone down, and the beach is dark.
But from somewhere beyond the light of the condos, a chant begins. “Lava flow! Lava flow!”
I peer into the distance. Several flashlights bob.
“That’s Anya and Morrie,” Mendo says. “I called them down.”
Oooh. I’m curious to watch them to see if what Gabe said is true. Should they be together?
“You guys going to make this a regular spot?” Gabe asks.
Mendo shrugs. “They forgot how much they like this beach.”
The two friends arrive and collapse on stools next to Mendo.
“That’s a haul, and I’m out of shape,” Anya says, her braids swinging as she shoves Morrie. “Next time you drop me off.”
“Girl, I’m not walking that stretch by myself.” He turns his ball cap around so the bill faces the back. “Someone might take advantage of my innocence.”
Anya tweaks his ear. “Aww, poor Morrie. Hasn’t gotten any action lately.”
Now that’s a strange thing to say to someone you may or may not be interested in. I think Gabe’s wrong. These two act like siblings.
Anya flattens a fifteen-Jarra banknote on the bar. “Get us both a lava flow, pretty please.”
“We don’t have the coconuts,” I tell her.
“That’s fine by me,” she says. “I don’t like to drink out of hairy balls.”
Mendo slaps the counter. “That’s not what I heard!”
Anya shoves him so hard he falls off the stool into the sand.
I glance over at Gabe, who’s grinning by the register. He pulls the blenders out since I’m layering the mermaid sunrise.
“Oooh, is that another drink not on the menu?” The woman who was concerned about Mendo’s story picks up the laminated card.
“They have a ton,” Anya says. “This is the best bar on the island.”
“It’s two frozen flavors swirled together,” Gabe says. “Strawberry and banana.”
“Sounds divine,” the woman says. “I’ll have one, too.”
“Me too,” says another woman.
Gabe opens the blenders. “Anyone else? It’s easy to blend a bunch at once.”
We end up with five orders. I finish up the mermaid sunrise and start making the banana half of the lava flow.
“It’s coming up on closing time,” Mendo says. “Should we hang out?”
I glance at Gabe, who hesitates.
“Awwww, the lovers have a date.” Mendo flutters his eyelashes.
“Where ya goin’?” Anya asks.
Gabe and I pour the two halves of the lava flow together. His jaw is tight. “Don’t know,” he finally says.
