The angel and the beauty – or – just another summer day at Kits Beach

Franny is just about to transition from the down dog into the forward fold. She is standing with her back towards the crowded beach life. Running kids, flying volleyballs, screaming teenagers, blasting music from rattling speakers, while she is trying to find her inner peace. She takes a deep breath of fresh ocean air, filled with the smell of Korean barbecue, sun screen, dusty sand, sweaty bodies, and deep frying French fries. Her yoga pants are burgundy, her lotus-top glints in Alice blue and her blond hair is held back by a cream colored braided bead headband, matching her dusty rose colored yoga mat. 

 

Mitch and Andy have been playing beach volleyball together since their first year of college. Andy is lean, average height and uses just enough product in his dark brown hair to give it this very casual look. He goes to the gym three times a week, his stomach is flat, his upper body strong. His legs however, are slightly too skinny and his skin is still that tiny bit too pale. Behind him, Mitch is waiting for the other team to serve. He is a few inches taller than Andy. His dark blond hair reaches down to his eyes so that he has to stroke it back every other moment. Mitch goes to the gym 5 times a week, his skin gleams in a milk chocolate brown, his stomach is all muscle and no fat. He has not only upper body but also lower body and core strength. His muscles look painted, they show enough but not too much. A result of a meticulous balance of a careful diet, lots of training and self-control. Although, he would never mention to his friends that he is anyone other than Mr. I-can-eat-anything-and-never-put-on-weight. When it is his turn to serve, he “accidentally” hits the ball off the court towards the grassy area, where that hot chick is doing yoga.

Franny has been watching the volley ball courts through her legs. When she sees that the ball is rolling towards her, she quickly switches into the child pose. This very snazzy blond guy is coming over. But nothing can disrupt her from the deep state of concentration she is in. He was wearing sun glasses, so she couldn’t see the colour of his eyes anyways. A while ago, she came to the decision to only date guys with green eyes. Except for Taylor maybe. And there was Chris and now that she comes to think off it, Duncan had brown eyes as well. That’s probably why it didn’t work out. She carefully turns her head towards where the volleyball had landed. The tall blond guy is just bending over to pick it up. He gives her a sneaky smile, strokes his hair back and lets out a shy laugh. “Sorry angel!” he says and runs back on to the court. His every move is perfectly balanced, agile, and strong. Franny starts doing twists while peaking around her outstretched legs to look at the volleyball court with her head upside down.

Mitch gives Andy a playful tap on the butt and starts to seriously play. They are a good team and when they really want they almost always win. He switches with Andy to go to the net. No more “accidental” mishaps from now on. He blocks nearly every attempt from the other team to cross the net, standing in the air like a hummingbird watching his prey.  He not once looks over to the yoga girl, but he can feel her eyes on his naked, sun-tanned skin. When they convert their first match point, everyone shares laughs, a hand shake and a drink out of the cooler. Water is dripping from the outside of the ice cold can while sweat is running down their backs. Mitch slowly sits down on one of the drift wood logs, pushes up his sun glasses on to his head and then looks over to the yoga chick.

Franny has busied herself with checking messages on her phone. She casually opens and closes all kind of apps. She is thinking about calling a friend to not look like a loser girl that has to go to the beach by herself. She grabs a fruit shake out of her yoga bag and starts to do some more stretching. From the corner of her eyes she has noticed that the game of volleyball has ended. She purposely stretches a few seconds longer than she usually would. When there is nothing left to stretch, she takes another zip of her fruit shake. Absentmindedly, she puts the drink back into her back, checks her phone again and then, coincidentally, looks towards the hot blond guy. He has pushed the sun glasses of his eyes. His eyes are green.