"Actually, I got one," I said, turning around and holding mine up. Adrian laughed, pointing a finger at Darius.
"You're a rotten egg. Come on, Ivory, let's run away from the smelly boy," and before I knew it, Adrian's hand was around my wrist and my head nearly got whiplash as he pulled me after him.
"Adrian!" I snapped as I felt various rocks and shells in the sand stabbing my feet. This boy. Can someone remind me how he was a CEO?
Running in the Colour Run was tiring and running again now, my body simply refused to go on. Not more than fifty metres away, I gave up.
"Ivory, run or else we'll smell like eggs!"
"You… go…" I said, panting. "I… can't."
He gave me a glare before shrugging, "Everyone man for himself," and ran off while I dropped to the sand and laid on my back, refusing to move as my breath tried to catch up with me. I closed my eyes feeling the water lap at my feet. I was too close to the water but I had zero energy in me to move back.
I saw a shadow, realising it was Darius. I squinted, trying to make him out. He sat down beside me and I saw his black shoes, dusted with sand, and I stifled a laugh. Of course, he wears business shoes to the beach.
"What's funny?"
"Your shoes," I said, propping myself up on my elbows and sighing. I could feel my heart rate finally return to normal and my breath caught up with itself.
"What's wrong with my shoes?" asked Darius. I looked at him, laughing at his confused face as he stretched his long legs beside me.
"Oh, nothing." I shrugged as Darius laid back on his elbows as well. He nudged me with his shoulder.
"Tell me," he asked but it sounded more like a command.
"What's the rule about wearing business shoes to the beach?" I asked. He turned his head to face me, his eyebrows knotting like he was in deep thought. A small crinkle came between his eyebrows and I felt like reaching to straighten it out.
Wait, what?
"What's the rule?" he asked.
"Huh? Oh, you don't wear them," I said looking back at the water to break the eye contact.
I lay back onto the sand, placing my hands on my stomach, and looked at the sky that was gradually starting to darken and I looked around to see if I could see any stars. I saw Darius in the corner of my eyes follow my movement and lie down, his shoulder brushing mine, making me shiver.
I tried to ignore how close he was and how I was feeling. This was stupid. I've been closer yet I felt like some high school teenager with my first crush.
I heard the soft sounds of the waves lap at my feet and realised, weren't his shoes getting wet?
Oh well, this is exactly why you don't wear business shoes to the beach. I stared back at the sky to see one small dot that was shining.
"A star." I pointed it out and heard him chuckle.
"What?" I asked, turning my head in his direction.
"That's not a star."
"Yes, it is," I insisted, looking back up. I knew a star when I saw one. And what else could it possibly be?
"It's a helicopter," he said.
"No," I said in disbelief, looking back at the sky. "Really?" I saw it twinkle.
"Yea. It's too cloudy for you to see stars tonight."
"Oh," I said, a bit disappointed. Star gazing on the beach is one of the best things you can do. Just lay on the warm sand, with the cold water at your feet, stars in the sky and not a care in the world. That was till his phone started ringing and ringing.
"You're not going to get that?" I asked after a few more rings.
"Not important," he said.
"How do you know?" I asked turning my head to face him. He was staring at the sky, the moon reflecting off his cheekbones.
"I have three phones," he said, shrugging. I nodded, turning back to the sky and froze.
"What?" I snapped a bit too loudly, staring back at him. He laughed and turned to look at me, his green eyes locking with mine.
"Why do you need three phones? Are you crazy?" I snapped.
"One for business, one for friends," he said. "They all have a different ringtone, and that's why I know this isn't important." I was sure my jaw was open. Three phones? I barely remembered that I had a phone and he maintained three?
"And the third one?" I asked. If he had all areas covered, then what was the third one for?
"Family."
Oh of course, family. Which phone did I have? Can it be for family? No, because James was in there and James was not family and would never be. Which reminded me that I had to tell him.
"Darius?" I asked turning my head toward the sky. There was no way I can say it looking into his eyes.
"You know, your new business partner?"
"James?" he asked and I nodded, not sure whether he was looking at me or not.
"Why, um, are you thinking of merging business with him?"
Stupid, Ivory. Dumb Ivory, like you care. Maybe I will take the around the road approach.
"Because he asked."
"Are you going to?" I asked, my voice dipping to a whisper.
"I'm still thinking. Why? Should I?"