It took me days to get the courage to text Nellie. I spent the time trying to keep her off my mind as I got to work clearing the brush and vines that had grown to cover all of Mama's backyard. It was while I was sitting on the back porch, staring out at the hard work I'd done that I finally decided to bite the bullet. It would be nice to have a friend in town, especially since I'd be here for a while. I sent off the text, a picture of the sun slowly lowering beyond the back fence.
Nellie responded almost immediately, like she'd been sitting by the phone just waiting for me to text.
She sent an invitation to a bonfire on the beach. My brow knit together. It wasn't far, and it was late enough I could get out without worrying mama too much. She always hated me going out after dark.
I agreed, asking if I should bring my swimsuit. I didn't mind swimming. The water would be a little cooler with the sun gone but people still swam at night. I used to sneak out to go to the beach at night when I was a teenager.
She didn't take long, responding with a selfie of her in her bathing suit. She was winking in it and her tongue was out while she held up a rock on sign with her free hand. She was so pretty. I sent back a thumbs up emoji and set aside my phone when mama came out.
"You know you used to do that same thing when you were talkin' to a boy you wasn't s'posed to be." She told me, setting down a glass of tea for me. Mama looked out at the yard. "That yards bare as the preacher's head, isn't it?"
I laughed. "Yeah, I'm gonna have to run out and grab some grass seed and hay. It won't be very pretty but at least the soil can breathe again now. Those vines were clear out to the back." I picked up my tea and took a sip. "And I never talked to no boys I wasn't telling' you about, Mama. You and papa just liked to know everything I was doing."
"For good reason. Some of those girls in town just aren't any good." She defended herself, raising her hand to cover a yawn as she sat down. "Lord, how am I so tired already?"
Mama had been working too hard. Even if I managed to keep her from doing too much, she was still insisting on helping. She didn't want me to see her struggle. Ironically that made her struggle even more. I shook my head and smiled. "Mama, you should go to bed early. I can make myself my own dinner." I worried about her too much. She was trying to prove to me that she was fine. She wasn't though.
Mama seemed to think about it, taking a long sip of her own tea as she leaned back her head. She closed her eyes, sighing heavily. "You sure?" She asked.
"I'm sure. I'm probably gonna head to bed early anyway." I promised, watching her consider her options before heaving herself out of her rocker. She smoothed back my hair as she walked into the house.
Mama worried too much.
I finished up some chores in the kitchen and went up to get showered and changed before the bonfire. I figured showing up covered in sweat and dirt was hardly the first impression I wanted to give off to Nellie and her friends. I wanted her to know I was cool and fun, not gross and dirty. I took a quick shower and tiptoed to my bedroom where I dug through my suitcase until I found my favorite swimsuit. It was a simple front tie bikini in a pretty pink that I always thought suited my skin tone.
I didn't want to waste too much time on my makeup if I was gonna swim anyway, but I still ended up sitting on the floor by my full length mirror with my makeup bag in my lap. I figured mascara and soft pink eyeshadow would be perfect to go with the bikini and the white shorts I figured I'd wear with em. Plus, the pigtail braids I was putting my hair in would look adorable with it. I slipped on a pair of sandals and modeled for myself in the mirror. I was almost giddy. It wasn't everyday I had time or opportunity to try to make friends. It's hard as an adult! I did okay in school, but now I could hardly get people to line up their schedules with mine. This would be good for me. Make some friends and get my mind off of everything.
I grabbed my keys and walked as quietly as I could down the stairs and out the front door. I felt silly sneaking around. I was a twenty year old woman sneaking out of the house to go to a bonfire. I guess my rebellious phase hit late.
The ride to the beach was smooth. I could make that trip blindfolded. It was strange though, I realized they were having their party on the stretch of next that ran into the forest. Most of the locals avoided getting too close to that part of the beach on account of the wildlife. Chincoteague didn't just have wild horses. We had bears, wolves, plenty of things to ruin a beach picnic. I could see the fire from the street, using it as a beacon to guide me to their party.
Nellie and her friends were sitting on logs they'd drug out around the bonfire. One of the guys had a radio on the log beside them, playing a local station. I waved my hand, a little awkward as I walked up. "Hey."
"There she is." Nellie said, grinning as she stood up from her seat to greet me. She was wearing the same black swimsuit from the picture she'd sent and a pair of jeans shorts hanging loosely on her hips as she walked through the sand to me. "I got worried you had cold feet."
Her hair was different now too. The pretty curls were gone, replaced with short coiled buns all over her head. Her hair had been separated into geometric shaped sections for the knots. They made her look powerful, intimidating. She stood in front of me with the bonfire at her back, haloing her in light and making her look like the sun itself. Behind her were four men and one other woman, all with various drinks in their hand. They looked comfortable with each other.
I pushed my braids over my shoulders and smiled up at her. "Why would I get cold feet?" I asked sweetly.
Nellie wrapped her arm around my shoulder and led me towards the group. "Everybody, meet Sarah. Sarah, those are my cousin's over there by the cooler, Rafael, Michaelo, and Diana. And over here are my brothers Deion and Isaac." She gestured with her free hand. The one around my shoulder held a bottle of beer and I couldn't help shuddering towards her when it touched my shoulder. She grinned down at me when she felt me lean closer and led me towards the two boys by the cooler. "Come here, I've got seltzers, beer, mixers. Pick your poison."
"Um, just a seltzer, maybe?"
The one she had called Rafael opened the cooler and looked up at me from under the short braids that were falling into his face as he held up the drink. He didn't seem like he ate well, his chest and waist real skinny and the rest of him real lanky. "You weren't kidding, Nel." He said, his voice not holding the same heavy accent as me or Nellie. His eyes didn't leave my face. "She's cute as hell, ain't she?"
I felt a blush forming, leaning into Nellie and resting my hand on her bare side. I didn't like the way Rafael and the other guys were looking at me. They looked like hungry dogs, and I was a steak dinner left on the edge of the counter. Nellie leaned to snatch the drink from him and kicked his leg. "Watch yourself, Rafe. I'll tell your mama and she'll turn you into a nice rug." She threatened with a grin before she turned around. My eyes caught the other men's gaze and I immediately wished I hadn't, feeling that same feeling of dread rising up in my chest as Nellie led me over to the log she'd been parked on earlier.
The only one that didn't seem to be staring at me with that hungry look was Diana, but she was leaning against the larger heavy set cousin, Michaelo. She had a book open, ignoring the boys around her while she drank.
"I can't help myself, you know that. I'm a sucker for a pretty blonde." Rafael laughed. The sound made my skin crawl and I took a nervous sip of my drink. Nellie shook her head.
"Don't mind him. He's a mess. He bothers you too much tonight you just tell me." Nellie said, picking up one of my braids and twisting it between her fingers.
I nodded, wetting my lips as I looked around the bonfire. "Is it just us?" I asked. It sounded like it would be more like a party over the text. There was only her family here. It felt weird to be here without knowing them all better. I looked from her fingers holding my hair to her eyes that were intently staring down at me.
"A few of my cousin's friends are coming soon. Why, you nervous?" Nellie's teeth seemed too white, her canines too sharp. A pit in my stomach was forming, demanding I run. From what? Nothing ever happened in Chincoteague, and this was a beach I was at all the time as a teenager. I was sure the feeling would pass when the other friends arrived. Unfortunately, that only made the feeling shift into confusion as I watched the group of women walk down the beach.