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It was an early Saturday morning, and the first time Derek would be staying Sunset Bird for the day while his dad and Mr. Holden worked. He and Cove had spent enough time together at this point to enjoy each other's company and were steadily becoming close friends. So when Derek was given the option to hang out with Cove, he accepted happily. The two boys found themselves in Cove's bedroom, lounging about lazily. Cove was stretched across his bed while Derek was rolling around in the desk chair, taking in the space. There was sand scattered across the floor, and ocean related items in every direction.
“So what do you normally do around here?” Derek asked as he watched the colorful fish swim around in their tank, “I know you like to surf but is there anything else?”
“Yeah, Mari and I hang out most days. At the beach usually, sometimes just each other's houses and occasionally town,” Cove paused for a moment noticing Derek’s attention was fully on him now and not his fish, “oh right, you haven’t met her yet, she’s my best friend.”
“Oh that’s cool,” Derek smiled curiously, “so what is she like?”
“Mari is really nice, she has been ever since we met as little kids. She was too nice, to the point where I used to wonder if we were actually friends” Cove was thoughtful for a moment before continuing, “she was even nice to the mean kids. One day some of our classmates were picking on me, and she yelled at them. I was shocked and to be honest that was the first and only time I ever heard her even raise her voice. I was kind of dumb as a kid so even after that it took me a while to realize not only that we were friends but that she was my best friend.”
“Wow she does seem like a really nice person,” Derek bounced on his feet energetically, “I hope I get a chance to meet her, does she live nearby?”
Cove stuttered for a few minutes debating internally. Should I introduce them? Derek doesn’t seem like the type who’d pick on someone else. He’s always polite so it should be okay. Cove had noticed people from school often took advantage of Mari’s kindness and she was also picked on for being an airhead. She often drifted off into space, which meant she often bumped into things or others. Some of their peers even thought Mari was creepy. She had a habit of intensely listening whenever someone spoke, she’d lean forward slightly and look deeply into their eyes. Cove remembered feeling like she was gazing directly into his soul the first time she did that, and what was even more unsettling was after she did that it was as if she knew exactly what he needed to hear the most in that moment. She does that to everyone, and Cove was pretty sure she doesn’t even realize she does that. Nonetheless it made it difficult for her to make friends, to put it simply, most people thought she was weird and that was why Cove was hesitant to introduce them.
“Uh, Cove?” Derek slowly moved closer, trying to read his friend’s expression, “Is everything alright? I didn’t say something weird, did I?”
“Sorry, I just had to think for a moment, but I think it would be alright. You’re also nice, so you’ll probably get it,” Cove was more certain now, he grinned awkwardly, “the truth is I was debating if I wanted you to meet her. It’s nothing against you, I just worry about her sometimes. Kids from our school aren’t exactly nice to her. Most of the time she’s pretty weird and some even pick on her, but I think you’ll like her,” Cove glanced at his clock, “actually she should be leaving her house soon, we can wait for her outside.”
Derek agreed and reassured that he would be on his best behavior. Cove just laughed as he led the way outside. Derek gave him a confused look when they stopped just outside of the house, Cove had failed to mention that he and Mari were neighbors and that her house was directly across from his. Cove didn’t elaborate as he just stood and looked across the street expectantly. Unbeknownst to Derek, Mari’s morning routine was almost exactly the same every day. She’d wake up around eight every morning but would lay in bed snuggled up and gazing out her window for a bit until her moms would call her down for breakfast. After breakfast she would help tidy the kitchen before returning to her room to get ready for the day. Mari is never in a rush to do anything, so it does take her a while to finish getting ready, but once all of that is done, she’ll go back down stairs and slip on her shoes to go for a walk along the beach right around ten. Just like clock work, the Jones’ front door opened, and out stepped a girl with wavy dark brown hair. She wore an oversized shirt, that was so long you could just barely see the flowery skirt peaking from underneath, her bracelets jingled as she shut the door behind her. She turned and slowly ambled toward the road, Cove realized she hadn’t noticed them and called out, she paused and slowly looked up, tilting her head slightly. Derek had started her way the moment Cove had called out, she glanced curiously between her neighbor and the new boy who was sprinting towards her.
“Hello, I’m Derek Suarez,” grinning wide as he approached, “Cove was telling me about you but he didn’t mention you were neighbors, that's great!”
“Oh, hello Derek, and hello Cove,” she gave each boy their own smile and gentle wave, “what are you two up to? I’m about to take a walk along the beach.”
“Mari, I know, we were waiting for you,” Cove laughed as he watched confusion spread across her face, “you can’t look surprised when you literally do the same thing every morning at almost the same time.”
She gasped as if that was the most shocking thing she had ever heard, she blinked slowly as if she was deep in thought. After a few moments her eyes flew wide open, “You’re right! I do go for a walk every morning!”
Cove buckled over in a fit of laughter and this time Derek joined him. Derek couldn’t help himself, he thought that she was cute as soon as he saw her but seeing that genuine shock on her face made her even cuter. His laughter was cut short as he noticed she was much closer now, examining every inch of him with her forest colored eyes, they were the darkest green eyes he had ever seen. He found himself frozen under her gaze, it was intense but somehow felt gentle at the same time. Her eyes were wide, her mouth pressed into a thin line. She was so close that he could smell her shampoo. It was a fresh and bright scent, slightly sweet and reminiscent of mangoes. Being that close also allowed him to notice the faint freckles that dotted across her nose and cheeks. The longer she stared at him, the faster his heart beat, Derek didn't know why, but he felt drawn to her in that moment, like there was an invisible thread was being tied between them. Slowly a smile stretched across her face and in an airy yet sweet tone she made her assessment, “I think we’re going to be wonderful friends, Derek.”
“Sheesh, you are nice,” he said as his cheeks reddened and his heart raced, “I think you’re right though.”